SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
JULY 11, 1996
POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE AND LICENSING
Date: April 26, 1996
Dept. File No. NE
TO: Standing Committee on Planning & Environment
FROM: Directors of Central Area Planning and Permits & Licenses, in
consultation with the Directors of Social Planning and Legal
Services, Manager of the Housing Centre, Chief Constable,
General Manager of Engineering Services, and Vancouver Health
Board
SUBJECT: Downtown Liquor Licensing Policy -
Proposals for Theatre Row, Yaletown and Other Areas
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT cabarets in the emerging residential areas of Downtown
South remain non-conforming to the zoning and that favourable
consideration be given to proposals to reduce their impacts
on nearby housing and the resulting public costs of
enforcement, as proposed in A1 and A2 of this report.
B. THAT the 700 to 900 Blocks of Granville Street be designated
as the Theatre Row Entertainment District and that the
Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with the
Director of Legal Services, report back with appropriate
recommendations to amend the Downtown Official Development
Plan.
C. THAT the Directors of Central Area Planning and of Permits &
Licenses, in consultation with the Directors of Legal
Services, and of Social Planning, the Manager of the Housing
Centre and the General Manager of Engineering Services,
report back with procedures for a proposal call for up to
1,000 licensed Class A, C or D seats, initially limited to
applications which would result in a reduction of existing
cabaret seats in the residential areas of Downtown South, as
described in C1 of this report.
D. THAT the measures identified in D1 and D2 of this report be
adopted to help to attract new licensed establishments to
Theatre Row.
E. THAT the measures identified in E1, E2 and E3 of this report
be adopted to prevent new housing from being built in Theatre
Row, to ensure that nearby housing is designed to accommodate
anticipated impacts and to inform potential owners and
tenants about the entertainment district.
F. THAT the measures identified in F1 to F4 of this report be
adopted to enhance the 1100 to 1300 Blocks of Granville as a
local commercial focus for the surrounding residential
community, with the 1000 Block as a transition area; to help
integrate existing hotels into the emerging community; to
encourage entertainment for all residents; and to secure
housing affordable to low income residents.
G. THAT the measures for Yaletown identified in G1, G2 and G3 of
this report be adopted to endorse applications for
neighbourhood pubs and Class 2 restaurants (limited to 150
seats) and to reduce the impacts of cabarets.
H. THAT the measures identified in this report for Robson Street
(Howe to Homer) be adopted to give favourable consideration
to applications for licensing hotel pubs or lounges, Class 2
restaurants and neighbourhood pubs, ensure any housing in or
near this area be designed to accommodate the impacts of
licensed establishments; and to not permit cabarets, subject
to detailed analysis and public consultation concerning the
appropriate mix of entertainment and housing for this area.
I. THAT in the Plaza of Nations, favourable consideration be
given to applications for cabarets on a case-by-case basis
and for licensing pubs or lounges, should the zoning be
amended to permit hotels; and that staff report back on
designating this area as an entertainment district as
outlined in I1, I2 and I3 of this report.
J. THAT favourable consideration be given to proposals for
entertainment uses in the Central Business District and that
the entertainment functions of this area be reviewed, in
consultation with the public as outlined in J1 and J2 of this
report.
K. THAT, in Victory Square, as described in K1 of this report,
no cabarets be permitted until staff report back on policies
to create an appropriate mix of licensed liquor
establishments, as part of the community planning process for
that area.
L. THAT the moratorium on new licensed establishments in Gastown
remain in place and be reviewed as described in L1 of this
report, once Council indicates that adequate enforcement
measures are in place to deal with negative impacts.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A
through L, above.
COUNCIL POLICY
On October 25, 1990, Council placed a moratorium on endorsing new and
on amending existing liquor licenses in the Gastown Historic Area and
the Downtown Eastside Oppenheimer District (see map in Appendix A).
On July 25, 1991, Council amended the Downtown South zoning to create a
residential community.
On May 28, 1992, Council placed a moratorium on endorsing new liquor
licenses, increasing seating capacity and extending hours of operation
of existing licensed establishments in Downtown South, subject to
development of a liquor licensing policy for the downtown (see map in
Appendix B).
On July 29, 1993, Council approved in principle designating the 700 to
900 Blocks of Granville Street as an entertainment district, the 1000
Block as a transition area, and the 1100 to 1200 Blocks as a local
shopping focus for the surrounding community.
PURPOSE
This report recommends measures to reduce the impacts of cabarets on
the residential areas of Downtown South and to enhance the Theatre Row
Entertainment District. It also identifies other areas in the downtown
which may be appropriate for additional licensed establishments as part
of an entertainment focus. A companion report proposes measures to
reduce the impacts of drinking places on downtown residential areas and
suggests new types of licenses which can provide a fuller array of
entertainment opportunities for people who visit, live or work in the
downtown.
SUMMARY
The areas described in this report are shown in Appendix C.
AREA 1: DOWNTOWN SOUTH RESIDENTIAL AREA
In 1991, the zoning was amended to create a new community for over
10,000 people in Downtown South. The area slated for high density
housing contains over 20% of the city's cabarets. Experience in this
and other cities has demonstrated that these kinds of late-night
drinking places are not compatible with residential neighbourhoods.
This has been confirmed by the many complaints staff have already
received from new residents.
The current zoning deletes cabarets as a permitted use. This means
that no new cabarets can be built and that existing ones are
non-conforming. As a result, it is expected there will be a
significant reduction, as existing establishments cannot readily carry
out major repairs or renovations, or are demolished to make way for new
residential projects.
Cabaret owners have proposed, and many members of the public who
responded to an opinion survey agreed that the area should be rezoned
to make existing cabarets conforming. Staff strongly recommend that
the current zoning be retained and propose measures to reduce the
impacts of existing cabarets and to encourage them to relocate to more
suitable areas.
AREA 2A: THEATRE ROW
The Theatre Row part of Granville Street (700 to 900 Blocks) is well
placed to expand its role as a regional entertainment district. Staff
suggest that up to 1,000 licensed seats could be added and propose
several ways in which this could be carried out. A majority of people
responding to the opinion survey supported a "proposal call" wherein
any interested party would be given a period of time to submit an
application. These would be evaluated by the Vancouver Liquor
Licensing Commission according to criteria, including how they helped
enhance Theatre Row, whether they relocate existing cabarets from the
residential area of Downtown South, and how they provide other public
benefits.
Staff are recommending a similar procedure which initially accepts only
proposals which would result in a reduction of existing cabaret seats
in the residential area of Downtown South. If the 1,000 seat maximum
has not be fully used, after the initial period, applications from
others would be considered. This option strikes a balance between the
objective of enhancing Theatre Row as a major entertainment precinct,
and that of reducing the impacts of cabarets on the residential areas.
Staff also recommend several incentives to make a Granville Street
location more attractive to potential applicants, such as a less
onerous polling process. Some operators from other areas feel these
incentives would give Theatre Row establishments an unfair competitive
advantage.
Theatre Row currently has two SRO hotels, and while there are no
proposals for additional housing on this part of Granville, the zoning
does allow for it. In order to confirm Theatre Row as an entertainment
precinct, staff recommend deleting housing as a permitted use, and
"grandfathering" the Gresham and Siesta Hotels. Staff also recommend
measures to ensure new residential developments adjacent to the
entertainment district be designed to minimized the associated impacts
(eg. noise).
AREA 2B: 1000 to 1300 BLOCKS OF GRANVILLE
There are 10 SRO hotels on the 1000 to 1300 Blocks of Granville,
containing 1,956 pub/lounge seats as well as 1,420 cabaret seats. In
order to confirm this area as a local commercial precinct for
the surrounding residential community, as well as to recognize the
significant presence of existing entertainment venues, many of which
have recently upgraded themselves, staff propose the following:
- amend the zoning to confirm the 1100 and 1200 Blocks as a local
commercial area, and the 1000 Block as a transition area,
including deleting pubs, cabarets and licensed hotels as permitted
uses, while "grandfathering" existing ones as conforming uses;
- continue to permit a wider array of uses in the 1300 Block, which
is adjacent to the Granville Bridge;
- continue to support the efforts of the new business association
for the area; and
- continue implementing Downtown South's low cost housing policy,
and consider proposals for additional licensed seats if suitable
housing agreements are secured.
AREA 3: YALETOWN
Yaletown has been developing as a mixed use area, with housing and a
variety of commercial and entertainment businesses. Chronic issues
generated by or associated with some of the licensed establishments
include noise, vandalism, high commercial rents and a lack of available
parking. While most survey respondents agree that Yaletown should be
considered as an entertainment area, most Yaletown residents who
responded did not want any expansion of licensed seating capacity, with
the exception of restaurants. Staff note that large Class 2 restaurants
can impact adjacent residents in ways similar to cabarets. As such,
staff propose supporting new neighbourhood pubs and smaller Class 2
restaurants, and deleting cabarets as a permitted use, while allowing
for their transformation into less intrusive activities.
AREA 4: ROBSON STREET (HOWE TO HOMER)
Robson Street between Howe and Homer is an important pedestrian route
and link between the Robson shopping strip to the west, Granville
Street, and the cultural precinct associated with the new library,
theatres and GM Place. It is also zoned to permit housing, and
residential projects are increasingly being proposed to the south.
Staff recommend measures to allow for new licensed establishments,
although cabarets would not be considered until a more detailed
analysis of the area is completed.
AREA 5: PLAZA OF NATIONS
Since the Plaza of Nations was designed to serve an entertainment
function, and since it seems well placed to continue in this role,
staff recommend new cabaret proposals be considered on this site, and
that hotel pubs and lounges be considered if a rezoning proposal for a
hotel comes forward.
AREA 6: CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Central Business District also already serves an important
entertainment role, although some parts of the CBD may be better suited
for entertainment than others. Staff recommend a report back to
identify and assess the most appropriate entertainment portions of the
CBD.
AREA 7: VICTORY SQUARE
The Victory Square area has over 600 pub seats and 550 cabaret seats,
along with its current population of about 1,000 people. Additional
housing for up to 1,500 people is proposed in the draft concept plan.
Staff recommend the appropriate mix of licensed establishments be
determined through a report back, after Council considers the draft
concept plan and that applications for cabarets not be considered until
this work is completed.
AREA 8: GASTOWN
Gastown serves an important entertainment function for residents,
workers and tourists. However, because its population is growing, and
due to on-going complaints and enforcement issues, Council placed a
moratorium on new seats in 1990. While Gastown was not part of the
Liquor Licensing Task Force's agenda, the Gastown Historic Area
Planning Committee supports timely measures that would make it easier
to rectify on-going enforcement issues. In addition, the Committee
favours the lifting of the moratorium on a case-by-case basis. Staff
suggest the moratorium be retained until the new enforcement measures
are in-place and have been adequately tested.
BACKGROUND
There are about 30,000 licensed liquor seats in the city's hotels,
cabarets, and neighbourhood pubs. About a third of these are in or
near areas of the downtown planned for more housing.
In 1991, Council amended the zoning in Downtown South to create a high
density residential community. This area contains over 6,300 licensed
liquor seats. About 2,700 are in hotel pubs and lounges, primarily on
Granville; about 3,600 are in cabarets, mostly in the areas designated
for housing. Anticipating conflict within the emerging community,
Council deleted cabarets and hotels as permitted uses in the
residential areas.
In 1992, Council declared a moratorium on new applications for pubs and
cabarets, subject to adoption of liquor licensing policy for the
downtown. In January 1993, Council struck a Downtown South Liquor
Licensing Task Force to help develop this policy. The Terms of
Reference, membership, and preliminary policy proposals of this Task
Force, are discussed in a companion report. These proposals were
distributed to many groups and individuals throughout the city, and
were the subject of public meetings and an opinion survey. Council was
briefed at a July 1995 workshop on the public response.
DISCUSSION
The companion report summarizes the public discussion and recommends
changes to licensing regulations and enforcement procedures.
This report deals with specific geographic areas of the downtown in the
following order: Area 1. Downtown South Residential Areas
Area 2. Granville Street
a. Theatre Row
b. 1000 to 1300 Blocks of Granville
Area 3. Yaletown
Area 4. Robson Street (East of Howe)
Area 5. Plaza of Nations
Area 6. Central Business District
Area 7. Victory Square
Area 8. Gastown
It identifies issues and recommendations for each area to address the
following topics from the Downtown South Liquor Licensing Task Force's
Terms of Reference:
- relocate existing cabarets from the residential portions of
Downtown South;
- enhance the entertainment focus on Theatre Row;
- upgrade existing Granville Street pubs; and
- review other possible entertainment areas.
AREA 1: DOWNTOWN SOUTH RESIDENTIAL AREAS
The map below, shows the location of licensed liquor establishments in
areas of Downtown South where the zoning was amended to house more than
10,000 people over the next 10 to 15 years.
Map:
The area contains 10 late night cabarets with 1,774 seats. This
constitutes more than 17% of the city's cabaret seats. The names,
addresses, and seating capacities of these establishments are listed in
Appendix D.
Issue A: Existing cabarets
The zoning in the residential areas of Downtown South prevents new
cabarets from opening and makes the existing ones non-conforming. This
means that existing establishments must appeal to the Board of
Variance, to secure development permits to expand their facilities or
to carry out significant renovations or repairs. As a result, it is
expected that most will close or relocate over the next 15 to 20 years,
as their buildings age or are redeveloped for housing.
The opinion of those responding to the survey was divided about how to
deal with existing and new licensed establishments in this area. Many
Downtown South residents (50%) and business people (60%) agreed there
should be no new pubs or cabarets, while most residents (85%) and
business people (65%) from elsewhere felt that new pubs and cabarets
should be permitted.
With respect to existing cabarets, over 80% of all survey respondents
indicated they felt that the zoning should be changed to make existing
cabarets conforming. This result is consistent with a request from the
Cabaret Owners' Association. However, it is inconsistent with the many
complaints staff have received from residents living near the Mars Club
and other cabarets. As more development takes place adjacent to other
older, late-night premises, it is expected that the number of
complaints will increase significantly.
Staff strongly recommend the following:
A1. THAT cabarets in the emerging residential areas of Downtown South
remain non-conforming to the zoning, due to the high impacts on
nearby housing and the public costs of dealing with the resulting
complaints.
A2. THAT favourable consideration be given to proposals which
encourage cabarets in the residential areas of Downtown South to
reduce their impacts or to relocate to non-residential areas.
This could include changes to hours of operation, seating capacity
or type of license.
Should Council wish to consider a rezoning to make existing cabarets
conforming, staff recommend this be fully discussed in the community.
Such a proposal would be viable only if the amount of new housing
permitted in the area is significantly reduced.
AREA 2: GRANVILLE STREET
The map in Appendix E shows the location of licensed liquor
establishments, and housing on the 700 to 1300 blocks of Granville
Street. The names, addresses and seating capacities of the licensed
establishments are shown in Appendix F.
On July 31, 1993, Council approved in principle the following
directions for different sections of Granville Street. These proposals
were supported by more than 70% of respondents to the survey:
- 700-900 Blocks - Theatre Row Entertainment District
- 1000 Block - Transition Area
- 1100-1200 Blocks - Local Commercial Area
The Granville Revitalization Program is currently underway to help
confirm and detail the concepts, and to determine the economic
strategies and design features to best achieve the objectives for these
sub-areas.
AREA 2A: THEATRE ROW ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
Issue B: Designating the 700 to 900 Blocks of Granville Street as an
entertainment district.
Theatre Row is already one of the most successful entertainment strips
in Canada. It contains many viable theatres, cabarets, restaurants and
hotel pubs. Over the last few years many of its buildings have been
renovated, including: the Commodore Building; the Vogue and Orpheum
Theatres; the Granville, Plaza and Paradise Cinemas; Tom Lee Music, the
Kitto, Planet and Foghorn's Restaurants; the Roxy Cabaret, and the
Siesta and Gresham hotels.
Opportunities and Challenges
The area is suited for additional entertainment uses, including
late-night cabarets, because it is:
- a strong focus for downtown and regional entertainment;
- represented by a business association which is supportive of
expanding the entertainment function;
- near the Central Business District and major hotels;
- located centrally with respect to existing and new downtown
residential communities;
- primarily commercial with little housing;
- immediately adjacent to streets which are primarily zoned for
commercial uses;
- may be able to accommodate lineups and outdoor seating on wide
sidewalks;
- able to accommodate large outdoor events on the Granville Mall and
at the privately-owned open space adjacent to Eaton's;
- well served by transit;
- near available off-street parking, including Pacific Centre and
Robson Square;
- a strong heritage character area; and
- provided with a high level of policing, including a community
police office.
To realize its full potential the area has several challenges:
- improving its image;
- addressing aggressive panhandling;
- fostering a coordinated approach to management and issue
resolution; and
- expanding the variety of activities, day and night.
The Downtown South Community Plan also suggests that the single most
important factor in the long-term revitalization of Granville Street is
to make it the commercial focus of the surrounding residential area.
An emerging business plan envisions a variety of entertainment uses
including restaurants, book stores, music shops, specialty retail, pool
halls and other enterprises geared to the young people and others
already drawn to the street's theatres and clubs.
A key question concerns the role licensed liquor establishments should
play in this revitalization. Such establishments can add to the
vitality of the downtown and help speed up some new development on
Granville. However, too large a concentration of drinking places can
reduce opportunities for other forms of entertainment and discourage
people from living nearby, thereby undermining the essential
underpinnings of the revitalization strategy.
Relevant Research
Staff have carried out research in Vancouver and other cities to
determine how many seats can be accommodated in Theatre Row. According
to the Simon Fraser University Criminology Department, there are few
relevant studies in the academic literature. It is also not possible
to readily translate experience in other cities to Vancouver. Each
city has a unique set of licensing regulations, types of
establishments, geographic patterns of residential neighbourhoods and
commercial districts, and cultural practices with respect to drinking
in public and private places. For example, Calgary's Electric Avenue
was initially seen as a positive example of how a large number of
establishments - could locate together to create a vibrant
entertainment district.
However, several years ago an over-supply of drinking places led to
"price wars," impacts on the nearby residential community, and
difficult policing issues. The City of Calgary responded with
increased enforcement measures and new zoning to attempt to bring more
controls to the area.
The Vancouver Bar Study carried out by Greg Sayville and Paul Wong, in
cooperation with City staff, is on file with the City Clerk. It
indicates there is an exponential relationship between number of
licensed seats in an area and calls for police services. Another study
on file with the Clerk is by SFU Criminology students. It describes
the atmosphere of many drinking places in Downtown South and identifies
the different kinds of people who go to these establishments, how often
they go out, where they live and how they travel. It indicates that
many people who visit Downtown South's cabarets drive by themselves
from suburban municipalities.
Additional Licensed Seats on Theatre Row
From this research and direct observation, staff have concluded that,
on balance, there are potential advantages to clustering some
additional establishments in Theatre Row. This could enhance the
vitality of this entertainment district and hopefully attract some
existing seating away from the residential area. Given the uncertainty
of what we know, and the potential risks, staff have concluded that it
is important to proceed cautiously. Staff estimate that if the
enforcement procedures and regulations proposed in the companion report
are adopted, it should be possible to accommodate about 1,000 more
licensed seats in Theatre Row. This would translate into 2 or 3
cabarets (250-350 seats each) and possibly one or two neighbourhood
pubs (65 indoor seats plus up to 20 patio seats). The zoning would
also continue to permit the development of new hotels and restaurants
which would likely provide some additional liquor seating.
The impacts of these new establishments would be carefully monitored
and evaluated. If, as anticipated, the new establishments are helping
revitalize the street without adversely affecting the community,
consideration could then be given to permitting more seats or even to
expanding the size of the entertainment district.
Staff recommend the following:
B1. THAT the 700 to 900 Blocks of Granville Street be designated as
the Theatre Row Entertainment District and that the Director of
Central Area Planning, in consultation with the Director of Legal
Services, report back with appropriate recommendations to amend
the Downtown Official Development Plan.
Issue C: Mechanisms to permit additional seating on theatre row
There are four alternative ways identified below by which the
moratorium could be lifted to accommodate about 1,000 more seats on
Theatre Row. These differ by how much emphasis they place on community
benefits (C1 and C2) getting new establishments quickly (C3), and
relocating existing cabarets (C1 and C4).
Staff recommend C1 below:
C1: Proposal Call for up to 1,000 Seats, Limited During the First Year
to Relocating Existing Seating
The City would issue a "proposal call" wherein owners of existing
licensed establishments in the residential areas of Downtown South off
Granville Street would be given up to one year to apply to relocate to
Theatre Row.
All applications would include design drawings and evidence that the
property owner is prepared to lease or sell the site to the applicant.
All applications would also be evaluated by the Vancouver Liquor
Licensing Commission, in consultation with staff and the community,
according to an agreed upon set of guidelines. Suggested criteria
include, but are not limited to the following:
- contributes to Granville Street vitality;
- helps to retain or renovate a heritage building on Granville
Street;
- helps provide social services to deal with the impacts of drinking
establishments on the surrounding community;
- helps provide for low income housing; or
- demonstrates evidence of community support, in lieu of formal
balloting.
A maximum of 1,000 seats would be considered for approval. Some of
these seats could be set aside to help ensure there is diversity, with
one or two neighbourhood pubs, as well as several larger
establishments. This policy would be reviewed after the first set of
applications was evaluated to determine whether the proposal call would
be made available to other potential applicants.
The advantage of this alternative is that it would maximize the chances
of relocating existing cabarets over a relatively short period of time
and could result in no net increase of seating. In addition, if there
is widespread interest in locating on Granville, it might result in
public benefits as proponents "bid" for seats. Its disadvantages are
that it initially limits competition and could result in several larger
establishments, rather than a diversity of places.
The survey indicated 55% supported the proposal call concept. Of
those, 70% favoured opening this competition to all potential
applicants. Staff recommend C1 wherein initially, only owners of
existing Downtown South cabarets would be able to submit applications
before the completion is open to others. This would help determine
whether it is possible to relocate seating to Theatre Row, without
increasing the total seating in the community.
Should C1 not be approved, staff put forward options C2, C3 and C4 for
Council's consideration:
Option C2: Proposal Call
This alternative is similar to C1, except the "proposal call" would be
open to any interested parties. They would be given a limited period
of time - approximately six months - to submit applications for new
establishments or increased seating on Theatre Row.
These proposals would be evaluated by the Vancouver Liquor Licensing
Commission. In addition to the criteria listed in C1, would be whether
the proposal reduced seating in the residential area of Downtown South.
The advantage of this approach is that it would enable a wide array of
applicants to compete for potential seats. This would likely result in
good selection of creative entertainment ideas as well as help maximize
potential community benefits. The total number of seats available
could be limited in advance of the proposal call or set after submissions are reviewed. Staff suggest that no more than 1,000 seats
be considered for this area at this time. Additional seating might be
considered in several years. This should only be done after the new
establishments and enforcement procedures are in place and monitoring
has indicated additional seating could be accommodated.
OR
Option C3: First Come, First Served for up to 1,000 Seats Under
Existing Zoning
Theatre Row is currently zoned to permit cabarets, hotel pubs,
neighbourhood pubs and Class 2 restaurants. Applications are reviewed
by the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission on a case- by-case basis,
with a formal balloting of the surrounding area generally required for
each. If the moratorium is lifted, this process would likely see some
seating in Theatre Row on a first come/first served basis, until the
1,000-seat limit is reached. This process would likely result in a net
increase of seating in the community. It also offers no specific
criteria or incentives to ensure other benefits for the surrounding
community.
OR
Option C4: Relocation of Existing Licenses (no net increase in
seating)
The City would only endorse applications from owners of existing
cabarets who are willing to relocate from the residential areas of
Downtown South. The advantage of this approach is that it would result
in no net gain of cabaret seating in the community.
However, it would give existing owners a monopoly, and it would not
necessarily maximize potential benefits to the community. If this
alternative is adopted, staff recommend it be limited to a two-year
period, to encourage existing establishments to relocate sooner.
Issue D: Special incentives may be needed to attract licensed
establishments to Theatre Row
More than a dozen potential applicants have expressed interest in
developing licensed establishments on Theatre Row over the last two
years. However, it may be necessary to consider some special
incentives in order to maximize potential public benefits. For
instance, if Theatre Row is formally designated as an entertainment
district, alternatives to the formal referendum process could be used
to ascertain public support for individual applications for new
licenses.
Two points should be noted. First, owners of existing licensed
establishments elsewhere in the Central Area have expressed concerns
about special incentives which might give new establishments on Theatre
Row an unfair competitive advantage. Second, even with competitive
advantage, the proposed incentives would not likely attract existing
cabarets from the residential area of Downtown South, if the zoning is
changed to make them conforming.
Staff recommend the following:
D1. THAT special incentives, including the following, be considered,
if requested by applicants, to attract new licensed establishments
to Theatre Row:
- not requiring each applicant to go through the formal polling
process;
- asking the Province to allow earlier (5:00 p.m.) opening
hours for cabarets or to allow premises to have dual licenses
for cabarets and restaurants;
- permitting one or more neighbourhood pubs;
- as part of the overall review of the Building By-law,
examining ways of phasing in Building Code upgrading of code
requirements to accommodate entertainment uses in existing
buildings; and
- other incentives which result in a net benefit for the
community.
D2. THAT the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission consider endorsing
applications for liquor licenses proposed on Theatre Row based on
the response to a neighbourhood notification as an alternative to
formal polling.
Issue E: Housing in theatre row is incompatible with its entertainment
function
Currently there are only 108 residential units on the 700 to 900 Blocks
of Granville Street. These are Single Room Occupancy units (SRO's) in
the Siesta and Gresham Hotels. No housing is located on adjacent
blocks at this time. However, the zoning permits up to 3 FSR for
dwelling uses on Granville Street and a rezoning application has been
submitted for a major residential development across the lane in the
900 Block Seymour. This is part of a project to save the Dominion
Motors Building, which is listed on the Vancouver Heritage Registry.
Further, a development application which includes a residential
component is proposed for the southeast corner of Howe and Robson
Staff recommend the following:
E1. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
the Director of Legal Services, report back with zoning amendments
to:
a) delete housing as a permitted use on the 700 to 900 Blocks of
Granville Street; and
b) permit SRO residential hotel units in the Gresham and Siesta
Hotels as conforming uses, until these buildings are
redeveloped for other uses.
E2. THAT the Director of Land Use and Development ensure that any
housing developed immediately adjacent to Theatre Row is designed
to minimize noise and other impacts of licensed entertainment
uses.
E3. THAT the Director of Central Area planning, in consultation with
the Director of Legal Services and the Real Estate Board of
Greater Vancouver, report back on mechanisms to inform people
interested in purchasing or residing on sites adjacent to Theatre
Row that the area is near an entertainment district and they can
expect some increased noise and other impacts.
AREA 2B: REMAINDER OF GRANVILLE STREET
Issue F. Upgrading existing hotel pubs and integrating them with
housing and local shopping on the remainder of Granville
Street.
There are 10 hotels on the 1000 to 1300 Blocks of Granville Street.
They contain 1,956 pub/lounge seats and 1,420 cabaret seats. This is
12% of the city's total. However, this area also provides over 1,000
residential single room occupancy hotel rooms (SROs) and has the
development potential to provide a considerable number of
self-contained dwelling units.
It is clear that with its many licensed seats, this part of Granville
will continue to be a significant regional entertainment focus. Years
ago these seats were located in some of the city's most notorious pubs.
Over the last decade, there have been considerably fewer incidents
involving the police. On many evenings many of the pubs have been
relatively quiet - primarily functioning as "living rooms," serving
local low-income residents. More recently, most of the pubs have been
renovated or have changed their entertainment formats. The Yale and
Hotel California are now blues and jazz bars. The Royal is an
important centre for the downtown gay community. The strip bars at the
Nelson Place Hotel and the Austin Hotel have been transformed to other
entertainment.
Thus the existing hotels appear to be responding to the emerging
community without any special City initiatives. Seats that were once
empty are now filled; many now serve customers of a higher income.
Staff recommend the following:
F1. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
the Director of Legal Services, report back on amendments to the
Downtown Official Development Plan to help establish the 1100 to
1300 Blocks of Granville Street as the local shopping core for the
surrounding residential community and to help establish the 1000
Block of Granville Street as a transition area with some
entertainment and some local shopping by:
a. deleting neighbourhood pubs, cabarets and new hotels as
permitted uses;
b. grandfathering existing hotels, including their pubs and
lounges, as conforming uses;
c. deleting Class 2 restaurants (which require food be served
with alcoholic beverages, and can provide live entertainment
and dancing) as a permitted use on the 1100 to 1300 Blocks of
Granville Street; and
d. permitting Class 2 restaurants on the 1000 Block of Granville
Street.
F2. THAT staff continue to work with the Entertainment District
(formerly Theatre Row) Business Association and other groups in
the area to revitalize Granville Street, monitor the balance of
entertainment and shopping requirements of the community, and
report back if policy changes are needed, especially with respect
to neighbourhood pubs as well as the possible need for inexpensive
"living room" establishments for low-income residents.
F3. THAT the Manager of the Housing Centre continue efforts to secure
the affordability and to upgrade or replace existing low-cost SRO
housing on the 800 to 1300 blocks of Granville Street through a
variety of mechanisms, including purchasing, management and/or
leasing agreements, bonusing and development of new low-income
housing.
F4. THAT Council give favourable consideration to endorsing
applications for increased seating capacities in existing licensed
establishments, subject to legal agreements to secure the
affordability and to upgrade low-income housing.
AREA 3: YALETOWN
Yaletown contains a variety of entertainment uses including
restaurants, coffee bars, billiard parlours, as well as the Bar None
Cabaret and the Yaletown Brewing Company Neighbourhood Pub. The owners
of billiard parlours have requested liquor licenses. The Province has
responded by enabling them to have a licensed restaurant area in part
of their premises. However, customers cannot drink while they play
billiards. Other potential applicants have expressed interest in
neighbourhood pubs with enough space to offer simulated basketball,
golf and other sports activities.
Yaletown also has an increasing residential component, with more than
200 units currently located in the heritage district itself and 1200
more in adjacent Yaletown Edge and Pacific Point. Of particular
concern are the noise impacts of loud, late-night music and crowds on
this housing. In addition, owners of design firms have expressed
concern about the impacts of licensed establishments, including
vandalism and increased rents in commercial space. Limited parking has
also been identified as an issue by residents and business people.
Sixty-five percent of those responding to the public survey agreed
Yaletown should be identified as an entertainment area. Yet 80% of
the 17 Yaletown residents who responded opposed additional
neighbourhood pubs as well as special licensing for billiard parlours.
The Task Force has recommended that Class 2 restaurants continue to be
permitted in the zoning to add to the mix of entertainment uses. Staff
are concerned that, under current regulations, these tend to be large
and can have amplified music and dancing until midnight.
Staff recommend the following:
G1. THAT favourable consideration be given to endorsing applications
for neighbourhood pubs and that the minimum distancing requirement
be waived in Yaletown on a case-by-case basis, subject to polling
nearby residents and property owners.
G2. THAT favourable consideration be given to endorsing applications
for Class 2 restaurants limited to 125 seats on a case-by-case
basis, subject to polling nearby residents and property owners.
G3. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
the Director of Legal Services, report back on deleting cabaret as
a permitted use and that the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission
give favourable consideration to endorsing possible proposals to
transform the Bar None Cabaret into one or more establishments
which have earlier closing hours.
AREA 4: ROBSON STREET (HOWE TO HOMER)
The frontages along Robson Street, between Robson Square and the new
library, have several significant advantages as a potential late-night
entertainment district:
- adjacent to the CBD, Ford Theatre and Theatre Row;
- near Robson Street shopping district, Vancouver Public Library,
Q.E. Theatre, B.C. Place Stadium and General Motors Place;
- good transit access, including rapid transit;
- zoned for offices, hotels and cultural uses; and
- currently contains no housing, although development applications
with housing components are proposed for the southeast corners of
Robson at Howe and at Homer.
However, this area has several potential disadvantages:
- zoned to permit up to 3.0 FSR housing;
- high density housing is permitted and has been developed nearby;
and
- no intervening lane to establish a clear boundary to the south
where additional housing could be developed.
This part of Robson Street is at the crossroads of several major
downtown functions - the Downtown South residential community to the
south, the Central Business District to the north, the sports
facilities and cultural precinct to the east and Theatre Row and the
West End Robson Street shopping district to the west. It currently
contains no housing, so it has potential to accommodate virtually any
of these adjacent uses or to become an ongoing area of transition.
Some members of the public and the industry have argued that housing
should be deleted or limited in this area and that it could be a
natural extension of the Theatre Row Entertainment District.
Others, including some nearby residents, have argued that this could
create too large an entertainment district and the "crossroads" could
bring together a mix of different types of crowds that in some cities
have created significant policing issues. Still others argue that its
character is fundamentally different than Granville, and that if
Theatre Row is to expand, it should do so to the north, along the mall.
Staff are concerned that the City does not currently have the
enforcement powers to minimize the impacts of a larger entertainment
district, especially if there are potentially conflicting functions.
The best use of this area will likely not be known until Theatre Row,
the Cultural Precinct near the Library and the Downtown South
residential community are further developed and a detailed analysis is
carried out in consultation with local interests.
Staff recommend the following:
H1. THAT favourable consideration be given to endorsing applications
for hotel pubs and lounges, Class 2 Restaurants and neighbourhood
pubs on a case-by-case basis along Robson Street (Howe to Homer),
subject to polling of nearby residents and property owners.
H2. THAT any new housing in or immediately adjacent to this area be
designed to accommodate the impacts of licensed establishments and
that a mechanism be established to inform people interested in
purchasing sites or residing in or near this area that
entertainment uses are permitted and that they can expect some
impacts.
H3. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
the Manager of the Housing Centre, local residents, property
owners and organizations, report back with a detailed analysis of
the mix of entertainment and housing uses most appropriate for
Robson Street (Howe to Homer) and that until this study is
completed, no applications for cabarets be approved.
AREA 5: PLAZA OF NATIONS
The Plaza of Nations contains two licensed cabarets. It is well
located to provide entertainment for residents nearby in False Creek
North and for people who attend events at the Stadium and GM Place. It
also is served by rapid transit. Existing policy encourages continued
use of the outdoor plaza and exhibition areas for public events, and
the City is seeking a right-of-way agreement to legally secure this
function.
Staff recommend the following: I1. THAT consideration be given to endorsing new cabarets on a
case-by-case basis, subject to the neighbourhood referendum
process and completion of appropriate zoning.
I2. THAT consideration be given to a pub or lounge if proposed in
conjunction with a new hotel, which will require rezoning, and be
subject to evidence demonstrating support by nearby residents and
property owners.
I3. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
appropriate staff and the public report back on designating the
Plaza of Nation as an entertainment district in the Zoning and
Development By-law.
AREA 6: CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Central Business District currently contains 35 establishments with
a total of over 5,800 pub, lounge and cabaret seats in addition to
Class 2 restaurants. This area is well suited to provide additional
late-night entertainment since it contains:
- many hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities;
- good transit access;
- a great deal of off-street parking available at night; and
- little existing housing and limited zoned housing capacity.
The main disadvantages are:
- high rents;
- perception that cabarets may not be compatible with the prestige
image of major office buildings; and
- current lack of late-night activity and "eyes on the street."
Staff recommend the following:
J1. THAT favourable consideration be given to proposals for
entertainment uses in the Central Business District.
J2. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
appropriate staff, local property owners, merchants, business
organizations and the public, review and report back on the
entertainment uses in the Central Business District, with special
emphasis on an analysis of the suitability of the area to the
south of Canada Place near Hastings, Pender and Hornby Streets,
and the "Cultural Precinct" near Homer, Beatty, Robson and
Dunsmuir Streets.
AREA 7: VICTORY SQUARE
Victory Square contains 7 establishments with a total of over 600 pub
and 550 cabaret seats. It is immediately adjacent to the boundaries of
the Downtown Eastside/Gastown moratorium on new and amendments to
existing liquor licenses. Currently, about 1000 people live in the
area, primarily in older residential hotels. The draft Victory Square
Concept Plan calls for retaining many of the heritage buildings and for
accommodating about 1500 more people. The area's housing, historic
character and location near the Central Business District and
educational institutions indicate that it will likely have a mix of
entertainment and shopping uses, including galleries, book stores,
coffee shops and billiard parlours. As has proven true in Yaletown, it
is unlikely that late-night cabarets would be appropriate. However,
the area is experiencing changes to its existing hotel pubs and may be
able to accommodate some additional smaller licensed restaurants and
other types of establishments.
Staff recommend the following:
K1. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with
appropriate staff, local residents and business people, report
back on policies to create an appropriate mix of licensed liquor
establishments after Council considers the draft Victory Square
Concept Plan.
AREA 8: GASTOWN
Gastown currently has 10 licensed hotels, containing 1,288 pub seats
and 9 cabarets with 1,865 seats. This is a well established
entertainment area serving tourists and residents from throughout the
region. Because of the large number of existing seats, growing
residential population (which is now approximately 3,500 people) and
enforcement issues with several establishments, on October 25, 1990,
Council placed a moratorium on new seats in Gastown. The only
exception has been a May 27, 1994, endorsement of the Steamworks
Neighbourhood Pub at 375 Water Street.
As a result of the moratorium, Gastown was not considered by the
Downtown South Liquor Licensing Task Force. However, the Gastown
Historic Area Planning Committee has reviewed the July 1993 report.
The Gastown Committee recommends that enforcement procedures be
strengthened to quickly and firmly deal with establishments which
create public nuisance impacts, especially on the residential uses in
the area. It also recommends that the moratorium be adjusted to
consider applications for new drinking establishments, like Steamworks,
or improvements to existing beer parlours and restaurants to enable
them to better cater to local business people, tourists and others.
These applications would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, subject
to consultation with nearby residents and property owners. Generally
the Committee believes that competition rather than regulation will
result in a better mix of entertainment uses.
Staff recommend the following:
L1. THAT because of the large number of existing licensed seats, the
moratorium on new licensed establishments in Gastown remain in
place and be reviewed, in consultation with local residents and
property owners, once Council indicates adequate enforcement
measures are in place to deal with the negative impacts of
drinking establishments in areas with housing.
As an alternative to the staff recommendation in L1, the Gastown
Historic Area Planning Advisory Committee recommends:
L2. THAT the moratorium be adjusted as soon as possible to permit new
drinking establishments and improvements to existing ones on a
case-by-case basis, subject to consultation with nearby residents
and property owners.
CONCLUSION
Historically, many of the city's pubs and cabarets have been in areas
of the downtown where they have affected a relatively small number of
people. The population of these areas has been growing rapidly and is
expected to double over the next two decades. This report proposes a
strategy to reduce the impacts of existing licensed establishments and
to identify where new ones should locate. The strategy is, in part,
built on the belief that the City should proceed cautiously, as there
is much we will learn as we work with local residents and business
people to achieve what are sometimes conflicting objectives. It also
assumes that the downtown cannot accommodate all of the region's
growing demand for licensed establishments, and that other areas should
provide opportunities for appropriate forms of entertainment as part of
their planning processes.
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