ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 11, 1995
Dept. File No. WB
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Associate Director of Planning - Land Use & Development
SUBJECT: RM-3 Rate of Change: 2598 Alder Street
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council confirm a 12-month rate of change of 0.24
percent is acceptable for the South Granville/Cambie
RM-3 neighbourhood, and that the guidelines regarding
"rate of change" are not applicable.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS
approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
On October 26, 1989, Council adopted the RM-3, RM-5, RM-5A, RM-
5B, RM-5C and RM-6 Multiple Dwelling Guidelines for any proposed
multiple dwelling with a floor space ratio in excess of 1.0 or a
height of greater than 40 feet.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council's advice on a conditional approval use
multiple dwelling development application located in the RM-3
Zoning District.
BACKGROUND
On April 4, 1989, Council instructed the Acting Director of
Planning to make an application to amend the RM-3 District
Schedule whereby any proposed multiple dwelling with a floor
space ratio in excess of 1.0 or a height of greater than 40.0
feet would be "conditionally" approvable. On June 27, 1989, the
RM-3 amendments were enacted.
The amended RM-3 provisions specify that Council be advised of
all applications over 1.0 floor space ratio or 40 feet in height
and thereafter be dealt with by the Development Permit Board who
shall consider the rate of change in the neighbourhood and the
opinions of tenants who would be displaced by the proposed
development.
Similar provisions were subsequently incorporated into the RM-5,
RM-5A, RM-5B, RM-5C, and RM-6 District Schedules in the West End.
As previously reported to Council, there is little guidance
available to determine what is considered a reasonable rate of
change. However, in reporting on February 8, 1990 staff
suggested that a 12 month "rate of change" of 5 percent may be
unusual, but not unreasonable in the RM-3 Districts. (For
additional background relating to "Rate of Change", see Appendix
"B".)
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
The proposed residential development involves the following:
- an existing Heritage "A" building containing five "rental"
dwelling units to be relocated to the southwest portion of
the site (corner of West 10th Avenue and Alder Street). The
building would be raised to provide a total of ten "market"
dwelling units on four levels.
- the construction of a four-storey multiple dwelling on the
north portion of the site to be attached to the rear of the
existing building and to provide a total of 14 "market"
dwelling units.
- the construction of a two-and-one-half-storey infill
multiple dwelling containing four "market" dwelling units
and to be located on the southeast portion of the site.
Although the total number of dwelling units on the site will
increase, the proposal will result in a loss of five rental
units.
In reviewing the statistical "rate of change" in the South
Granville/Cambie RM-3 area (refer to Appendix "A"), the total
number of rental units decreased by 0.24 percent between May 1,
1994 and April 30, 1995. If approved, this proposal will result
in the reduction of the number of rental units relative to that
which existed as of May 1, 1994, being approximately one year
ago.
With respect to the opinion of tenants issue, one of the five
tenants in the existing building has vacated voluntarily. The
four remaining tenants would require appropriate notice under the
terms of the Residential Tenancy Act. A notification letter was
sent to all remaining tenants in the building requesting their
comments regarding the proposed loss of rental accommodation. No
response was received.
CONCLUSION
The Associate Director of Planning - Land Use and Development, is
recommending approval of Development Application Number 217597 as
current quantitative measures indicate the "rate of change" is
"reasonable" in the South Granville/Cambie RM-3 area. Staff do
not believe the guidelines regarding "rate of change" are
applicable.
Council is being advised of the development application before
the Development Permit Board considers the rate of change in the
neighbourhood. However, it is intended that this application
will be dealt with by the Director of Planning, on behalf of the
Development Permit Board, pursuant to By-law provisions.
In addition, a separate Policy Report will be presented to
Council regarding the Heritage issues for this site.
* * *
APPENDIX A
PAGE 1 OF 1
SOUTH GRANVILLE/CAMBIE RM-3 INCREASE OR DECREASE IN RENTAL,
OWNER-OCCUPIED AND TOTAL NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS
NO. OF UNITS DA217301 DA217597
RATE OF CHANGE EXISTING ON 1595 W 12TH 2598 ALDER ST
94 04 01 AVE 95 02 22
94 10 31
Total Rental 5814 [-9] 5805 [-5] 5800
Units (-0.15%) (-0.24%)
Total Owner - 1431 [+23] 1454 [+28] 1482
Occupied Units (+1.61%) (+3.56%)
Total Units 7245 [+14] 7259 [+23] 7282
(+0.19%) (+0.51%)
DP = Development Applications approved and permits issued
DA = Development Applications approved, subject to conditions,
but not issued
AD = Approval Date
[] = Numbers of dwelling units in the individual development
applications
() = Cumulative change, as a percentage, based on units existing
at May 1, 1994. These figures also assume the development
applications approved have or will proceed to permit
issuance and redevelopment.
1995/05/04
APPENDIX B
PAGE 1 OF 1
Additional Background Relating to "Rate of Change"
On October 26, 1989, Council approved guidelines for the RM-3 and
West End zoning districts, which established the criteria to be
met in considering "conditional" use multiple dwelling
development applications in neighbourhoods with high rates of
change. Specifically, the guidelines provide direction as to
development attributes that might mitigate the "rate of change",
and tenant opinion issues.
The guidelines note that where rate of change is high, the
Development Permit Board should give positive consideration to
developments which:
1. attempt to provide accommodation for present residents of
the neighbourhood;
2. result in a net increase in the number of units; and
3. provide some moderate or low cost housing.
In addition, the opinions of the tenants who would be displaced
by the development are to be considered.
In assessing these types of development applications, it must
first be determined whether or not a neighbourhood is undergoing
an acceptable "rate of change". If the "rate of change" in the
neighbourhood is acceptable, then the development is approvable
and the guidelines need not be considered. If, however, the
"rate of change" in the neighbourhood is considered to be
unacceptable, then the proposal must meet the above-noted
guidelines with respect to: attempting to provide accommodation
for present residents of the neighbourhood; providing a net
increase in the number of units; and providing some moderate or
low cost housing.
"Rate of Change" has been defined as the ratio of the number of
residential dwelling units in a neighbourhood which have been
demolished during the twelve months preceding the application for
a development permit, to the total number of residential dwelling
units (including demolished units) in the neighbourhood.