CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

JUNE 24, 1999

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, June 24, 1999, at 7:30 p.m., in Council Chambers, 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 Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario (Leave of Absence) Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Tarja Tuominen

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee,

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. Text Amendment: 4500 Oak Street (Children’s & Women’s Hospital)

An application by the Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of B.C. was considered as follows:

Summary: The proposed text amendment would permit an increase in floor area to accommodate Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 of a master plan for the hospital site.

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 Master Plan, dated February 18, 1998, as amended in accordance with Appendix A and condition (c) outlined below, be approved by Council in principle, to serve as a general guide for development of the Children’s & Women’s Health Care Centre site;

(b) THAT the proposed form of development for the Ambulatory Care and Emergency Room addition be approved by Council in principle, generally as prepared by Henriques & Partners Architects, and stamped “Received City Planning Department, February 18, 1999", provided that the Director of Planning may allow alterations to this form of development when approving the detailed scheme of development as outlined in (d) below;

(c) THAT section 1(c) in Appendix A be amended to delete the words “except allow four storeys adjacent to the Canadian Blood Supply site”;

(d) THAT, prior to approval by Council of the form of development for any phase of this development, the applicant shall obtain approval of development applications by the Director of Planning, having concern for the following:

1. Design developments to take into consideration the principles of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), having particular regard to:

· the children's playground should be oriented closer to the main building, possibly south/east of the plaza. Landscaping should be kept visually permeable from all angles;

· exit stairs should not provide alcoves, and doors should be flush with the exterior walls. Need to clarify how the dual angled stairs on either side of the playground are resolved at the lower level of the building. Should be opened with low level landscaping with the exit doors flush to the building wall; and

· the parking south of the new roadway is very remote, with little guardianship. Landscaping will be key to passive surveillance. Lighting will be a challenge -- how to keep the users safe, yet not attract attention to unattended cars.

2. A letter of confirmation from the Hospital about the licensing status of existing child-minding programs is required.

(Note for future consideration: As part of Phase 3 submissions, Social Planning will require a childcare needs assessment study of employee and users needs and that the applicant should be prepared to identify a potential site for a childcare facility within the hospital complex or on a neighbouring site within a two block radius. This would then allow the hospital to expand/re-develop the existing childcare facility at GF Strong, if necessary.)

(e) THAT, prior to occupancy of Phase 1, the applicant shall complete, in conjunction with Engineering Services, other institutions in the area and the community, a neighbourhood parking and traffic plan to examine:

· on-site parking regulations and fees, with the objective of significantly reducing off-site employee parking;

· the extent of resident parking areas in the surrounding area;

· restriction of parking in lanes immediately surrounding the hospital;

· introduction of traffic calming measures where warranted, to reduce hospital traffic circulation in the surrounding residential areas; and

· other measures to respond to the concerns of residents living in the surrounding area.

and that the objective is to attain implementation of temporary calming measures in time for occupancy of the Phase 1.

(f) THAT, prior to enactment of the CD-1 By-law, the registered owner shall:

(i) enter into an agreement, to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services, regarding soil remediation measures;

(ii) enter into an agreement, to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services, to provide for required improvements to on- and off-site services, including, but not limited to, water, sewer, and hydro, caused by development on this site;

(iii) provide commitments, to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services, the Director of Central Area Planning and the Director of Legal Services, for the funding of up to $275,000 for off-site traffic calming and parking management, as may be required in connection withdevelopment approval as a result of this rezoning;

(iv) provide an arborist report, specifically evaluating the condition of existing trees impacted by the proposed Phase 1 development (Ambulatory Care Facility and expansion of the Emergency Facility). In addition, evaluate opportunities for relocation of existing trees;

(v) provide a detailed landscape plan illustrating both common and botanical name, size and quantity of all proposed plant material. Proposed plant material should be clearly illustrated on the landscape plan; and

(vi) provision of dimension tree protection barriers (illustrated on the landscape plan) around all existing trees 20 cm caliper or greater which may be impacted by construction, as per City of Vancouver Guidelines.

Staff Comments

Rob Whitlock, Planner, briefly reviewed the proposed application for a 20-year master plan, highlighting notable changes to the existing CD-1 By-law for the site. The applicant held two open houses and several meetings with the residents in the neighbouring areas. The residents all voiced concerns about traffic and parking in the neighbourhood; very few stated opposition to the Hospital expansion. Staff are recommending a neighbourhood parking and traffic review as a condition prior to occupancy of Phase 1.

Mr. Whitlock also referred to a memorandum, dated June 24, 1999, circulated this evening, bringing forward for consideration the following changes to the CD-1 Text Amendment:

1. Amend clause (b) by replacing the words “Received City Planning Department, February 18, 1999", with “Received June 23, 1999 Community Services”;

2. In response to Council’s decision on June 22, 1999, the following condition regarding a Community Amenity Contribution is to be added under clause (f):

“(vii) as a Community Amenity Contribution, the owner enter into an agreement with the City, to the satisfaction of the Director of Current Planning, the Director of Social Planning and the Director of Legal Services for the owner to do the following, prior to occupancy of the first building in Phase 3, or at a time thereafter as agreed to by the City Manager:

- provide, fully fit out and operate a child day care facility of a type, size and standard and under conditions satisfactory to the Director of Social Planning; or

- provide an alternative public amenity of a type, size and under conditions acceptable to City Council; or

- contribute to the City a cash amount of $1,444,911.”

3. Amend Page 1 of the Draft CD-1 By-law to change the reference in the pre-amble of section 2.1 from “CD-1(120)” to “CD-1(126)”;

4. Replace the diagram on Page 4 with that attached to this memo. Clarification of various dimensions has been provided, plus the “no building” setbacks have been increased along West 32nd Avenue and Heather Street.

5. Engineering Services asks that the following parking requirements be added to section 5 (Parking & Loading):

"A minimum of 1797 parking spaces shall be provided for Phases 1 and 2.+

A minimum of 1966 parking spaces shall be provided for Phase 3.++

A minimum of 2120 vehicles shall be provided for Phase 4 .+++

The Director of Planning, on the advice of the General Manager of Engineering Services, may relax parking requirements for Phases 3 and 4 once the hospital has implemented traffic management measures, and reduced parking demands are evident, primarily based on a reduction in car drivers, and employment numbers."

+ This allows for a significant reduction in on-street parking and is based on a reduction in car drivers from the current 85% to 80%

++ This requirement is based on a further reduction in car drivers to 75%.

+++ This requirement is based on maintaining car drivers at 75% although the consultant felt that a reduction in car drivers to 70% could be achieved.

(Note: These demand numbers are based on the IBI traffic and parking study dated April 1999.)

Mr. Whitlock advised staff recommended approval of the application subject to the conditions as noted in the agenda and the adjustments as noted in the memorandum circulated this evening.

Applicant Comments

The following representatives for the applicant described the proposal, with the aid of visual aids:

· Ellen Chesney, Director of Communications, Children’s and Women’s Hospital
· Lois Hollstedt, Board Member, Children’s and Women’s Hospital
· David Nesbitt, Director, Project Planning, Children’s and Women’s Hospital
· Richard Henriques, Architect

The foregoing representatives highlighted several aspects of the application, including:

· the proposed master plan, noting it is the best vision at this time and is not carved in stone;
· the future plans of the Hospital;
· the Hospital’s commitment to work with the City to resolve the neighbours’ concerns with traffic and parking;
· a description of the proposed development.

Summary of Correspondence

Council was advised the following correspondence was received:

· letter confirming support for proposed neighbourhood parking initiatives;
· five letters opposed to the application;
· letter, attaching petition, opposed to the application.

Speakers

Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application.

The following speakers supported the application but expressed several concerns with the proposed expansion:

· Georgia Evans
· Ayshe Lee
· John Benetti
· Maureen Bayless
· Chris Walker (petition filed)

The following are some of the comments made by the foregoing speakers:

· the following should be included in the rezoning by-law restrictions: green bufferzone surrounding the hospital to be retained; the ring road may not be rerouted; the existing berms be retained; the space between the Jean Matheson Pavilion and the Brock Fahrni Building be utilized;
· parking and traffic control measures need to be implemented prior to granting a construction permit;
· there should be resident only parking from Cambie to Granville and 37th to 23rd Avenues;
· no parking signs should be placed in back lanes that immediately side onto the hospital facilities;
· time limited parking signage to be placed around Braemar and Devonshire Parks;
· traffic calming measures to be implemented at selected intersections;
· the neighbourhood wants no flexibility in parking; the streets in the area cannot take any more parking;
· the research buildings on the Oak Street side have changed the look of the neighbourhood; any additional building should look like a part of the neighbourhood.

The following spoke in support of the application:

· Donna Gojevic
· Kathleen Mukai
· Toby Mukai
· Stephen Tredwell
· Heather Fowlie
· Dr. Saida Rasul
· David Hardwick

The foregoing speakers supported the expansion proposal based on one or more of the following points; however they also acknowledged the traffic and parking concerns of the neighbourhood residents:

· the hospital facilities are seriously overcrowded;
· hospital patients and staff desperately need additional space;
· currently, staff do not have adequate privacy to consult with families of patients;
· currently there are long clinic waits, cramped clinics and waiting areas;
· it is important to have centralized facilities because many of the patients need to see many clinics at the same time;
· we need a facility like Children’s and Women’s Hospital.

The following spoke in opposition to the application to expand the Hospital facilities:

· Peter Hammer
· Michael Jacobson
· Estelle Chimes
· Dr. Peter Brutton

The foregoing speakers opposed the application based on one or more of the following points:

· the proposal represents an ad-hoc approach to hospital planning; need to look at the comprehensive picture; the VGH site is underutilised;
· the Hospital location is not well situated to access public transit;
· there has been no information of a cost benefit analysis;
· the Hospital should not have its dream at the expense of the single-family neighbourhood;
· the development at Oak Street will be a continuing issue;
· the clinical research buildings could be moved to the park site within the Hospital grounds;
· within a 4 1/2 city block corridor, there are 4 hospitals, 2 elementary schools, 1 high school, a shopping centre and a care home;
· why cannot the clinics in the Children’s and Women’s Hospital site be spread out in the Lower Mainland; to centralize the facilities is a mistake;
· as the province grows, so will the demand for the Hospital facilities; need more regional facilities;
· the use of helicopters is expensive, unnecessary, and poses a danger to the neighbourhood;
· if the expansion is approved, free on-site parking is an absolute minimum.

Applicant Closing Comments

Ms. Chesney advised the Hospital will continue to work with the community to resolve any issues and will be doing more to get staff to use transit or other alternatives. Mr. Henriques advised the Hospital will maintain the buffer; the building on Oak Street has a 60-foot setback.

Staff Closing Comments

Mr. Whitlock advised staff recommend approval subject to the previously noted conditions and the following additional conditions: the Hospital to look at staff trip reductions and a transportation demand management plan; and a CPTED inventory of existing buildings to address site security. Mr. Whitlock also circulated an alternate diagram to that attached to the Memorandum dated June 24, 1999, which eliminates the 4-storey building on the Oak Street frontage and emphasizes the no-building zone as a buffer around the Hospital site.

Council Discussion

During discussion, Council recognized the value of the services provided by the Hospital and the importance of having a centralized facility. However, Council also acknowledged the exasperation of the neighbouring residents with the parking and traffic impacts created by the Hospital.

MOVED by Cllr. Kennedy,

THAT the application by Children’s & Women’s Hospital to amend CD-1 By-law No. 5091 for 4500 Oak Street to allow an increase in the floor space ratio from 0.616 to 0.85 to accommodate Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 of a master plan, be approved, subject to:

· the conditions as set out in the agenda before Council;
· the following addition to condition (d) 1 in the agenda before Council:

- CPTED staff to conduct an inventory of the existing buildings;

· the following addition to condition (e) in the agenda before Council:

- employee trip reduction and transportation demand management plan;

· the changes to the CD-1 Text Amendment as circulated in the memorandum dated June 24, 1999 from R. Whitlock, Acting Senior Rezoning Planner; and
· the alternate diagram presented at the Public Hearing, dated June 24, 1999, eliminating the 4-storey building on the Oak Street frontage and replacing the map attached to the memorandum dated June 24, 1999.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Price,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED BY Cllr. Don Lee,

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 11:00 p.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver