CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of Vancouver City Council was held on Thursday,
April 18, 1996, at approximately 3:00 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1,
Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and
Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee
PRESENT: Mayor Owen
Councillors Bellamy, Chiavario,
Clarke, Hemer, Ip,
Kennedy, Kwan, Price,
Puil and Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Nancy Largent
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. Ip,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor
Owen in the Chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of the Standing Committee
on Planning and Environment
April 18, 1996
The Council considered the recommendations of the Committee as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1 Significant Rezoning and Development Applications
Cl. 2 Zoning and Guidelines - Artist 'Live/Work' Studios,
Cultural Facilities and Brewery Creek
Cl. 3 Report Back - Increasing Permitted Density to
Accommodate Mezzanines in Artist Studio Buildings and
Zoning for Double Counting Floor Space Ratio in C-3A
COMMITTEE REPORTS (CONT'D)
Clauses 1, 2 and 3
MOVED by Cllr. Ip,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as set out in Clauses 1,
2 and 3 of the attached report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Kennedy excused herself from the vote
on Clauses 2 and 3 due to conflict of interest.
There was no discussion prior to the vote.)
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
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. Ip,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
Civic Business - Councillors Bellamy and Kennedy
Councillor Bellamy advised that he and Councillor Kennedy will be
absent on civic business on April 25, 1996. They will be attending the
UBCM Board of Directors meeting.
* * * * *
The Council adjourned at 3:07 p.m.
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
APRIL 18, 1996
A meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning &
Environment was held on Thursday, April 18, 1996, at approximately 2:00
p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Price, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy (Clause 1)
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Puil
Councillor Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Nancy Largent
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
meeting of March 28, 1996 were adopted as circulated.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Significant Rezoning and
Development Applications File: 5302-5
The Committee had before it a list of significant rezoning
applications (on file), prepared by the Planning Department.
Ian Smith, Planner, reviewed an application by Davidson, Yuen,
Simpson Architects to rezone 1730 West Georgia Street (old Testing
Station site) from RM-6 to CD-1. The applicant proposes to develop 156
market dwelling units on the east end of the site and 10 non-market
dwelling units along Alberni Street. Issues will include FSR and
related tower bulk. In response to a query, Mr. Smith commented on the
issue of balancing a public benefit, such as non-market housing, against
a bonus for the developer, such as higher FSR.
Clause No. 1 Continued
Scott Hein, Planner, reviewed a development application by Richard
Henriquez to construct a new 17-storey multiple dwelling on a vacant
waterfront site in Concord's Roundhouse Neighbourhood, 1300 Marinaside
Crescent. This is the last tower site in Concord, with a prominent
aspect on the water. Issues relate primarily to bulk, with a tower
floor plate which exceeds the guidelines by 58%. In response to a
query, Mr. Hein indicated the Planning Department has asked for
extensive neighbourhood consultation and extensive view analysis.
MOVED by Mayor Owen,
THAT the Planning Department presentation on significant
development and rezoning applications be received for information.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
Prior to the beginning of discussion on Clauses 2 and 3, Councillor
Kennedy advised she would be perceived to be in conflict of interest on
these items, because her husband's firm is involved in a number of
artist live/work studio projects. The Councillor then left the room and
did not return until after the Committee adjourned.
* * * * *
2. Zoning and Guidelines - Artist
'Live/Work' Studios, Cultural
Facilities and Brewery Creek File: 4663-3
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated April 2, 1996 (on
file), in which the Director of Central Area Planning and Director of
Land Use and Development recommended the referral to Public Hearing of
amendments to zoning and parking provisions regarding artist live/work
studios and cultural facilities. The Directors also recommended
guidelines to implement Council-approved policies on artist live/work
studios, cultural facilities and Brewery Creek.
Clause No. 2 Continued
The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval, as
reflected in Recommendations A and B of this report.
Michael Gordon, Planner, reviewed artist live/work studio
objectives and the rationale for the report recommendations. Mr. Gordon
also drew the Committee's attention to two typographical errors in the
Policy Report which will be corrected in the documents referred to
Public Hearing:
- Appendix A, Page 4, top of page, delete "-Class A or Artist
Studio";
- Appendix A, p. 11, section 4.7.2(b) first line, change "artist
studios" to "artist studio".
In response to queries, Mr. Gordon confirmed some live/work studios
appear to be in use as work space only, and reviewed interest shown by
other communities in Vancouver's program.
The following motion by Councillor Hemer was put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT the Director of Land Use and Development be instructed to
make application to amend the Zoning and Development By-law,
the Downtown-Eastside/Oppenheimer Official Development Plan
and the Parking By-law generally in accordance with Appendix
'A' of the Policy Report dated April 2, 1996, to amend the
provisions regarding artist 'live/work' studios and cultural
facilities;
FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to
prepare the necessary by-laws;
AND FURTHER THAT the application and by-laws be referred to a
Public Hearing, together with design guidelines recommended by
the Director of Land Use and Development attached in Appendix
'B'.
Clause No. 2 Continued
B. THAT, if approved at Public Hearing, the by-law be accompanied
at the time of enactment by:
(i) the 'Artist Studio Guidelines', to be amended by
resolution of Council;
(ii) amendments to the C-1 Residential Guidelines, C-2B, C-2C
and C-2C1 Guidelines, C-2 Residential Guidelines,
Burrard Slopes C-3A Guidelines, Broadway Station Area
C-3A Guidelines, Central Broadway C-3A Urban Design
Guidelines, Main Street C-3A Guidelines, Arbutus
Neighbourhood C-7 and C-8 Guidelines, East False Creek
FC-1 Guidelines and the Burrard Slopes IC Districts
Interim Policies, to be adopted by resolution of
Council;
(iii) IC-3 Brewery Creek Guidelines, Strata Title Conversion
Guideline for Artist Studios in Industrial Districts,
and Downtown District and IC-3 District Policies and
Procedures for Low Cost Rental Artist Studios, to be
adopted by resolution of Council.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3. Report Back - Increasing Permitted Density
to Accommodate Mezzanines in Artist Studio
Buildings and Zoning Amendments for Double
Counting Floor Space Ratio in C-3A File: 4663-3
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated April 1, 1996 (on
file), in which the Director of Central Area Planning and Director of
Land Use and Development recommended zoning amendments to introduce
double counting of double height spaces in the C-3A District. The
Directors also recommended a covenant approach to notify purchasers of
units with double height ceilings where there is potentially
insufficient residual floor space ratio to accommodate mezzanines.
Options for increasing a site's permitted density to accommodate
mezzanines in existing developments were also outlined.
Clause No. 3 Continued
The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval, as
reflected in Recommendations A and B of this report.
Michael Gordon, Planner, reviewed the report and recommendations,
noting the previous report (clause 2) proposed double counting in the
IC-3 District, while this report proposes it for the C-3A District. Mr.
Gordon also reviewed the problems which have arisen where double height
buildings have insufficient residual FSR to accommodate mezzanines, and
means of addressing this problem in existing and future buildings.
The Committee's attention was drawn to a typographical error in the
Policy Report, which will be corrected in the documents referred to
Public Hearing:
- Appendix A, page 1, section 4.7.2(b), change "artist studios"
to "artist studio".
Merv Therreault, resident of an artist live/work studio, recounted
his personal experiences. The developer of his building obtained a
variance from the Board of Variance permitting all remaining FSR to be
reserved for the as-yet-unsold units, thereby making them more
marketable. Because he had not yet obtained a mezzanine permit, Mr.
Therreault was forced to apply for a variance also, with no guarantee of
success (he did obtain the necessary variance). Mr. Therreault
supported the proposed use of covenants, and suggested they be applied
to existing buildings. He also asked that residents be advised when
Board of Variance hearings are scheduled for their buildings.
In response to queries, Mr. Gordon confirmed the proposal with
respect to covenants would apply to future buildings only. It is
unlikely covenants could be applied retroactively.
Rick Scobie, Director of Land Use and Development, advised the
extent to which the Board of Variance notifies of a pending hearing is
entirely within the Board's discretion. At the request of a Councillor,
Mr. Scobie undertook to have staff provide Council members with lists of
upcoming Board of Variance agenda items. Stephen Hynes, developer, and Joseph MacKinnon, marketing manager,
withdrew their requests to speak, since they wished to address items
properly reserved to the Public Hearing. Mr. Hynes responded, in
general terms, to queries regarding demand for artist live/work studios
and desirable features.
Clause No. 3 Continued
The following motion by Mayor Owen was put and carried. Therefore,
the Committee
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT as a condition of development permit approval, covenants
be placed on the title of artist studios with double height
spaces where there is potentially insufficient residual FSR to
accommodate mezzanines and double counting has not been
applied, the purpose of the covenant being to not only
forewarn the applicant that a development and building permit
is required (as at present), but to more clearly forewarn of
inadequate residual FSR to allow for mezzanines.
B. THAT the Director of Land Use and Development be instructed to
make application to amend the Zoning and Development By-law
generally in accordance with Appendix 'A' of the Policy Report
dated April 1, 1996, to provide for double counting FSR in the
C-3A District Schedule;
FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to
prepare the necessary by-law;
AND FURTHER THAT the application and by-law be referred to a
Public Hearing.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
The Committee adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
* * * * *