Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE

TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of City Plans, General Manager of Engineering Services, and Director of Legal Services
SUBJECT: Proposed Arbutus Corridor Official Development Plan
 

RECOMMENDATIONS

CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

City policies which provide a vision and direction for the future of the Arbutus Corridor are contained in the Vancouver Transportation Plan, Greenways Plan, the City of Vancouver Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan and through the City's adoption of the Livable Region Strategic Plan. Related area plans and policies for Burrard Slopes, Arbutus (let go) Industrial Area, Kitsilano, and Marpole also provide a policy context for the Arbutus Corridor. City policy also supports establishing and preserving a streetcar corridor in the False Creek area from Vanier Park to downtown.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

The purpose of this report is to adopt the Arbutus Corridor Development Plan, attached as Appendix A, and to refer it to Public Hearing for consideration for adoption by by-law as the Arbutus Corridor Official Development Plan.

Past and present use of the Arbutus Corridor (the Corridor) has been for transportation purposes. Adopted City policy refers to the City's desire to use the Corridor for rail, transit and Greenway purposes. However, due to past City practice of using either RS-1 or an adjacent zoning for transportation corridors, the zoning for the Corridor does not reflect past use or adopted City policy.

Adopting the Arbutus Corridor Official Development Plan By-law would confirm the City's long established policy to retain the Arbutus Corridor for a variety of rail, transit and Greenway uses. It also contributes to implementing the City's Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan.

BACKGROUND

The Arbutus Corridor is:

… approximately 11 km long, extending from False Creek in the north to the Fraser River in the south;
… primarily 50-66 feet wide;
… approximately 50 acres in area, excluding City streets;
… generally owned in fee simple by Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR) and the City of Vancouver; and
… currently used primarily for transporting goods by rail.

Over the years the City has approved a number of policy statements and resolutions concerning the City’s preferences for the future use of the Corridor. Examples include:

… October 21, 1986: “THAT the Arbutus rail corridor be preserved as a potential rapid transit corridor between downtown Vancouver and Richmond....”;
… June 16, 1992: “THAT Council reiterates its desire to maintain the Arbutus right-of-way as a transportation corridor.”;
… September, 1993: Council recommended to the GVRD the inclusion of the Arbutus Corridor in the GVRD Regional Green Zone;
… Vancouver Greenways Plan July 18, 1995: “The (Arbutus) corridor is designated a GVRD Green Zone and identified as a possible transit corridor to Richmond. Possibilities exist to share transit and Greenway use when the rail line is redeveloped”;
… Downtown Streetcar: In 1996, Council authorized purchase of the CPR rail alignment south of False Creek generally between Granville Street and Cambie Street to provide a corridor for a streetcar line linking Vanier Park and Science World. The portion between Anderson and Ontario Streets is operational. Council has instructed staff to negotiate with CPR to secure rights for streetcar operation to Vanier Park across CPR's land. These lands form the northerly portion of the Arbutus Corridor;
… Vancouver Transportation Plan May 13, 1997: “The existing rail corridors will be generally reserved for rail use, both goods movement and passengers. In the event of rail use being discontinued, their use for other forms of transit, or as Greenways corridors would be the City’s first priority”;
… Vancouver Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan September 14, 1999: “The existing rail corridors along the Arbutus corridor and the Grandview Cut are to be considered for a combination of rail, transit, and Greenway uses”; and
… April 18, 2000: Council confirmed the Arbutus Corridor will not be considered as a truck route.

DISCUSSION

CPR Proposal

During the past few months, the CPR, as owner of the majority of land in the Arbutus Corridor, has undertaken a public process to discuss future uses of the Corridor. Options presented to the public have included:

… private sector mixed-use development including housing and open space; and
… a variety of transit uses including busway, light rail transit, SkyTrain, and/or streetcar.

The City has not participated in the public process. This is in line with usual practice where the City does not typically engage in public processes concerning land use unless:

… a land owner approaches the City with a proposal to rezone; or
… the City initiates an action to create a policy plan, development plan, or a rezoning.

Nevertheless, the City has received numerous letters from citizens interested in the future of the Corridor. These have been forwarded to Council for information. City staff have also been monitoring the CPR process and attending many of the public meetings to listen to comments from citizens.

The letters and comments reflect many perspectives on the future of the Corridor. While it appears that the majority of communications favour some combination of transportation/greenway uses this is an observation which has not received official public review.

Development Plan - Official Development Plan Proposal

Over the years the Corridor has been used for rail transportation. City policy, as expressed by successive City Councils, has been consistent in the vision for the future of the Arbutus Corridor for a variety of transportation uses. However, the City has not decided among a number of proposed uses through either a development plan, an official development plan, or through amended zoning. The closest the City has come is to include a reference to the Arbutus Corridor in the City's Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan:

The current zoning along the Corridor generally reflects the adjacent land uses and not established City policy. The section north of 16th Avenue, is zoned consistently with theadjoining land (FCCDD, IC-1, RM-4, C3A, M-1, RT-8, and C-2B). The section south of 16th Avenue to Kent Avenue and the Fraser River is mostly zoned RS-1, with one area RS-5. This is consistent with the City's practice of applying a low intensity zoning (such as RS-1) or the adjacent zoning to uses such as parks and rail rights of way.

Staff propose that Council adopt an Official Development Plan (ODP) to provide a clear statement of the City's intent for the Arbutus Corridor. An ODP is a long-range vision that reflects overall community values that have been determined through public participation. In the case of the Arbutus Corridor two extensive public processes -- the Vancouver Transportation Plan and the Vancouver Greenway Plan -- have provided direction on the future of the Corridor for rail, transit and greenway. In addition, City initiatives to establish a streetcar system in the False Creek area and the downtown have received broad public support.

Process to Create an Official Development Plan

The creation of an Official Development Plan is a two step process as described in Sections 561 and 562 of the Vancouver Charter. Section 561 permits Council to create development plans. Under Section 562 Council may, by by-law, adopt as an official development plan any development plan prepared under Section 561.

In order to proceed, Council would adopt an Arbutus Corridor Development Plan (Recommendation A). Council may do so by resolution, without a Public Hearing. To adopt an Official Development Plan, Council policy is to refer a Development Plan to Public Hearing for consideration as an Official Development Plan (Recommendation B).

To ensure that, while Council is considering this ODP, development which might frustrate the intent of the ODP does not occur, Recommendation C makes provision for a withholding action. Under Section 570 of the Vancouver Charter, Council has the authority to withhold the issuance of a development permit for a period of time pending adoption of the ODP.

Content of the Proposed Development Plan/ Official Development Plan

The proposed Arbutus Corridor DP/ODP would permit continuation of present rail uses and/or a variety of new uses including transit and greenway, as described through City policy and practice.

The ODP does not include the option for a road and other surfaces for automobiles or trucks along the length of the Corridor. Staff note there are a number of locations where City roads cross the Corridor. They would continue to function in their current configuration. These included and excluded uses reflect established Council policy (see list of previous Council decisions).

Section 561(3) of the Vancouver Charter requires that a development plan include housing policies respecting affordable housing, rental housing and special needs housing. Section 2.2 of the proposed Arbutus Corridor DP/ODP states that the City does not intend to promote or permit this type of housing within the Arbutus Corridor.

Appendix A contains the Arbutus Corridor Development Plan which is recommended for adoption by resolution of Council, and then referral to a Public Hearing for consideration as an Official Development Plan.

Consequences of Adopting an Official Development Plan

The DP/ODP would establish the Corridor as part of a city-wide network of transportation and greenways. CityPlan, the Transportation Plan, and Greenways Plan envision a city of distinct neighbourhoods with neighbourhood centres linked by transit and greenway-bikeways. This provides opportunities for people to live and work in neighbourhoods with environment friendly means to move within and between neighbourhoods and between neighbourhoods and the downtown. The Arbutus Corridor has the potential to become part of a network of north-south (e.g., Arbutus, Granville, Cambie) and east-west (e.g., South False Creek, Broadway, 41st) corridors.

The City's Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan links City plans to the Livable Region Strategic Plan. The GVRD Green Zone includes the Arbutus Corridor as a potential urban greenway. Regional transportation plans include the Arbutus Corridor as one of several north-south routes which TransLink will be considering for a connection between Richmond, the Airport, and downtown Vancouver. Hence, the proposed Arbutus Corridor ODP contributes to implementing the City's Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan. The adopted ODP also ensures that, pursuant to Section 563 of the Vancouver Charter, no development contrary to or at variance with the ODP can occur.

Proposed Process for Consideration of the Arbutus Corridor ODP

There is an established process for notification of a Public Hearing. In addition, since this hearing is likely to be of interest to many people, the following process is proposed prior to the Public Hearing.

… The purpose of the process will be to inform people about the proposed Public Hearing and their opportunity to address City Council on the proposed ODP;

… As with all Public Hearings, Council hears from interested people through both written submissions and delegation at the Public Hearing;

… Information will be made available from the City to assist people to prepare submissions to Council for the Public Hearing;

… The Canadian Pacific Railway Company, as primary land owner, will be advised of the forthcoming Public Hearing;

… Courtesy notification letters advising of the forthcoming Public Hearing will be issued, consistent with the City's normal practice; and

… Agencies (e.g., GVRD, TransLink, Airport, Port North Fraser, City of Richmond), community, and business groups with a possible interest in the ODP will be advised of the Public Hearing.

Given the broad interest in this topic, there may be some costs, beyond the usual Public Hearing expenses. Staff are requesting a budget of $ 10,000 to meet these expenses.

The proposed ODP will be forwarded to the Vancouver School Board pursuant to Section 562.1 of the Vancouver Charter, and to other interested agencies as set out in Recommendation D.

CONCLUSION

Congestion and pollution associated with transportation are consistently identified as key concerns of both Vancouver and GVRD residents. The proposed Arbutus Corridor ODP provides for a combination of environment-friendly transportation uses including rail, transit, and greenways. These meet broad policy directions approved by Council over the past decade as enshrined in the Vancouver Transportation Plan, the Vancouver Greenways Plan, and CityPlan, and contribute to implementing the City's Regional Context Statement Official Development Plan.

Approval of the ODP sets the stage for discussions and decisions on the designated uses in the Corridor. As noted, the Public Hearing is for Council to hear from the public about the range of uses. Decisions on specific uses will be the subject of future processes.

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APPENDIX A

ARBUTUS CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN / OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Section 1 Background

1.1 Application

1.2 Intent

Section 2 Designations

2.1 Designations for the Arbutus Corridor

2.2 Affordable, Rental and Special Needs Housing Policies

LINK TO MAPS

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