Public Hearing Minutes - February 19, 1998

CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 19, 1998

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 19, 1998, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, third Floor, City Hall, for the purpose of holding a Public Hearing to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law..

PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen

Councillor Don Bellamy
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT: Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario (Leave of Absence)

Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business)
Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)

CLERK TO THE
COUNCIL:

Nancy Largent

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Price,

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.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. Text Amendment: RT-5, RT-5A, RT-5N

and RT-5AN Districts Schedule
An application by the Director of Land Use and Development was considered as follows:

Summary: The text amendment would add multiple dwelling as a conditional approval use which was inadvertently omitted when the new districts schedule replaced the RT-5 and RT-5N schedule which contained that use.

The Director of Community Planning, on behalf of Land Use and Development, recommended approval.

Staff Comments

Trish French, Planner, confirmed that the proposed amendment would correct a previous oversight.

Summary of Correspondence

No correspondence was received on this application.

Speakers

Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application, but none came forward.

Council Discussion

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the application be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Text Amendment: 2131 Renfrew Street

An application by the Director of Land Use and Development was considered as follows:

Summary: The proposed amendment to CD-1 #151 would increase the permitted floor area of the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, allowing for the addition of a partial second story.

The Director of Central Area Planning, on behalf of Land Use and Development, recommended approval.

Staff Comments

Rick Gates, Social Planner, was present to answer any questions.

Summary of Correspondence

No correspondence was received on this application.

Speakers

Gary Dobbin, Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, supported the application and advised the increased space is sorely needed.

The following indicated they were present to support the application, and made no further comments:

John Lipscomb, 2500 Block East 23rd Avenue
Terri Chhina, 2100 Block Cassiar Street
Annie Lockhart, 2600 Block East 5th Avenue.

The Mayor called for any additional speakers, but none came forward.

Council Discussion

Noting the lack of opposition to this application, and the facility's need for additional space, Council was inclined to approve this application.

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the application be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

3. Rezoning: 2521-2547 Clark Drive

An application by the Manager of Real Estate Services, on behalf of the City of Vancouver, was considered as follows:

Summary: The proposed rezoning from RT-2 to RM-4N would allow for a multiple dwelling with noise mitigation.

The Director of Central Area Planning, on behalf of Land Use and Development, recommended approval, subject to the following conditions as proposed for adoption by resolution of Council:

(a) THAT, if approved at Public Hearing, the by-law be accompanied at the time of enactment by the "Mount Pleasant RM-4 and RM-4N Guidelines", to be amended by resolution of Council.

Staff Opening Comments

Lynda Challis, Planner, reviewed the application, and the history of the site acquisition The site is now recognized as an anomaly. The proposed zoning would be appropriate for a multiple dwelling, allowing residential development with appropriate mitigation.

Correspondence

A review of the correspondence indicated the following:

- 4 letters in support of the application;
- 2 letters opposed.

Speakers

The following speakers opposed the application:

Edward Dinter, 2600 Block Keith Drive
Rebecca Pavitt, 1400 Block East 10th Avenue (survey filed)
Barb Wright, Broadway Station Crime Prevention Office.

The foregoing opposed the application on one or more of the following grounds:

· the City intends to sell the site to be used for non-market housing for single mothers and children, and the location is unsuitable for children;
· Queen Alexandra School already has a number of portables on site, and over-crowding may be an issue;
· Clark Drive and Broadway and Clark Drive and 12th Avenue are two of the busiest and most dangerous intersections in the City;
· there is street prostitution and drug use in the area, which causes dangers such as discarded needles;
· dangerous activities take place in the China Creek skateboard bowl after dark andearly in the morning;
· the neighbourhood was not consulted concerning the best uses for this City-owned site, which should be included in the CityPlan Neighbourhood Visioning process;
· results of a neighbourhood survey indicate strong disagreement to rezoning for family housing, and strong agreement to creation of a green "buffer zone";
· the site should be used to extend China Creek Park, and for tree planting and traffic calming measures;
· China Creek skateboard bowl is heavily used, and the City should consider using the site for another youth-oriented facility.

The following speakers supported the application:

Bertha Tallio, Helping Spirit Lodge
Bernie Whiteford, Helping Spirit Lodge.

The foregoing speakers supported the application on one or more of the following grounds:

· Helping Spirit Lodge hopes to purchase the site to provide housing for women currently living in a transition house, many of whom are from this neighbourhood;
· affordable housing for women is badly needed in Vancouver, and there are few ideal sites to raise children;
· women need housing to be able to keep their children;
· the site is in a residential neighbourhood, within walking distance of parks, schools, shopping and other needed services, and provides access to transit;
· the only other site Helping Spirit Lodge is aware of would require children to cross busy streets to reach the park, whereas this site is on the same side of the street.

The Mayor called for any other speakers, and none came forward.

Staff Closing Comments

Robert Florko, Real Estate Services, advised that before the rezoning was initiated, the Park Board was offered an opportunity to acquire the site and refused it. Regarding the

availability of sites, the City does not have a lot of land zoned for multi-family residential.

Council Comments

Council members acknowledged concerns regarding the suitability of the site for children, but noted it is difficult to find land suitable for housing at an affordable price. In addition, the City has a policy to disperse non-market housing outside the Downtown core,which is very unsuitable for children. This site is in a residential neighbourhood outside the Downtown core, and has access to needed services and transit.

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT the application be approved under the conditions set out in this minute of the Public Hearing.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

4. Rezoning: Portions of China Creek Park

An application by the Director of Land Use and Development was considered as follows:

Summary: The proposed rezoning from RT-2, RT-5 and RM-4N to RS-1 would unify the zoning of China Creek Park and bring it into consistency with other parks in the City.

The Director of Central Area Planning, on behalf of Land Use and Development, recommended approval

Staff Comments

Lynda Challis, Planner, noted the purpose of the rezoning and offered to answer any questions.

Summary of Correspondence

No correspondence was received on this application.

Speakers

Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application, but none came forward.

Council Discussion

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the application be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED BY Cllr. Clarke,

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 8:45 p.m.

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