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                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                           Date: November 19, 1996
                                           Dept. File No.000 196

   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

   SUBJECT:  Proposed Closure of Portions of Carrall Street, Cordova Street
             and the Lane South of Cordova Street


   RECOMMENDATION


        A.   THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to sign
             on behalf of the City Reference Plans attested to by B.J. Oke,
             B.C.L.S., representing a survey completed on October 30, 1996,
             marginally numbered S-9237 and representing a survey completed
             on November 13, 1996, marginally numbered S-9257 defining the
             horizontal limits of the encroachments onto Carrall Street,
             Cordova Street and the lane south of Cordova Street (see
             Appendix "A" & "B") by the building at 8 East Cordova, and
             apply to raise title to the portions of Carrall Street,
             Cordova Street and the lane South of Cordova Street defined on
             the said Reference Plans in the name of the City of Vancouver.

        B.   THAT all those volumetric portions of Carrall Street, Cordova
             Street and the lane South of Cordova Street included within
             the heavy outlines and illustrated isometrically on plans
             prepared by B.J. Oke, B.C.L.S., dated October 30, 1996 and
             marginally numbered S-9238 and S-9239 and dated November 13,
             1996 and marginally numbered S-9258 and S-9259, reduced copies
             of which are attached hereto as Appendix "C", "D", "E" & "F",
             be closed, stopped-up, and that an easement be granted to the
             owner of abutting Parcel "B", Block 8, District Lot 196, Plan
             LMP 24609, to contain portions of the existing building which
             encroaches onto Carrall Street, Cordova Street and the lane
             south of Cordova Street.  The easement to be for the life of
             the encroaching portion of the existing building on said
             Parcel "B", and to be to the satisfaction of the Director of
             Legal Services.

        C.   That the fees for document preparation, registration and use
             of the easement referred to in Recommendation "B" are to be in
             accordance with those charged for in an agreement prepared
             pursuant to the Encroachment By-Law.

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   If Council approves this report, the Formal Resolution to close this
   portion of Carrall Street, Cordova Street and the lane south of Cordova
   Street will be before Council later this day for approval.

   COUNCIL POLICY

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

   PURPOSE

   This report is required to obtain Council authority to grant an easement
   to contain the encroaching elements of the building located at 8 East
   Cordova Street, which is to be strata titled.  The encroachments consist
   of roof cornices, balconettes and decorative iron work.

   BACKGROUND

   On February 27, 1996 the Development Permit Board granted approval for
   the development at 8 East Cordova Street, subject to a number of
   conditions.  The design which was approved included several
   encroachments onto the abutting streets and lane.  These encroachments
   consisted of architectural features which the developer felt were
   important in terms of establishing the character of the new building,
   and making it fit into the Gastown neighbourhood.  Even when cautioned
   of the complications created with strata titling the development, the
   developer wished to retain these encroaching elements.

   The Condominium Act requires that a building being strata titled be
   contained within the boundaries of the parcel, or that easements be
   provided for access to any parts of the building that are not within the
   boundaries.  As there is no title to the portions of streets and lane
   encroached onto, we must first raise title.  Then we must close the
   volumetric portion occupied by the building and register an easement
   against the title of the streets or lane.

   DISCUSSION

   The encroaching elements of this building were included by the developer
   to capture some of the historical character of buildings in the Gastown
   area, many of which encroached onto the streets.

   This report seeks Council authority to raise titles as described and to
   close, stop-up and to authorize registration of volumetric easements
   over portions of the new titles.

   We recommend that fees for document preparation and annual rentals be
   charged as per the Encroachment By-law.  This is consistent with past
   Council direction.


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