Located minutes from Shelbourne Street, 3834 Ophir will provide 14 new homes for families in the growing Shelbourne Valley. A considerate site design sees the establishment of four 4-bedroom units and 10 3-bedroom units. Developed in response to the District of Saanich’s Official Community (OCP) and Shelbourne Valley Action Plan (SVAP), 3834 is designed to meet the growing needs for family-oriented housing in the region.

The design strives to offer smaller scale, medium-density residential housing forms by breaking down the massing of the three-storey townhomes into clusters. Three blocks of townhouses are three storeys each, while the block on the west side of the site is nestled into the slope, presenting a two-storey height along the west property line. On the northeast side of the site, a large green space which will serve as a future community garden separates the townhomes from the adjacent single-family dwellings.

The exterior materials of the buildings complement the character of neighbouring single-family homes with the use of wood and stucco cladding and pitched gable roofs. Charcoal stucco cladding on the lower floor is accented by horizontal and vertical clear stained cedar siding on the upper floors, offering a warm residential feeling; a directional change in wood visually reduces the verticality of the townhomes. Carefully selected, exterior materials relate well to the emerging sense of place and character of the Shelbourne Valley.

The sloping site topography was utilized in the planning and layout of the townhomes by creating an internal shared access driveway, where the elevations are stepped on all three townhome blocks to work with the natural topography of the site, providing front entrances for Block A, and patios and yards for Blocks B and C. Block B is nestled into the slope and the lower level has a reduced footprint to preserve the existing tree root zones along the west property line, also reducing the townhouse height to two storeys to the west. Block C is set back from the north property line and creates a large green space buffer in the northeast corner.

Additional trees along the north property line will provide further visual separation and privacy between the proposed development and the properties to the north.

A considerate site design includes 21 residential parking stalls for the 14 homes, with an additional three on-site parking stalls for use by visitors. All of the parking spaces are for the townhouses are accessed through a central parking area that is well-screened from the street, with access located off Louise Place.

In conjunction with the development application, and in addition to included sidewalk improvments, the proposal for 3834 Ophir contributes towards the goals and objectives of creating a sustainable Saanich by making a broader positive impact on the community outside of the more direct benefits resulting from this proposed development.

The proposal includes the donation of a 339.8 m2 (3,657 sq. ft.) portion of land at the corner of Ophir Street and Louise Place for the District of Saanich for a possible future park or greenspace.