POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE
Date: May 16, 1995
Dept. File No. AMcA
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Associate Director of Planning - City Plans and
General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: City of Vancouver Response to GVRD Livable Region
Strategic Plan
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT Council endorse the Livable Region Strategic Plan
objectives to protect the GVRD Green Zone, build
Complete Communities, achieve a compact Metropolitan
Region, and increase transportation choice.
B. THAT the City support the proposed GVRD Green Zone
policies with the following provisos:
i) the City offer, for inclusion in the GVRD Green
Zone, the lands approved by Council on
September 16, 1993, as noted in Appendix C.
ii) Areas within the City of Vancouver identified for
inclusion in the Green Zone are for planning
purposes only and remain under the City's
jurisdiction; and
iii) The Arbutus Corridor and the Grandview Cut are
presently designated as transportation corridors.
Further analysis and public consultation (through
a City transportation planning process) is
required to conclude on the role of these
corridors relative to transportation, recreation,
and wildlife uses.
C. THAT the City support the GVRD "Complete Community"
concept, subject to developing partnership agreements
which take into account City objectives to improve
Vancouver's jobs-worker ratio.
D. THAT the City support, in principle, the "Compact
Metropolitan Region" policies with the following
provisos to be considered when household/population
targets are negotiated: i) targets should be
based upon the results of the
CityPlan process, noting that
existing zoning provides for
an additional 100,000 people
and housing for a further
60,000 people (for a maximum
increase of 160,000 people by
2021) will need to be agreed
through neighbourhood planning
processes; and
ii) given there are limited opportunities to provide
new traditional ground-oriented housing in the
city, the partnership negotiations should explore
new forms of housing which offer qualities similar
to ground-oriented housing, but at higher
densities, as the City's contribution to meeting
the demand for family housing.
E. THAT the GVRD Transportation Choice Policies be
supported in principle, with the following provisos:
i) the GVRD is successful in negotiating agreements
with the provincial and federal governments and
their agencies to jointly plan and deliver
transportation services that support the Livable
Region Strategic Plan;
ii) the Regional Transportation Strategy is predicated
on municipalities accepting a share of growth and,
should targets not be met, priorities for
transportation investments should be revisited;
iii) priority for investment in transportation services
and facilities should reflect total population and
employment served as well as new demands in areas
identified for above-trend growth; and
iv) the GVRD be invited to participate in preparing
the proposed Vancouver Transportation Plan as a
step toward developing partnership agreements on
GVRD Transportation Choice Policies.
F.THAT the GVRD provide more information about how the
consensus/partnership process will be achieved and
that, as part of this work, the GVRD and member
municipalities address the issue of how municipalities,
taking more than an expected share of growth, provide
for facility and servicing costs associated with
maintaining livability.
G. THAT the Mayor, on behalf of Council, forward the
foregoing recommendations and report to the GVRD as the
City's response to the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
COMMENTS OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
AND THE GENERAL MANAGER OF ENGINEERING SERVICES
The General Managers RECOMMEND approval of A to G.
COUNCIL POLICY
On April 16, 1991, Council endorsed the GVRD Creating Our Future
work program. Included in the Program were actions to:
a. Conserve land resources by establishing a Green Zone, making
better use of existing services by balancing jobs and
housing throughout the Region, and continuing to consolidate
growth in town centres; and
b. Manage the Region by seeking an expanded mandate in the
areas of land use and transportation.
Since 1991, Council has responded to several GVRD initiatives
related to Creating Our Future:
a. On June 22, 1993, Council supported, with some additional
suggestions, a draft "Extended Services Establishment By-
Law" for an expanded regional land use mandate through a
consensus/partnership model;
b. On September 16, 1993, Council recommended areas within
Vancouver for inclusion in the GVRD Green Zone;
c. On March 29, 1994, Council adopted an interim response to
the GVRD Livable Region Strategy: Proposal by supporting, in
principle, protecting the Green Zone, and creating "compact"
and "complete" communities;
d. On March 29, 1994, Council agreed that the Transport 2021
Plan be supported in principle, subject to adoption by the
GVRD of the Compact Metropolitan Option of the Livable
Region Strategy and subject to further refinement after
response by CityPlan.
e. On November 22, 1994, Council received a progress report
from staff on the City's review of the Livable Region
Strategy and directed that, following consideration of
CityPlan, staff report on the implications of CityPlan for
the Livable Region Strategy.SUMMARY
Over the past few years the GVRD has prepared the Livable Region
Strategic Plan. Concurrently, the City has been preparing
directions for Vancouver through the CityPlan process. The
resulting plans have many similarities. Each plan:
˜ provides a broad vision for the City or Region;
˜ includes policies that reflect tradeoffs between alternate
land use patterns;
˜ requires details, such as specific population and employment
targets, to be the subject of further work.
The two plans share many parts of the same vision to improve
livability. They seek to:
˜ increase housing capacity and job choice;
˜ locate housing closer to jobs to minimize commuting; and
˜ place priority on accessibility through transit, walking,
and biking.
Given these similarities, this report recommends the City support
the GVRD Livable Region Strategic Plan and explore partnership
agreements with the GVRD to implement the Plan.
Several issues are raised for further discussion through the
partnership process:
˜ actions to improve Vancouver's jobs-worker balance;
˜ ways to meet the demand for ground-oriented housing at
higher densities; and
˜ criteria for transportation investments.
The recently completed CityPlan provides a framework for the
City's position in entering into partnership agreements with the
GVRD to achieve the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
PURPOSE
This report provides the City's response to the January, 1995,
GVRD Livable Region Strategic Plan.
BACKGROUND
Over the past five years the GVRD has developed goals to maintain
the Region's livability through the "Creating Our Future"
process. Following agreement on broad goals, the GVRD then
translated the goals into a land use and transportation strategy
through the Livable Region Strategic Plan and Transport 2021
processes.The City has participated in the GVRD planning
processes through Council members who sit on the GVRD Board of
Directors, and staff from the Planning and Engineering
Departments, who represent the City on technical committees.
Concurrently, the City of Vancouver CityPlan process has provided
an opportunity to receive broad public input on Directions for
Vancouver. This response to the Livable Region Strategic Plan is
based on the conclusions of the CityPlan process.
LIVABLE REGION STRATEGIC PLAN
The Livable Region Strategic Plan proposes actions to shape and
share regional growth. Policies proposed in the Plan are
attached as Appendix A. The five key policies are:
1. Protect the Region's Green Zone
The GVRD proposes that 173,000 hectares be protected from urban
development. Actions to create and maintain the Green Zone focus
on agreements with various agencies to maintain areas in natural,
park, watershed, and farm lands.
2. Build Complete Communities
The Plan proposes to reduce transportation and other servicing
requirements by providing a better balance of jobs to housing
throughout the region. Actions to achieve more complete
communities are through partnerships between the GVRD and member
municipalities to link job growth with residential development.
3. Achieve a Compact Metropolitan Region
To minimize sprawl, the Plan recommends a greater share of growth
be located in already developed areas. Growth is to be focused
in a "Growth Concentration Area" including Vancouver, Burnaby,
New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, North
Delta, and North Surrey.
The Plan provides household, population, and employment targets
for 2006 and 2021 for the Region and for the Growth Concentration
Area (see Appendix B). A previous draft of the Livable Region
Strategy (August 1993) provided municipal jobs, housing, and
population targets. These have been removed from the plan now
under discussion.
The revised Plan does not ask municipalities to agree to specific
municipal population and employment targets. A next step in the
process will be to "seek through partnerships ... achievement of
the population and employment growth targets for 2006 and
2021."Actions to implement Compact Metropolitan Region policies
include:
˜ agreements between municipalities and the GVRD on population
and job targets;
˜ identification of opportunities for more ground-oriented
housing in the Growth Concentration Area;
˜ provision of transportation services and facilities to
support the growth targets, with priority given to areas
identified for above-trend population growth; and
˜ achieving adequate population and employment densities in
regional town centres and along transportation corridors to
support planned transit services.
4. Increase Transportation Choices
Pollution, congestion, and the costs of servicing sprawl were
concerns expressed through the Livable Region process. The Plan
encourages the use of public transit and discourages single-
occupant automobile travel. Initiatives place priority on
walking, cycling, public transit, goods movement, and then the
automobile.
Actions to implement the Transportation Choice policies are drawn
from the Transport 2021 Long- and Medium-Range Plans. They
include:
creating partnerships to deliver a transportation system
that supports the Green Zone, development of complete
communities, and realization of the compact region;
Transportation Demand Management strategies (e.g., tolls);
and
agreement to a variety of actions including rapid transit;
retrofitting streets for transit, bicycle, and pedestrian
uses; and goods movement corridors.
5. Implementing the Livable Region Strategic Plan
The Plan proposes that the directions be implemented through:
˜ the delivery of GVRD services (e.g., sewer and water) in
support of the Plan; and
˜ through voluntary partnerships between the GVRD and member
municipalities, other local governments, provincial and
federal governments, and other organizations.
The GVRD notes that, compared with current development trends,
realizing the Strategic Plan would result in 33 percent less land
required for urban development, 20 percent fewer vehicle
kilometres travelled, and therefore lower air emissions, and
significant savings on public infrastructure, including a 20
percent reduction in the cost of transportation facilities.On
December 9, 1994, the GVRD Board of Directors approved the
Livable Region Strategic Plan in principle and referred it to
member municipalities to identify any remaining concerns. The
Board asked for comments by June 9, 1995. City Council had
previously advised the GVRD (November 22, 1994) that the City's
response would follow agreement on directions adopted through
CityPlan.
CITYPLAN PROCESS AND CONCLUSIONS
The CityPlan process focused on directions people see for the
City of Vancouver. In doing so, CityPlan addressed many of the
issues considered in the Livable Region Strategy -- housing/
population, employment, and transportation.
The resulting CityPlan is very supportive of the Livable Region
Strategy. As with the Livable Region Strategic Plan, CityPlan
does not endorse specific job and housing targets. However, the
CityPlan directions of concentrating employment growth downtown,
from Cambie to Oak on Broadway, in industrial areas, and in
neighbourhood centres, parallels regional job objectives.
The CityPlan proposals to add new housing capacity in
neighbourhoods could provide enough housing for the city to reach
the population objectives suggested by the Region. However, the
City will not be in a position to conclude on a city housing
target until neighbourhood public consultations are well
advanced.
Reports in the media have raised some questions about whether
people who participated in the CityPlan process understood the
scale of housing and job targets implied by CityPlan. In
response, throughout the CityPlan process, reference was made to
jobs, housing, and population targets suggested by the GVRD in
their August 1993, Livable Region Strategy Proposal.
The 1994 CityPlan Making Choices Workbook described three ways
the City could add to existing housing capacity to accommodate an
additional 160,000 people by 2021, as proposed by the GVRD. The
fourth choice limited growth in the city and did not meet the
proposed GVRD targets.
The 1995 Futures Brochure also used the illustrative GVRD 160,000
population target -- 100,000 people current zoning allows, plus
"60,000 more people through higher density housing in
neighbourhood centres." Futures material described a proposed
growth in employment "by 120,000 jobs to a total of 420,000 jobs"
by 2021.A city-wide 1,500 household random sample survey, which
surveyed support for CityPlan directions among non-participants,
used the GVRD illustrative targets in two questions:
˜ "Over the next 30 years, 120,000 new jobs could locate in
the city, a new job for every three which exist today...";
and
˜ "Over the next 30 years, new housing could accommodate
160,000 more people, or one new resident for every three who
are here now...60,000 would live in new apartments and
townhouses which would be clustered around neighbourhood
commercial areas."
The resulting CityPlan includes directions which support the
Livable Region Strategic Plan by increasing housing and
employment opportunities in the city and endorsing transit,
walking, and biking as priorities.
The following comments on the City's response to the Livable
Region Strategic Plan are based on CityPlan.
DISCUSSION
The City is on record as supporting many parts of the Livable
Region Strategic Plan (see existing Council Policies). This
report reiterates this support (Recommendation A). The City is
also on record as expressing concerns about several sections of
the Plan. This report provides a consolidated response to the
GVRD on the January 1995, GVRD Livable Region Strategic Plan.
The proposed Livable Region policies are attached as Appendix A.
Illustrative household and population capacities are attached as
Appendix B.
1. CITY RESPONSE TO GREEN ZONE POLICIES
GVRD Proposal:
The GVRD is proposing that 173,000 hectares within the region be
protected from urban development.
City Response:
In September 1993, the City recommended 19 areas for inclusion in
the Green Zone. (See Appendix C.) These include most shorelines
and larger parks, the agricultural zoned and floodplain area of
Southlands, and two transportation corridors, Arbutus and
Grandview Cut (noting that land use decisions still need to be
made concerning these corridors).
Council also advised the GVRD that Green Zone lands within the
city were being submitted "for planning purposes only,
recognizing that these areas remain under the City's
jurisdiction."
The one Green Zone proposal which cannot be fully supported at
this time is a recreation/wildlife corridor from Boundary to the
East End of False Creek via the Grandview Cut. Council has
previously noted that uses in the Cut require further
consideration.
City Recommendations:
B. THAT the City support the proposed GVRD Green Zone policies
with the following provisos:
i) the City offer, for inclusion in the GVRD Green Zone,
the lands approved by Council on September 16, 1993, as
noted in Appendix C.
ii) Areas within the City of Vancouver identified for
inclusion in the Green Zone are for planning purposes
only and remain under the City's jurisdiction; and
iii) The Arbutus Corridor and the Grandview Cut are
presently designated as transportation corridors.
Further analysis and public consultation (through a
City transportation planning process) is required to
conclude on the role of these corridors relative to
transportation, recreation, and wildlife uses.
2. CITY RESPONSE TO COMPLETE COMMUNITY POLICIES
GVRD Proposal:
The Regional Plan recommends building "complete communities." To
achieve this, the GVRD proposes to seek, through partnerships
with municipalities, a better balance between jobs and labour
force throughout the region. The Plan identifies employment
targets for 2006 and 2021 for the region and for the "Growth
Concentration Area." No municipal targets are included in the
Plan.
City Response:
As written, the Complete Community policies are supportable.
Improving the balance between jobs and housing is a long-standing
City policy. Example City actions in support of this objective
include the provision of housing close to downtown jobs (False
Creek, Coal Harbour, Downtown South).While this version of the
Plan does not include job targets for the City, a previous draft
did. The 1993 draft Strategy suggested the City add 152,000 jobs
by 2021. The 1993 job targets, when compared to housing targets,
acted to worsen the City's jobs-housing balance. In other words,
by 2021 a higher proportion of workers would be commuting than
today. This is contradictory to City policies, which are to
reduce commuting.
In developing partnership agreements on job targets for
Vancouver, the City will want to ensure that the result is to
improve the City's jobs-housing balance.
Employment targets discussed through the CityPlan process provide
a basis for City-GVRD discussions. These include the following
possibilities:
˜ CityPlan discussed an overall increase of 120,000 jobs to a
total of about 420,000 jobs by 2021.
˜ More jobs in the Central Area with employment increasing to
220,000 jobs by 2021 (as much as the GVRD target, and 60,000
more than in 1991). Existing zoned capacity in the Central
Area can accommodate this increase. The increase in jobs in
the downtown takes advantage of the Central Area's location
at the centre of a transit network, where it is accessible
to people living in the city and from other municipalities.
˜ An increase in employment in neighbourhood centres, to
provide employment for, or serving, the local population.
This could add about 36,000 jobs in centres by 2021.
Although local centres are less easy to service by transit
than downtown employment, concentrating jobs in neighbour-
hood centres supports access by foot and bicycles. The
amount and location of these jobs will need to be determined
through neighbourhood planning programs and market supply
and demand.
˜ An additional 9,000 jobs are likely to locate in other
commercial areas and institutional (e.g. hospital) sites
outside neighbourhood centres.
˜ Retention of industrial areas to provide locations for city-
serving activities and possibly an additional 15,000 jobs by
2021.
These proposals broadly fit the GVRD Complete Community policies.
They meet or exceed GVRD targets for the Central Area, but are
lower for the rest of the city, and lower overall, by about 7
percent, or 30,000 jobs. This slightly lower job target reflects
the smaller scale of neighbourhood centres discussed in CityPlan
and supports job growth in Regional Town Centres.As CityPlan
notes, further public consultation is needed to assess the
viability of more jobs in neighbourhood centres.
City Recommendations:
C. THAT the City support the GVRD "Complete Community" concept,
subject to developing partnership agreements which take into
account City objectives to improve Vancouver's jobs-worker
ratio.
3. CITY RESPONSE TO COMPACT METROPOLITAN REGION POLICIES
GVRD Proposal:
Concentrate growth on the Burrard Peninsula, in the North East
Sector, and North Delta/North Surrey to minimize sprawl. Use
partnerships with municipalities to set population and housing
growth targets for 2021, including the provision of more ground-
oriented housing.
City Response:
Based upon the CityPlan process, the GVRD's Compact Metropolitan
Region policies can be supported. This includes increasing
housing capacity in the City.
The GVRD Plan does not ask the City to agree, at this time, to
specific municipal housing and population targets. However, four
municipalities--Surrey, Burnaby, Vancouver, and Coquitlam--will
likely be asked to take the largest shares of future growth.
These four municipalities could account for 80 percent of the
rezoning initiatives required to achieve the compact region.
The Region's Plan does not describe how the negotiation process
will proceed between the GVRD and municipalities to agree on
targets. This lack of detail is a cause for concern. The way the
January 1995 Plan is written, municipalities can support the
"Growth Concentration Area" (which encompasses more than one
municipality) without actually agreeing to take an appropriate
share of the growth within their own municipality to make the
Plan work. Indeed, several municipalities have already expressed
concerns about meeting GVRD targets.
These comments are provided to alert Council to the difficult
task of implementing the Livable Region Strategy. In entering
into discussions on growth targets, several points follow.a)
Vancouver's Housing/Population Capacity
Capacities discussed through CityPlan were for about 100,000 more
households, resulting in a population of 160,000 more people.
Vancouver has capacity in zoned land and major projects under way
to provide housing for an estimated 100,000 additional people in
the city. This potential is made up of:
˜ 19,000 ground-oriented units (net of demolitions); and
˜ 56,000 additional apartments.
The CityPlan process discussed adding housing for an additional
60,000 people (25,000 units). The CityPlan vision is that much
of this housing would be located in Neighbourhood Centres.
However, as noted in CityPlan, extensive public consultation will
be required to realize this new capacity.
b) Vancouver's Housing Types
The GVRD's demographic projections suggest the greatest housing
need in the region over the next 30 years is for "ground-
oriented" housing.
By "ground-oriented" the GVRD means, housing with direct access
to the outside, not via a corridor. Ground-oriented housing is
especially desirable for families with children. The GVRD calls
the demand for ground-oriented housing, "the single greatest
challenge for growth management."
Earlier (1993) GVRD proposals were for the City to add some
50,000 units of ground-oriented housing by 2021. To achieve this
at least 30 percent of existing single-family homes would have to
be redeveloped into triplexes or row houses. This proposal was
one of the options discussed and rejected through CityPlan.
As a result of the CityPlan process, we conclude that it will not
be supportable to provide the large quantities of traditionally
designed ground-oriented housing desired by the GVRD.
In entering into partnership discussions with the GVRD, further
work by both the City and the GVRD is needed:
˜ to consider the implications of Vancouver taking a higher
share of the region's apartments than other municipalities.
With currently higher housing densities and the availability
of transport and other services, Vancouver may be best
placed to provide a larger share of the region's apartments;
and
˜ to develop new forms of housing which offer the features of
"ground-oriented" housing at higher densities.City
Recommendations:
D. THAT the City support, in principle, the "Compact
Metropolitan Region" policies with the following provisos to
be considered when household/population targets are
negotiated:
i) targets should be based upon the results of the
CityPlan process, noting that existing zoning provides
for an additional 100,000 people and housing for a
further 60,000 people (for a maximum increase of
160,000 people by 2021) will need to be agreed through
neighbourhood planning processes; and
ii) given there are limited opportunities to provide new
traditional ground-oriented housing in the city,
partnership negotiations should explore new forms of
housing which offer qualities similar to ground-
oriented housing, but at higher densities, as the
City's contribution to meeting the regional demand for
family housing.
4. CITY RESPONSE TO TRANSPORTATION CHOICE POLICIES
GVRD Proposal:
The GVRD policies are to increase transportation choice and
implement the Transport 2021 Long- and Medium-Range Plans.
Actions include a variety of Transportation Demand Management
Strategies and initiatives such as rapid transit.
City Response:
On March 29, 1994, Council supported the Transport 2021 Plan in
principle, subject to adoption by the GVRD of the Compact
Metropolitan Option, further response by CityPlan, and resolution
of some specific concerns about:
˜ the use of price signals (such as parking taxes) to
influence travel behaviour; and
˜ issues which may conflict with existing city by-laws.
While drawn from the Transport 2021 Plan, the Transportation
Choice policies in the Livable Region Strategic Plan are more
general than Transport 2021.
The GVRD Transport Choice policies reflect the broad directions
which emerged from CityPlan and, as such, can be supported.
Several issues with respect to implementation of the GVRD
Transportation Choice policies should be noted:a) Implementation
is out of the
GVRD's hands.
Implementation of GVRD transportation policies relies
heavily on provincial agencies (B.C. Transit and Ministry of
Transportation and Highways), and on other authorities (such
as the Port, Airport, and rail companies). Support of the
GVRD Strategic Plan by these agencies is essential. Staff
note that the recent approval of Commuter Rail is an example
of other agencies disregarding the Regional Plan when making
investment decisions.
b) Land Use-Transportation Links
Successful implementation depends, to a large extent, on the
links between land use and transportation actions. Comments
in the previous section about the difficulty of achieving
the compact region are relevant here.
The Compact Metropolitan Region policies refer to locating
more population along "transportation corridors to support
planned transit services." The vision of "neighbourhood
centres" which emerged from CityPlan was as a focus for
existing neighbourhoods. CityPlan proposes linking new
housing in neighbourhood centres to improved transit
services. However, CityPlan does not necessarily envision
neighbourhood centres being located, like beads on a string,
along commuter rapid transit routes. While some centres may
coincide with major transit corridors, Council is on record
as agreeing that the location of a rapid transit line should
not be the sole basis for increasing densities.
c) Link Services to Population Served
The GVRD Plan proposes that priority for the provision of
transportation services and facilities should go to areas
identified for above-trend growth. This proposal focuses on
relative growth and ignores the total population being
served.
In absolute terms Vancouver has the largest municipal
population (471,800 people) and the second largest proposed
population growth to 2021 (plus 160,000 people, second to
Surrey at 226,800). By 2021, Vancouver will still be the
largest municipality with 635,000 people (Surrey 472,000).
Funds allocated for service improvements should reflect
Vancouver's share of total population and jobs as well as
growth projections.
d) City Travel Demands
More people live and work in the city than commute into
Vancouver. This is true today and will continue to be the
case in 2021. As such, partnerships, particularly with
respect to operating and capital expenditures for transit,
need to recognize the travel demands generated within the
city. CityPlan participants were very supportive of transit
services as a way to improve accessibility in the city.
The Livable Region Plan proposes adding intermediate
capacity transit facilities. Recent reports prepared by
consultants for B.C. Transit provide information on three
possible lines but do not make recommendations on
priorities. A separate City staff report has provided
Council with a recommended City response which favours the
Broadway-Lougheed line (with a possible extension to
Coquitlam) over the New Westminster-Coquitlam option. That
report on rapid transit noted that funding directed toward
moving commuters from the suburbs to the city provides
minimal assistance to the needs of the large number of
people who live and work in the city.
e) Tolls are not a popular choice.
The Livable Region Plan proposes pursuing Transportation
Demand Management (TDM) strategies such as tolls. While
CityPlan participants, on balance, supported this direction,
the broader population is less supportive.
The CityPlan random sample survey asked about tolls on
bridges into the city, higher gas taxes, and more expensive
parking as ways to pay for improved transit services. At 25
percent opposed, this was the least liked of the twelve
CityPlan directions. Many respondents who liked the
transit, walking, and biking emphasis expressed concern
about TDM measures.
f) Transportation Plan fills in the details.
The proposed City Transportation Plan (outlined in a
separate report) provides an opportunity for the City to
consider, in more detail, the role we can play in
implementing the GVRD Transportation Choice policies.
Policies requiring further development in order to enter
into partnership agreements with the GVRD include:
˜ Land Use (jobs and housing) directions;
˜ Transportation Demand Management options;
˜ priorities for the provision of regional rapid transit;
˜ priorities for the provision of local transit services
and transit, bike, and pedestrian networks in support
of "complete community" policies in the City;
˜ ways to retrofit local streets and infrastructure to
favour transit, bicycle, and pedestrian uses; and
˜ provisions for inter- and intra-municipal goods
movement.
RECOMMENDATIONS
E. THAT the GVRD Transportation Choice Policies be supported in
principle, with the following provisos:
i) the GVRD is successful in negotiating agreements with
the provincial and federal governments and their
agencies to jointly plan and deliver transportation
services that support the Livable Region Strategic
Plan;
ii) the Regional Transportation Strategy is predicated on
municipalities accepting a share of growth, and should
these targets not be met, priorities for transportation
investments should be reviewed;
iii) priority for investment in transportation services and
facilities should reflect total population and
employment served as well as new demands in areas
identified for above-trend growth; and
iv) the GVRD be invited to participate in preparing the
proposed Vancouver Transportation Plan as a step toward
developing partnership agreements on Transportation
Choice Policies.
5. CITY RESPONSE TO GVRD IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES
GVRD Proposal:
The GVRD proposes implementing the Livable Region Strategic Plan
through a consensus/partnership process with municipalities and
other agencies. More directly, the GVRD will use the approved
Strategic Plan as a basis for delivering GVRD services (e.g.
extensions to water, sewers).
City Response:
Council has previously discussed and supported, with suggested
amendments, elements of a consensus/partnership approach.
Suggestions Council made in 1993 to further the consensus-based
model include:
˜ assurances of adequate notification time to respond to Plan
amendments;
˜ provision for a regional dispute resolution process to
assist in resolving cross-jurisdictional issues; and
˜ actions to assist municipalities taking more than an
expected share of growth to meet increased servicing costs
associated with maintaining livability.
The first two issues are addressed, to some extent, by recent
provincial legislation. On April 19, 1995, the provincial
legislature received, for the first reading, Bill 11, Growth
Strategies Act. This Act provides a process for developing and
reaching agreement on a regional growth strategy. The Growth
Strategies Act is reported to Council in a separate report.
Issues of assisting high growth areas to maintain livability are
not addressed in the Growth Strategy Act. Since some areas are
expected to accept higher and more rapid levels of growth than
previously contemplated, the GVRD should consider ways to ensure
parkland, community and transportation facilities, and other
services are provided to maintain livability. Under the proposed
strategy, some municipalities are not asked to assume an
increased share of growth. There is an opportunity to consider
other ways those municipalities can contribute to maintaining a
livable region.
City Recommendation:
F. THAT the GVRD provide more information about how the
consensus/partnership process will be achieved and that, as
part of this work, the GVRD and member municipalities
address the issue of how municipalities, taking more than an
expected a share of growth, provide for needed facility and
servicing costs associated with maintaining livability.
CONCLUSION
This report has described the four policy directions of the GVRD
Livable Region Strategic Plan -- protecting the GVRD Green Zone,
building Complete Communities, achieving a Compact Metropolitan
Region, and increasing transportation choice. Based on the
results of the CityPlan process, the City can support the
objectives of the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
Several issues are noted for resolution through future City
planning processes:
˜ uses of the Arbutus Corridor and Grandview Cut;
˜ job opportunities outside the Central Area; and
˜ the provision of additional housing capacity.
These issues will be addressed through CityPlan follow-up work.
The results will assist the City in developing partnerships with
the GVRD to implement the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
Other issues will need to be addressed through City-GVRD
discussions:
˜ employment targets to improve the City's jobs-worker
balance;
˜ ways to meet the demand for ground-oriented housing at
higher densities; and
˜ criteria for transportation investments.
Details of the process for partnership agreements are not yet
available. They will likely be guided by recent Provincial
Regional Growth Strategies legislation which is addressed in a
separate report.
The Livable Region Strategic Plan is the result of a several-year
planning process. As the plan notes, this is another step
towards developing detailed actions to maintain the region's
livability.
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