Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT: CD-1 Text Amendment - 101 Terminal Avenue [Citygate/VanCity]

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

On October 16, 1990, Council enacted CD-1 By-law No. 6744 permitting a mixed use development at this site.

On October 1, 1992, Council approved a revised form of development for the south end of the site to permit development of a 12-storey office tower for VanCity Enterprises.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report assesses an application to increase the permitted office use on this site by allowing for the conversion of four existing retail tenancies to also be used for office space. Staff support the application on the basis that office be considered an interim use at these locations and recommend that it be referred to a Public Hearing and that it be approved.

Map

DISCUSSION

History: The CD-1 zoning for this site was enacted in October 1990 and provides for residential uses with commercial and retail uses permitted at the south end of the site along Main Street and along Terminal Avenue. The southerly portion of the site facing Terminal Avenue was originally to be developed with a low horizontal building form over the Main Street Skytrain Station. A change to the form of development for this portion of the site was approved by Council in October 1992 to allow for construction of a 12-storey office tower that is now occupied by VanCity. The development of the office tower is in accordance with the CD-1 By-law in terms of the maximum permitted floor space for office use. Retail uses at grade were required in both the VanCity development and as part of the Citygate Development.

Use: The owners have encountered difficulties in leasing specific retail spaces at grade, three of which are located away from the street and a fourth faces Terminal Avenue (see diagram in Appendix C). Some of the units have been vacant for extended periods of time and one unit has not been occupied since it was completed. The proposal, if approved, would give the owners some flexibility in being able to lease the subject spaces for office use until such time as retail uses become viable at this location. VanCity proposes to occupy all of the additional office space.

Residents from the development have voiced concern over the proposal through the Citygate Intertower Committee which is made up of members representing the strata councils of each of the residential buildings on the site. The residents complained about the lack of retail services in the immediate vicinity and are concerned with safety and security at night when existing offices are closed. Staff are sympathetic to these concerns and note that due to the low residential population in this area there is a deficiency in services for residents. There is also a concern that once these spaces are converted to office use it would be difficult to have them revert to retail.

Staff recommend that conversion of this retail area to office be allowed as an interim use allowing a development permit to be issued for a period of up to three years. In the short term this would allow the space to be occupied and address the issue of the unfriendly and unattractive environment created by vacant storefronts. Over time the ground-level space may be more desirable for retail use when the area has undergone further redevelopment and more population can support retail use of these spaces. Requiring renewal of a development permit every three years will allow a review to determine if and when retail use may be appropriate.

CONCLUSION

Staff support the application as occupation of the spaces by office uses on an interim basis will create more activity and provide a greater sense of security and animation until such time as retail uses become viable. Staff recommend that the application be referred to Public Hearing and that it be approved.

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DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO CD-1 BY-LAW NO. 6744

Floor Area · Allow for office floor space, to a maximum of 475 m2 (5,113 sq. ft.) to be substituted for retail as an interim use. [Amend Section 6.2]

APPENDIX B
Page 1 of 2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Site, Surrounding Zoning and Development: This site is located north of Terminal Avenue between Main and Quebec Streets and is occupied by VanCity's head office and the Citygate Development that is part of a larger CD-1 zoned site that stretches to the north. The Main Street Skytrain Station is located at the base of the VanCity building. Science World, and False Creek are located across Quebec Street to the west, Thornton Park and the Central Pacific Station to the east. To the south, low intensity service uses are located along Main Street surrounded by a mixture of industrial uses. The City-owned Southeast False Creek lands are to the southwest.

Proposed Development: The proposal is to allow four existing retail tenancies to also be used for office space. One retail space faces Terminal Avenue and the other three units are located along an interior courtyard that runs parallel to Main Street (see diagram, Appendix C). Density, parking requirements and the form of development will remain unchanged.

Public Input: A notification letter was sent to 579 nearby property owners on February 11, 1999 and a rezoning information sign was posted on the site on March 4, 1999. Three phone calls were received from residents seeking additional information and clarification on the proposal. One letter from the Citygate Intertower Committee which is composed of representatives from each of the strata councils on this site expresses concern about the loss of retail services. Concerns with respect to safety and security and the lack of animation in the public walkway/interior courtyard area were also expressed.

Members of the Intertower Committee, a VanCity representative and Planning staff met recently to discuss the application. While the residents remain opposed to the application, VanCity staff did agree to continue discussions with the residents to address some of their safety concerns and efforts will be made to animate the spaces.

Comments of Engineering Services: Engineering Services has no objection to the proposed rezoning.

Environmental Implications: The proposed text amendment neither contributes to nor detracts from the objective of reducing atmospheric pollution.

Social Implications: There are no major positive or negative social implications to this proposal. There are no implications with respect to the Vancouver Children's Policy or Statement of Children's Entitlements.

APPENDIX B
Page 2 of 2

Comments of the Applicant: The applicant has been provided with a copy of this report and has provided the following comments:

" VanCity's only concern is with the `Interim' use period of three years. This is not much time to recover investment that will be required to build out the spaces for office use and to supply furniture, etc. We would prefer it be rezoned without a time limit to allow us better security/stability."

APPENDIX C

DIAGRAM 1

(diagram to be supplied by applicants)

APPENDIX D

APPLICANT, PROPERTY, AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INFORMATION

APPLICANT AND PROPERTY INFORMATION

Street Address

101 Terminal Avenue

Legal Description

various

Applicant/Architect

Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership

Property Owners

VanCity Savings Credit Union/Bosa Development Corporation

DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS

 

DEVELOPMENT PERMITTED UNDER EXISTING ZONING

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

ZONING

CD-1

CD-1 (Amended)

MAXIMUM FLOOR SPACE
RATIO

6 570 m2 (retail)
9 690 m2 (service and office)

Allow for up to 475 m2 (5,113 sq. ft.) of retail to be substituted as office use on an interim basis

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ag990727.htm

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