POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE

Date: January 31, 2000
Author/Local: R.J.Voigt/7853

LU&D No. 99020

RTS No. 01258

CC File No. 5307

Council: February 15, 2000

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT: CD-1 Text Amendments - 1268 Pacific Boulevard

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the application by Concord Pacific Group Inc. to amend CD-1 By-law numbers 7156 and 7248 for 1202 - 1398 Pacific Boulevard (297) & 800 - 1110 Pacific Boulevard (324) to transfer 57m² (614 sq. ft.) of office floor area to add area to an existing mezzanine in an existing building, be referred to a Public Hearing, together with:

(i) plans received May 10, 1999;

(ii) draft amendments to CD-1 by-laws generally as presented in Appendix A; and

(iii) the recommendation of the Director of Current Planning to approve.

FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary By-laws for consideration at the Public Hearing.

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY

… False Creek North Official Development Plan (FCN ODP) , approved April 10, 1990.
… Roundhouse Neighbourhood CD-1 Guidelines, adopted July 29, 1993.
… Quayside Neighbourhood CD-1 Guidelines, adopted December 15, 1987. Amended November 30, 1999.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report evaluates an application by Concord Pacific Group Inc. for CD-1 text amendments for the Roundhouse Area 2 (1200 - 1300 Pacific Blvd. South) and Quayside Area 4 (800 - 1100 Pacific Boulevard), to permit 57 m² (614 sq. ft.) of office floor area to be added in an existing building in the Roundhouse Neighbourhood at 1268 Pacific Boulevard. The density would be transferred from undeveloped office density in the Quayside Neighbourhood. The additional floor area would be within an existing building with no changes to the building exterior.

Specifically, this report proposes:

… amendments to the Roundhouse Neighbourhood to allow for an increase of 57 m² (614 sq. ft.) of office floor area; and

… amendments to the Quayside Neighbourhood to reduce the permitted office floor area by 57 m² (614 sq. ft.).

Staff support the text amendments.

DISCUSSION

Existing Zoning

The Roundhouse Neighbourhood CD-1 currently permits 1858 m² of total retail, service and office uses, with 604 m² of retail, service and office uses permitted in sub-area 1 where the subject site is located (see Figure 1).

Proposed Amendments

The applicant proposes to increase the permitted office floor area by transferring 57 m² of office space to the Roundhouse Neighbourhood sub-area 1 from the density permitted in the Quayside Neighbourhood site 4A-G (see Figure 2). This transfer of 57 m² would add 1.5% of office floor space to the neighbourhood in a mezzanine configuration with no alteration to the building exterior.

Assessment

There are four reasons that support the proposal. First, the office area being added will enhance the commercial activity of this section of Pacific Boulevard which is at the heart of this commercial centre. Second, the office area is being constructed within an existing building and therefore will not add any built form to the neighbourhood. Third, as it is being added to an existing building, that building will be used more efficiently with respect to energy and space utilization. Fourth, it consolidates a private office into a more efficient business operation.

Overall, the transfer of such a small amount of office area (57 m2 or 614 sq. ft.) has very little influence on the context and appears reasonable.

Figure 1: Sub-area 1 Roundhouse Neighbourhood

Figure 2: Quayside Neighbourhood Site 4A-G

The proposed additional office density would require three additional off-street parking spaces. The existing building has twelve unallocated parking spaces available through lease agreements and can therefore provide for the total parking requirements.

CONCLUSION

Staff support the proposed text amendments which would allow the transfer of 57m² (614 sq. ft.) of office floor area from the Quayside Neighbourhood to the Roundhouse Neighbourhood. The recommended changes would be compatible with the office and retail component of Pacific Boulevard. The parking requirement created by this amendment can be met on site. Staff recommend that the application be referred to a Public Hearing, with a recommendation that it be approved.

*****

CD-1 (297) Roundhouse Neighbourhood Text Amendments

The relevant sections of the CD-1 By-law are included in full with recommended deletions (in strikeout) and additions (in italic).

6Floor Area and Density

6.5The total floor area in each sub-area for the uses listed in Table 2 shall not exceed the applicable totals set opposite such uses, and any use permitted by section 4 but not listed in Table 2 is not limited by this sub-section 6.5.

Table 2

Maximum Floor Area (in square metres)

Use	Sub-Area
	1	2	3	4	5
Retail, Service and Office Uses	604 661	1 254	n/a	n/a	n/a

CD-1 (324) Quayside Neighbourhood Text Amendments

The relevant sections of the CD-1 By-law are included in full with recommended deletions (in strikeout) and additions (in italic).

6Floor Area and Density

6.1The total floor area for uses listed in Table 1 shall not exceed the totals set opposite such uses, and any use permitted in Section 4, but not listed in Table 1, is not limited by the Sub-section 6.1.

Table 1

6.5Subject to Section 6.6, the total floor area in each sub-area for the uses listed in Table 2 shall not exceed the applicable totals set opposite such uses, and any use permitted by Section 4 but not listed in Table 2 is not limited by this Sub-section 6.5.

Table 2

Maximum Floor Area Sub-area 4 (in square metres)

APPENDICES B & C ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver