POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

CD-1 Rezoning - 1201 West Hastings Street

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Relevant Council Policies for this site include:

· Central Area Plan;
· Coal Harbour Official Development Plan;
· Downtown District Official Development Plan;
· Harbour Green Neighbourhood CD-1 By-law and Guidelines (501 Bute Street);
· Triangle West Policies and Streetscape Concept Plan;
· Development Cost Levies (Triangle West);
· Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure;
· Live/Work and Work/Live: Vancouver Overview including Strategic Directions adopted June 13, 1996; and
· Public Art Policies and Guidelines.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report assesses an application to permit a mixed use development at a density of 6.8 floor space ratio (FSR) with 17 640 m² (189,877 sq. ft.) of residential space in a 90 m (295 ft.) tall tower and five townhouses along Hastings Street and 2 352 m² (25,317 sq. ft.) of retail space for a grocery store along Cordova and Bute Streets with up to 342 parking spaces in four and a half levels of underground parking.

Staff support this application which will complete the planning of the Harbour Green Neighbourhood, enhance Bute Street as an important pedestrian connection between the West End and Harbour Green Park, and add a much-needed grocery store, the demand for which was not anticipated when the CD-1 By-law for Harbour Green was adopted in 1996.

Staff recommend that the application be referred to Public Hearing and be approved with conditions.

DISCUSSION

Background: This site is zoned both Downtown District (DD) and Central WaterfrontDistrict (CWD). The boundary between the two zones reflects the former escarpment that ran east-west across the site; the current site boundaries resulted from the reconfiguration and consolidation of properties by former property owners. A large portion of the site remained zoned CWD but the Official Development Plan which regulated the amount of use, density and height was repealed in 1996 when the Coal Harbour Official Development Plan was adopted. This meant the CWD zone which covers this site was no longer regulated by an official development plan and therefore was unregulated in terms of height and floor area, and only broadly regulated as to the use of the CWD zone itself. To correct this situation, the Coal Harbour Official Development Plan area was extended to include the CWD portion of the site in 1997 with the intent of negotiating density, use or other regulations in the future (consequently, only Figure 1, ODP Boundary, of the Coal Harbour ODP includes this site).

The Harbour Green Neighbourhood, defined in the Coal Harbour ODP as lands below the escarpment between Jervis and Thurlow Streets, includes very little provision for commercial use. Only 100 m² (1,076 sq. ft.) in the proposed Harbour Green Park in Sub-area 4 was approved in 1996. The CD-1 By-law for the Harbour Green Neighbourhood was amended in 1998 to increase the retail component in the park area at the foot of Bute Street to 250 m² (2,691 sq. ft.). The By-law was amended again in 2002 to create a new Sub-area 5 on the south-east corner of Cordova and Bute Streets to allow an additional 175 m² (1,884 sq. ft.) of retail space for a one-storey restaurant on the former "gap" land.

Use: The proposed zoning would permit a mix of uses, including dwelling units, grocery store and general office live-work. The application requests approximately 17 640 m²(189,877 sq. ft.) of residential area, including 650.4 m² (7,001 sq. ft.) of choice-of-use townhouses (dwelling units and/or general office live/work) along West Hastings Street, and 2 352 m² (25,317 sq. ft.) of retail space for a ground level grocery store along Cordova and Bute Streets.

Density and Density Transfer: The proposed density is 6.8 FSR of which 6.0 would be for dwelling units and general office live-work and 0.8 would be for an at-grade (Cordova Street) grocery store.

The DD zoning on the south-east corner of the site would permit about 2 500 m² (27,000 sq. ft.) representing about 13% of the proposed density. No density is currently assigned to the portion of the site zoned CWD. Therefore, the bulk of the proposed density will be purchased by the developer from a site that has heritage density vested within the heritage density "bank". Refer to Appendix D for more information.

Form of Development: (Note Plans: Appendix F) The proposed form of development includes a 30-storey tower, five 3-storey choice-of-use townhouses (dwelling units and/or general office live/work) along West Hastings Street and a 1-storey grocery store fronting West Cordova and Bute Streets.

Staff have determined that the proposed massing and height of the proposed development is consistent with its context and that the tower has been sited to minimize impacts on views from upland residences and on shadowing of Harbour Green Park. To ensure that the uppermost portion of the proposed tower is a positive addition to Coal Harbour, the by-law will restrict the height of the proposed tower to 83.8 m (275 ft.) but allow for an increase to 91.4 m (300 ft.) if it can be demonstrated that the additional height generally enhances the overall appearance of the building and the top of the building as seen on the skyline and is designed to minimize shadow impact on the waterfront walkway.

A major concern with the proposed form of development is the proposed interface of the western edge of the site with the existing adjacent townhouses. The Urban Design Panel is supportive of the proposed form of development, also with the exception of the interface of the proposed development along the west property line with the existing adjacent townhouses. The proposed retaining wall along the property line results from accommodating the commercial and residential loading within the building. Therefore, a condition of approval will be that this interface be improved by providing as much setback as feasible, minimizing the height of any blank walls and through extensive landscape treatment and high quality materials.

Another concern is ensuring an appropriate Triangle West streetscape, modified to accommodate retail frontage, along Bute Street As part of Triangle West, the Bute Street frontage should receive Triangle West public realm treatment appropriate to its role as a great pedestrian route across the downtown peninsula. The sidewalk needs to be wide enough toaccommodate sidewalk activities that would typically be anticipated with an urban grocery store, such as sidewalk café seating and displays of flowers and produce, and the storefront presence of the grocery store should be maintained along the entire Bute Street frontage. Staff are therefore recommending, as a development permit condition, that pedestrian animation along Bute Street be improved by providing more continuous storefront presence and weather protection and by increasing the setback as needed to accommodate the Triangle West Public Realm Treatment, modified as appropriate for proper grade and commercial interface.

Further details on the form of development are provided in Appendix D and design development conditions to enhance the form of development are provided in Appendix B.

Parking: Engineering staff have recommended the Coal Harbour standard for parking for the proposed development. Four and a half levels of underground parking, with loading for both retail and residential uses, will be provided with access from Cordova Street. A maximum of 287 parking spaces are proposed for residents, 28 for residential visitors and 27 parking spaces for the retail. The retail parking will be contained within the underground parking with internal access, accommodating shopping carts, to and from the grocery store. The loading for both the retail and residential along with manoeuvring of the vehicles will also be contained within the building.

Community Amenity Contribution (CAC): On January 28, 1999, City Council approved an interim City-wide CAC policy which applies to all private rezoning applications. CACs would provide funds for additional community amenities for new residents.

CACs will not apply to this application because the majority of the project FSR will be purchased heritage density, which is exempt, and Coal Harbour is a CAC excluded area. However, the Development Cost Levy (DCL) rate for Triangle West (Area G) will apply ($9.36 per sq. ft.).

Public Art: Like most private-sector developments greater than 14 864 m² (160,000 sq. ft.) which require rezonings, this project is required to contribute $.95 per buildable (FSR) square foot to public art. Since the art is to be incorporated into the building, an allocation of the project budget to the Public Art Maintenance Reserve for maintenance of the artwork will not be required.

CONCLUSION

Staff support the use, density and general form of development proposed in this application and recommend that it be approved subject to proposed conditions of approval presented in Appendix B.


- - - - -

APPENDIX A

DRAFT CD-1 BY-LAW PROVISIONS
1201 West Hastings Street

Note: CD-1 By-law provisions will be prepared generally in accordance with the following list, subject to change and refinement prior to By-law posting:

Uses

Density

Height

Parking and Loading

Acoustics

APPENDIX B

PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
1201 West Hastings Street

Note: Recommended approval conditions will be prepared generally in accordance with the draft conditions listed below, subject to change and refinement prior to the finalization of the agenda for the Public Hearing.

FORM OF DEVELOPMENT

(a) THAT the proposed form of development be approved by Council in principle, generally as prepared by Downs Archambault and Partners Architects and stamped "Received City Planning Department February 14, 2003", provided that the Director of Planning may allow minor alterations to this form of development when approving the detailed scheme of development as outlined in (b) below.

(b) THAT, prior to approval by Council of the form of development, the applicant shall obtain approval of a development application by the Director of Planning, or the Development Permit Board, who shall have particular regard to the following:

AGREEMENTS:

(c) THAT, prior to enactment of the CD-1 By-law, the registered owner shall, at no cost to the City:

APPENDIX C

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO SIGN BY-LAW NO. 6510

Amend Schedule E (Comprehensive Development Areas) by adding the following:

"1201 West Hastings Street [CD-1(# )][By-law # ]B (DD)"

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO NOISE BY-LAW NO. 6555

Amend Schedule A by adding the following:

"[CD-1 #] [By-law #] 1201 West Hastings Street"

APPENDIX D

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Site, Surrounding Zoning and Development

The site is bounded by West Hastings Street on the south, Bute Street on the east, West Cordova Street on the south and a residential development with adjacent townhouses to the west. The land slopes down dramatically from south to north and slightly from east to west.

On the south side of Hastings is a mixture of office and residential uses. On the east side of Bute Street are office uses and a proposed one-storey restaurant on the south-east corner of Bute and Cordova Streets. There is a new residential development with street-facing townhouses and the new Harbour Green Park on the north side of Cordova Street.

The surrounding zoning is the Harbour Green Neighbourhood CD-1 to the north and west and Downtown District (DD) to the south.

The south portion of the site is included in Triangle West so the Bute Street frontage will receive a version of the Triangle West public realm treatment, likely a terrace design modified to accommodate retail frontage, to enhance the public realm connection from the West End down into Harbour Green Park.

Proposed Development

The proposed rezoning includes a 30-storey residential tower with its entrance from West Hastings Street near Bute Street with five 3-storey choice-of-use townhouses (dwelling unit and/or general office live/work) along West Hastings Street from the tower to the west property line. The townhouses and tower look out over a landscaped terrace on a podium formed by a one-storey grocery store with its frontage along West Cordova and Bute Streets. A public art component is proposed to be incorporated as a major feature into the building at the corner of West Hastings and Bute Streets.

The amenity space for the development is proposed for the roof of the tower and will have a large outdoor deck facing west at that level. To ensure that this uppermost portion of the tower is a positive addition to Coal Harbour, the by-law will restrict the height of the proposed tower to 83.8 m (275 ft.) but allow for an increase to 91.4 m (300 ft.) if it can be demonstrated that the additional height generally enhances the overall appearance of the building and the top of the building as seen on the skyline and is designed to minimize shadow impact on the waterfront walkway.

The additional height will not be relaxable under Section 10.11 Relaxation of Limitations on Building Height provisions of the Zoning and Development By-law, which is typically used to allow appurtenances, such as mechanical floor and elevators, to extend beyond the maximum height. Thus the height relaxation allows limited floor area (proposed as amenityspace) that is limited to not greater than 50% of a typical tower floor plate and integrates the mechanical equipment enclosures that would typically extend above the maximum height. The map on Page 3 (Appendix D) illustrates the heights of buildings adjacent to the proposed development and both maximum height and height of the mechanical equipment enclosures is given on those in closest proximity to the proposed tower.

Other qualifiers will ensure that the form of this space will be designed to ensure that the impact on the seawall is minimally greater than the housing of the mechanical equipment and improves the overall appearance of the building and the top of the building on the skyline. and the section drawing shows the shadow implications for 3:00 p.m. on March 21st and March 26th. The section drawing on Page 4 (Appendix D) shows the extent of the impact of the additional height, i.e., the seawall will be shadow-free from the proposed tower at 3:00 p.m. five days later than without the additional height.

Four and a half levels of parking are proposed for a maximum of 342 below-grade parking spaces (27 for retail) and 178 bicycle parking spaces. The access for parking and loading, for both residential and retail uses, would be from Cordova Street at the north-west corner of the site, which is the lowest point on site. All parking and loading will be internal to the building. This has resulted in a retaining wall being proposed along the west property line, which is a concern to the neighbouring townhouses on the adjacent site which will face this wall.

Density Purchase

The DD zoning on the south-east corner of the site would permit about 2 506 m² (27,000 sq. ft.) representing about 13% of the proposed density. No density is currently assigned to the portion of the site zoned CWD. Staff have negotiated density, uses and a form of development appropriate for this site, that being 6.0 FSR residential and 0.8 FSR retail for a grocery store. Staff advice to the developer was that the proposed floor space increase above what is available on the DD zoned portion would need to be achieved through provision of a public benefit and in this instance it could be purchased transferable heritage density. Further, that a DCL rate of $9.36 per square foot was recommended as this is what is currently charged for Triangle West (Area G) plus a public art contribution ($0.95 per square foot). Therefore, the bulk of the proposed density will be purchased by the developer from designated heritage sites that have bonus density approved by Council for transfer. It should be noted that the receiving site is just outside the Transfer of Density boundary and therefore staff recommendation is not technically consistent with the policy. However, given the adjacency and the history of the zoning for this particular site, as well as the merit in using this quantity of "banked" density, staff have no hesitation in recommending this technical departure.

2 pages of architectural drawings

Therefore, a condition of rezoning approval will be that the owners purchase approximately 17 486 m² (188,224 sq. ft.) of density from heritage building owners, thereby reducing the balance of density available for transfer from the current 45 707 m² (492,000 sq. ft.) to approximately 28 221 m² (303,776 sq. ft.). Reducing the "density bank" by this amount will result in a good balance between the supply and demand for transferable density, thereby helping to maintain the market price at which density trades.

APPENDIX E

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, REVIEWING AGENCIES AND THE APPLICANT

Public Input: A notification letter was mailed on March 13, 2003 to 1,386 surrounding property owners. Rezoning information signs were erected on the site on March 14, 2003.

Five letters of response were received. One expressed strong support while the other four had concerns with the proposed development. One neighbour was concerned with additional traffic and truck and loading activity associated with the grocery store. Two letters from neighbours expressed concern with view blockage. A letter was received from the General Manager of the Affordable Housing Societies, representing the housing project on the west side of the site, expressing a significant concern with the 2 m (7 ft.) plus high wall along the west edge of the property facing some of their townhouses. He felt this affected the livability of those units which have their primary viewing window facing the proposed solid wall and created security problems with what would be like a tunnel (their walkway along the property line) rather than an attractive internal street. (Staff are recommending design conditions to deal with this issue.) One new townhouse owner on the north side of Cordova Street phoned in a concern about the undesirability of truck loading access across from his new home.

In addition to the City notification, the applicant held a public open house, prior to submitting the application, on February 12, 2003 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel (1133 West Hastings Street). The same notification area was used to mail out their invitations and notices were also given to building managers of neighbouring office towers to post in their lobbies. Approximately 40 people attended, 36 of whom signed in. Twenty-one people filled out questionnaires there and 2 people faxed them in later. In addition, smaller information meetings were held for immediate neighbours on July 22, 2003 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.1288 West Cordova and from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at 1233 West Cordova.

Overall the project was very well received. Most people were excited about the prospect of a grocery store, 15 were generally in favour of the overall proposal and 3 expressed concern about possible loss of views and an increase in traffic.

Urban Design Panel's Comments: On April 16, 2003, the Panel unanimously supported this rezoning application (all but one supported the proposed height) and offered the following comments:

The Panel unanimously supported the grocery store use in this location. It is a much needed amenity for this area.

With respect to the placement of the tower, the Panel generally supported the applicant's rationale although several Panel members thought consideration should be given to moving it slightly to the west given its tightness on Bute Street and the potential impact on public views. It was thought that moving the tower somewhat could be achieved without impacting views from the Palladio. One Panel member suggested the tower could be a bit bolder as it meets the ground by strongly expressing it's at the corner.

The Panel supported the rationale for the location of the retail and townhouses, although noting that reversing the locations would be ideal if it weren't for issues of loading and site topography. The live/work use was strongly supported. One Panel member found the Hastings Street townhouse elevation lacking and not as elegant as the tower.

The relationship to the neighbouring townhouses was agreed to be a major challenge for this project. The Panel emphasized that they must be given serious consideration in this scheme and every attempt made to be a little more polite. It was suggested there may be other options worth exploring for this edge.

The Panel was very enthusiastic about locating the amenity at the top of the building and thought it would be a wonderful space for the residents. It also provides an opportunity to reduce exposure of the mechanical. Suggestions were made to wrap it all the way around, although one Panel member preferred that the west deck be retained.

The initial attempts at a landscape plan were supported as moving in the right direction. It was stressed that the public art will need to be carefully integrated with the street frontage and the landscape.

The Panel strongly recommended a significant usable outdoor space close to the corner. Several suggestions were made for a large outdoor café in this location. The Cordova/Bute corner needs to be very public given its location across from the entry to a public park.

Environmental Protection Branch Comments: The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection ( MWLAP ) provided clearance for this rezoning application. Clearance will also be required from the MWLAP (in the form of an Approval-in-Principle) at the Development Permit stage and the Occupancy Permit will require an issuance of a Certificate of Compliance from the MWLAP.

Fire Department Comments: Fire Department access based on the submitted plans is considered workable.

Housing Centre Comments: Housing Centre staff expressed concerns with the relationship of proposed building form to the adjacent development site, which has townhouses facing the subject site and a need to ensure a proper massing relationship between the two sites is achieved.

Environmental Implications: Nearby access to transit, parks and new and existing commercial services may reduce dependence on use of automobiles.

Social Implications: There are no major positive or negative social implications to this proposal. There are no implications with respect to the Vancouver Children's Policy or Statement of Children's Entitlements.

Comments of the Applicant:

The applicant has been provided with a copy of this report and has no additional comments.

 

APPENDIX F (10 pages of architectural drawings)
 

APPENDIX G

APPLICANT, PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INFORMATION

APPLICANT AND PROPERTY INFORMATION

Street Address

1201 West Hastings Street

Legal Description

Lot K, Block 29, DL 185 of the Public Harbour of Burrard Inlet Plan LMP29893. PID: 023-691-662

Applicant

Downs Archambault and Partners Architects

Architect

Mark Ehman

Property Owner

Coal Harbour Property Partnership

Developer

Delta Land Development Ltd.

SITE STATISTICS

 

GROSS

DEDICATIONS

NET

SITE AREA

2940 m² (31,646 sq. ft.)

N/A

2940 m² (31,646 sq. ft.)

DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS

 

DEVELOPMENT PERMITTED UNDER EXISTING ZONING

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

RECOMMENDED
DEVELOPMENT (if different than proposed)

ZONING

DD/CWD

CD-1

  

USES

Office, Retail, Residential, Hotel etc.

Residential & Grocery Store

  

DWELLING UNITS

  

141

  

MAX. FLOOR SPACE RATIO

6

6.8

  

MAXIMUM HEIGHT

91.4 m (300 ft.)

91.4 m (300 ft.)

  

MAX. NO. OF STOREYS

  

30

  

PARKING SPACES

  

Coal Harbour Standard

  

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