CITY OF VANCOUVER

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

 

Date:

August 20, 2003

 

Author:

Terry Brunette

 

Phone No.:

604.871.6467

 

RTS No.:

03587

 

CC File No.:

  
 

Meeting Date:

September 10, 2003

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

Heritage Revitalization Agreement & Designation - 130 West 10th Avenue

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 relaxations and incentives.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval to increase floor area, together with other variances, at 130-132 West 10th Avenue in exchange for the rehabilitation and long-term protection of the "Macauley House" and relocated "Clark House" through a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) and heritage designation.

BACKGROUND & SUMMARY

The site is located at 130 West 10th Avenue in the RT-6 Zoning District. (See Appendix A: Site Map.) The parcel is 15.1 m (49.5 ft.) wide by 48.2 m (131.8 ft.) deep with an area of 607.0 m² (6,524.1 sq. ft.). The onsite existing heritage house ("Macauley House") will be rehabilitated to provide three strata units with three parking stalls in a new concrete basement. An infill sited in the rear yard will be one strata unit also. (See Appendix B: Site Plan.)

The infill will be made up of salvaged facades, materials and replicated elements from the "Clark House" with a 1.5 storey addition set behind. The Clark House (formerly at 243 East 5th Avenue) is listed in the "A" category on the Vancouver Heritage Register and is one of the oldest remaining houses in Mount Pleasant and the City of Vancouver. The house was owned by the Native Education Center (NEC) until recently and presented a physical and economic impediment to their expansion and redevelopment plans. The house had been vacant for several years and was increasingly at risk from deterioration and vandalism. The applicant's proposal presents several advantages for this house:

Staff had investigated several retention possibilities during the past five years and concluded that relocation was the most viable.

Variances to the RT-6 Zoning Schedule include an increase in residential floor space ratio, overall balcony area and building height. The applicant wishes to enter into the recommended Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) and designation with the City to vary the zoning to accommodate the proposed development in exchange for conserving the heritage buildings. A relaxation to the Parking By-law will be processed by the Director of Planning.

DISCUSSION

Heritage Value: The existing heritage house ("Macauley House") is listed as a "C" in the Vancouver Heritage Register. The house was constructed in 1900/1901 for Robert Holmes Macauley, Fireman, No. 3 Firehall. The gable-end massing, horizontal wood cladding, double-hung fenestration and recessed balcony with colonnettes are representative of the houses constructed in the West Mount Pleasant Special Character Merit Area. (See Appendix C: Macauley House Elevations.) As such, the Macauley House contributes to the streetscape of the area.

The proposed infill ("Clark House") is listed as an "A" in the Vancouver Heritage Register and is one of the oldest remaining houses in Mount Pleasant and the City of Vancouver. The house was constructed in 1888/1889 for Thomas Whighton Clark, Produce and Commission Merchant. The house is a modest "Queen Anne" style cottage with typical massing, façade development and detailing. The original massing consisted of a one storey east-west gable roof with an intersecting south gable at the east edge. Cedar drop-siding, decorative shingling, and geometric lattice to the verandahs provide some architectural enhancement for the basic cottage form. (See Appendix D: Clark House Elevations.)

Compatibility of Conservation with Community Planning Objectives:

The intent of the RT-6 District Schedule of the Zoning and Development By-law follows:

The intent of this Schedule is to encourage the retention, renovation and restoration of existing residential buildings which maintain an architectural style and building form consistent with the area. Redevelopment will be encouraged on sites with smaller buildings or buildings of architectural style and form which are inconsistent with the area. Emphasis is placed on requiring the external design of buildings and additions to buildings to follow the proportions, rhythm and details of architectural features of the area.

The guidelines for the West Mount Pleasant Special Character Merit Area (where the site is located) provide clear guidance for "Infills" and "relocation of existing buildings":

Infill is encouraged where the existing building on the lot is of architectural or heritage merit, particularly when the lot is in a Special Character Merit Area, and therefore warrants restoration and preservation....The relocation of an existing house to create an infill site is discouraged except where the house has special architectural or heritage merit and would be retained and renovated through relocation and infill development.

The proposal fulfills the intent of the zoning and guidelines by rehabilitating the existing "C" listed "Macauley House", and by relocating/rehabilitating the "A" listed "Clark House" for infill.

Compatibility With Land Use Regulations:

Table of RT-6 District Schedule Provisions To Be Varied By The Proposed HRA:

Regulation

Required Minimum or
Permitted Maximum

Proposed Variation

Floor Space Ratio *

maximum 0.60 but may be relaxed to maximum 0.75

0.96 with no discretion to further relax*

Open Residential Balconies or Sundecks

maximum 8% of the permitted residential floor area

maximum 9% of the permitted residential floor area

Building Height**

maximum 10.7 m (35.10 ft.)
maximum 2.5 storeys

maximum 12.6 m (41.34 ft.)**

maximum 3 storeys

*Note: 117.55 m² (1,265.31 sq.ft.) of the floor space is located in the link/basement of the Clark House. This area does not add to the above grade bulk and would not be constructed in a typical infill project. Removing the space reduces the FSR to 0.77 which approaches the maximum conditional permitted floorspace (0.75) for the district.

**Existing non-conformity

It is also proposed to vary the RT-6 District Schedule to make these two houses outright uses rather than conditional. This is important because of the obligation to replicate the houses following damage or destruction and because each strata lot will likely be separately owned. Each of the four owners (and their insurance company) will want the firm assurance that the four strata lots can be rebuilt.

Parking Relaxation: The Parking By-law requires four parking stalls for automobiles and five stalls for bicycles for the proposed development. The Director of Planning may relax the by-law provisions for applications proposing to conserve a heritage building. A relaxation of one automobile parking stall and a relaxation of one Class A Bicycle stall are requested.

Condition of the Properties & Economic Viability of the Conservation: The exterior cladding, trim and most details of the Macaulay House are free of rot and other deterioration. These character defining elements will be retained and re-installed wherever possible. The building will be upgraded to meet Vancouver Building By-law requirements.

The two principal facades, decorative gable, cedar drop-siding, and window frames of the Clark House are structurally stable, free of rot and other deterioration. These components are the most significant character defining elements and will be relocated to 132 West 10th Avenue. Such essential heritage values of the Clark House as stylistic authenticity, unassuming presence and domestic scale will be conserved by reassembling them onsite. The front verandah will be replicated exactly from period photographs in its original configuration and relationship to the house. The re-assembled building will be constructed to meet Vancouver Building By-law requirements.

The Manager of Real Estate Services advises that the additional floorspace and other requested variances would not provide the applicant with an extraordinary profit based on an analysis of this proposal. The owner is prepared to accept the HRA as fair compensation for designation and the HRA obligations, and will waive future claims for compensation.

Neighbourhood Notification:

Prior to neighbourhood notification, a presentation of support from Nancy Chiavario, President of the Brewery Creek Historical Society, was made at the February 10, 2003 regular meeting of the Vancouver Heritage Commission.

Seventy-five letters of notification were mailed to neighbouring property owners on June 13, 2003. Two responses were received. The first response expressed concerns with the height and bulk of the proposed Clark House. The second, from an adjacent infill owner, expressed concerns with loss of privacy and shading of summer evening sun from the Clark House infill.

Staff Response to Notification:

The potential impacts caused by the height and bulk of the proposed infill are issues common to both responses. The proposed infill complies with the RT-6 Design Guidelines as it is within the maximum permitted height of 7.7 m and 1.5 storeys. Bonus density to compensate for the economic hardship of relocating/rehabilitating a second building listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register is located in the basement of the infill and does not increase above grade bulk of the proposed building. The increase to porch/balcony area is caused by exact replication of the original porch of the Clark House. Staff therefore believe that the impacts to the adjacent infill property are within acceptable limits.

Nonetheless, there are some measures that the developer (Winterhaven) could do, as a good new neighbour to mitigate impacts. To this end, staff, Winterhaven and the neighbouring infill owner are currently in discussion to devise possible mitigation measures which may include slightly reducing the number of windows and varying the type of glazing in the east elevation, enhancing the landscape screen in the east side-yard of the Clark House, and funding some landscape improvements to the neighbours' patio.

These collaborative discussions in addition to support from the Brewery Creek Historical Society indicate to staff that the proposal is generally well-received in the community.

Comments of the Vancouver Heritage Commission: The Vancouver Heritage Commission reviewed and supported the proposal and requested variances on February 10, 2003, subject to minor design revisions regarding landscaping and distinguishability of new additions.

The proposal fulfils Council's long-term policy to protect heritage resources through voluntary designation. The requested zoning variances will make the heritage conservation economically viable. Therefore it is recommended that Council endorse the requisite HRA and designate by by-law 130 and 132 West 10th Avenue as municipally Protected Heritage Property.

Appendix A: Site Map

 

LINK TO APPENDICES (pdf)

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