ADMINISTRATION REPORT

Date: June 20, 2002
Author/Local: Yardley McNeill/7582

RTS No.02795

CC File No. 1401-46

Public Hearing: July 23, 2002

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Director of Current Planning
SUBJECT:	728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street- Designation and Heritage Revitalization Agreement

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to enter into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement for the properties at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street to:

· secure the rehabilitation, protection and ongoing maintenance of these buildings listed in the "B" and "C" categories, respectively, on the Vancouver Heritage Register;
· vary the RT-3 District Schedule of the Zoning and Development By-law and the Parking By-law to make lawful the existing non-conforming aspects of the buildings in place on the reconfigured parcels; and
· vary the Subdivision By-law to allow the existing two parcels to be re-configured.

B. THAT Council designate the heritage buildings at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street as protected heritage properties.

C. THAT Council require from the owner a registered agreement to secure the protection during construction and the prompt rehabilitation of the two heritage buildings, to the satisfaction of the Directors of Current Planning and of Legal Services.

D. THAT the Director of Legal Services bring forth the by-law to authorize the Heritage Revitalization Agreement.

E. THAT following the subdivision reconfiguration, the Director of Legal Services bring forth the by-law to designate the heritage buildings at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street under Schedule A as protected heritage properties.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, C, D and E.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council's Heritage Policies and Guidelines state that buildings "identified in the Vancouver Heritage Register have heritage significance" and that "the City's long-term goal is to protect through voluntary designation as many resources on the Vancouver Heritage Register as possible".

Council's policy on heritage designation states, in part, that legal designation will be a prerequisite to accepting certain bonuses and incentives.

Purpose and Summary

This report seeks Council's approval to designate the two buildings located at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street as protected heritage properties and secure their long term protection through a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA). The Heritage Revitalization Agreement will vary the Subdivision By-law to allow the two parcels to be reconfigured with each building siting on its own parcel without zoning non-conformities. A Development Application indicating the restoration approach has been submitted and staff have notified the neighbours in the surrounding area of the intentions for the site. Final decision by the Director of Planning will occur pending Council's decisions regarding the designation and the Heritage Revitalization Agreement. ( See map and drawings in Appendix A)

Background

The two heritage buildings at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street are located on two parcels with the buildings straddling the shared parcel line that runs in the north-south axis and one partially in the lane. A subdivision application has been submitted to allow the two parcels to be divided along an east-west axis in order for the two buildings to sit on separate parcels without zoning non-conformities. Both sites are owned by one party who desires to restore the single-family house and the rowhouse for market residential use. The Subdivision Approving Officer approved the preliminary subdivision application, subject to conditions including Council approval of the requisite HRA.

Heritage Value

728 Jackson Street
The single family house at 728 Jackson Street was constructed before 1895 and it's first occupant was Arthur Hortin, an Engineer with the CPR Hotel (Hotel Vancouver). It is a "B" category building on the Vancouver Heritage Register. The house is a fine example of an early "Pioneer" frame house, complete with beveled siding and decorative shingles for the apex of the front gable. All detailings are simple and reflective of the minimal structural requirements for porch supports, etc. Like many of the buildings in Strathcona, the house sits partially in the City lane indicating that the street configuration was over laid onto the existing structures in the area.

734-742 Jackson Street
The rowhouse and an attached infill unit later demolished, were constructed in 1908 and occupied by a variety of early immigrant families in Vancouver. It is a simple 2-storey, 5-unit rowhouse typical of turn-of-the-century workers' rental accommodations. It was not listed on the Heritage Register until early this year when the owner asked staff to review the building's heritage merit. The building was subsequently evaluated in the "C" category for its consistent form with similar buildings in Strathcona. The design is a rectangular plan with one-storey protrusions on the back for each unit. The roof appears flat and is framed at the top by a "Western" false front. As well, there is a simple decorated mid-level cornice supported by square brackets. The front features separate front doors for each unit with a small plain stoop. The windows are double-hung and set in pairs; the rear windows are singles.

Conservation Approach

Both heritage buildings will be fully restored. The single-family house will have all the original exterior materials, including siding and windows, repaired or matched where required. The porch will be returned to period detailing and landscaping will be used to enhance the entries and outdoor areas. The rowhouse will have its beer-bottle stucco removed and the original wood siding repaired and replicated, where required. All original wood double-hung windows will be repaired where possible. If new windows are required, they will match the original in dimensions and will be double glazed. The front stoops will be reconstructed to emulate similar porches in the area. Again, landscaping will be used to enhance the building and the individual entries.

Compatibility with Community Planning Objectives

The intent of the RT-3 District Schedule is to:

"Encourage the retention of neighborhood and streetscape character, particularly through the retention, renovation and restoration of existing character buildings. Redevelopment is encouraged on sites with existing buildings of style and form which are inconsistent with the area's pre-1920 architecture. Emphasis is placed on the external design of additions to existing buildings and new buildings to encourage the preservation of the historic architectural character of the area. Floor area incentives are included to achieve the creation of affordable housing and the rehabilitation of original buildings which are important to the neighborhood's character".

The elongated rowhouse on a corner parcel, facing the flanking street, is typical in Strathcona but not in the rest of the City. The rowhouse is located in an area of similar housing stock which includes a variety of converted single-family dwellings, small-scale apartment blocks, other workers' rowhouses and the "McLean Park", located immediately to the west. With the exception of "McLean Park", this area has generally retained its historic residential component in one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city.

In the area west of Princess Street, redevelopment proposals to retain and restore heritage buildings have been few. This proposal will help to promote further renewal in the area. The intention to restore the two heritage buildings, without any addition, clearly meets the intent of the RT-3 District Schedule.

Variance to Subdivision By-law Section 9

The HRA will vary the Subdivision By-law to relax the RT-3 Minimum Parcel Area. Both existing parcels measure 25 feet x 122.33 feet . After subdivision, the resulting measurements would be 50 feet x 35.33 feet and 50 feet x 87 feet.

Land Use Variances

The recommended HRA would vary the Zoning and Development By-law and the Parking By-law, as noted in the following zoning charts, and make lawful the existing non-conforming structures in perpetuity. The relaxations to be listed within the HRA are as follows:
Note: these are all existing non-conforming site conditions.

728 Jackson St. : One-Family Dwelling
New relaxations sought as consequence of new parcel configuration:

SITE AREA

Required: 2,798.0 sq. ft. (min.) Proposed: 1,767.0 sq. ft.

Existing non-conforming site conditions:

NORTH SIDE YARD	Required: 3.53 ft. (min. 10%) Existing: 0.00 ft. Proposed: 0.00 ft.
REAR YARD	Required: 26.9 ft. (min. per Sec. 11.2[b]) Existing: 3.50 ft. Proposed: 3.50 ft.
PARKING	Required: 1 stall Existing: none Proposed: none

734-742 Jackson St. : Multiple Dwelling
New relaxations sought as consequence of new parcel configuration:

SITE AREA	Required: 5,490.0 sq. ft. (min.) Proposed: 4,350.0 sq. ft.
FSR	Permitted (conditional): 0.75 (3,262.5 sq. ft.) Proposed: 1.64 (7,114.0 sq. ft.)
SITE COVERAGE	Permitted (1,957.5 sq. ft.): 45.0 percent Proposed (3,039.0 sq. ft.): 69.9 percent
DENSITY (GUIDELINES)	Permitted (108 units/ha): 4 dwelling units Proposed (124 units/ha): 5 dwelling units

Existing non-conforming site conditions:

FRONTAGE (JACKSON AVENUE)	Permitted: 50.20 ft. (max.) Existing: 122.33 ft. Proposed: 87.00 ft.
SOUTH SIDE YARD (UNION STREET)	Required (per Sec.11.1[a]):12.14 ft. (min.) Existing: 0.40 ft. Proposed: 0.40 ft.
REAR YARD	Required (per Sec.11.2[b]):26.90 ft. Existing: 3.80 ft. Proposed: 3.80 ft.
PARKING	Required: 5 stalls Existing: none Proposed: none

Notification Results.

As part of the Development Application process, 183 surrounding property owners, along with the Strathcona Residents Association, were notified. Staff received four responses, three in favor and one opposed. The concerns expressed pertained to the need to have the details and finishes to be true to the original appearance of the building and other buildings in the area. Staff concurred with that view and have requested the owner make minor adjustments to respond to this concern. There was also a concern regarding the continued lack of parking for the development. However, as the sites can not provide parking without the demolition of the heritage buildings and the number of units is not increased, staff support the project, as proposed.

At the Vancouver Heritage Commission meeting on April 8, 2002, the Commission unanimously resolved to support the application, as proposed.

Conclusion

The heritage buildings at 728 Jackson Street and 734-742 Jackson Street are valuable fragments of the history of Strathcona. The HRA will provide for the buildings to sit on separate parcels and secure their long term protection. The requested subdivision and zoning variances represent fair, full and complete compensation to the owner for the conservation of the heritage buildings. Staff recommend that Council amend the Heritage By-law to designate the buildings as protected heritage properties and authorize the requisite HRA and side agreement to ensure prompt restoration.

LINK TO APPENDIX A

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver