1605 York Place is poised to be next on the Oak Bay Community Heritage Register.
The owners voluntarily underwent the heritage registration and designation process after approaching council to divide the property and rezone, retaining the heritage home while allowing for a second on the lot.
The home, known as Briarbrae or the A.T. Goward Home, is a two-storey Edwardian home built in 1904 with later additions in 1913 and 1972.
It is set back from the road in wooded grounds on a hill overlooking Rattenbury’s Beach and the Olympic Mountains. It’s one of many heritage homes in the neighbourhood proposed to be the first Heritage Conservation Area in Oak Bay.
The proposal is to rezone a portion of the property from One Family Residential Use (RS-2) to One Family Residential Use (RS-3). The site currently has one single-family dwelling and a detached garage.
Homeowners propose to subdivide and build a second single-family home on the second lot.
The proposal would require variances for lot frontage and lot width as well as upgrades to infrastructure and protection of a number of trees, including an eagle nest tree.
Heritage designation was the final piece council hoped to see, and recommended council approve the proposal (expected on the Feb. 27 agenda after News deadline).
A rezoning would require a public hearing date.