WCEL > Issues > Urban Growth and Development > Smart Bylaws Guide > Part 3 > Mixing Uses > Gibsons

Smart Bylaws Guide – Mixing Uses – Gibsons

Gibsons is aiming to create a more compact complete community around existing commercial areas by diversifying pedestrian-oriented commercial uses and increasing densities. One strategy is to increase population density around the Upper Gibsons commercial lands along Highway 101 to revitalize the area and create more of a pedestrian orientation. It has also designated Gibsons Landing as a Commercial and Mixed-Use – Residential/Commercial area.

OCP (Draft 2) policies include: (pp.64-65)

1. Support the efforts of merchants with respect to the detailed Revitalization Concept Plan for the Gibsons Landing area to address issues such as façade improvements, traffic flow improvements, future public parking areas, signage, potential architectural design themes and other revitalization issues.
2. Encourage the following retail uses within the Commercial and Mixed-Use - Residential/Commercial designation for Gibsons Landing:

1. a mix of day-to-day retailers (e.g., green grocers, meat/fish, canned goods and specialty foods, drugstores and convenience);
2. specialty retailers (durable, semi-durable and apparel); and
3. service commercial activities.

3. Encourage ‘festival’ retail in the Gibsons Landing area by locating a floating market along the waterfront beside the Government Wharf where seafood, fresh produce and other food and craft items would be sold. Merchants would be encouraged to vend from boats adapted for such purposes reflecting the ‘festival nature’ of the market.
4. Limit the extent of the commercial shopping core street along Gower Point Road, between School and Winn Road, to no more than 300-350 metres to ensure pedestrian accessibility and enjoyment and to create a concentrated shopping core. Encourage the sidewalk and building edge of this shopping street to be irregular in treatment to permit widening of the sidewalk for creation of landscape areas, benches, café seating and gathering areas.
5. Provide for the day-to-day needs of older residents in the village by encouraging a broad base of shops, restaurants and services, planning for generous sidewalks, frequent and safe places to sit.
6. Support an integrated mix of commercial and multiple family housing in the Mixed Use – Residential/Commercial designation of Gibsons Landing, in accordance with the following provisions:

1. the commercial component of the building is to be the primary use, located at street level as part of the general business/shopping area;
2. multi-family housing may consist of apartments or townhomes integrated with the commercial use, and may be located above or below the commercial use depending on the site location;
3. multi-family uses shall conform to the overall building heights established in the Development Permit guidelines for specific areas of Lower Gibsons;
4. no overall density for mixed commercial and residential use is established due to the diversity of lot sizes and situations. However, it should be noted that many smaller properties will require consolidation in order to meet bylaw standards for parking, access, etc.;
5. site development should create and enhance public pedestrian linkages between major roads and the shoreline; and
6. both the shoreline edge and the streetscape along Gower Point Road/Marine Drive should be considered as the focal points of any development.

Smart Plan: Official Community Plan
Draft 2 November 2003