Queensborough Landing is looking to change up its offerings to help fill some vacant spaces.
At its Oct. 18 meeting, the city’s land use and planning committee is considering a staff recommendation to support some new land uses on the site at 805 Boyd St. These include: amusement arcades; lumber sales; microbrewery, winery, distillery or cottage brewery; trade and commercial schools; animal boarding; commercial, commissary or shared kitchen; delivery and express facilities, courier service; car wash; and the retail sale of used goods.
“The applicant is looking to expand the permitted land uses on site in order to attract new tenants and businesses,” said a report to the LUPC. “The applicant states that the development of competing retail attractions in the region, such as MacArthur Glen and Tsawwassen Mills, have impacted the Queensborough Landing shopping centre, such that multiple retail units are currently vacant.”
Smart Centre is proposing to shift the land use from primarily retail commercial toward commercial service, mixed employment or light industrial uses, said the report.
Staff recommended the LUPC support a zoning text amendment that allows the new land uses. The land use and planning committee, which includes three council members, advises city council on land use, community planning, and development matters,
A report to the LUPC noted that a long-term strategy for uses on the large Queensborough Landing site should be explored through a master plan or official community plan process.
“As an update to the Queensborough community plan is not anticipated in the near future, Smart Centres is proposing additional land uses for the site as an interim measure,” said the report. “The applicant states this increased flexibility would attract different types of commercial businesses to the site, potentially assisting them in filling vacant commercial units.”
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