CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
PLANING AND ENVIRONMENT
JANUARY 30, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held
on Thursday, January 30, 1997, at approximately 2:30 p.m. in Committee
Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on
Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the
Committee.
PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Don Bellamy
CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE
COUNCIL: Nancy Largent
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Herbert,
SECONDED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor
Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
January 30, 1997
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: Significant Development and Rezoning Applications
Cl. 2: CD-1 Text Amendment to Add Family Entertainment Centre -
750 Burrard Street (Former Public Library)
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1
of the attached report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2
of the attached report, be approved.
- CARRIED
(Councillors Herbert, Daniel Lee and Sullivan opposed)
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED BY Cllr. Herbert,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 2:35 p.m.
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REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
JANUARY 30, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning
and Environment was held on Thursday, January 30, 1997 at 1:00 p.m., in
Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Chair
Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee (item 2)
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Don Bellamy
CITY MANAGER'S Judy Rogers, Deputy City Manager
OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE
COMMITTEE: Nancy Largent
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
meetings of November 28 and December 12, 1996, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Significant Development and Rezoning Applications
File: 5302-1
Jonathan Barrett, Planner, reviewed a development application for
101 West Hastings, the former Woodwards building. The mixed use
proposal includes both non-market co-op and market residential, as well
as retail/commercial use. The application is currently on hold awaiting
confirmation of Provincial funding. Responding to a query, Mr. Barrett
indicated the Woodwards sign will be protected.
Cameron Gray, Manager of the Housing Centre, clarified agreement
details are being worked out before funding can be finalized.
Phil Mondor, Planner, reviewed a rezoning application for 6475
Elliott Street (Clarendon Court). The proposal would demolish an
obsolete personal care home and six seniors rental apartment buildings,
and redevelop the site for market housing and non-market rental housing.
Mr. Mondor indicated the Urban Design Panel has not endorsed the
application due to urban design issues, and crime prevention and
technical issues have also been identified.
Tom Phipps, Planner, reviewed a rezoning application for 5338-5490
Larch Street. The proposal includes ground-oriented townhouse
development, which has not been built in Kerrisdale for years, and staff
will be reporting to enquire whether Council considers it suitable as a
Neighbourhood Housing Demonstration Project. The proposal also retains
a Heritage 'B'-listed house. Mr. Phipps noted issues include character,
density and traffic.
Rob Whitlock, Planner, reviewed an application to rezone 990 West
41st Avenue to demolish the existing Lubavitch Centre, for a mixed use
development including a new Centre and 82 dwelling units. The building
exceeds density permitted under the Oakridge Langara Policy Statement,
but offers a benefit of guaranteed rental housing. Queried regarding
the target market, Mr. Whitlock indicated the City does not attempt to
control market.
The following motion by Councillor Puil was put and carried. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT the Planning Department presentations on significant
development and rezoning applications be received for information.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. CD-1 Text Amendment to Add Family Entertainment Centre
- 750 Burrard Street (Former Public Library) File: 5303-1
At a Public Hearing on June 25, 1996, City Council approved a
rezoning application for 750 Pacific Boulevard (Plaza of Nations site)
which included a "Family Sports and Entertainment Centre", but
instructed staff to advise applicants seeking similar approvals that
Council is unwilling to consider such applications until an evaluation
has been completed on this project after twelve months.
The Committee now had before it a Policy Report dated January 15,
1997 (on file), in which the Director of Land Use and Development
recommended Council refuse a CD-1 text amendment application for the
former public library site at 750 Burrard Street. If approved, the text
amendment would allow a facility similar to the "Family Sports and
Entertainment Centre" under development at the Plaza of Nations.
Rob Whitlock, Planner, reviewed relevant definitions set out in the
License By-law including the age limit for arcades, as well as
provisions of the Criminal Code pertaining to gambling. The Plaza of
Nations facility was permitted as a pilot project to test the
effectiveness of proposed new regulations. The operation is expected to
open in February or March of this year, and will be evaluated after
twelve months of operation in accordance with Council's instruction.
Asked why the 750 Burrard Street application would be considered at
all at this stage, Mr. Whitlock explained the current applicant has been
consistently advised of Council's policy. However, the applicant
disagrees with staff's interpretation that the proposed facility is
sufficiently similar to fall under Council's policy, and has submitted
this application as a means of bringing the question before Council.
The proposed 750 Burrard facility is family-oriented and would provide
numerous virtual reality rides, but also includes a substantial
complement of arcade machines.
In response to further queries, Mr. Whitlock indicated staff's
concerns would be reduced, but not eliminated, if the arcade component
were removed from the proposal. For example, Social Planning has
concerns regarding hours of operation, supervision of children, violent
content, etc. The Police have concerns about surveillance. Even if the
facility were restricted to those over eighteen years of age, there
would still be concerns regarding the nature of the operation. Staff
will be better able to evaluate the feasibility of such operations once
the Plaza of Nations operation has been evaluated.
Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, advised that if the arcade
component were removed, the facility would be similar to any
entertainment centre. Mr. Teichroeb noted the City would have some
difficulty regulating hours of operation for a general entertainment
space.
James Cheng, James K. M. Cheng Architects, representing the
applicant, put forward the view that the proposal for 750 Burrard is
very different from that proposed for the Plaza of Nations and nothing
like an adult arcade. Mr. Cheng first referenced a booklet distributed
to Council members entitled E-ZONE Vancouver Hi-Tech Family
Entertainment Centre (on file), illustrating a variety of rides, laser
games, children's obstacle course, simulation zone, sports/redemption
zone and video game zone. The booklet also outlined E-ZONE's management
philosophy, operating guidelines and staffing. Mr. Cheng noted one
correction, indicating the redemption zone has been removed from the
proposal in response to Council's concerns about gambling.
A videotape was shown describing high technology interactive
entertainment, with illustrations drawn from SEGA amusement theme parks
using virtual-reality attractions. Indicating the proposal has evolved
beyond the SEGA concept, Mr. Cheng described the proposed layout and
attractions, emphasizing that these are intended for the whole family,
unlike the usual arcades. The Plaza of Nations facility will be totally
sports and skill-oriented, while the 750 Burrard proposal is more
educational and high technology-oriented.
Mr. Cheng and Werner Schneider, E-ZONE, responded to a variety of
concerns raised by Council members, including possible pornographic or
violent content in games or videos; whether access to the arcade
component could be limited to those over eighteen; how attractions would
be paid for; E-ZONE's experience in operating such a facility; and the
extent to which development of the site has not conformed to the retail
development originally envisioned when the former library site was sold
by the City:
E-ZONE itself has a policy against violence and pornography and
would be willing to sign a covenant to that effect;
while it might be possible to put the arcade in a separate section
with separate doors, this would create an exclusionary air which
might well draw a non-family-oriented clientele;
games and other attractions will be paid for by token, and the
management hopes to establish club memberships;
although the Vancouver management has not previously operated such
a facility, Vancouver staff will be trained by staff from
successful operations in Asia;
potential large retail tenants could not be accommodated because
Virgin Records had the corner locked up and "big box" stores want
more exposure and space.
Queried regarding the viability of the proposed covenant, Ted
Droettboom, General Manager of Community Services, advised that
restrictive covenants of the nature proposed have proven very difficult
to enforce. They are too subjective.
Mr. Whitlock confirmed, in response to a query, that staff would
interpret an instruction to proceed with this application as a reversal
of Council's policy.
Mr. Cheng requested that the Committee defer its decision to enable
the principle operators to be contacted for further information.
Some Committee members, noting the quality of entertainment
proposed, felt this proposal should be deferred to permit the applicant
time to obtain more information. However, the majority felt the
proposal is clearly similar to the Plaza of Nations facility and should
not proceed until after the evaluation, should the applicant wish to
re-submit it at that time, when staff will be in a better position to
advise on the feasibility of such operations.. It was noted there may
well be additional applications received if this proposal were permitted
to proceed.
The following motion by Councillor Sullivan was put and lost:
THAT a decision on this application be deferred for two months in
order to obtain more information from applicant and staff. - LOST
(Councillors Chiavario, Clarke, Kennedy,
Don Lee, Price, Puil and the Mayor opposed)
The following motion by Councillor Chavario was put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
THAT the application by James Cheng, Architect, to amend CD-1
By-law No. 7246 to add the use "Family Entertainment Centre" be
REFUSED.
- CARRIED
(Councillors Herbert, Daniel Lee and Sullivan opposed)
The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
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