ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services in Consultation with the Director of Real Estate Services and the Director of Legal Services

SUBJECT:

Closure of a Portion of 12th Avenue between Kaslo Street and Renfrew Street

 

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

The authority for closing and disposing of street and lanes is set out in the Vancouver Charter.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council approval to close, stop-up and convey to the abutting owner (B.C. Transit) a portion of 12th Avenue, between Kaslo Street and Renfrew Street. (See Appendix "A")

BACKGROUND

The Renfrew Street Skytrain Station currently occupies portions of 12th Avenue, between Kaslo Street and Renfrew Street, portions of (P.I.D. 008-759-979) Block 7, South ½ of Section 35, Town of Hastings Suburban Lands, Plan 2059 ("Block 7") (the "Dryco Site") and portions of (P.I.D. 024-798-193) Parcel 2 (Statutory Right-of-Way Plan LMP 46069) of Part (Reference Plan 1418) of the South East Quarter Section 35, Town of Hastings Suburban Lands Plan 100. ("Parcel 2").

When the Skytrain Millennium Line was built, RTPO 2000 Ltd., the organization that built the line for B.C. Transit, acquired (additional) property from the lands on the north side of 12th Avenue (Rem. Lot 1 and Rem. Lot 2, Plan 21736) to ensure 12th Avenue between Kaslo Street and Renfrew Street could be re-aligned to the north and continue to function as a standard 66-foot street. These areas are now City street.

As such, the portions of 12th Avenue lying southerly of the said 66-foot width are no longer required for municipal purposes and can be closed, stopped-up and conveyed to create a single parcel for the Renfrew Street Skytrain Station.

Council has previously (January 23, 2003) approved the acquisition of linear strips and three portions of remnant lands from B.C. Transit as part of the business deal for construction of the Vancouver Community College (VCC) Rapid Transit Station. Block 7 and Parcel 2 were included within the group of 13 properties. This report results in them being treated separately, as further described herein.

DISCUSSION

B.C. Transit has proposed that the surplus portion (0.111 Ha) of 12th Avenue lying between Kaslo Street and Renfrew Street, the same as shown hatched on Appendix "A" be closed, stopped-up and conveyed in exchange for the westerly portions of Block 7 and Rem. Parcel 2 no longer required by B.C. Transit.

The portion of 12th Avenue to be closed will be consolidated with the easterly portions of Block 7 and Rem. Parcel 2 to create Proposed Lot 3 to be owned by B.C. Transit and to house the Renfrew Skytrain Station on a single site. Proposed Lot 3 will be subject to aright-of-way in favour of the City, so as to ensure the open areas of Proposed Lot 3 can be utilized, if necessary, for the Central Valley Greenway.

The westerly balance of Block 7 and Parcel 2 will be consolidated to form a single parcel, Proposed Lot 4, (0.185 Ha) and be conveyed to the City. Proposed Lot 4 will be subject to a right-of-way in favour of B.C. Transit for the portions of the Skytrain guideway that occupy Proposed Lot 4. The City will also seek the release of a blanket B.C. Hydro right-of-way from Proposed Lot 4.

A portion of Rem. Parcel 2 (approximately 79 square metres) as cross-hatched on Appendix "A"; is proposed to be dedicated as road on the subdivision plan required to realize the exchange.

This will require Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) to release a right-of-way and covenant they currently have registered against Rem. Parcel 2. Should release of this charge be delayed for any reason, or other obstacles in the subdivision process make dedication as road of the 79 square-metre portion of Rem. Parcel 2 difficult, staff will advance a resolution to Council to establish the area as road.

Once the exchange is complete, the City will own a single development parcel (Proposed Lot 4) and B.C. Transit will own a single parcel for the Renfrew Skytrain Station (Proposed Lot 3).

The Director of Real Estate Services advises that having considered B.C. Transit's acquisition costs for the lands to ensure the full width of 66 feet was maintained for 12th Avenue, and the lands the City is to acquire, that an exchange is supportable, on an as is, where is basis and at no land cost to either party.

The parties will share efforts to complete the plans and documents required to realize the exchange.

CONCLUSION

The subject portion of 12th Avenue is surplus to the City's needs. Therefore, the General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Real Estate Services, RECOMMENDS the surplus portion of 12th Avenue be closed, stopped-up and conveyed to the abutting owner subject to the conditions set out in this report.

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