P4
POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING
Date: 1996 10 11
Dept. File: 96024-LC
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT: Proposed CD-1 Text Amendment for 1606 West 1st Avenue
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the application by Burrowes Huggins Architects to amend CD-1
By-law No. 7476 for 1606 West 1st Avenue [Lot I, Block 219, DL 526,
Plan LMP 24606] to expand the permitted office uses to include
Health Care Office and Health Enhancement Centre, be referred to a
Public Hearing, together with:
(i) the draft CD-1 By-law amendment, generally as contained in
Appendix A; and
(ii) the recommendation of the Director of Land Use and Development
to approve the application, subject to the condition contained
in Appendix B;
FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to
prepare the necessary by-law for consideration at the Public
Hearing.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approves of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Relevant Council policies for this site include:
Burrard Slopes IC Districts Interim Policies, adopted June 24,
1993.
Central Area Plan, adopted December 3, 1991.
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PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report assesses an application to amend CD-1 By-law No. 7476 which
applies to the site at 1606 West 1st Avenue to expand the permitted
office uses to include Health Care Office and Health Enhancement Centre.
Staff support the proposed text amendment as the proposed uses are
consistent with the Burrard Slopes IC Districts Interim Policies which
identifies the uses as compatible with residential development.
MAP GOES HERE
DISCUSSION
Uses: The permitted uses in the existing CD-1 By-law include retail,
service, manufacturing, residential and office, but not including Health
Care Office or Health Enhancement Centre. All permitted uses are in
accordance with the Burrard Slopes IC Districts Interim Policies which
allow above-grade residential in a mixed-use building where the
accompanying non-residential uses are residentially compatible. This
application requests that two additional uses that were specifically not
permitted in the CD-1 By-law due to their higher parking requirement,
namely Health Care Office and Health Enhancement Centre, be permitted to
provide for the medical, dental and related health needs of local
residents. Staff support the proposed uses, which are also considered
compatible with residential uses according to the Burrard Slopes Interim
Policies, if the higher parking requirement is met.
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Parking: At the time of the original rezoning of the site to CD-1, the
applicant did not seek Health Care Office or Health Enhancement Centre
uses because the parking requirement is higher than for other office
uses and the then proposed parking would not accommodate the higher
requirement. However, the development that was subsequently approved and
is under construction will contain 118 parking spaces, which is 19 more
spaces than required. The development can therefore now provide
adequate parking to accommodate all types of office use. On this basis
staff support the amendment to the CD-1 By-law to permit Health Care
Office and Health Enhancement Centre.
Density: The CD-1 By-law limits the maximum floor space ratio (FSR)
for office uses to 1.00. The applicant proposes no change to this limit
and intends to accommodate the Health Care Office and Health Enhancement
Centre uses within the portion of the floor area already approved for
office use.
CONCLUSION
Staff support the proposed expansion of office uses to include Health
Care Office and Health Enhancement Centre. The proposed uses are
consistent with the Burrard Slopes Interim Policies, and would be
accommodated within the approved densities for this site. Parking
requirements for these uses would also be met. Staff recommend that the
rezoning application be referred to a Public Hearing with a
recommendation from the Director of Land Use and Development to approve
it, subject to the draft CD-1 By-law amendment as shown in Appendix A,
and to the proposed condition of approval as listed in Appendix B.
* * * * *
APPENDIX A
PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT
1606 West 1st Avenue
Amend Section 2 (c), Uses, of CD-1 By-law No. 7476, as follows:
(strikeout indicates amendment)
(c) Offices Uses, but not including Health Care Office, or Health
Enhancement Centre,
APPENDIX B
PROPOSED CONDITION OF APPROVAL
(a) That prior to enactment of the amending bylaw, and at no cost to
the City, the registered owner shall:
(i) make suitable arrangements, to the satisfaction of the
General Manager of Engineering Services, for
undergrounding of all new electrical and telephone
services within and adjacent the site from the closest
existing suitable service point.
APPENDIX C
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Site and Surrounding Area: The site at 1606 West 1st Avenue is
irregularly shaped and located at the southwest corner of Fir Street and
West 1st Avenue. A four-storey mixed-use development is currently
under-construction and will include office, retail, restaurant and
residentially-compatible light manufacturing uses on the first and
second floors, and 31 dwelling units on the third and fourth floors. The
project will provide 118 parking spaces in 1 1/2 levels of underground
parking that will be accessed from the lane at the southwest corner of
the site.
Lands to the south and west are generally zoned IC-1 (Industrial
District) and developed with a variety of low-scale commercial and light
industrial uses. Immediately to the west, adjoining the site, is a CD-1
zoned property containing a mixed-use (residential/ commercial)
development. Lands to the north and east are zoned M-2 (Industrial
District) and FCCDD (False Creek Comprehensive Development District). To
the north, across West 1st Avenue, is a surface parking lot and the
Pennyfarthing six- to eight-storey residential development, with the
Seaforth Armouries and Molsons Brewery situated at the westerly end of
the block, adjacent to Burrard Street. To the east, across Fir Street,
are the existing CPR railway tracks. Further east is the False Creek
residential neighbourhood.
Social and Environmental Implications: There are no implications with
respect to the Vancouver Children's Policy or Statement of Children's
Entitlements. The proposed rezoning neither contributes to nor detracts
from the objective of reducing atmospheric pollution.
APPENDIX D
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, REVIEWING AGENCIES, AND THE APPLICANT
Public Input An information sign was installed on the site on July 19,
1996. On July 26, 1996, staff mailed a notification letter to 703
surrounding property owners. Written and verbal comments were received
from 21 individuals, 13 of whom were in favour of the proposal and 8 of
whom were opposed. The primary concerns were the impact on the area from
the additional parking and traffic associated with Health Care Offices
and the potential for the offices to be used for an abortion clinic or a
drug treatment centre.
General Manager of Engineering Services Comments Engineering Services
has no objection to the proposed text amendment provided that any new
telephone and electrical services are undergrounded from the closest
existing suitable service point.
Applicant's Comments The applicant has been provided with a copy of this
report and has the following comments:
Please be advised that we have reviewed the rezoning report and support
the terms and conditions as stated.
APPENDIX E
APPLICANT AND PROPERTY OWNER INFORMATION
APPLICATION BY Burrowes Huggins Architects
PROPERTY OWNER Aragon Development Corporation
DEVELOPER Aragon Development Corporation
SITE INFORMATION AND STATISTICS
STREET ADDRESS 1606 West 1st Avenue
LEGAL DESCRIPTION Lot I, Bl 219, DL 526, Plan LMP 24606
SITE AREA 2 275 m2 (24,486 sq. ft.)
WIDTH 68.6 m (225 ft.)
DEPTH 36.0 m (118 ft.)
DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED
PERMITTED UNDER DEVELOPMENT
EXISTING CD-1 ZONING
USES Dwelling Units, Dwelling Units,
Manufacturing, Retail, Manufacturing, Retail,
Service, Office except Service, Office
Health Care Office and
Health Enhancement
Centre
FLOOR SPACE RATIO Maximum - 2.50 No Change
(Office Uses - 1.00)
MAXIMUM HEIGHT 15.3 m (50 ft.) No Change
PARKING AND LOADING Parking for office No Change
uses according to
Parking By-law