ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 30, 1995
Dept. File No.000 526
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: 2497 West 7th Avenue - Proposed Closure of Portion of Lane at
the Rear
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the north 10 feet of Lot 20, Block 281, District Lot 526, Plan
1058, which has been established as lane, be closed, stopped-up and
conveyed to the abutting owner subject to the following conditions:
1. The portion of closed lane is to be consolidated with the
abutting Lot 20.
2. The consideration to be a nominal $10.00.
3. The abutting owner to be responsible for providing any
necessary plans and for Land Title Office fees.
COUNCIL POLICY
The authority for closing and disposing of streets and lanes is set out
in the Vancouver Charter.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council authority to convey back
to the abutting owner, a portion of land which was taken for lane as a
condition of issuance of a development permit, for which the development
did not proceed.
DISCUSSION
In 1987, Mr. Leslie Godby, the owner of the property at 2497 West 7th
Avenue, applied for a development permit to renovate and add to the
existing development on the subject site. One of the conditions of
issuance of this development permit was to dedicate for lane, the North
10 feet of the lot. The North 10 feet was conveyed to the City and, by
resolution of Council, was established as lane.
Mr. Godby did not proceed with the development of his property and the
subject permit lapsed. As the development for which the lane was taken
did not proceed, Mr. Godby has written to request the return of the
North 10 feet of his lot. His letter is attached as Appendix "A".
In the 2400 block of West 7th Avenue, there is not a constructed lane to
the north of 7th Avenue. Of the 20 properties required to dedicate
lane, only 6 have dedicated, including the Godby property (see Appendix
'B'). Therefore, it will be some considerable time before the subject
10 feet taken from the Godby property will be needed for lane. It may
well be that the property will again be the subject of a development
permit and be required, as a condition of that development permit, to
dedicate the 10 feet for lane before the lane in this block is opened.
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CONCLUSION
The North 10 feet of Mr. Godby's Lot 20 was taken as a condition of
issuance of a development permit, but development was not undertaken.
Mr. Godby has written and requested the return of this strip of land.
To ensure that the development rights (FSR) for this portion of lane
remain with the abutting Lot 20, we recommend that the subject portion
of lane be closed, stopped-up and conveyed to the abutting owners for a
nominal sum.
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