A microapartment development could add 10 new living units to the downtown core.

The plans were presented at last Tuesday evening’s council meeting.

Pat Ross, the city’s planning manager, brought forward the developer’s (360 Design Build) application for a zoning amendment that would allow the plans to go forward.

The change would see the city waive the requirement for private amenity space that is typically provided in the form of a balcony or patio and reduce the required off-street parking spaces from six to five.

The development would see a four-storey structure built at 305 Hawkins St. that includes 2,702 square feet of commercial space along with the 10 one-bedroom micro-apartment units measuring between 350 and 411 square feet.

The units are proposed to be affordable rental units, with the proposal by 360 Design Build showing a rental rates at $795 per month.

“The positive impact of a micro-apartment is not only felt in any one resident’s monthly rent cheque, but by the entire neighbourhood,” states the information package provided to the city by 360 Design Build.

“By concentrating people and disposable income in an otherwise dead neighbourhood, an urban street life can begin to emerge.

“Small units can easily double the number of residents in a typical apartment building, allowing for high-density living without towering height.

“In Whitehorse, activating the fringes of the downtown core would expand urban activity while allowing residents to stay close to necessary amenities.”

The zoning bylaw currently requires common and private amenity space. The developer is asking instead that the city permit a larger shared space in the form of a rooftop patio that would be available to all tenants.

“The proposed 500 square foot rooftop patio exceeds both the shared spaces for the eight residential units without balconies (two units have the space for balconies),” Ross said in his report.

“The developer suggests that a large shared amenity area would be more useful than very small balconies. It is also presumably more cost-effective than a revised building design that includes balconies for all residential units, which might require adding an additional floor or removing rentable area.”

On the issue of parking, a total of six off-street parking spots are required at a rate of one for every two units and one visitor’s spot with 360 Design asking that the city waive the requirement for a visitor’s spot.

As Ross told council: “A further review by administration found that the 2011 Downtown Parking Plan encourages residential visitor parking on-street rather than as off-street parking, since on-street parking is meant for short-term parking use.

“As a result, there is justification for waiving residential visitor parking requirements from downtown development and administration will consider this in future zoning bylaw updates.”

While council won’t vote on first reading of the proposed changes until this evening, last week, members expressed support for the new housing units, but voiced concerns over parking.

“We have tight parking downtown already,” Coun. Dan Boyd said.

He added he has concerns about reducing the number of parking spots beyond what is outlined in the bylaw now.

“I’m super-excited,” Coun. Roslyn Woodcock said of the development after council members wondered how many residents of the building might use the parking spots.

Woodcock was quick to point out that she lives downtown in a smaller living space and chooses not to drive nor own a vehicle.

Rental units are needed in the city, she said, wondering when the four-storey structure will be built. Ross said he would get back to council with the information in the coming weeks.

Mayor Dan Curtis noted that while he too is “ecstatic” about the project, he has concerns around the expanded pressure for parking downtown.

Coun. Betty Irwin pointed to other jurisdictions that assign on-street parking spaces to residents, wondering if city staff have looked at that possibility for Whitehorse.

Ross noted that staff are exploring possibilities for downtown parking provisions in the future through the zoning bylaw.

If council approves first reading of the zoning changes this evening, residents could have their say at a public hearing on Dec. 12.

A report to council on the hearing would follow on Jan. 9, with second and third readings then expected to come forward Jan. 16.