A5
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 7, 1996
Dept. File No. JF
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT: Re-approval of Strata Title Conversion:
1310-1360 West 4th Avenue
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the application to convert the buildings at 1310-1360 West 4th
Avenue (Lot 2 of Parcel A, Block 272, D.L. 526, Plan 8893) to
strata title ownership be re-approved in principle, but that
pursuant to Section 9(1) of the Condominium Act, the Certificate of
Approval (Form 10) shall not be issued unless the following
condition has been met within one year of this re-approval:
Completion of all work required by the City Building
Inspector, under the required permits, at no cost to the City,
in order that these previously-occupied buildings
substantially comply with all relevant by-laws.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council Policy is reflected in the City's Strata Title and Cooperative
Conversion Guidelines, which outline factors Council will consider in
reviewing applications for converting previously-occupied buildings to
strata title or cooperative ownership.
PURPOSE
Council re-approval is requested for the application to convert the
previously-occupied buildings at 1310-1360 West 4th Avenue (Lot 2 of
Parcel A, Block 272, D.L. 526, Plan 8893) to strata title ownership.
BACKGROUND
The triangular site is zoned FCCDD and is developed with two, two-storey
buildings constructed in 1985 under Development Permit No. DP202720 and
Building Permit No. BP204268. The large building fronting Hemlock
Street and West 6th Avenue contains six commercial units: four on the
lower level, and two on the upper level. The smaller building on the
northeast side of this site contains one commercial unit. The location
of the site is shown in Figure No. 1, below.
Figure 1
On June 6, 1995, Council granted approval in principle to an application
to convert these buildings to seven commercial strata lots. Pursuant to
Council policy, the approval in principle lapsed on June 6, 1996.
The approval in principle was subject to completion of one condition,
which required that building, fire, plumbing and electrical upgrading be
completed, in order to bring the buildings into substantial compliance
with all relevant City by-laws. Due to a change in management, and
renegotiations with various sub-contractors, the owners have not yet
been able to carry out the work required by the City Building Inspector.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The intent in establishing the one-year limit for completion of
Council-imposed conditions was not to necessarily expect that in every
instance, all conditions of approval could be completed within a year.
Rather, the intent was to terminate approvals in principle where
applicants clearly had no plans to proceed toward final approval by
completing the required work. Staff were concerned that either
revisions to relevant City by-laws or the possible introduction of new
tenants who were not aware of the strata title approval in principle,
predominantly of concern in residential buildings, could make the
approval in principle passe.
In the case of 1310-1360 West 4th Avenue, the owner is now prepared to
obtain the necessary permits and complete the required work, to the
satisfaction of the City Building Inspector. The City Building
Inspector believes it is reasonable to expect that the required work can
be completed within twelve months, and on this basis, supports the
recommendation that this re-approval be valid for a further one-year
period.
CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, the Director of Land Use and Development
supports this application for re-approval in principle and recommends
that a further one-year limit be imposed.
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