ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: June 25, 1996
                                           Dept. File No. 2122-2

   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

   SUBJECT:  Harbour Green Neighbourhood - Proposed Closure of Portions of
             Unnamed Roads North of Hastings Street from Jervis Street to
             Thurlow Street


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT, once dedicated, all those portions of road shown hatched on
        the attached plan in Appendix A be closed, stopped up and leased to
        the abutting property owner, Marathon Realty Company Ltd., until
        commencement of infrastructure construction, at a nominal rate for
        interim uses.  

        No legal right or obligation is created hereby and none shall arise
        thereafter until the lease is executed.  The lease agreement must
        be satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services and the City
        Engineer.


   COUNCIL POLICY

   Authority for closing and disposing of streets and lanes is set out in
   the Vancouver Charter.


   PURPOSE

   This report requests Council approval to close, stop up and lease to the
   abutting property owner, Marathon Realty Ltd., portions of road north of
   Hastings Street from Jervis Street to Thurlow Street, once dedicated,
   for interim use until construction of the infra-structure commences.  

   BACKGROUND

   Upon enactment of the zoning for Harbour Green Neighbourhood, the roads
   in this phase of the development will be dedicated to the City.  The
   building is listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register in the 'A'
   category.  Since the developer has tenants occupying the land to be
   dedicated as road, and would like the ability to continue the tenant's
   leases until construction begins on the infrastructure, a condition was
   included in the Harbour Green Neighbourhood referral report to
   accommodate interim uses.  At the public hearing on June 29, 1995,
   Council approved the rezoning of 501 Bute Street (Harbour Green
   Neighbourhood) subject to a number of conditions including:

                                      -2-



        "THAT Council permit, at the discretion of the City Engineer,
        either the lease back to the property owner, or the granting of an
        encroachment agreement (either of which, at the City Engineer's
        discretion, may be for a nominal rate and for a fixed term) of
        portions of the street dedication, including the waterfront
        walkway, until required for construction of infrastructure, the
        terms of the lease or the encroachment agreement, as the case may
        be, to be to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services and
        the City Engineer."


   DISCUSSION

   Marathon is presently finalizing the subdivision plan for Harbour Green
   Neighbourhood and will be dedicating roads to the City.  In order to
   lease these roads back to Marathon, the roads, once dedicated, must be
   closed and stopped up.  

   The portions of the road to be leased to Marathon on a temporary basis
   until the roads are needed for construction of the infrastructure are
   shown in Appendix A.  As approved by Council at the public hearing, the
   terms of the lease will be to the satisfaction of the City Engineer and
   the Director of Legal Services.


   CONCLUSION

   As approved by Council at the Harbour Green Neighbourhood public hearing
   for interim uses, staff recommend that portions of the road, once
   dedicated, be closed, stopped up and leased to the abutting property
   owner, Marathon Realty Company Ltd., at a nominal rate.

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