CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 24, 2000, at 7:35 p.m., in Council Chambers, Third Floor, City Hall, for the purpose of holding a Public Hearing to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law and Official Development Plans.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Gordon Price (Sick Leave) Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Tarja Tuominen, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,
SECONDED by Cllr. Daniel Lee,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the Chair, to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law and Official Development Plans.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. Text Amendments: District Schedules, Official Development Plans and

CD-1 By-laws - Floor Space Exclusions

[Barrett Commission]

An application by the Director of Current Planning was considered as follows:

Summary: The proposed text amendments would provide floor space exclusions to provide construction incentives to control building envelope leaks.

The Director of Current Planning recommended approval.

Staff Comments

Jacqui Forbes-Roberts, General Manager of Community Services, provided a brief introduction to the report, noting the proposed text amendments would affect new construction and repairs and restoration of existing buildings. Ms. Forbes-Roberts also requested an amendment to the proposed draft by-law to amend By-law 3575 to add RS1 to Section 4.7.3, (d).

Doug Watts, Building Envelope Specialist, with the aid of a slide presentation, described the specifics of the technical and different design issues of the proposed amendments, and explained what steps other municipalities have taken to address the recommendations arising from the Barrett Commission.

Summary of Correspondence

Council was advised the following correspondence was received since the date the application was referred to Public Hearing:

· one letter in support of `Option A'.

Speakers

Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application.

The following spoke in support of `Option A':

· John Fowler, Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
· Bill McEwen, Masonry Institute of British Columbia (brief filed)
· Peter Reese

The foregoing speakers supported `Option A' based on one or more of the following points:

· application of the current FSR calculations has prevented a wide-spread use of precast concrete exterior walls; there have been very few problems with the use of pre-cast concrete, which has proven to be a versatile and durable material;
· thicker exterior walls are better walls, because they can include an airspace cavity behind the cladding which provides a "rainscreen" system, more efficient insulation, thicker, more durable cladding materials; current FSR calculations discourage the foregoing;
· the proposed changes in FSR definitions will immediately encourage better wall design;
· brick and stone-faced walls should be encouraged.

The following generally supported `Option A' but felt the proposed text amendments should be referred back to staff for further study and discussion with the industry:

· John O'Donnell, AIBC
· Stuart Howard, Vancouver Planning Coalition

The following is a summary of the foregoing speakers' comments:

· Option `A' is supported in principle; however the text amendments also should address overhangs, balconies, elevated walkways, yard setbacks, and site coverage;
· staff should accept the electronic calculation of areas and the calculations of the Architect, given under seal;
· letters of assurance from a building envelope specialist are redundant at an early stage;
· the proposed text amendments should cover everything instead of the City issuing administrative bulletins to address further changes.

Staff Closing Comments

Ralph Segal, Planner; Eric Fiss, Planner; and Doug Watts responded to the issues raised by the speakers: the proposed text amendments are the result of a fair bit of consultation with the industry; a building envelope specialist is required to be involved in the process earlier as technical details are to be submitted at the development permit stage; staff are taking a further look at other issues, such as recesses, balconies and walkways.

Ms. Forbes-Roberts advised Council may proceed with the proposed amendmentsto the floor space exclusions and request staff to come back with additional amendments. Staff and the industry would prefer the FSR exclusions not be delayed.

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

A. THAT the application by the Director of Current Planning to amend various District Schedules, Official Development Plans and CD-1 By-laws to provide floor space exclusions to provide construction incentives to control building envelope leaks be approved.

FURTHER THAT the draft By-law 3575, section 4.7.3, be amended as follows:

(d) as clause (h) in the following district schedules:

RS-1 and RS-1S RT-4, etc.

(Italics denote amendment)

B. THAT staff report back on other aspects affecting leakage of buildings, such as overhangs, protection of upper balconies, recesses, etc.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED BY Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted, and the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare and bring forward the necessary by-law amendments.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Special Council adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver