P2
POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE
Date: March 19, 1997
Dept. File No. HW
C.C. File: 5301-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Community Planning
SUBJECT: Updated Strathcona Policies including Policy to Support
Rezonings of Remaining Small Industrial Sites in Kiwassa from
I-2 and M-1 to RT-3
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council adopt the revised Strathcona Policies contained in
Appendix A, including policy 1.1 which supports owner-initiated
rezonings to RT-3 of the small industrial sites within the area
bounded generally by the BNR tracks, Union Street, Vernon Drive and
the lane north of Pender Street.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Strathcona Local Area Planning Initiatives
Council on June 25, 1992, adopted the Strathcona Land Use Policies
including the following policy for the RT-3 area of Kiwassa between the
BNR tracks and Vernon Drive north of Union Street:
Reinforce the existing residential character of Kiwassa by requesting
the Director of Planning to report back on rezoning industrial-zoned
sites to RT-3, after further consultation with the owners.
Industrial Lands Strategy
Council on March 14, 1995, adopted the Industrial Lands Strategy which
supported retaining most of the City's existing industrial land base for
industry and service businesses. The Strategy also identified areas
that could be "let-go" for other uses, including
the industrially-zoned parcels in Kiwassa, west of Vernon Drive, and
north of Union Street. (Note: Included in the land to be retained for
industry was the industrial area of Kiwassa east of Vernon Drive.)
Council on June 25, 1996, resolved:
To create a new I-2 District Schedule and to rezone the majority of M-1
zoned lands and a portion of M-2 zoned lands in the City to I-2. (Note:
Most of the small industrial sites within the Kiwassa RT-3 area were
included in the M-1 sites rezoned to I-2.)
Housing Opportunities Strategy
Council on April 9, 1991, resolved:
To identify new housing opportunities in the city by planning for
housing on surplus industrial lands.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to request Council adoption of updated
Strathcona Policies, reflecting recent Council decisions, and to
recommend inclusion of a policy to support owner-initiated rezonings to
RT-3 for several small industrial sites in the Kiwassa RT-3 residential
area. The report reviews the background, the planning rationale, and
the public notification that has occurred.
BACKGROUND
In 1992, after a three-year planning process, Council adopted the
Strathcona Local Area Planning Initiatives. These policies directed
staff to do additional work in the following areas:
amend the existing RT-3 zoning and approve design guidelines to
reinforce existing character in the RT-3 areas of Strathcona. This
work was completed in 1993.
report back on land use options in the Vernon to Clark Drive area.
This work was completed as part of the Industrial Lands Strategy and
I-2 industrial zoning has been approved.
report back on land use alternatives in the area north of Hastings
from Heatley to Raymur. This work was completed and Council endorsed
retaining the current M-2 industrial zoning.
report back on rezoning the M-2 industrial area north of Hastings
between Raymur and Clark to light industrial uses. The Industrial
Lands Strategy supports retaining the M-2 zoning.
clarify the existing policy on industrial rezonings in Strathcona.
The Industrial Lands Strategy is now approved Council policy.
report back on rezoning the industrially-zoned portion of the
Hastings Street corridor. This work has been held in abeyance pending
the completion of the East Downtown Housing Plan. The original policy
direction is therefore retained in the revised policies.
report back on rezoning the industrially-zoned sites in the Kiwassa
RT-3 area to RT-3. This work is summarized in this report.
DISCUSSION
1. Kiwassa RT-3 Area
(a) Sites Description
The Kiwassa RT-3 area is located in Strathcona just south of Hastings
Street viaduct between the BNR tracks and Vernon Drive as shown in
Figure 1 below. There are ten small industrially-zoned sites (shaded in
Figure 1) within this primarily residential area. Most of these sites
are currently in active industrial and service uses such as food
manufacturing, clothes wholesaling and service company offices and
warehouses. Two sites are currently vacant. One formerly industrial
site, on the north-west corner of Keefer Street and Vernon Drive, was
recently rezoned to RT-3 to permit construction of three residential
units.
While there are existing viable industries in the area, several have
recently relocated out of the area. Because of the existing residential
and adjacent school and park, these sites are a good opportunity to
strengthen the residential character of the area in keeping with
Council's Strathcona policies. (Much of the area surrounding the
Kiwassa neighbourhood is to remain industrial under Council's Industrial
Lands Strategy.)
Figure 1. Kiwassa RT-3 Area
(b) Rezoning Approach
Staff have examined the desirability of a City-initiated rezoning of all
the industrial sites to RT-3 now, or a Council policy supporting
owner-initiated rezonings to RT-3 on a site-by-site basis. Staff has
concluded that a Council policy supporting rezonings is preferable to a
City-initiated rezoning which would make the active industrial uses
non-conforming. This would put the current uses in an uncertain legal
position and require owners to seek Board of Variance approval to
expand, or rebuild if the building was destroyed by fire. Given the
restrictions of being made non-conforming, most owners of active
businesses would wish to remain industrial until they are ready to
redevelop. While retaining the current zoning and supporting
residential rezonings entails some risk of industrial redevelopment of
some of these sites, staff believe the risk is minimal for two reasons.
First, most existing buildings are near their practical maximum size for
their sites already, and secondly, market activity in the area suggests
that residential redevelopment is favoured over industrial
redevelopment.
It should also be noted that Development Cost Levies (DCLs) cannot be
collected in this area. This is because RT-3 buildings contain less
than the required minimum 4 units, and under the Vancouver Charter are
not subject to DCLs.
(c) Public Input
Staff sent a total of 230 notifications to affected landowners,
surrounding owners and residents in the RT-3 area, as well as the
industrial area to the east up to Clark Drive. A newsletter was
enclosed, with information on the proposed RT-3 rezoning policy as well
as an update on other planning issues in the area. There were only
three responses to these notifications. These respondents requested
clarification of the RT-3 District's intent and were supportive of the
proposed policy.
Staff also notified the Strathcona Residents Association, the Strathcona
Community Centre Association, the Strathcona Property Owners and the
Raycam Co-operative Centre Association of this proposal. No responses
were received from any of these groups.
2. Strathcona Policies Update
Many of the original Strathcona Policies, adopted on June 25, 1992,
called for further staff review and decisions of Council as outlined in
the Background section of this report. Except for the Hastings Street
corridor review, the other major work is now complete. Staff recommend
that the Strathcona Policies be updated to reflect the current situation
and incorporate the proposed Kiwassa RT-3 policy. The complete updated
policies are contained in Appendix A.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
Except to note a few additional housing opportunities, there are no
major social or environmental implications to the proposed rezoning
policy. There are no implications with respect to the Vancouver
Children's Policy or Statement of Children's Entitlements.
CONCLUSION
Council has a policy of reinforcing the residential nature of the
Kiwassa neighbourhood. To achieve this objective, staff recommend
adoption of a policy supporting owner-initiated rezonings to RT-3 for
those industrially-zoned sites shown as shaded in Figure 1. At the same
time, staff recommend the remaining Strathcona Policies be updated to
reflect Council's recent decisions on the future of industrial land in
Strathcona.
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