POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING
Date: February 18, 2000
Author/Local: BMcAfee/7699
RTS No. 01301
CC File No. 5303
Council: March 7, 2000
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Current Planning
SUBJECT: CD-1 Text Amendment - 306 East Cordova Street
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the application by Scott Gordon, Architect, to amend the text of CD-1 By-law No. 8088 for 306 East Cordova Street (Parcel B, Block 56, DL 196, Plan 196) to permit an increase in the floor space ratio, be referred to a Public Hearing, together with:
(i) plans received January 19, 2000;
(ii) draft CD-1 By-law amendments, generally as contained in Appendix A; and
(iii) the recommendation of the Director of Current Planning to approve, subject to conditions contained in Appendix B;
FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary by-law for consideration at Public Hearing.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
On October 5, 1999, City Council enacted the CD-1 By-law to permit the expansion of Cooper Place, a multi-level care facility at 306 East Cordova Street.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report assesses an application to increase the allowable floor area on this site to:
· correct a previous calculation error regarding the amount of floor area in the existing building; and
· permit additional floor area in the basement of the proposed addition to create a more functional multi-level care facility.No major changes are proposed to the previously-approved exterior form of development. DISCUSSION
Background: In 1994 a CD-1 rezoning was approved in principle to increase the permitted floor space ratio (FSR) from 2.50 to 2.65 to permit a four-storey addition to Cooper Place, a multi-level care facility. The addition would be on a vacant parking lot and would provide 36 rooms and lounges on the upper three floors above the main floor administration and staff facilities. The remainder of the block has several non-market housing projects sponsored by St. James Anglican Church, which is located across the street.
Site consolidation was a condition of rezoning. This took several years to complete as the existing sites were owned by two different but related entities, and some complex legal agreements required. The zoning was enacted on October 5, 1999.
Density: The CD-1 By-law permits an FSR of 2.65 including both the existing facility and proposed addition. When a development permit inquiry was made, it was discovered that the figures used to calculate the permitted floor area in the CD-1 By-law contained an error as to the amount of floor area in the existing facility. Using the correct figures, the permitted floor area would be 3.26 FSR.
The applicant currently has a development application that cannot be approved unless the permitted FSR figure is amended. Staff support this density which is consistent with the previously-approved form of development.
The applicant also wishes to add an extra 510 m² (5,489 sq. ft.) of floor area in the basement of the proposed addition for expanded laundry, maintenance and storage areas. This floor area would not affect the external appearance of the project and would provide better ancillary facilities for a more functional multi-level care facility. This floor area would result in an additional 0.28 FSR.
A sign about this text amendment was placed on the site and notification letters were sent to the neighbourhood. Staff have received no correspondence or phone calls
Staff therefore support the request for additional basement floor area which would raise the allowable FSR on the site to a total of 3.54 FSR.
CONCLUSION
Staff support the proposed rezoning which will correct a previous calculation error and provide additional basement floor area to create a more functional Cooper Place while requiring no changes to the exterior appearance of the form of development approved in principle at the 1994 Public Hearing. The Director of Current Planning recommends that the application be referred to Public Hearing and approved subject to the proposed conditions presented in Appendix B.
- - - - -
DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO CD-1[397] BY-LAW No. 8088
Section 3 - Floor Space Ratio
· Increase the permitted floor space ratio from 2.65 to 3.54.
PROPOSED CONDITION OF APPROVAL
(a) THAT the proposed form of development be approved by Council in principle, generally as prepared by Scott Gordon, Architect, as part of the submission for DE 404809, and stamped "Received City Planning Department, January 19, 2000" provided that the Director of Planning may allow minor alterations to this form of development when approving the detailed form of development as outlined in (b) below:
(b) THAT, prior to approval by Council of the form of development, the applicant shall obtain approval of a development application by the Director of Planning, who shall have particular regard to the following:
(i) design development to the roof form and windows to integrate the addition with the existing roof and complement St. Lukes Home;
(ii) access to the rear courtyard only from the building, not the lane;
(iii) detailing of landscape plan to make the courtyard usable for staff;
(iv) provision of a substantial replacement tree (for the cherry tree) of a minimum 10.2 cm (4 in.) Calliper and of a variety acceptable to the Director of Planning;
(v) provision of recycling facilities to the satisfaction of the City Engineer; and
(iv) incorporation of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles dealing in particular with:
· making exterior doorways flush with exterior walls;
· preventing upper storey access from cherry tree (if condition b(iv) is not adopted and the cherry tree is retained); and
· painting and lighting of entry to underground parking.APPLICANT, PROPERTY, AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INFORMATION
APPLICANT AND PROPERTY INFORMATION
Street Address
306 East Cordova Street
Legal Description
Parcel B, Block 56, DL 196, Plan 196
Applicant
Scott Gordon, Architect
Architect
Scott Gordon, Architect
Property Owner
St. James Parish Foundation
Developer
Not yet assigned
SITE STATISTICS
GROSS
NET
SITE AREA
1 854 m² (19,957 sq. ft.)
1 854 m² (19,957 sq. ft.)
DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS
DEVELOPMENT PERMITTED UNDER EXISTING ZONING
PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENTZONING
CD-1
CD-1
USES
Multi-level care
Multi-level care
MAX. FLOOR SPACE RATIO
2.65
3.54
MAXIMUM HEIGHT
13.7 m (45 ft.)
13.7 m (45 ft.)
MAX. NO. OF STOREYS
4
4
PARKING SPACES
36
36
* * * * *
(c) 1998 City of Vancouver