POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING
Date: April 21, 1997
Dept. File No. RWW
C.C. File No.: 5303-1/5308-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT: CD-1 Text Amendments for 2135 West 12th Avenue and
2725 Arbutus Street
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the application by Maurice Pez of Greystone Properties to
amend CD-1 By-law (326) No. 7317 for 2135 West 12th Avenue
(Lot 1, Block 384, Plan LMP25014, D.L. 526) be referred to
Public Hearing, as follows:
(1) amend Section 4(c) to allow 29 percent one bedroom and
bachelor units; and
(2) amend Section 7 to allow for a maximum height of 13.7 m
(45 ft.).
B. THAT the Director of Land Use and Development make application
to amend CD-1 By-law (357) No. 7654 for 2725 Arbutus Street
(Lots A and E, Block 384, D.L. 526, Plan 2300), and that this
application also be referred to Public Hearing as follows:
Amend Section 4(c) to require 40 dwelling units, or if
more than 135 dwelling units, 30 percent of the total
number of dwelling units will be developed as two
bedrooms or more.
C. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare
the necessary by-laws for consideration at the Public Hearing
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A,
B and C.
COUNCIL POLICY
- Arbutus Neighbourhood Policy Plan, adopted by Council on
November 19, 1992;
- CD-1 By-law (326) By-law No. 7317, enacted on June 21, 1994; and
- CD-1 By-law (357) By-law No. 7654, enacted on November 5, 1996.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report assesses an application by Maurice Pez of Greystone
Properties, proposing minor amendments to the height and unit-type
requirements of an existing CD-1 By-law for a major Arbutus Industrial
Lands site on the north side of West 12th Avenue between Arbutus and Yew
Streets.
Staff have reviewed these proposed changes in the context of other CD-1
rezonings in the area, and believe them to be consistent with the area.
It is recommended that the proposed changes be referred to Public
Hearing and approved along with a consequential application by the
Director of Land Use and Development to amend the required unit mix on
an adjacent site also zoned CD-1 and owned by Greystone.
DISCUSSION
Background
The subject site is part of the former Carling O Keefe brewery site,
subsequently owned by Molson s Ltd. In 1992, Council adopted the
Arbutus Neighbourhood Policy Plan, which provided policies and direction
for the rezoning of industrial lands in the area. Since that time,
Council has considered and rezoned almost all lands within the area.
The only rezoning enactment still pending is for the Bastion-Intracorp
site, and this is anticipated in 1997.
Height
The site at 2135 West 12th Avenue was the first site for which rezoning
was enacted in the Arbutus Industrial Area. The existing 12.2 m
(40 ft.) height limit is the lowest of all the sites. Remaining sites
have 13.7-15.3 m (45-50 ft.) specified for buildings with a four storey
height limit, to provide for moderate increases in floor to floor
heights and to take into account minor
changes in elevations which sometimes occur even over a single site. On
the subject site, the Arbutus Street frontage has been separated from
the remaining portion of the site along West 12th Avenue, and linked to
the adjoining Twinpak frontage, which creates problems for the applicant
because of elevational changes. The moderate requested increase in
height to 13.1 m (43 ft.) is to account for this situation. Staff
recommend setting the height limit at 13.7 m (45 ft.) to provide for a
small amount of additional flexibility. The permitted height of the
adjoining site at 2725 Arbutus Street is 15.3 m (50 ft.).
Unit Mix
The Arbutus Neighbourhood Policy Plan requires that 25% of all units be
designed to accommodate families. In discussions leading to the CD-1s
for the two Molson sites, it was agreed that the West 12th Avenue site
would not be appropriate for families because of its narrow depth and
its location along two busy streets. However, the applicant (then the
IBI Group on behalf of Molson s) still proposed unit limitations of a
maximum of 25 percent one-bedroom and bachelor units, and a minimum of
35 percent two or more bedrooms. These parameters were supported and
written into the draft by-law. Furthermore, Housing Centre staff did
not want an over-concentration of smaller units, and the general aim of
the rezoning of the major sites was to create family housing.
The moderate proposed increase in bachelor and one-bedroom units from 25
to 29 percent is considered to be acceptable, and Greystone has
indicated they are prepared to transfer the resulting shortfall of six
two-bedroom or more units to their adjacent site at 2725 Arbutus Street
(formerly the Twinpak Site - CD-1[357] By-law No. 7654).
Staff therefore recommend a consequential application by the Director of
Land Use and Development to add the extra two bedroom requirement to the
adjoining site. Housing Centre staff are prepared to support the
proposed development if the transfer is included.
Community Opinion
Representatives of the Kitsilano-Arbutus Residents Association have
been advised of the proposed changes and are satisfied that the overall
development would not be adversely affected.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommend that the proposed changes to the CD-1 By-laws for both
2135 West 12th Avenue and 2725 Arbutus Street be referred to Public
Hearing and approved.
* * * * *
PROPOSED CD-1 CHANGES - 2135 WEST 12TH AVENUE
(CD-1 By-law No. 7317)
Section 4 (Uses)
(c) Dwelling Units (a maximum of 25 percent 29 percent shall
consist of 1 bedroom and bachelor units, and a minimum of 35
percent shall consist of 2 or more bedrooms);
The percentages outlined are to be applied to the entire site
and not on a parcel by parcel basis. Further, the term 1
bedroom shall not include 1 bedroom plus a den;
Section 7 (Height)
The maximum building height, measured above the base surface, is
12.2 m 13.7 m, subject to the relaxation of limitations on building
heights set out in Section 10.11.1 of the Zoning and Development
By-law.
PROPOSED CD-1 CHANGES - 2725 ARBUTUS STREET
(CD-1 By-law No. 7654)
Section 4 (Uses)
(c) Dwelling Units, with a minimum of 34 40 dwelling units, or if
more than 135 dwelling units are developed, twenty-five
percent (25%) thirty (30) percent of the total number of
dwelling units will be developed as two bedrooms or more and
generally designed in accordance with the Council - adopted
"High-Density Housing for Families with Children Guidelines".
APPLICANT'S COMMENT
The applicant has reviewed this report and commented as follows:
Report consistant with our previous discussions and written
requests. Please forward to Council as early as possible to insure
our DP schedule is maintained .
APPENDIX C
Page 1 of 1
APPLICANT, PROPERTY INFORMATION AND PROPOSED CHANGES
APPLICANT AND PROPERTY INFORMATION
Street Address 2135 West 12th Avenue and 2725 Arbutus Street
Legal Description (1) Lot 1, Block 384, Plan LMP25014, D.L. 526;
(2) Lots A & E, Block 384, D.L. 526, Plan 2300
Applicant Maurice Pez, Greystone Properties
Architect Derek Neale, Neale Staniszkis Doll Adams Architects
Property Owner 485510 British Columbia Ltd.
Developer Greystone Properties
PROPOSED CHANGES
PARAMETER EXISTING CD-1S PROPOSED CHANGE
Zoning CD-1 Same
Uses residential with Same
commercial on Arbutus at
grade
Dwelling Units (2135 West max. of 25% shall consist max. of 29% shall consist
12th Avenue) of 1 bedroom and bachelor of 1 bedroom and bachelor
units and a minimum of units and a minimum of
35% shall consist of 2 or 35% shall consist of 2 or
more bedrooms more bedrooms
Dwelling Units (2725 minimum of 34 dwelling minimum of 40 dwelling
Arbutus Street) units, or if more than units, or if more than
135 dwelling units are 135 dwelling units are
developed, 25% of the developed, 30% of the
total number of dwelling total number of dwelling
units will be developed units will be developed
as two bedrooms or more as two bedrooms or more
Height (2135 West 12th 12.2 m 13.7 m
Avenue)
Height (2725 Arbutus 15.3 m unchanged
Street)