Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning (in consultation with the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Chief License Inspector)

SUBJECT:

Wedding Chapels

 

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the application by the Director of Current Planning to amend the RM-6 District Schedule to include "Wedding Chapel" as a conditional approval use also include this use to the C-2, C-2B, C-2C, C-2C1, C-3A, C-7, C-8, HA-1, HA-1A, HA-2, HA-3, and FC-1 District Schedules, generally in accordance with Appendix A, and that this application be referred to a Public Hearing;

FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary by-law;

AND FURTHER THAT at the time of enactment of the zoning amendments, the Parking By-law be amended to establish parking and loading standards for Wedding Chapel, and the License By-law be amended to define and establish a fee for Wedding Chapel, all generally in accordance with Appendix B.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

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

COUNCIL POLICY

On May 28, 2002, Council instructed the Director of Current Planning to make application to amend the Zoning and Development By-law to include Wedding Chapel as a conditional approval use in the RM-6 District Schedule with other consequential amendments as may be appropriate.
SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

This report recommends that Wedding Chapel be listed and defined as a separate use in the Zoning and Development By-law and permitted as a conditional approval use not only in the RM-6 District but also in the commercial and historical districts that currently allow both Church and Hall uses, specifically the C-2, C-2B, C-2C, C-2C1, C-3A, C-7, C-8, HA-1, HA-1A, HA-2, HA-3, and FC-1 District Schedules.

DISCUSSION

1. Existing Situation: Under the RM-6 District Schedule, a proposal submitted for a wedding chapel in a ground-floor retail-commercial space could not be approved. Typically, wedding chapels are premises for wedding ceremonies that can include a chapel, dressing rooms and offices. The Province no longer conducts wedding ceremonies at the Law Courts Building in Vancouver but private marriage commissioners, licensed by the Province, can conduct wedding ceremonies wherever a couple may choose.

2. Proposed Use: In anticipation of other proposals for wedding chapels, this report recommends that Wedding Chapel be listed and defined as a separate use in the Zoning and Development By-law and permitted as a conditional approval use not only in the RM-6 District but also in the commercial and historic districts that currently allow both Church and Hall uses. The main reason for introducing it into the other schedules is a technical one. Currently, a wedding chapel could be approved in any of these districts as "similar to" Church or Hall. However, if the new use term Wedding Chapel is introduced into Section 2 (Definitions) of the Zoning and Development By-law, then it would not be permitted in these districts unless it is added to the district schedules. If this use is introduced into the RM-6 District Schedule (where Church and Hall are not permitted), there is no reason to prohibit this use from locating in commercial and historic districts where Church and Hall uses are permitted.

It is proposed that the maximum permitted size of a wedding chapel be 140 m² (1,507 sq. ft.), a good-sized storefront, to ensure they fit into their retail-commercial context. The Director of Planning may relax the maximum size where a larger facility would not have any potentially negative impacts on the adjacent neighbourhood.

3. Amendments to the Parking By-law: The Parking By-law has no standards explicitly for Wedding Chapel use. However, similar uses of Church, Chapel, and Funeral Home are grouped together under a common requirement of one parking space per 9.3 m² of assembly floor area. To substantiate the applicability of this rate, staff conducted a review of other cities' standards. In some cities, funeral home and commercial wedding chapel uses were assessed equally. Other cities featured a higher parking requirement than Vancouver does for funeral homes. Although it was not possible to observe any wedding chapel activitylocally, Engineering staff observed funerals at two funeral homes in the Central Area, and found that the City's standard requires less than half of the parking demand generated.

Although a greater parking demand may be generated for capacity or near-capacity wedding events, staff support extension of the Funeral Home standard to Wedding Chapel since capacity events are not expected to occur on a routine basis and provision of space for additional vehicles in a tandem format is common for funeral homes and wedding chapels. In HA Districts, the lower parking standards in effect for non-residential uses would govern. Review at the development permit stage could employ the Parking By-law's relaxation provisions and tie conditions to any relaxation. These could include physical modifications adjacent to the site, a Parking Management Plan addressing off-site parking solutions, drop-off/pick-up activities, temporary special zone requirements, valet service, and use of tandem parking, as well as a "Good Neighbour Pledge" to minimize local impacts and resolve any transportation problems that arise.

The Parking By-law standards for loading and off-street bicycle spaces applicable to Funeral Home should also be adopted for Wedding Chapel use.

4. Amendments to the License By-law: The Chief License Inspector recommends establishing a license fee of $257 for a Wedding Chapel, considered closest in use to Hall, and using the same definition proposed for the Zoning and Development By-law.

CONCLUSION

This report recommends that Wedding Chapel be listed and defined as a separate use in the Zoning and Development By-law and permitted as a conditional approval use in the RM-6, C-2, C-2B, C-2C, C-2C1, C-3A, C-7, C-8, HA-1, HA-1A, HA-2, HA-3, and FC-1 District Schedules. The proposed maximum area of 140 m² (1,507 sq. ft.) would be relaxable by the Director of Planning.

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APPENDIX A
Page 1 of 1

PROPOSED ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT BY-LAW AMENDMENTS
WEDDING CHAPEL

Section 2 [Definitions]

"Wedding Chapel, which means the use of premises for wedding ceremonies only."

Section 3 of Various District Schedules [Conditional Approval Uses]

Include "Wedding Chapel" as a conditional approval Service use in the RM-6, C-2, C-2B, C-2C, C-2C1, C-3A, C-7, C-8, HA-1, HA-1A, HA-2, HA-3, and FC-1 District Schedules, subject to the provisions of Section 11.20.

Section 11 [Additional Regulations]

Include the following as Section 11.20:

"11.20 Wedding Chapel

11.20.1 The maximum size for a Wedding Chapel is 140 m².

11.20.2 The Director of Planning may permit a larger size provided he considers the siting and location of the proposed development, the type and hours of operation, generation of traffic, parking facilities and any effect upon adjacent property and the amenity of the neighbourhood, and shall notify such owners of adjoining property as he deems necessary."

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APPENDIX B
Page 1 of 1

PARKING AND LICENSE BY-LAW AMENDMENTS
WEDDING CHAPEL

PARKING BY-LAW

Include "wedding chapel" after "chapel" in Sections 4.2.3.4, 4.8.4 and 5.2.3 and after "funeral home" in Section 6.2.5.3 of the Parking By-law.

LICENSE BY-LAW

Establish a license fee of $257 for a Wedding Chapel and use the same definition proposed for the Zoning and Development By-law.

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