Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

Chief License Inspector (in Consultation with the Director of Planning and the Director of Social Planning)

SUBJECT:

Relocation of Casino-Class 1 - 26 S.W. Marine Drive
Grand Casino Equipment & Management Ltd.

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENT

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

On October 7, 1997, Council adopted amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law, DD, ODD and Parking By-laws to permit Casino-Class 1 (without slot machines) in several districts C-3A, FC-1, IC-3, I-2, HA-1 or HA-1A of the Zoning and Development By-law, the Downtown Official Development Plan or CD-1 By-laws 21, 349 and 358. Parking standards and guidelines for application approval were also adopted. The latter restrict the number of casinos in the city to five, limit the size to 1,500 square metres (16,150 sq. ft.) and established a pre-site clearance requirement from the City before a development application is filed.

PURPOSE/SUMMARY

Grand Casino Equipment & Management Ltd. is requesting a Council endorsement to relocate its Casino-Class 1 to 26 S.W. Marine Drive from 725 S.E. Marine Drive.

BACKGROUND

The B.C. Lottery Corporation has viewed the proposed site and advised the applicant it is willing to consider the relocation upon municipal approval.

On November 19, 1998, Council refused a similar request from Grand Casino Equipment Ltd., to relocate the casino to 26 S.W. Marine Drive. At that time the applicant had proposed a move to the rear portion of the Chrysler Canada building at 26 S.W. Marine Drive, but the casino would have temporarily operated for approximately two years in the front portion of the building.

The proposal now involves relocation to a rear portion of the 7.33 acre site and constructing a second principle freestanding building at the rear (south end) of the property adjacent to West 69th Avenue. The site is just over one kilometre west of the existing casino and in one of the areas that Council, in October 1997, identified and approved as an area where existing casinos could relocate. The new building would have little visual impact as it would be far removed from the residential area located on the north side of Marine Drive. Also on this site is an 86,000 square foot single storey building formerly occupied by Chrysler Canada, and which is now leased for film industry purposes.

Grand Casino Equipment & Management Ltd. has been operating a charity casino facility from the mezzanine level of the Quality Inn Hotel, 725 S.E. Marine Drive since January 1986. It presently has 180 full-time and 60 part-time employees.

One of the major reasons for the proposed relocation is to provide patrons and employees with safe, secure, on-site parking, away from any residential neighbourhoods. At the existing location, parking space must be shared with patrons of the Quality Inn Hotel using the pub, beer and wine store, lounge, bowling alley and restaurant. As a result, many of the casino patrons park on residential streets within a three-block radius of the hotel which has an adverse impact on the community. The new site would be large enough to accommodate all parking requirements at the rear of the property and there would be no need for off-site parking in the surrounding neighbourhood.

The applicant also advises that the present location has poor wheelchair accessibility, especially due to the inconvenient location of washroom facilities on the ground floor of the hotel, whereas the casino is located on the mezzanine level. Also, for security reasons, the hotel elevator does not provide convenient access to the casino at certain times.

The applicant has independently arranged for a quantitative study along with a traffic and parking study for both the existing casino location and the proposed new location, the results of which will be provided to the Committee for consideration. A rendering of the proposed freestanding signage for the corner of S.W. Marine Drive and Ontario Street will also be provided.

The subject premises are located in I-2 (Industrial Lands) Zoning District. The surrounding area is a mixture of industrial, warehouse, motor vehicle repairs, restaurant and residential uses. The closest residential, primarily one and two family dwellings, are located north of S.W. Marine Drive.

DISCUSSION

The existing casino at 725 S.W. Marine Drive, in conjunction with the Quality Inn Hotel and its associated liquor licensed premises and the bowling alley, has a negative impact on the residential neighbourhood. The lack of on-site parking results in patrons using surrounding neighbourhood streets. No complaints have been received related to the casino operation, but parking has always been a concern. The proposed site at 26 S.W. Marine Drive will provide ample on-site parking for the casino, and the location of the building at the rear of the property will further separate the casino from the residential area.

The applicant acknowledges that in 1998 a number of residents expressed concern about the proposed relocation. However, the only residential area is on the north side of Marine Drive, approximately 1000 feet from the proposed new site. By relocating to the very rear of the site, any impact would be minimized and be far less than that caused at the present location.

The results of the neighbourhood notification process will be provided at the meeting.

COMMENTS

The Police Department’s Vice/Gaming Unit advises that it stands by its comments in relation to the original application in 1998. These comments are as follows.

“The Vice/Gaming Unit feels this relocation would be an improvement as the current facilities in the Quality Inn are poorly designed from a security perspective and monitoring the activities of the patrons. This combined with the lack of adequate parking createscomplaints about traffic congestion, noise and patrons taking all available on-street parking. Police have responded to a number of calls related to theft from autos and patrons being robbed as they walk to their cars parked in the hotel lot or adjacent streets. These problems are in a large part due to the physical setup of the present facilities and not having a stand alone building which was designed to house a casino.

“An inspection of the new location was made and it is considered that the casino would not negatively impact on the area or surrounding businesses. At certain times of the day, Marine Drive has extreme traffic levels that may have some impact on accessing or exiting the facility, but there are enough other routes that can be taken from the casino to Marine Drive, including traffic signals at Manitoba to the west and Main to the east via East 69th. The size of the property allows for ample ground-level parking that can be easily monitored by security cameras, fencing and lighting.

“The Crime Analysis Unit has researched the calls for service in a four-block radius of 26 S. E. Marine Drive from January 1 to October 26, 1998. Most of the calls relate to audible alarms, break & enters and theft from autos. Given the area and types of businesses, this is not uncommon or excessive in numbers. The location of a casino at this site might have a positive impact on reducing these calls for service through the increase of vehicle and pedestrian traffic at hours when the other businesses are closed.

“It is recommended that with the relocation of casinos, the developers work closely with the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Unit (CPTED Unit).”

The Police Department’s Vice/Gaming Unit also advises it supports the move in that it will have positive ramifications in the operation/security aspect of the casino. It will also be a great improvement on the impact it has had on the neighbourhood in the current location, and will have minimal impact on the new neighbourhood.

Patrol Division District 4 may have further comments, and these will be presented at the meeting.

The Planning Department has reviewed the application and notes the site is located in the I-2 Industrial Zoning District.

The existing building located at the northern portion of the site is approved for warehouse and offices. A development application is currently being processed for a change of use from warehouse and offices to provide a production studio. However, a decision has not yet been made. It should be noted that this building has been identified as eligible to be added to a post 40s recent landmark building register, because of its historical significance.

Casino Class-1 is a “conditional” use in the I-2 zoning district. Any proposal to construct a building for Casino - Class 1 on the southern portion of the subject site would require a development permit application and would include a review, in accordance with the provisions of the I-2 District Schedule, the Parking By-law and the Casino - Class 1 Guidelines, adopted by City Council on October 7, 1997. In addition, the proposal would include an assessment of the anticipated traffic and parking implications, as well as neighbourhood notification and input from the Social Planning and Police Departments.

This location does adhere to the location restrictions contained in the Casino - Class 1 Guidelines. However, any approval of a Casino - Class 1 at this location would also be subject to the appropriate legal requirements to cancel the current approved Casino - Class 1 at 725 S. E. Marine Drive, in keeping with City Council’s current policy of limiting the number of Casino - Class 1 establishments in the City to no more than five.

The Vancouver/Richmond Health Board has no objections subject to further review at the development permit application stage.

The Social Planning Department does not object to the relocation of the casino if the size and scope of gaming activity remains the same as that at the existing facility. The new location in an industrial zone would have less impact in the immediate neighbourhood.

The Housing Centre advises that since the proposed location is a stand alone building with no residential uses in the vicinity, it has no comments.

The City Engineer advises that the applicant will have to provide a traffic consultant’s study for trips to the site when it is busiest and, if at a different time, when Marine Drive is at its busiest. The study should also provide documentation of traffic volumes at the intersection, turning movements, etc., and make recommendations for any needed measures such as traffic signals, left turn bay, etc.

CONCLUSION

Staff supports the application and feels that relocating the casino from 725 S.E. Marine Drive will reduce impacts on the present surrounding community. It is recognized that there are neighbourhood concerns, but the proposed casino location should have minimal impact on residential properties north of Marine Drive, given the new building situated at the rear of the property and buffer provided by the existing Chrysler Canada building and S.W. Marine Drive.

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