Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

Text Amendment: 699 Cardero Street (Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood)

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Relevant Council policies include:

· The Coal Harbour Policy Statement adopted February 1990, which allowed for building heights to be measured from new artificial base surfaces, subject tocareful consideration and agreement on the configuration of these base surfaces to ensure gradual transition to the waterfront.

· CD-1 By-law No. 7232 (1601 West Georgia Street, 1601-1650 Bayshore Drive) Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood, last amended November 30, 1999.

· CD-1 By-law No. 7681 (501 Bute Street) Harbour Green Neighbourhood, adopted November 26, 1996, which allows for building height to be measured from the adjacent Cordova Street grades.

PURPOSE

This report assesses an application to amend the CD-1 By-law No. 7232 for the Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood (hereinafter referred to as the By-law) with respect to the method of measurement of building height for the four towers in Sub-Area One, along West Georgia Street. Proposed is an amendment that would:

· measure the maximum height for the towers along West Georgia Street in Sub-Area One, from the building grades on West Georgia Street.

DISCUSSION

This application has no implications with respect to land use, density or traffic and parking. It is only concerned with form of development, namely the heights of towers along West Georgia Street in the Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood.

Building Height Measurement Policy: In most zoning districts of the city, including this site, maximum building height is measured from "base surface". Base surface is defined under Section 2 of the Zoning and Development By-law, as a "hypothetical surface determined by joining the official building grades at all corners of the site...". There are a few exceptions where building height is measured from adjoining street grades. Of relevance to this application are the provisions of the CD-1 By-law for 501 Bute Street (Harbour Green Neighbourhood, where height is measured from the building grades of the adjacent Cordova Street).

A recent development application for Tower "D" at the northwest corner of West Georgia and Cardero Streets (699 Cardero Street - DE 404701) was approved by the DevelopmentPermit Board on February 21, 2000 (see Appendix B for minutes - on file in City Clerk's Office). An important issue discussed was the approximate 3.2 m (10.6 ft.) overheight of the tower. Although the tower height is the same as that presented at the last rezoning stage in May 1999, technically it exceeds the by-law maximum based on its measurement from "base surface". Accordingly the Board, while sympathetic to a possible text amendment to allow for the height overage, approved a condition requiring the tower height to be reduced to comply with the By-law.

Staff also note that, for the first two towers on Georgia Street in Sub-Area One in the Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood (towers "A" and "B" on the map) approved five-six years ago, building height was measured from the Georgia Street grades because building grades did not exist at the time for Bayshore Drive to the north. These towers were considerably under the permitted zoning height for the area and the approximate 5-10 ft. height increases above the guideline height maximums were considered acceptable.

Proposed Height Measurement Policy: Staff propose, for the towers adjacent the north side of West Georgia Street in Sub-Area One, that height be measured from Georgia Street grades rather than from base surface, including the two remaining towers not yet constructed ("C" and "D" on the map) in this sub-area, between Cardero Street and Denman Street. This will result in the tower at 699 Cardero Street, at the northwest corner of West Georgia and Cardero Streets, (tower "D" on the map) being 3.2 m (10.6 ft.) higher than the maximum height allowed in this sub-area, using the base surface measurement methodology required in the By-law. This change in height measurement policy is recommended because:

· the proposed form of development for these sites, including the view analysis, was presented and approved in principle at a Public Hearing in 1999. The methodology for measuring height from West Georgia Street was used rather than the approach required under the CD-1 By-law (the application's base surface discrepancy was uncovered after the Public Hearing);

· this proposed approach to measuring height has been used for the first two towers in Sub-Area One in the Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood (CD-1 By-law No. 2732), between Denman Street and Bidwell Street, and will be used for the future towers along Cordova Street in the adjacent Harbour Green Neighbourhood. Maintaining this height measurement will provide continuity in form of development, particularly with respect to tower base heights, along West Georgia Street, as was originally intended in the guidelines; and

· the additional height would provide a public benefit, in that it will increase public views from Georgia Street. The increased tower base clearance would provide a less constrained view to Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains, through the site at ground level for the public, consistent with approved guidelines.

Urban Design Panel: On January 12, 2000, the Urban Design Panel reviewed the application for 699 Cardero Street and gave support for the proposed height of the tower, including its measurement from West Georgia Street.

Public Input: The neighbourhood was notified through the customary notification process; a letter was sent to all landowners within two blocks of the site and a sign was erected on the site. There was little response from the public on this rezoning application. One phone call of general inquiry was received, as was one E-mail in general opposition to the overall heights of towers in the West End and Coal Harbour areas.

Applicant Comments: The applicant concurs with this report.

CONCLUSION

Staff support this proposed text amendment to measure tower height from West Georgia Street for the towers in Sub-Area One, along West Georgia Street, including the tower at 699 Cardero Street, as it will result in improved tower base clearance to benefit public views from Georgia Street, under and past the tower, and maintain form of development continuity in the Bayshore Gardens Neighbourhood. The resultant form of development (tower height) does not further impact any private views.

- - - - -

APPENDIX A

Draft CD-1 By-law No. 7232 (#321) Amendments

Amend By-law No. 7232, in accordance with the amendments noted below. Note: all additions are in bold.

The following amendment will allow for a variance in the method of measurement of the height of buildings in one sub-area of the Bayshore Gardens neighbourhood.

Section 7 (Height)

"7.1 The maximum building height measured above the base surface, or as otherwise noted below, but excluding the mechanical penthouse and roof, shall be as set out in Table 4.

Table 4
Maximum Height (in metres)

USE

Sub-Area (from Diagram 1)

1

2

3

4

5

Maximum Height

74

50

0

55

5

7.2 Notwithstanding the above, for buildings located along the north side of West Georgia Street in Sub-Area 1 only, the maximum building height shall be measured from the building grades on West Georgia Street."

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