CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES STANDING COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT FEBRUARY 6, 1997 A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 6, 1997, at 5:30 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: Deputy Mayor Gordon Price Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan ABSENT: Mayor Philip Owen (Leave of Absence) CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Nancy Largent COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Puil, SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy, THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Deputy Mayor Price in the chair. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY CITY MANAGER'S ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 1. Strata Title Conversion - 1952 and 1956 West 14th Avenue January 30, 1997 File: 5311-1 MOVED by Cllr. Clarke, THAT the application to convert the previously-occupied building at 1952 and 1956 West 14th Avenue (Lot 5, Block 446, D.L. 526, Plan 2983) to strata title ownership be approved. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY COMMITTEE REPORTS Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment February 6, 1997 Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report: Cl. 1: Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study - Wall Centre Proposal MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy, THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 of the attached report, be approved. - CARRIED (Councillors Chiavario and Puil opposed; Councillor Clarke excused from voting due to conflict of interest) There was no discussion of this item before the vote was taken. RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy, THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy, SECONDED BY Cllr. Puil, THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY The Council adjourned at 5:32 p.m. * * * * * REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT FEBRUARY 6, 1997 A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment was held on Thursday, February 6, 1997, at 2:00 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall. PRESENT: Councillor Sam Sullivan, Vice-Chair Deputy Mayor Gordon Price Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor George Puil ABSENT: Mayor Philip Owen (Leave of Absence) CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE: Nancy Largent ADOPTION OF MINUTES There were no minutes to be adopted this day. RECOMMENDATION 1. Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study - Wall Centre Phase II File: 2604-1/2606-1 Before discussion began on this subject, Councillor Clarke excused herself due to conflict of interest, citing a family member's pecuniary interest in the Wall Centre Corporation. The Councillor then left the meeting and did not return until after the vote was taken on this item. Following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting on September 26, 1996, City Council deferred a decision on the proposed Wall Centre Phase II hotel tower, pending staff reporting back in January 1997 with preliminary Skyline Study results, specifically as related to the tower proposal. Accordingly, the Committee now had before it a Policy Report dated January 13, 1997 (on file), in which the Director of Central Area Planning reviewed the preliminary conclusions of the Skyline Study. The previously deferred Policy Report dated September 10, 1996 (on file), in which the Chair of the Development Permit Board sought Council's advice with respect to this application, was also before the Committee. MOVED by Cllr. Chiavario, THAT the staff presentation be heard for information only, and that a decision on the Wall Centre tower application be further deferred until the Skyline Study is concluded. - lost Rick Scobie, Chair of the Development Permit Board, was asked to provide clarification on the possible impacts of a further deferral. Mr. Scobie advised it would be within Council's prerogative to defer a decision, and that no liability would arise should Council choose to do so. However, it was his understanding a substantial BC 21 grant to the Stanley Theatre would be jeopardized by further delay if the Stanley Theatre Society is unable to conclude purchase of the building by the end of March. For this to be possible, it would be necessary to conclude the preliminary development permit application at the February 10th Development Permit Board meeting, and to consider approval of the complete application at the March 24th Board meeting, a very tight time line. Some Committee members felt Council should await the conclusion of the Skyline Study in March before making a decision, feeling insufficient information is available upon which to base a decision. However, the majority were unwilling to agree to a deferral at this point in the meeting. It was pointed out the Council could still choose to defer this item after hearing from all speakers, should it wish to do so. The motion by Councillor Chiavario was then put and LOST, with Councillors Bellamy, Herbert, Kennedy, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, Sullivan and Deputy Mayor Price opposed. Larry Beasley, Director of Central Area Planning, briefly reviewed the Wall Centre tower proposal in the context of five skyline prototypes for build-out, landmark (600'), landmark (750'), gap toothed and dome skylines. Mr. Beasley advised the proposed Wall Centre tower would be compatible with all except the dome skyline, and may be compatible with it provided some adjustments were made. Mr. Scobie reviewed the Development Permit Board's deliberations to date, noting the majority opinion of the Board favoured approval of the application. The Board did not have the advantage of information provided by the Skyline Study, which will be a useful asset in future. Mr. Scobie also clarified that approval of the 450 foot height requested falls within the Board's existing authority; however, Council must approve the resultant intrusion into the Queen Elizabeth Park view corridor. Peter Busby, Busby & Associates, spoke on behalf of the applicant, reviewing desirable features and public benefits of the proposed development and responding to queries. Mr. Busby also reviewed the proposal as it would relate to a dome skyline, indicating possible adjustments to increase compatibility with that prototype. In response to a query, Mr. Busby confirmed the owner would be unwilling to forego the security of a preliminary application approval before proceeding with a complete application, for financial reasons. Bill Millerd, Stanley Theatre Society, confirmed the property must be purchased by the end of March or the BC 21 grant will expire. Although the Society has raised about 75% of the required $8.5 million, it will be unable to complete the transaction without the $1.5 million which Wall Centre will pay for the density transfer. Mr. Millerd noted there is considerable public interest in preservation of this heritage theatre. Dale Cuthbertson, Volunteer Vancouver, spoke in favour of the application, pointing out the public benefits of the proposed Volunteer Square. Mr. Cuthbertson felt volunteerism is important to the quality of life in the city, and will be celebrated by Volunteer Square. The following twelve speakers opposed the Wall Centre tower proposal: Pat Macalister (petition filed) Lin Bompas, Fairview Slopes Residents Association Stacy Nixon Patricia Hogarth Eric Davis Frances Worledge Ursula Abbott Ann Corin, Fairview Slopes Residents Association Mark Hasselbach Jean Gerber Margarita Van Oers Sheryl Dawson The foregoing speakers opposed the Wall Centre Tower on one or more of the following grounds: views from False Creek, Fairview Slopes, and Choklit Park will be blocked; views from False Creek and Fairview Slopes will already be severely blocked by the Concord development, and this wrong should not be compounded by approving more towers; the Skyline Study is flawed in that it shows perspectives from Boundary Road and Lonsdale Quay, but not from Fairview Slopes or False Creek where views will be most severely impacted by more towers; views of the mountains are far more important to Vancouverites than the shape of the skyline; the natural beauty of Vancouver, including its views of the mountains, is one of the City's most important assets in promoting tourism; people visit Vancouver to enjoy a clean , safe, interesting city with striking natural surroundings, not to observe the skyline; the mountains are the distinguishing feature of Vancouver's skyline; the Skyline Study should have included preservation of mountain views as one option, which would have received overwhelming support from Vancouverites; the City should not permit a tower over the established 300 feet on the site; private individuals are not allowed to exceed height restrictions, but there appears to be a different set of rules for developers; preservation of the Stanley Theatre should not outweigh Vancouverite's enjoyment of their views; high-rise structures are not permitted in landmark European cities; Council should take its time and await completion of the Skyline Study before making a decision, to give the public ample time to express its views on this important matter; the City is losing its human scale to development; Seattle and other major cities are now reducing their allowable building heights; the Skyline Study should provide information on topography to enable Council to make an informed choice (for example, including its height above sea level, a 450 foot Wall Centre tower would actually reach 650 feet); the Skyline Study should provide light and shadow studies for all scenarios; the public should be able to examine all ten perspectives used for the Skyline Study, but only four have been displayed. Mr. Beasley responded to queries regarding perspectives used for the Skyline Study and blockage of view corridors. Perspectives were not done from False Creek and Fairview Slopes because the Concord towers already approved will block their views of the skyline behind. Only one established view corridor will be affected by the Wall Centre tower, that from Queen Elizabeth Park. Burke Taylor, Director of Cultural Affairs, confirmed the Province has made it clear that the $5 million BC 21 grant to the Stanley Theatre will be cancelled if not completed by March 31st. Mr. Taylor was aware of no other source from which this sum could be readily made up. Some members felt a decision should await the outcome of the Skyline Study, or that the height proposed was too great to fit the area. However, the majority felt the Wall Centre tower would not preclude any options of the Skyline Study, nor would it set a precedent since the height is already allowable for the site. Concern for the BC 21 grant to the Stanley Theatre was also a factor cited. The following motion by Councillor Kennedy was put and carried. The Committee, therefore, RECOMMENDED THAT the Development Permit Board be advised that Council has no objection to the proposed height of 450 ft. (exclusive of mechanical penthouse) for the hotel tower at 1001 Hornby Street, based on the quality of its architectural design and energy innovation, as presented in the architectural model and plans submitted to the Development Permit Board on August 12, 1996; and FURTHER THAT Council approve a consequential adjustment to the Queen Elizabeth Park view cone that allows for an approximate 157 ft. intrusion of the hotel tower should the Board decide to approve the preliminary development application. - CARRIED (Councillors Chiavario and Puil opposed; Councillor Clarke not present for the vote) The meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m. * * * * *