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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
March 2, 2004 | |
Author: |
Catherine Wong | |
Phone No.: |
7975 | |
RTS No.: |
04046 | |
CC File No.: |
4657 | |
Meeting Date: |
March 23, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
The Director of Current Planning in consultation with the Director of the Housing Centre and the Director of Legal Services |
SUBJECT: |
Single Room Accommodation By-law: Application to exempt all 37 SRA rooms at 515 Seymour Street (the Seymour Cambie Hostel) |
RECOMMENDATION
That Council grant an exemption from the Single Room Accommodation By-law of all 37 designated rooms at 515 Seymour Street (the Seymour Cambie Hostel).
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
The Single Room Accommodation By-law regulates the conversion or demolition of designated rooms. Owners of designated rooms may apply for an exemption from the By-law under the following conditions:
(a) a permanent resident does not occupy or customarily occupy the room as living accommodation;
(b) the room is not in a building or portion of a building classified under the Assessment Act and its regulations as Class 1 - residential; and
(c) the room is in a building or portion of a building in respect of which the owner has an obligation to pay or remit hotel room tax under the Hotel Room Tax Act and its regulations.
Council must grant the exemption if it is satisfied that the designated rooms meet the exemption conditions.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report recommends that Council approve an application for exemption with respect to all 37 designated rooms at 515 Seymour Street (the Seymour Cambie Hostel) as the evidence shows that these rooms meet the exemption conditions as set out in the Single Room Accommodation By-law.
BACKGROUND
On October 21, 2003, Council enacted the By-law to regulate the conversion or demolition of single room accommodation. The By-law provides for exemptions subject to the production of evidence, satisfactory to Council, that the designated rooms meet the exemption conditions.
DISCUSSION
Staff met with the General Manager of the Seymour Cambie Hostel, reviewed data associated with the operation of the hostel, and collected the necessary evidence to recommend the exemption of all 37 designated rooms in this hostel from the SRA By-law. (See
Appendix A for evidence in support of the application for exemption.)
Based on the evidence submitted by the owner, as well as City Property Tax records and Housing Centre data, staff believe that the rooms in the Seymour Cambie Hostel meet all of the exemption conditions as follows:
(a) the classification for the Seymour Cambie Hostel under the Assessment Act and its regulations is 100% Class 6 - commercial/retail;
(b) the Seymour Cambie Hostel is subject to and pays the hotel room tax under the Hotel Room Tax Act and its regulations; and
(c) on the By-law enactment date and since then, permanent residents, as defined in the By-law, have not occupied or customarily occupied rooms in the Seymour Cambie Hostel as living accommodation.
Staff also noted the following additional information relevant to the operation of the Seymour Cambie Hostel:
· Beds are rented out on a daily and weekly basis.
· The Seymour Cambie Hostel only caters to guests outside of the Lower Mainland. Valid identification is required.
· The Hostel offers `double rooms' where two guests share a room; and `dorm rooms' where up to a maximum of 8 guests share 4 bunk beds in the dorm.
· Daily rent rates range between $17.50 and $20.00 per person per bed. Bed and Breakfast costs an extra $5.00.
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