The City of Port Coquitlam is considering a rezoning application that would allow a 52-space child care facility to be built at 1551 Lincoln Avenue. The proposal, outlined in a Development Services report to the Committee of Council, will be discussed at the committee’s December 9, meeting at 4 p.m.
According to the report, staff recommend amending the zoning from RS1 (Residential Small-Scale 1) to P2 (Institutional) with a site-specific restriction limiting the use to child care. They also recommend several conditions be completed before final adoption, including protective tree fencing, fees and securities for off-site works, a subdivision plan for corner cuts, and a design covenant.
The applicant, Axin Architecture Ltd., plans to renovate the existing house and construct a two-storey addition, creating a 346-square-metre (3,724-square-foot) building with four classrooms. The facility would include 24 infant-toddler spaces and 28 preschool spaces. According to the report, the design retains the home’s residential character while meeting P2 zone requirements.
The 619-square-metre (6,663-square-foot) site sits at the northwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Coast Meridian Road and is surrounded mainly by single-family homes, duplexes and a nearby townhouse complex. It is also located near Hyde Creek Park, Wellington Park and École des Pionniers. The site includes a lane at the rear and is not within a floodplain.
City policies support the addition of child care facilities in residential areas. The Official Community Plan permits institutional uses under the Small Lot Residential designation, and the City’s Child Care Policy outlines criteria for large facilities in neighbourhoods. The Child Care Action Plan also identifies an ongoing need for new spaces, particularly for infants, toddlers and school-aged children.
The project includes outdoor play areas on both street frontages, separated for different age groups and surrounded by non-climbable fencing. Two trees and a cedar hedge would be removed due to poor condition, with replacement trees and new hedges planned. Six off-street parking spaces and short-term bicycle parking would be provided off the lane.
According to the staff report, the applicant may later seek minor variances for the exterior side yard setback and front yard fence height. Staff note that the renovated building would add an improved pedestrian entry, higher-quality landscaping and off-site infrastructure upgrades, including new sidewalks, curbs and lighting along Lincoln Avenue as required under the Subdivision Servicing Bylaw.
City staff posted two development signs on the property and conducted a site inspection on October 30, 2025. The applicant’s initial neighbourhood outreach generated mixed feedback, with concerns about parking and traffic as well as expressions of support for new child care spaces. If the application advances, the City will notify residents within 120 metres and advertise a Public Hearing.
Staff recommend approving the rezoning with conditions to ensure the facility aligns with submitted designs and meets community objectives for increased child care capacity.
