ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 15, 1997
Dept. File No. 161 612
CC File No. 5553/8204
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services, in consultation with
the Director of Central Area Planning and the Manager of Parks
and Recreation
SUBJECT: Waterfront Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design and
Marinaside Crescent Beautification
- Quayside Neighbourhood
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the design of the waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle route for the Quayside Neighbourhood as
shown in Appendix A.
B. THAT Council approve the design and location of handrails as
proposed by the developer and the additional locations as
recommended by the City Engineer and shown in Appendix B.
C. THAT Council approve the design of the Marinaside Crescent
beautification for the Quayside Neighbourhood as shown in
Appendix A.
GENERAL MANAGER S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Engineering Services RECOMMENDS approval of
A, B and C.
COUNCIL POLICY
On March 25, 1997, Council approved the report, Waterfront
Pedestrian/Bicycle Widths - Coal Harbour, Bayshore and False Creek
North, which revised the widths of the shoreline pedestrian and bicycle
pathways.
On April 20,1993, Council approved the rezoning of the Quayside
Neighbourhood. As a condition of rezoning, the developer is required to
design and construct shoreline protection works and a waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle pathway.
On October 24, 1991, Council approved the report, Conceptual Shoreline
Designs - Coal Harbour and False Creek North, and requested that, with
respect to the detailed design, Council only review issues which
represent changes to the approved proposals and principles.
On October 24, 1991, Council approved the report, Waterfront
Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Concept Plan - Bayshore, Marathon and False
Creek North Developments, and requested that staff report back on the
detailed design of the waterfront pedestrian/bicycle system through
False Creek North prior to any development permit approval in a
waterfront sub-area.
On April 10, 1990, Council approved the report, False Creek North Public
Realm Design, which identified three special and distinct beautification
areas with specialty paving treatment, for Yaletown Edge, Enterprise
Centre, and Quayside Drive.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council approval of the design of the
pedestrian/bicycle system, including approval of the location and
design of the handrails, and approval of the Marinaside Crescent
beautification design.
DISCUSSION
Shoreline Design
Shoreline Protection Works
Council requested a report back on detailed design for the shoreline
protection works only if the design differs significantly from the
approved proposals and principles. The shoreline design is generally in
accordance with the concept approved by Council. As with the Roundhouse
Neighbourhood, the deck on piles with louvres has been replaced with a
reinforced earth wall.
The proposed shoreline protection works design meets the principles
approved by Council, the design objectives of staff and Fisheries
requirements. Therefore, this is not an issue requiring Council
approval.
Handrails
The design of the handrail along the walkway, shown in Appendix A, is
the same as used in the Roundhouse Neighbourhood. The handrail is
designed to be difficult to climb over or through and minimizes view
blockage.
Staff are seeking Council s direction on the extent of handrails to be
used along the walkway. This issue involves the need to balance
aesthetic objectives against safety concerns and potential liability for
the City. In October, 1991 Council approved, as part of the conceptual
shoreline design report, that "shoreline handrails be kept to a minimum"
to limit view obstruction. The Building By-law requires all drops over
600mm (2 feet) to have guards. However, this requirement only applies
to private property.
Council dealt with this issue previously when considering the shoreline
design for the Roundhouse Neighbourhood and for the Bayshore
Development. After considering a number of criteria, Council approved a
shoreline walkway design for the Roundhouse Neighbourhood without
handrails in locations where the vertical drop is 2.35m (almost 8 feet).
In the Bayshore Development, where the minimum vertical drop from the
shoreline walkway to the rock slope was 4.0m (over 13 feet), Council
approved the installation of railings.
There are three sections of the seawall along this area which have
different vertical drops. The portion of the seawall in the Quayside
Neighbourhood between Davie Street and Cooper's Park pavilion has a
minimum vertical drop of 3.0 m (10 feet) and no handrails are proposed
by the developer. The portion of the seawall adjacent the western half
of Cooper's Park has a minimum vertical drop of 2.0 m (6.5 feet) and no
handrails are proposed by the developer. The portion of the seawall
adjacent the eastern half of Cooper's Park has a minimum vertical drop
of 5.0 m (16.4 feet), and handrails are proposed by the developer.
Due to safety considerations, Engineering staff recommend the
installation of handrails along all sections of shoreline, in addition
to the railings proposed by the developer, as shown in Appendix B.
Pedestrian/Bicycle Pathway
The detailed design for the Quayside Neighbourhood pedestrian/bicycle
pathway, shown in Appendix A, follows the concept and standards in the
1991 concept plan report approved by Council and the revised pedestrian
and bicycle pathway widths approved by Council on March 11, 1997. The
surface treatment, lighting, furniture and landscaping have been
developed through a process involving input from Parks, Planning and
Engineering staff, and the developer s design team. The proposed design
balances urban design objectives and maintenance costs and provides a
safe and enjoyable experience for pedestrians and cyclists. The
pedestrian and bicycle pathways are shared in the Marinaside Crescent
section and separated throughout Cooper s Park. Both pathways have a
minimum width of 4.5 metres, as per the revised widths.
It should be noted, however, that the shared pedestrian and bicycle
paths along the Marinaside Crescent section are interrupted by 1.15
metre wide planters with trees and groundcover planting, similar to
those in the Roundhouse section of the seawall. With the extent of
hardscape in this section the pathways, staff believe that the addition
of these planters offer much needed greenery despite the occasional
constriction of the pathways to 3.9 metres.
There are two sections of the separated pedestrian and bicycle pathways
adjacent the western and eastern edges of Cooper's Park, where the
landscaped buffer is less than the 1.5 metre width approved by Council
on March 11, 1997. This reduction in the landscaped buffer to 1.0 metre
is recommended towards the western end of Cooper s Park, to accommodate
a row of trees between the bicycle path and the sidewalk on Marinaside
Crescent. Towards the eastern end of Cooper s Park, the pathways are
bordered by groups of trees along the park, and as such, trees are not
proposed in the landscaped median. Therefore, the 1.5 metre width
normally required for trees is not required, and it is recommended that
the median be reduced to 1.0 metre to increase the amount of useable
park space.
Stone Caps
Stone caps will be provided along the entire walkway to provide
continuity to the entire shoreline system, similar to the Roundhouse
Neighbourhood.
Marinaside Crescent Beautification
At the Public Hearing on February 22, 1996, Council approved the
rezoning of the Quayside waterfront block including a recommendation
that "the beautification of Marinaside Crescent be reconsidered and that
staff report back on a street treatment similar to other residential
streets" if Option 1 ,2, or 4 is approved. Option 2 was approved by
Council, a development scheme consisting of primarily townhouses on
Marinaside Crescent, but with 750 sq. metres of retail/service space
between Davie Street and the Cambie Mews.
The developer is currently pursuing a development scheme with
retail/service uses at grade from Davie Street to the Landmark Mews,
approximately two-thirds of Marinaside Crescent. The extent of
retail/service uses proposed by the developer is generally
consistent with the uses considered when the False Creek North Public
Realm Design was approved by Council. Therefore, staff are recommending
a beautification treatment consistent with the False Creek North
Treatment instead of a treatment similar to other residential streets.
The proposed Marinaside Crescent Beautification is shown in Appendix A.
The treatment extends along the curved portion of Marinaside Crescent
and consists of autumn coloured concrete pavers on the sidewalks and
street with radial paver banding and trees lining both sides of the
street. The colour and pattern of the pavers on Marinaside Crescent
compliment the shoreline walkway treatment. The 10.0 metre-wide vehicle
portion of the street has
been shifted northward 0.5 metres in order to accommodate trees on the
south side of the street and create "balconies" which provide
opportunities for public art kiosks, sidewalk cafes, and street vending
activities. Sidewalk bulges are used at crosswalk locations to narrow
the street for pedestrians and to prevent vehicles from parking within
the crosswalk.
Staff recommend the proposed Marinaside Crescent beautification
treatment as the design meets the intent of the approved False Creek
North Beautification and compliments the design of the shoreline
walkway. Staff note that with the acceptance of the special paver
treatment and with the additional pathway areas, staff will in the
future be requesting additional maintenance funds and garbage removal
funds to deal with the new infrastructure.
Public Art
Staff and the developer have worked together to provide a general
description of the type of public art proposed and to identify locations
for public art in the Marinaside Crescent beautification and the
shoreline walkway design. By doing this, the public art becomes part of
the overall design concept and will not appear "tacked-on" to the street
and shoreline treatment.
CONCLUSION
The pedestrian/bicycle route design proposed is generally in accordance
with the concept approved by Council in 1991 and the revised pedestrian
and bicycle pathway widths approved by Council on March 11, 1997. The
proposed Marinaside Crescent beautification is consistent with the
approved False Creek North Beautification concept and compliments the
shoreline walkway design. Staff support these proposed designs and
request Council s approval.
* * * * *