ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: October 25, 2001
Author/Local: C .Robbins 873-7535

RTS No. 2369

CC File No. 2701

P&E: November 8, 2001

TO:	Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM:	City Building Inspector
SUBJECT:	Amendment of Council's Resolution regarding Nuisance/Dangerous Building at 207 Union Street and 796 Main Street

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council rescind its Resolution dated June 14, 2001, ordering that the building at 207 Union Street and 796 Main Street (Lot 10, Block 20, District Lot 196, Plan 184, PID 015-644-316) be demolished; and

B. THAT, in the event the owner fails to apply for a development and building permit for redevelopment of the building by December 17, 2001, or fails to commence construction within 30 days of the issuance of a building permit, the City Building Inspector is directed to refer this matter back to Council for consideration as to whether the building should be ordered demolished pursuant to Section 324A of the Vancouver Charter.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

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

COUNCIL POLICY

Section 324A of the Vancouver Charter enables Council by resolution or by-law to declare any building, in or upon any private or public lands a nuisance or dangerous to the public safety or health and by such by-law or resolution, to order that building to be removed by the owner, agent, leasee or occupier thereof.

BACKGROUND

On June 14, 2001, the matter of this vacant and abandoned rooming house at the corner of Union and Main Street was brought before Council to request that the building be declared a nuisance and dangerous to public safety.

At that meeting, staff representing the City Building Inspector advised Council that the building had been vacant for over ten years and was in a dilapidated and unsafe condition. The owner also appeared before Council and proposed redeveloping the building as a rooming house at a projected cost of approximately $100,000. Staff advised Council that the cost of redevelopment would be roughly $300,000 and that the current owner had not submitted a viable application for redevelopment of the building or demonstrated his understanding of the full scope of the required upgrading or of the associated costs of the work.

Council subsequently approved the recommendations of staff and ordered the demolition of the building. The City has obtained estimates of approximately $32,000 for the demolition.

DISCUSSION

Since the issuance of Council's order to demolish the building, new information has come to the attention of the City Building Inspector .

Staff acting on the advice of the Planning Department, advised Council on June 14 that the owner would not be permitted to redevelop this building as a rooming house in the existing HA-1 Chinatown District. However, the Planning Department has since reviewed the provisions of the Zoning and Development By-law with respect to this zone and has determined that the use as a rooming house would be permitted subject to the current By-law regulations. Based on that information, the owner has hired an Architect and a structural Engineer and prepared plans for redevelopment of the building as a rooming house. A preliminary look at the proposed plans and written construction proposal indicates that it could be viable. The owner has submitted a reasonable cost estimate of approximately $300,000.00 as part of its proposal.

While the owner has produced a comprehensive and apparently viable redevelopment proposal, there have been some ongoing security problems at the building which would suggest that if the redevelopment proposal is accepted, it ought to go forward in a timely manner. On October 5, 2001, this department received a complaint from the Police Department of squatters in the building. Consequently, the Police had the building vacated and the City hired a private contractor to board-up all the openings at the owner's expense.

CONCLUSION

The building in its present condition is a nuisance and dangerous to public safety as confirmed by Council's resolution of June 14, 2001. However, the owner of the property has now demonstrated his understanding of the scope of the necessary upgrading and the associated costs. The current zoning permits redevelopment of the building as a rooming house as an outright use. It is therefore recommended that Council, having been apprised of the relevant facts in regards to zoning, afford the owner the opportunity to submit application for development and building permit to bring this building into compliance with the by-laws, by rescinding its demolition order. Because of the concern that redevelopment proceed promptly, staff have suggested that permits must be applied for by December 17 ,2001. It is also recommended that the owner be directed to commence the repairs and alterations within 30 days of issuance of the building permit.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver