The Comox Valley Regional District plans to spend about $11.7 million on its new Harmston Avenue digs.
The RD board gave its blessing Tuesday to a schematic design for the building which will replace rented facilities on Comox Road.
The new building will provide more space, and be immune from annual flooding threats.
The board also agreed to borrow $8.2 million for the project through the 鈥渁lternative approval鈥� process.
That means 10 per cent of the district鈥檚 electors 鈥� 5,055 people 鈥� must submit elector response forms if they鈥檙e against borrowing for the project. If that threshold is met, then the borrowing bylaw must go to referendum.
The response forms are expected to be available as of July 6, and electors will have six weeks to submit their responses. The deadline for submitting 鈥榥o鈥� forms is 4:30 p.m., Friday, August 18.
The new building, to be called the Comox Valley Civic Centre, could also accommodate other agencies, such as School District 71 which is right next door.
The regional district is seeking confirmation by the end of June as to whether the school district is interested in pursuing the administration space. That will partially help determine whether the new building is three-storeys or two-storeys in height.
The regional district plans to use $2 million in its capital works reserves, plus $1.5 million from the Electoral Area community works funds to go along with the borrowing.
The debt would be paid with the $505,000 per year which the district currently pays for its Comox Road lease and contributions to the capital reserve fund for the building.
KMBR Architects Planners Inc. was awarded the contract last November for architectural services.
A preferred conceptual design for the building was approved in March, and then it was sent out for public comment at an open house and an online survey.
Now the board has a 鈥渟chematic鈥� design from KMBR it鈥檚 ready to take to the public 鈥� and to Courtenay council regarding potential interest in a shared board room/council chambers and Emergency Operations Centre.
Highlights of the proposed building design include:
* Use of glazing and metal cladding to present a clean, modern look to the building
* Generous use of glazing to provide daylight to most interior spaces, which translates to energy savings and staff well-being and productivity
* Articulated facades with large windows and shading where appropriate to reduce air-conditioning loads
* Wood used as accents and protected from weather
* Reduced visual impact to neighbours by decreasing building height visible from Harmston Avenue to three floors rather than four
* Uses site elevation to have 1st floor ground level access off of Grant Avenue (staff entrance) and 2nd floor ground level access off of Harmston Avenue (public entrance)
The intention is to build using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standards for energy efficiency.
Michael Zbarsky, manager of transit and sustainability for the regional district, told the board that 鈥渙ur office is a key component鈥� to providing services.
鈥淥ur current space has a number of operational inefficiencies,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he new building will address a number of the issues and also help support the downtown revitalization in Courtenay.鈥�
Speaking of downtown, parking is a major concern at the site - at least according to the neighbours who submitted feedback after the first open house.
Zbarsky said transportation studies are under way and a parking demand and supply study is expected to be finished in a few weeks, which led Area C director Edwin Grieve to muse about building a parkade somewhere in the downtown district.
鈥淚鈥檓 thinking as the downtown grows it may be a time now where it should be looked at,鈥� he said.
Courtenay director and mayor Larry Jangula said he agreed with the public鈥檚 concerns about downtown parking.
But he didn鈥檛 agree with most of the public 鈥渇eedback.鈥�
鈥淣ot many responded 鈥� and they want all these things鈥� including community gardens incorporated into the landscaping.
鈥淓very community garden we鈥檝e been involved in has ended up in rack and ruin,鈥� he said.
鈥淎s elected people we鈥檙e often too fast reacting to these people 鈥� they鈥檙e simply a blip on the radar. Taxpayers want us to be fiscally responsible.鈥�
Another public open house will be held this month to present the schematic design and financing strategy to the community. KMBR architects and regional district staff will be there to answer questions.
