ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 13, 1997
Dept. File No. JF
CC File: 5311
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT: Re-approval of Strata Conversion:
2025 and 2027 East Kent Avenue North
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the application to convert the previously-occupied buildings
at 2025 and 2027 East Kent Avenue North (Lot E, Block O, D.L. 328,
Plan 8555) to strata title ownership be reapproved in principle,
but that pursuant to Section 9(1) of the Condominium Act, the
Certificate of Approval (Form 10) shall not be issued unless the
following condition has been met within one year of the date of
this re-approval:
Completion of all work required by the City Building
Inspector, under the required permits, at no cost to the City,
in order that the previously-occupied principal building on
this site substantially complies with all relevant by-laws.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council policy is reflected in the City's Strata Title and Cooperative
Conversion Guidelines, which outline factors which Council will consider
in reviewing applications for converting previously-occupied buildings
to strata title or cooperative ownership.
PURPOSE
Council re-approval is requested for the application to convert the
previously-occupied buildings at 2025 and 2027 East Kent Avenue North
(Lot E, Block O, D.L. 328, Plan 8555) to strata title ownership.
BACKGROUND
The site is zoned RS-1B and is developed with a principal one-family
dwelling built circa 1957, and an infill one-family dwelling, completed
in 1987 in accordance with City permits. The location of the site is
illustrated in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1
On May 28, 1996, Council granted approval in principle to an application
to convert these buildings to strata title ownership subject to
completion of one condition, which required that building(including
sprinklering), plumbing and electrical upgrading be completed in both
buildings, in order to bring them into substantial compliance with all
relevant City by-laws. Required upgrading work on the infill building
has been completed. The work on the principal building has been delayed
because the owners are waiting for financing commitments. The owners
expect to be able to complete the work within the next year. Pursuant
to Council's policy, the approval in principle lapsed on May 28, 1997.
The owners have applied for Council's re-approval in principle, which
would be valid for a further year.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The intent in establishing the one-year limit for completion of
Council-imposed conditions was not to necessarily expect that all
conditions of approval could be completed within a year, in every
instance. Rather, the intent was to terminate approvals in principle
where applicants clearly had no plans to proceed toward final approval
by completing the required work. Staff were concerned that either
revisions to relevant City by-laws or the possible introduction of new
tenants who were not aware of the strata title approval in principle,
predominantly of concern in residential buildings, could make the
approval in principle passe.
In the case of 2025 East Kent Avenue North, the owners intend to obtain
the necessary permits and complete the required work, to the
satisfaction of the City Building Inspector. The Manager of the
Building Inspection Branch has confirmed it is reasonable to expect the
required work can be completed within twelve months, and on this basis,
supports the recommendation that this re-approval be valid for a further
one-year period.
CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, the Director of Land Use and Development
supports this application for re-approval in principle and recommends
that a further one-year limit be imposed.
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