CITY OF VANCOUVER
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 26, 1997
A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held
on Thursday, June 26, 1997, at 7:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third
Floor, City Hall, for the purpose of holding a Public Hearing to
consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law.
PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Don Bellamy
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Nancy Chiavario (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Jennifer Clarke (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Sick Leave)
CLERK TO THE
COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Price,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor
Owen in the Chair, to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and
Development By-law.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
1. Rezoning: 5338-5490 Larch Street
An application by Brook Development Planning Ltd. was considered as
follows:
Summary: The proposed rezoning from RS-1 to CD-1 would permit, as
a Neighbourhood Housing Demonstration Project, 33 dwelling units in
3-storey townhouses, 10 stacked units in 3-storey buildings, plus 3
dwelling units in a listed heritage house to be retained at 5338
Larch Street. Maximum floor space ratio would be 1.20.
The Director of Central Area Planning, on behalf of Land Use and
Development, recommended approval of the application, subject to the
following conditions as proposed for adoption by resolution of Council:
(a) THAT the proposed form of development be approved by Council in
principle, generally as prepared by Ramsay Worden, Architects, and
stamped "Received City Planning Department, March 26, 1997",
provided that the Director of Planning may allow minor alterations
to this form of development when approving the detailed scheme of
development as outlined in (b) below.
(b) THAT, prior to approval by Council of the form of development, the
applicant shall obtain approval of a development application by the
Director of Planning, who shall have particular regard to the
following:
(i) provision of balconies for the two upper middle units of the
centre building;
(ii) buildings with the widest dimension fronting a street should
not exceed 11.2 M (36.7 ft.)in height;
(iii) no changes to the front elevation of 5338 Larch Street or
to side elevations back to the roof ridge;
(iv) two suites in 5338 Larch Street to be accessed through the
original front door;
(v) exterior materials on 5338 Larch Street to be replaced only if
those materials have deteriorated beyond repair and the
integrity of the existing character is maintained to the
satisfaction of The Director of Planning (to be reviewed by
the Heritage Planner); and
(vii) design development to improve security and visibility in
underground parking (Section 4.12, Parking By-law) by
painting walls, ceiling and utility pipes white.
(c) THAT, prior to enactment of the CD-1 By-law, the registered owner
shall:
(i) consolidate Lots 10-16 of Lot 12, Block 17, D.L. 526, Plan
3946;
(ii) make arrangements to the satisfaction of the General Manager
of Engineering Services and Director of Legal Services for
provision of:
- dedication of a 10' x 10' corner cut-off at the north
east corner of the site for lane purposes;
- upgrading of the water system to adequately serve the
proposed development (Estimate: $105,500.00);
- paving of the lane south of West 37th Avenue from Larch
Street to the lane east of Larch, and the lane east of
Larch Street from West 39th Avenue to the lane south of
West 37th Avenue;
- provision of street trees adjacent the site; and
- undergrounding of electrical and telephone services
within and adjacent the site from the closest existing
suitable service point;
(iii) execute a legal agreement satisfactory to the Director of
Legal Services providing that owners will not
discriminate against families with children in the sale
of their property; and
(iv) obtain designation of 5338 Larch Street under Schedule A of
the City's Heritage By-law.
Staff Comments
Tom Phipps, Planner, advised the application was accepted as a
Neighbourhood Housing Demonstration Project. The "B" listed heritage
house at 5338 Larch will be retained. Underground parking with 92 spaces
will be provided with lane access. The proposal offers the advantage of
street separation from the single-family residences. The application
offers a high quality ground-oriented alternative to single-family
residential homes.
Applicant Opening Comments
Chuck Brook, developer, stated the application meets a number of
objectives: to provide affordable ground-oriented housing; to provide an
opportunity for innovative housing form compatible with Kerrisdale and a
family neighbourhood; the use of high quality materials; to create a
transition from high density to one family housing. Parking has been
adjusted to keep as much of the mature landscaping as possible. The
developers have responded to feedback received at community meetings
and have reduced the number of units and density, broken up the
buildings and given each distinctive treatment; and reduced the overall
height to three storeys. Access to each unit will be provided from the
underground parking.
Summary of Correspondence
Council was advised the following correspondence was received:
nine letters in support of the application;
one letter opposing the rezoning application.
Speakers
Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application.
The following speakers supported the application:
Stuart Leslie
Jean Hardwick
Jim Carrel
Bruce Walker
Joan Conklin
Jo Scott B
Mary Reisma
Joel Silverman
Bill Inman
The foregoing speakers supported the application based on one or
more of the following reasons:
The application proposes many amenities which will serve the
community well;
There is a great need in the neighbourhood for the type of
accommodation presented in the proposal;
Area residents have had to move away to neighbouring
communities, for example White Rock or Surrey, in order to
find accommodation such as that proposed in the application;
Residents have to accept more density in the City in order to
cut down on commuting and use of agricultural land for
housing;
The application is architecturally in keeping with the
community;
The application is a good attempt to resolve issues of
densification and a way to retain the heritage house and the
streetscape landscaping;
Approval of the application will give families the opportunity
to move back to the neighbourhood they grew up in;
In order for neighbourhoods to maintain their character, they
must renew themselves; the application will contribute to the
area's housing stock and appeal to retirees.
Several of those who spoke in support of the application also
expressed concerns with the traffic and congestion in the area, and
suggested the area needed some traffic calming measures.
The following spoke in opposition to the application:
James Skelton
Gaenam John
Pat White
Ruth Freeman
Paul Yu
Pam Whittall
Jane Grant
Gerry Krystal
Ed Beange
Lee Higinbotham
Olivia Edwards
The foregoing speakers opposed the application based on one or more
of the following points:
The neighbourhood is already overdensified;
Traffic and parking congestion are already a problem on Larch
Street;
St. Mary's church at the corner of 37th and Larch Street has a
great number of functions and acts as a community centre, all
of which creates great congestion;
The application is not a viable option for the area; the
design does not reflect the area, but looks more like a
Kitsilano development;
Approval of the application will help destroy the single
family neighbourhood;
The application proposes a 650% increase in density; it is not
affordable and is not supported by the community;
The application contravenes the zoning in the neighbourhood;
The application will create substantial building mass which
will be out of scale with the buildings across the street;
The neighbourhood would support a scaled down version of the
proposed project;
Approval of the application may result in more tearing down of
old homes, which will change the character of the street,
disrupt the neighbourhood, and will not result in affordable
housing.
Applicant Closing Comments
Mr. Brook advised the application provides a range of units in
price and size. The application responds to the demands of the
community.
Bill Swalling, developer, advised his company is committed to
bringing changes to the city which it thinks are important.
Staff Closing Comments
Mr. Phipps responded to the concerns with the project's density,
advising that when compared to densities on other sites, this is not an
inordinately densely build project.
Bruce Maitland, Manager of Real Estate Services, responded to
questions on the economics of the project. The development is priced at
the high end per buildable foot and the developer does not have room to
move. If the density is brought down too low, the developer could not
afford to build.
Council Discussion
Council acknowledged the residents' concerns with the increase in
traffic and congestion and noted the opportunity to look at possible
traffic calming measures when the planning for the 37th Avenue bike
route will be considered.
MOVED by Cllr. Sullivan,
THAT the application be approved, subject to the condition as set
out in this minute of the Public Hearing.
- CARRIED
(Cllr. Puil opposed)
MOVED by Cllr. Price,
THAT staff report back on the applicability of installing speed
humps on Larch Street, particularly around the 37th Avenue intersection.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
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. Price,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted, and the
Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare and bring forward
the necessary by-law amendments.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
The Special Council adjourned at 9:55 p.m.