Vancouver City Council |
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 24, 2004
Author/Local: L Kemp / 7426
RTS No. 4713
CC File No. 5103Meeting Date: December 14, 2004
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
Director of Real Estate Services, in consultation with General Manager Engineering Services and General Manager Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT:
Subdivision and Dedication of City Owned Lands for Lane Purposes at 2398 Fraser Street and 702 East 7th Avenue
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council authorize the Director of Real Estate Services to complete the subdivision of the two City-owned lots at 2398 Fraser Street (PID: 023-988-321 Lot G Block 107 District Lot 264A Group 1 New Westminster District Plan LMP36132) and 702 East 7th Avenue (PID:002-608-375 Lot 1 Block 107 District Lot 264A Plans 281 and 1771) to complete the dedication of 2.5 feet from each lot for lane purposes in order to increase the lane width from 15 feet to the standard lane width of 20 feet.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Managers of Corporate, Engineering and Parks and Recreation Services RECOMMEND approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Section 291 of the Vancouver Charter provides for establishing, laying out, opening, maintaining, and improving streets, and for determining the width and boundaries of streets.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to request Council authority for the Director of Real Estate Services to complete the subdivision of two City-owned lots at 2398 Fraser Street and 702 East 7th Avenue to facilitate the dedication of 2.5 feet from each lot for lane purposes (Appendix A).
BACKGROUND
In order to secure additional park sites in areas where there was a shortage of park space, the City has acquired lands in the Mount Pleasant area. In 1985, Lot 1 located at the north east corner of Fraser Street and East 7th Avenue was acquired for park purposes. In 1988, 683 East 8th Avenue was also acquired. In 1997 the western 263 square metres of this lot was established as a north-south lane. In 1987, three lots on the north west corner of 7th Avenue and Fraser Street were acquired and subsequently consolidated into the current Lot D. Between 1987 and 1997 the City purchased eight lots for park purposes in the 700 block of East 8th Avenue at Fraser Street. These lots were subsequently consolidated into the current Lot G. The lots were developed as park to the extent possible, and then in 2001 the last remaining lot at 693 East 8th Avenue was acquired. The Park Board then developed the site to its present state which includes a community garden on Lot G and a playground on Lot 1. The park site is not designated as permanent public park.
The park site includes portions of Fraser Street and the east-west lane as public open space. The lane currently varies in width between 15 feet at each end to the standard 20 feet in the middle portion of the block. About 275 feet out of the 395 lineal feet of the lane is a pedestrian path leading to the park and Fraser Street itself is unopened in this location and is used as public open space. A water line and gas line run down Fraser Street, a gas line runs through the length of the lane and there are also light poles in the lane. The City Engineer requires unrestricted access to the street and lane areas as they contain the described utilities.
DISCUSSION
The subject sites were identified by the Park Board for inclusion into a future report to Council to designate various City owned park sites as Permanent Public Park. Before the subject sites can be included in the report, the City Engineer requires that 2.5 feet be dedicated from each lot for lane purposes. Both departments agree with the proposed dedication to increase the lane width from 15 feet to the standard lane width of 20 feet. The dedication will not result in any physical changes to the park. The utilities will remain as will the pedestrian pathways.
CONCLUSION
The Director of Real Estate Services seeks Council approval to proceed with the dedication of 2.5 feet from each of the subject lots for lane purposes.
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