ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                      Date: July 4, 1997
                                      Dept. File No. WB
                                      C.C. File No.: 2604

   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     Director of Community Planning on behalf of Land Use 
             and Development

   SUBJECT:  RM-5B Multiple Dwelling Development:  Rate of Change
             1171 Barclay Street - D.E. 402145
             Owner of Development: Carriage Lane Fine Homes Ltd.


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT Council confirm a 12-month rate of change of 0.11 percent is
        acceptable for the West End neighbourhood, and that the intent of
        the guidelines regarding "rate of change" is being met.


   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

        The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
        the foregoing.


   COUNCIL POLICY

   On October 26, 1989, Council adopted the RM-3, RM-5, RM-5A, RM-5B, RM-5C
   and RM-6 Multiple Dwelling Guidelines for any proposed multiple dwelling
   with a floor space ratio in excess of 1.0 or a height greater than 18.3
   metres (60 feet).


   PURPOSE

   This report seeks Council's advice on a conditional approval use
   multiple dwelling development application located in the RM-5B Zoning
   District.


   BACKGROUND

   As previously reported to Council, there is little guidance available to
   determine what is considered a reasonable rate of change.  In reporting
   on March 8, 1990, Council agreed with staff that a two percent rate of
   change was reasonable and that a ratio in excess of two percent should
   initiate incremental application of the mitigating criteria contained in
   the guidelines.

   On April 4, 1995, Council approved amendments to the Zoning and
   Development By-law whereby individual development applications need not
   be reported to Council unless approval would result in a cumulative loss
   of residential rental units, during the 12 months prior to development
   application submission, exceeding two percent in the West End RM
   Districts.

   On November 5, 1996, when considering a report regarding a development
   at 1000 Broughton Street where sixteen residential units were to be
   demolished, Council resolved that "pending Council consideration of a
   report from staff on how occupancy rates are measured and on options for
   a "no net loss" policy with respect to rental housing stock, the rate of
   change in the West End be amended to zero percent," and all applications
   involving the loss of residential rental units be reported to Council. 

   Staff in the Housing Centre are preparing the report to Council on the
   overall rate of change issue.  It is expected the report will be ready
   for submission to Council in the fall.

   (For additional background relating to "Rate of Change", see Appendix
   'B'.)

   PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

   The proposed residential development involves the construction of  two
   four-storey multiple dwellings containing a total of ten market dwelling
   units.

   The site currently consists of two separate legal lots each containing a
   residential building.  One of the buildings was owner-occupied and the
   other contained one rental dwelling unit and six rental housekeeping
   units.  A total of seven (7) residential rental units will be displaced
   by this proposal.

   In reviewing the statistical "rate of change" in the West End area
   (refer to Appendix 'A'), the total number of rental units decreased by
   0.04 percent between May 31, 1996 and June 1, 1997.  If approved, this
   proposal will result in a decrease of rental units by 0.11 percent of
   that which existed as of May 31, 1996, being approximately one year ago. 
   The "rate of change" in this RM-5B area is still within the two percent
   limit which Council previously agreed was acceptable, but is greater
   than the 0 percent limit that was recently imposed on this West End
   area.

   With respect to the "opinion of tenants" issue, one tenant has vacated
   the premises voluntarily and the six (6) tenants currently occupying the
   building at 1137 Barclay Street were notified in writing of the
   proposal.  No response was received.

   CONCLUSION

   The Director of Planning is recommending approval of Development
   Application Number DE402145 as current quantitative measures indicate
   the "rate of change" is still "reasonable" in the RM-5B area. Staff
   believe the intent of the guidelines regarding "rate of change" is being
   met, and the tenants in the existing building have not expressed
   objections to the proposal.

   Council is being advised of the development application before the
   Development Permit Board considers the rate of change in the
   neighbourhood.  However, it is intended that this application will be
   dealt with by the Director of Planning, on behalf of the Development
   Permit Board, pursuant to By-law provisions.


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