ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: September 3, 2002
Author/Local: Alice Yee/7180

RTS No. 2943

CC File No. 5104

Council: September 17, 2002

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Director of Real Estate Services
SUBJECT:	Approval of Minor Encroachments onto City-owned property at 125 West Cordova Street

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to execute on behalf of the City an Easement to be registered over a portion of City-owned land, being Lot K, Block 5, Old Granville Townsite, Plan BCP203, at 125 West Cordova Street to validate the encroachments of portions of the building constructed on Lot G, Block 5, Old Granville Townsite, Plan 21155, at 101-109 West Cordova Street, onto the City-owned land. The Easement to be granted for a nominal fee and to be to the satisfaction of the Director of Real Estate Services and the Director of Legal Services.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

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

COUNCIL POLICY

In 1998, Council adopted the Program of Strategic Actions for the Downtown Eastside, Gastown, Chinatown, Strathcona and Victory Square which included bringing legitimate business back to the area, reducing drug-related crime and improving conditions at the Street level. As part of this program, Council has approved in principle demolition of the Cordova parking structure and redevelopment of the site with a commercial use and parking.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council's approval to allow a minor encroachment of a maximum of 0.05 metres (2 inches) over a portion of the City-owned land at 125 West Cordova Street, which is the Cordova Parkade site.

BACKGROUND

On April 9, 2002 Council approved, in principle, the redevelopment of the Water Street parkade structure and the demolition and redevelopment of the Cordova Parkade. On June 25, 2002 Council authorized the Director of Facility Design and Management to arrange for and enter into a contract for the demolition of the Parkade at 125 West Cordova Street, and necessary site preparation including excavation.

During the site preparation phase, it was determined that earth anchor rods would be necessary to underpin, shore, support and protect the walls of the adjacent buildings during the demolition and redevelopment of the Parkade. Anchor rod agreements with adjacent property owners would be required in order to accomodate the underpinnings.

A land survey of the Cordova Parkade site determined that the building on the adjacent property to the east, Lot G, Block 5, Old Granville Townsite, Plan 21155, at 101-109 West Cordova Street, encroaches onto the City-owned Lot K, Block 5, Old Granville Townsite, Plan BCP203. (Appendix A).

As one of the conditions for the anchor rod agreement with the owner of Lot G, at 101-109 West Cordova Street, 4170 Investments Ltd. required the City to grant an easement to validate the encroachments, for the life of the building, over the City-owned lands.

As it would not be practical for the owner of Lot G to remove the encroachments, and it is a condition by the owner for the anchor rod agreement, we are recommending an Easement be granted in order to validate the encroachments onto the City-owned lands.

CONCLUSION

The Directors of Real Estate Services and Facility Design & Management, are of the opinion that these are minor encroachments, and will have little effect during the demolition and the redevelopment of the Parkade, and will have little to no effect on the City-owned property once the structure on Lot G is removed.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver