Port Coquitlam council will consider a development permit for a 43-unit townhouse project at 1918 Harbour Street during its meeting on October 14. The permit would regulate the form, character, and landscaping of the proposed development, which sits between Harbour Street and the Mary Hill Bypass near Pitt River Road.
According to the staff report, the project by Prince Holdings Ltd. would transform a 9,595-square-metre site currently made up of nine vacant residential lots and a closed section of Prince Street.
Council approved the rezoning of the properties from single-family to townhouse use in 2024 to support the city’s housing goals and encourage more multi-family options close to transit and services.
The proposed development includes 11 buildings and townhouses that would offer a mix of three- and four-bedroom units ranging from about 1,500 to 1,950 square feet. Each unit would have a two-car garage, and some would feature additional parking on their driveway aprons. As many as 134 residential parking spaces and eight visitor spaces are planned.
Landscaping plans call for 98 new trees, including magnolia, maple, and dogwood species, along with shrubs and grasses to provide screening and soften the development’s edges.
According to the agenda documents, the project’s design takes inspiration from nearby townhouse developments along Harbour Street but introduces a more contemporary look. Buildings feature flat roofs, clean geometric forms, and a mix of materials such as fibre-cement panels and horizontal siding in neutral grey, white, and wood tones.
The plan also includes a small playground and seating area for residents, as well as energy- and water-efficient features to meet the City’s Environmental Conservation Development Permit guidelines. The developer has committed to incorporating drought-tolerant landscaping, high-efficiency building envelopes, and electric vehicle-ready infrastructure.
According to the report, several variances are requested as part of the permit. These include reducing the front setback along Harbour Street from 7.5 metres to 3.1 metres, the rear setback along Mary Hill Bypass from 7.5 metres to 6.6 metres, and allowing building heights up to 11.63 metres, slightly above the 10.5-metre maximum. The developer is also asking to reduce the required number of visitor parking spaces from nine to eight to allow more space for the on-site play area.
Staff say the requested variances are reasonable and consistent with similar approvals for other townhouse projects in the area. “The requested variances would not impact adjacent properties or the public realm,” the report notes. If the council approves the permit, construction could begin once detailed building plans and off-site servicing agreements are finalized.
