ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 4, 1995
Dept. File No.H193-27
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Residential Street Design
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT where corner bulges are included as part of new
residential street construction (both Local and Higher Zone),
there be no change to the current Local Improvement cost
sharing.
B. THAT additional costs for corner bulges installed on already
curbed streets be funded 100% by the Property Owners under the
Local Improvement program on the street containing the bulge,
and between the cross streets containing the bulge.
C. THAT traffic circles installed under the Local Improvement
program be funded 100% by the Property Owners, with costs
shared by the Property Owners on the streets radiating from
the circle for a distance of one block, and that the
amortization period for these costs be 5 years, rather than 15
years.
D. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to amend the
Local Improvement Procedure Bylaw to include categories for
Traffic Circles and Street Bulges, as described in this
report.
COUNCIL POLICY
On January 12th, 1995, Vancouver City Council adopted the following
recommendations of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment to
provide for changes in residential street design:
B. THAT where appropriate, property owners be given the option of
installing corner bulges on local streets (new construction or
existing) through the local improvement petition process with
100% property-owner funding.
C. THAT property owners be given the option of installing traffic
circles on local streets where appropriate, through the local
improvement petition process with 100% property-owner funding,
and that the Streets Operating Budget be increased by $500
annually for the maintenance of each circle.
D. THAT where curbs are proposed and where appropriate, property
owners be given the option of reducing the standard 11-metre
pavement width to 10 metres in multi-family zoned
neighbourhoods.
PURPOSE
This report deals with implementing three recommendations approved by
Council for residential street design, and provides a basis for
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establishing appropriate Local Improvement By-laws. Other
recommendations relating to residential street design approved by
Council, will be dealt with in future reports.
ISSUES
Corner Bulges & Street Widths in Multi-Family Zoned Neighbourhoods
Corner bulges can be constructed with no extra cost when included with
new construction. The slight increase in curb length and boulevard area
is an insignificant cost on a per foot basis for the block. Because of
this, there is no need to allocate costs under a Local Improvement
Program. In higher zoned residential areas, the street width for new
construction is 11 metres, and we will now include the option of 10
metre pavement where appropriate.
For petition projects, the petitioner will receive an information
package to advise of the option of bulges/no bulges and in multi-family
zones 10 metre/11 metre pavement width. Once the preference is
determined, a petition describing the options chosen will be sent out.
Projects which are initiated will have several of the options built in.
It is felt that if the option for bulges and 10 metre street width is
available, that property owners in residential areas would generally
prefer them. Therefore, where appropriate, all residential street
projects initiated will include bulges with the project. In addition,
in multi-family residential areas, street widths will be 10 metres.
Property owners will be informed of the options of curbing without
bulges and 11 metre width and if there is sufficient preference for this
option, the project will be cancelled and initiated to suit their
preference.
On blocks where the street is already constructed, it is proposed that
all property owners on the block share the cost of the bulge, based on
the Local Improvement assessable length, since the traffic calming
effect of the bulge will be the same benefit for all properties on the
block.
Traffic Circles
In the case of the traffic circles, the traffic calming effect will
benefit all properties on the blocks immediately 'attached' to the
circle. Hence it is proposed to share the cost of the circle among all
owners on the blocks immediately radiating from the circles, based on
the Local Improvement assessable length. Because of the relatively
minor cost, it is proposed to allow Property Owners the option of adding
the cost of the traffic circles to their taxes over a 5-year period.
CONCLUSION
The measures proposed in this report will make streets more pedestrian
friendly, and will give property owners more options in designing the
look and function of streets in their area. Additional options (curvy
streets, etc.) will be dealt with in a future report.
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