SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
NOVEMBER 28, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: October 11, 1996
Dept. File No.: AMH
TO: Standing Committee on Planning & Environment
FROM: Director of Land Use & Development, in consultation with
Director of Community Planning
SUBJECT: East Side of the 8400-8500 Block Adera Street,
Proposed Amendment to Subdivision By-law No. 5208
and Concurrent Rezoning to RS-6
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the application to reclassify the
properties on the east side of 8400-8500 Block Adera Street
from Category C to Category A of Schedule A, Table 1, of
Subdivision By-law, No. 5208.
CONSIDERATION
B. THAT the Director of Land Use & Development be instructed to
make application to rezone the properties on both the east and
west sides of the 8400-8500 Block Adera Street from RS-1 to
RS-6;
AND THAT the application and by-law be referred to a Public
Hearing;
FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to
prepare the necessary by-law for consideration at the Hearing;
AND FURTHER THAT, Planning staff not report any incoming
development applications for possible withholding action
pursuant to Section 570 of the Vancouver Charter.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS A and submits
B for Council s CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council policy regarding amendments to the subdivision categories in
RS-1, RS-1S, RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5 and RS-6 is reflected in the Manager s
Report as approved by Council on October 28, 1987. As well as
establishing seven parcel size categories for subdivision in the RS-1
District, the report provided for possible future changes to the
categories in cases where property owners seek to classify their parcel
category either up or down, to facilitate or prevent subdivision.
SUMMARY AND PURPOSE
This report responds to Council s directive to investigate an
alternative zoning for the properties on the east side of the 8400-8500
Block Adera Street. This arose from Council s consideration of an
application to reclassify the subdivision category for these properties.
This report again recommends approval of the application to reclassify
the properties on the east side of the 8400-8500 Block Adera Street
(Lots 11, 12, and 13, Lots A, B and C of Lots 9 and 10, and Lots D, E
and F, All of Blocks 6 and 7, D.L. 325, Plans 2262, 7330, and 20330)
from Category C to Category A for the purpose of subdivision in
accordance with the minimum parcel size requirements of Schedule A,
Table 1 of Subdivision By-law No. 5208.
This report also presents, for consideration, rezoning both sides of the
8400-8500 Block Adera Street from RS-1 to RS-6.
Property owners of the subject properties on the east side of Adera
indicate clear majority support for both the subdivision
reclassification and the possibility of rezoning. Property owners on
the west side of Adera Street object to both initiatives, for a variety
of reasons which are detailed in this report.
Based on the mixed results of the resident survey on this initiative,
the Director of Land Use & Development finds no compelling reason to
alter the previous recommendation that the reclassification application
be approved. However, based on these same ambiguous survey results, the
Director of Land Use & Development makes no recommendation to Council on
the possibility of adopting an alternate zoning district (RS-6) for the
8400-8500 Block of Adera Street, but puts forward the option to rezone
for Council s consideration.
BACKGROUND
In response to the November 3, 1995, Administrative Report by the
Director of Land Use & Development (*Appendix A), on November 16, 1995,
City Council approved the recommendations of the Standing Committee on
City Services and Budgets which stated:
THAT Council defer consideration of the application to
reclassify the properties along the east side of the 8400-8500
Block Adera Street from Category C to Category A of
Schedule A, Table 1, of Subdivision By-law No. 5208, to allow
staff to work with the property owners and surrounding
property owners to achieve a more appropriate form of a
single-family zoning.
Council directed staff to offer the (then draft) RS-6 zoning, once
completed, to the subject area in an attempt to address concerns
expressed by some residents living on the west side of 8400-8500 Adera
Street. Their concerns related to the potential design of new houses
which would be constructed if the east side properties were
reclassified, then subdivided and redeveloped under RS-1 zoning.
DISCUSSION
Following completion of the new RS-6 zoning and Council s adoption of
this zoning for a portion of South Granville/Oakridge, staff proceeded
with community discussions to deal with the east side 8400-8500 Adera
Street residents request for a subdivision reclassification and the
possible related zoning change from RS-1 to RS-6. Information and
survey packages regarding the program (*Appendix B) were distributed on
July 12, 1996, to residents of 8400-8500 Adera Street (both east and
west sides), 8400-8500 East Boulevard, and residents on West 68th Avenue
and Cornish Street who share a lane with the subject area (all of the
parcels illustrated on Map S-512 of *Appendix B). A public information
meeting was held the evening of July 23, 1996 (attended by approximately
10 residents) where the subdivision and zoning issues were presented
with questions and general discussion following.
The post-returned surveys were received until 5:30 p.m. on July 26,
1996. Of the 54 delivered surveys, a total of 17 (31%) were returned.
(See Appendix C for detailed survey results.)
Except for one west side of Adera Street vote which now favours the
subdivision reclassification/rezoning proposal, the results of the RS-6
survey are quite similar to the results of the 1995 notification carried
out as part of the reclassification process. Though it was anticipated
that linking an RS-6 rezoning with the C -to- A subdivision
reclassification might result in a clear majority support for these
changes from the residents polled, results still show a split in support
for this initiative.
There were three general responses to the initiative:
1. Support for the reclassification/rezoning - whether it affected the
east or both sides of Adera Street - primarily from respondents
residing on the east side of Adera Street (the owners who initiated
the reclassification);
2. Opposition to the reclassification/rezoning - whether it affected
the east or both sides of Adera Street - primarily from respondents
residing on the west side of Adera Street; and
3. Other opinions from a small number of respondents who believe
that it would be preferable to rezone both sides of 8400-8500 Adera
Street to allow townhouses or other forms of multiple-unit
residential buildings to accommodate seniors, entry level
purchasers, and others who require other than typical single-family
houses.
The survey split is further complicated by two respondents who stated
opposition to the reclassification/rezoning proposal but also stated
that, should Council reclassify and rezone the east side of Adera
Street, the west side should be similarly reclassified and rezoned.
ANALYSIS
Reclassification
Based on the conclusions drawn from the comments received in response to
the latest survey regarding RS-6, the Director of Land Use & Development
can find no compelling reason to alter the previous recommendation to
approve the application to reclassify the properties on the east side of
the 8400-8500 Block of Adera Street from Category C to Category A .
Rezoning to RS-6
As noted in Appendix C, property owners surveyed were divided in their
support for a rezoning of either the east or both sides of this block to
RS-6.
However, the survey questions which were posed linked the possibility of
an RS-6 rezoning with the reclassification application and did not ask
respondents their opinion of the RS-6 rezoning in isolation.
Despite the comments received, staff believe that should the
reclassification be approved, rezoning to RS-6 would result in a form of
redevelopment which would be preferable to RS-1. Though the RS-6 zoning
has not been in place in South Granville/Oakridge long enough for any
new houses to have finished construction, staff believe that development
applications approved to date generally indicate a higher level of
design care than typically seen under RS-1 zoning, and that the
landscaping and impermeable materials controls will improve the quality
of new development and lessen flooding potential (or future
infrastructure costs) for the South Granville/Oakridge area and any
other RS-1 area that adopts RS-6 in the future.
Further, staff suggest that RS-6 should be considered for both sides of
this block of Adera Street, rather than only the half-block which is
affected by the reclassification initiative and supportive of RS-6
rezoning, to bring a level of consistency to the 8400-8500 Adera
streetscape which will be created over time.
Staff note, however, that although RS-6 zoning would likely result in
new houses being designed with a higher degree of care than under RS-1
zoning, neither RS-6 nor RS-1 zoning addresses the issue of identical
building designs on adjacent or nearby parcels, nor do they address the
issue of large, relatively expensive, houses being built, whether
subdivision occurs or not.
Other Rezoning Alternatives
Though the suggestion that a rezoning to allow for some form of multiple
housing may in some ways better serve the city s long-term needs as
identified by CityPlan, there has been little resident support for this
option, and staff are not seriously considering it at this time.
However, Council should note that a significant area of multiple-unit
residential exists across Marine Drive and the 8400-8500 Block of Adera
Street does possess many of the qualities generally considered
appropriate for townhouse or apartment development within an urban
context.
Heritage Considerations
8468 Adera Street (Lot 12) is listed as a category A on the Vancouver
Heritage Register. As noted in the November 3, 1995, Administrative
Report, the requested subdivision reclassification should not jeopardize
retention of this building. In addition, Planning staff are exploring
heritage retention options that include the long-term protection through
designation or a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the property
owner. These discussions will continue regardless of any future
subdivision or zoning changes.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
RS-6 zoning encourages site landscaping planting which positively
affects the city s micro-climate and air quality. RS-6 zoning also
regulates the maximum site coverage by impermeable materials which has a
positive effect on the micro-climate and reduces runoff, thereby
decreasing flooding potential and reducing combined sewer overflows.
RS-6 provides some moderate incentive for renovating existing houses,
which could result in lessening the burden on landfill sites from house
demolitions.
CONCLUSION
The extension of subdivision Category A to the east side of Adera
Street would be consistent with existing areas to the east and north.
Should Council approve the proposed subdivision reclassification for the
east side of Adera Street, ultimate subdivision could result in a
maximum of five additional parcels, which would result in an increase of
city residential capacity, generally consistent with CityPlan and
regional objectives.
Therefore, the Director of Land Use & Development recommends that the
application to reclassify be approved.
Despite the mixed results of the survey on the rezoning alternative,
staff believe that a rezoning from RS-1 to RS-6 would improve the
quality of new development and generally lessen flooding potential (due
to the impermeability provisions of the RS-6 zoning). However, given the
lack of clear direction from the neighbourhood, the Director of Land Use
& Development submits the option of rezoning both the east and west
sides of this block to RS-6, for Council s consideration.
* * * * *