Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE

TO:

Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment

FROM:

Director of Current Planning and the Manager of Real Estate Services, in consultation with the General Managers of Engineering Services and the Park Board, the Directors of Social Planning, Financial Planning and Treasury, and Legal Services, and the Manager of the Housing Centre

SUBJECT:

Southeast False Creek: Environmental Plans Required for the Preparation of the Official Development Plan

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

· In October, 1995, Council approved a generalized work program, budget and staff resources for the policy development, official development plan and rezoning stages.
· In June, 1997, following the submission of a study on the economic implications of the redevelopment of Southeast False Creek, Council approved the commencement of the planning process, including an updated budget to cover the policy development phase.
· In October, 1999, Council approved the Policy Statement for Southeast False Creek to guide all future planning for the site.
· In March 2000, Council approved a planning process and funding for creating an Official Development Plan for Southeast False Creek.
· Consultant contracts over $30,000.00 are to be awarded by Council.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Councils' approval for additional funding necessary to complete the required sustainability plans, including a consultant study for the Water and Waste Management Plans, prior to the submission of an Official Development Plan.

BACKGROUND

The adoption of the Policy Statement for Southeast False Creek (SEFC) in October 1999 completed the policy development stage. The next step is the Official Development Plan (ODP) which, in a by-law, confirms and secures the intentions put forward in the Policy Statement. Land uses are defined and density is allocated on the site. Public requirements are set, such as park space, community facilities, childcare and public art. All of this is done in the context of an illustrative plan which sets up a structure that defines sites, sets height and massing limits, and locates amenities. This ODP goes further than previous ODP's in False Creek North and Coal Harbour in embracing environmental sustainability. As a result, as part of it's preparation, the adopted Policy Statement requires that various plans inform the process. These include, Waste and Water Management Plans; An Urban Agriculture Plan; an Energy Plan; and an Air Quality Plan.

DISCUSSION

ODP - Work Completed
While we have fallen behind the time estimate set out in our original work program, significant progress has been made on the ODP for SEFC over the last year.

In accordance with Council's request we have reconvened the Advisory Group as a Stewardship Group and engaged them in the discussion on the process. We have completed a post occupancy survey of some of our new downtown neighbourhoods, to better understand the actual demographics and the satisfaction of new residents. With this information, and with the help of a consultant, we have undertaken a "White Paper" on community facilities that is nearing completion. This study not only estimates and advises on the needs and impacts of SEFC's new residents, but also suggests how the new community can help provide for deficiencies in the adjacent neighbourhoods.

The team has also had the opportunity to partner with staff from the Province and the GVRD to advance work on a building assessment system for British Columbia which will eventually not only change how we build, but also how much energy we use and the quality of our environment (see the companion report entitled, "Establishing an Environmental Assessment Method for buildings in Southeast False Creek").

Staff have also secured a $40,000 grant from the Province's Greening Communities Program to conduct the required Community Energy Plan. The terms of reference for this consultancy are now ready for circulation.

The most significant piece of work completed is agreement on a basic site structure, including roads, park, and development sites. Within this matrix, there has also been a general agreement on the basic distribution of building mass and the corresponding heights. The development of a comprehensive set of urban design principles, was instrumental in the success of this process. While more design oriented work will have to be done before an ODP submission, the basic understanding of structure and mass in place is critical to the preparation and integration of the required sustainability plans.

ODP - Work Required Prior to Submission
As noted, in addition to the usual "mega-project" ODP work, five plans are needed to inform the preparation of the SEFC ODP. While we have known about these plans since the preparation of the Policy Statement, it has only been in the last few months that the timing, responsibility for the work, and the funding sources have become clear, as set out below.

Table 1

Plan

City Cost *

1. Water Management

$20,000

2. Waste Management

$20,000

3. Energy

Provincial Funding ($40,000)

4. Urban Agriculture

prepared by staff

5. Air Quality

prepared by staff

* Staffing costs for these Plans are covered by the 4-month extension recommended in this report.

The Planning Department will provide overall co-ordination of the plans process which will guide the ODP and several departments will be involved in the preparation of the plans. The Water Management, the Waste Management and the Energy plans will be prepared by consultants.

Staff and Budget

It is estimated that it will take about four months to complete these plans. The use of consultants will allow us to meet this timing with reduced staff involvement. As well, the five plans may suggest management systems that differ from current City practice. Therefore, the use of consultants will avoid the possible perception of a conflict of interest in the preparation of the plans. Provincial funding for the Energy Plan also cuts down the City's financial commitment. With all of this being the case, there is still an on-going need for dedicated staff, specifically in the Planning and Engineering Departments. Funds for a Planning Analyst, a Civil Engineer 2, and a short targeted public process total $42,000. An additional $40,000. is needed for the consultant for the Water and Waste Management Plans.

As there are insufficient funds in the SEFC budget to cover these costs, and as the responsibility for these studies was unclear at the time of budget approval, it is recommended that the $42,000 in staff and process costs be charged to the Property Endowment Fund, to be held against any future rezoning fees. The $40,000 for the Engineering Consultant is recommended to be funded from the Contingency Reserve.

When the plans are complete and have been integrated with the basic understanding of structure and massing, all information will be in hand for the preparation and submission of the ODP. At this point, staff will report back to Council with a work program and budget to complete the ODP. Due to the significant amount of preparatory work, the ODP process should be relatively short.

CONCLUSION

The completion and approval of the Policy Statement represented the conclusion of the first phase of the SEFC planning process. Initial work on the ODP has proceeded well. The next step (preparing environmental plans required by the Policy Statement) requires additional funding to retain dedicated staff in Planning and Engineering to complete these plans, as well as to fund the consultant for the Waste and Water Management Plans.

* * * * *

pe010802.htm

APPENDIX A
Page 1 of 6

Draft Terms of Reference for Waste and Water Management Plans Consultancy

I. INTRODUCTION

Southeast False Creek (SEFC) is the last remaining industrial waterfront site in the downtown area to be redeveloped. The majority of the site north of 1st Avenue between the Cambie Bridge and Quebec Street, about 20 ha (50 acres), is City-owned and is the focus of this engineering consultancy.

SEFC has been an industrial area since the late 1800s. Its industrial uses have included sawmills, foundries, shipbuilding, metalworking, salt distribution, warehousing and a city public works yard. The original shoreline was near 1st Avenue and the land area north of it is comprised of fill from many sources, including the Grandview Railway Cut and ash from a former incinerator in the Cambie Yard.

After assessing industrial needs in the city and giving a priority to housing near downtown jobs, Council approved the release of SEFC from the industrial land base in 1990. In recognition of the need for the City to take a leadership role in protecting the environmental quality of our region, Council further directed that SEFC should be developed to incorporate principles of energy-efficient community design in its area plan and that the City should explore the possibility of using SEFC as a model for "sustainable development."

This led to creation of the Southeast False Creek Policy Statement, approved by Council in October 1999, which describes the general planning principles that will guide future development of the site. It addresses issues that span the entire development process and reach into the post-development stage, a comprehensive approach typical of sustainable development initiatives. The next stage - of which this consultancy will comprise an important and relatively unique part - will be the Official Development Plan phase, the phase in which the general layout and concept plan is developed for the site. An Official Development Plan (ODP) is approved by Council as a by-law, securing development rights and public amenities for the area. Although the engineering plans for this ODP phase may be general directions, the City needs, in keeping with this comprehensive approach, to be able to anticipate how these directions may be realized in the development and into the post-development period.

II. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this Engineering consultancy is to develop plans for waste management and water management that support the concept of developing SEFC as a sustainable community and whose principles can be incorporated into the Official Development Plan to direct development of the site including public infrastructure, private development, and community facilities.

III. GENERAL

The consultants are being asked to develop of a Waste Management Plan and a Water Management Plan for the new sustainable community to be developed on the southeast shore of False Creek. These plans are not to be considered independently; they will impact and influence each other and the other design responsibilities of the development. Development of the Waste Management Plan and the Water Management Plan also need to be considered with the other sustainability objectives of the SEFC development included in the Policy Statement: Air Quality, Energy Use, Soils, Transportation, and Urban Agriculture. Both plans should be:

1. supportive of the objectives of creating a sustainable community by being visible and educational;
2. innovative and responsive to new technologies; and
3. practical and affordable.

IV. ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLANS

Requirements

It is the City's expectation that the Consultant, at the completion of this study, will submit a Waste Management Plan and a Water Management Plan for incorporation into the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan.

Both plans developed should be based on full-cost accounting, that is, apply to the entire life of the development including the demolition of the existing buildings, construction of the new buildings, and the daily ongoing operations of the new community.

In developing the plans, locally relevant precedents should be cited where possible.

WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Objectives
The following four objectives for the Waste Management Plan are included in the Southeast False Creek Policy Statement and must be addressed by the finalized Waste Management Plan

1. To plan for a significant reduction in the amount of solid waste generated in Southeast False Creek, during the entire life cycle of the neighbourhood.
2. To divert as much of Southeast False Creek's waste as possible from landfills or incinerators, into recycling and re-use systems.
3. To divert from landfills as much demolition and construction waste as possible during redevelopment of Southeast False Creek.
4. To minimize the amount of transportation needed to deal with solid waste and recyclable products from Southeast False Creek, and to maximize the local economic opportunities connected to dealing with Southeast False Creek.

With the targets (Appendix A) for this area kept in mind, the following issues need to be addressed in the development of a waste management plan for Southeast False Creek. Liquid waste should be addressed in both plans, since the way in which it is handled affects both consumption and waste.

Solid Waste
1. How realistic are the solid waste targets?
Composting
2. How realistic are the composting targets, particularly with respect to food waste (both commercial and residential)?
3. How can the goal of community composting best be achieved?
4. What strategies should be employed to encourage maximum voluntary participation?
Recycling
5. What is the optimum system(s) for the collection of recyclables?
6. Is it possible to expand on the current items collected? Could a depot be established on-site to handle these expanded materials?
7. What strategies can be used to ensure that a maximum of the building materials already on-site are salvaged and reused?
Liquid Waste
8. What options are there for the reuse of waste water?
9. What barriers are posed by current legislation?
10. What changes to legislation are required to achieve more stringent water reuse objectives? It may be possible to change legislation, but what about personal values?
Transportation of Items Off-site
11. What strategies can be employed to minimize the amount of wastes transported off-site?

General
12. How will/should the plan differentiate between private and public realm? Is it reasonable to expect that the same requirements will apply to both? How differently would they be managed?
13. What initiatives should be undertaken to reduce the overall amount of surplus material generated on-site?
14. How will addressing these issues impact the other target areas for the development?
15. How can demonstration projects be best employed to demonstrate cutting edge or innovative approaches to waste management?

WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

Objectives
The following five objectives for the Water Management Plan are included in the Southeast False Creek Policy Statement and must be addressed by the finalized Waste Management Plan

1. To investigate, and possibly implement, technologies and strategies in Southeast False Creek which do not significantly raise costs or diminish the quality of life, but reduce the use of potable water in all types of land use.
2. To manage surface runoff in Southeast False Creek so as: to increase the quality of runoff reaching False Creek; to increase on-site amenities; to reduce the need for irrigation; to increase the habitat value of open space; and to increase the opportunities for learning about the site's ecosystem, including the natural water cycle.
3. To explore, and possibly implement, methods of dealing with liquid waste in Southeast False Creek in a manner which is feasible and meets economic, environmental, learning and livability objectives.
4. To use Southeast False Creek as an opportunity to promote and further educate citizens in Vancouver on existing water conservation measure that the City has in place.
5. To reduce and control pollutants at their source, as much as possible and wherever feasible.

With the targets (Appendix A) for this area kept in mind, the following issues need to be addressed in the development of a waste management plan. Liquid waste should be addressed in both plans, since the way in which it is handled affects both volume of consumption and volume of waste.

General
1. How realistic are the water targets?
2. How will/should the plan differentiate between private and public realm? Is it reasonable to expect that the same requirements will apply to both?
3. How will addressing these issues impact the other target areas for the development?
4. How can demonstration projects be best employed to demonstrate cutting edge or innovative approaches to water management?
Potable Water
5. How can the amount of potable water consumed be reduced?
6. Generally, there is a flat user fee for water - on what level should or can the individual be charged for water? Who should take the responsibility for charging the user for this water use (i.e. Strata Council or Municipality)?
7. Should the individual pay for their water use, is it an effective method of conservation?
Waste Water
8. What options are there for the reuse of waste water?
9. What barriers to sustainable reuse are posed by current legislation?
10. Is it feasible to change legislation to achieve more stringent water reuse objectives? It may be possible to change legislation, but what about personal values?
Storm Water Discharges
11. What are solutions to significantly reducing run-off? If rain water collection is a solution what are strategies for its reuse?
12. Is the 54% maximum coverage by impervious material reasonable? How can this be achieved?

13. If there are to be large volumes of water retained on site, how can they be used to address the other water management issues?

V. PRODUCT

The end product of this consultancy is expected to take the form of a written report that:
· addresses the performance targets;
· provides options for achievable holistic solutions for waste and water management plans;
· considers the impact of these plans on other sustainability objectives for the site;
· considers the impact of these plans on the City's existing utility infrastructure; and,
· with the targets in mind, recommends goals which respond to the Vancouver environment and are achievable and feasible using full cost accounting.

The written report will be in 8.5" x 11" vertical format. Included in the report will be relevant maps, drawings, and specifications as deemed necessary by the staff project managers. The consultant will provide 5 unbound copies of the draft report, one unbound reproducible black and white final copy and 10 bound copies of the final report. A disk copy of the written report in a City compatible format will also be provided by the consultant. Any other presentation material including maps, drawings, photographs as slides as deemed necessary will also be provided by the consultant.

The report and other materials will be the property of the City of Vancouver.

VI. STUDY TEAM

The team should have demonstrated expertise in waste and water management planning, environmental impacts, economic financial analysis, engineering design and construction of sustainable technologies. The consultants should have a thorough knowledge of the City's water and waste management, planning, development and urban design policies. The study team will be selected on a number of factors including expertise in the field of water conservation and waste management, ability to meet deadlines, an understanding of the City needs, and an appropriate methodology.

The consultant must declare any contracts or interest they may have in current water or waste management studies or neighbouring land development. The consultant must be fully prepared to offer professional advice to the City independent of any past, present or future contracts.

The team leader must be a Professional Engineer in good standing in the Province of British Columbia. It is expected that other members of the study team will also be Professional Engineers or Engineers in Training in the Province of British Columbia.

VII. CITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE CONSULTANT

The following documents and resources will be provided to the consultant to assist in preparation of their report.

· The Sheltair Report - Visions, Tools and Targets: Environmentally sustainable development guidelines for Southeast False Creek - 1998
· The Southeast False Creek Policy Statement - 1999
· Southeast False Creek - Solid Waste Management Plan - 2000
· Southeast False Creek Development - Policy Discussion Paper - 1998
· Response to Environmentally Sustainable Development Guidelines for Southeast False Creek: A policy development tool kit - 1998
· Southeast Side False Creek Development - Assessing Sustainable Water Use Options

Meetings with City Staff - please contact Martin McKay at 871-6721 to arrange for these meeting times.

VIII. TIME FRAME AND BUDGET

The study time frame is a total of eight weeks, including two weeks for City review of the draft plans. The final report must be completed by XXX ##, 2001.

The anticipated budget for this study is about $ 35,000.00 including GST. The proposal should be for a fixed price inclusive of all disbursements consistent with the City budget. If the required scope cannot be completed within the proposed budget, alternative budgets or scope of works should be submitted for consideration. Payment will be upon satisfactory completion of the final report.

IX. PROPOSAL FORMAT

The proposal should include:
· a company brochure;
· resumes and details of all relevant members of the study team;
· background of previous experience with similar projects carried out by team members;
· proposed schedule of work including proposed meeting dates with City staff (at least four meetings will be required);
· work items to be contracted out with the names of sub-consultants (if applicable);
· per diem or hourly charge out rates for all team members; and
· total fixed price budget showing the estimated staff time by person and cost associated with major work items including disbursements.

The proposal must be submitted by XXX ##, 2001, to Martin McKay, Projects Branch, City of Vancouver, 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4. Consultants will be notified by XXX ##, 2001, and the selected consultant should be prepared to commence the study the following week. The City will require the selected consultant to enter into a Professional Services Agreement.

X. STUDY COORDINATION

Day to day staff liaison will be with Martin McKay, EIT. The study will be managed by Engineering staff in consultation with Planning Staff. The study will be completed to the satisfaction of the City Engineer or his designate Susan Clift, Projects Engineer.

APPENDIX A. PERFORMANCE TARGETS

Performance Targets for Southeast False Creek, developed by the Sheltair Group for the City, were included in the Policy Statement as an appendix and are reproduced below. These targets were not adopted by Council. Rather, they were included as suggestions for guidance and discussion. It is the expectation that some targets may be unachievable and others may be easily achieved or surpassed. It is also expected that the achievable targets may be different depending on the use/occupancy of the buildings, the micro/macro view of the community or advances in technologies.

For example a possible scenario might be:

A public building (school, community centre, etc) may act as a demonstration project and employ "cutting edge" technology which allows for zero discharges to the sanitary sewers, generates all of its required electricity, and has a garden that supplies the users with 70% of their required produce. Situated close by to this building is a private condominium townhouse that is connected to the City's power grid, sewer and water system, and has some garden plots that supply 2% of the fresh produce needs only in the summer months. In each case, the design pushes the envelope as far as it may pushed given economic factors, health by-laws, and engineering issues.

Although the targets are divided into individual categories, it is expected that the final design will consider all of the targets through a holistic approach. It is expected that the consultant will review the Sheltair Report and meet with City staff so that the final work can address each of the target areas with sufficient analysis to show how they may be achieved and their impact on other aspects of the proposed development.

Performance Targets below, summarized from Appendix B of the Southeast False Creek Policy Statement, are shown in italics.

Waste, Recycling and Composting
It is expected that these targets will be directly addressed through the Waste Management Plan:
_ No more than 200 kg/person/year of solid waste sent to disposal.
_ No more than 80 kg/person/year of organic waste is produced by SEFC households, of which 100% is processed within the SEFC site.
_ No leaves or organic debris are transported off the SEFC site.

Water Conservation and Management
It is expected that these targets will be directly addressed through the Waste Management Plan:
_ A maximum of 100L of potable water is consumed per person per day
_ No more than 54% of the site is covered in impervious material
_ 25% of sewage (grey water only) produced is treated on site

The following targets are provided for reference and discussion. It is expected that a number of these targets will be impacted by both the Water Management and Waste Management Plans and so should be considered in the development of these plans.

Air Quality
_ Residents travel less than 3392 km/year for shopping and commuting
_ Less than 1 498 kg/year CO2 emitted from transportation-related activity
_ 25% of buildings designed and built with features that minimize indoor pollution levels

Energy Use
_ Multi-residential - less than 288 kwh/year from non-renewable sources per m2 of floor area
_ Office - less than 284 kwh/year...
_ Minimum of 5% of energy consumption in SEFC comes from energy produced on site
_ 90% of the buildings connected to a heating grid
_ Buildings have a maximum peak demand of 33 watts/m2

Soils
_ A minimum of 7 strategies are addressed to deal with contaminated soils in SEFC

Transportation and Streets
_ 100% of dwelling units are located within 350m of basic shopping needs and personal services.
_ A minimum of 60% of street area in SEFC is dedicated to walking, cycling and transit uses.
_ 30% of dwelling units in SEFC are affordable to a population segment relative in income distribution and family size to those working in the downtown core and along the Broadway Corridor.
_ 100% of residential units in SEFC are located within 350m of transit service

Urban Agriculture
_ 12.5% of the produce consumed by SEFC residents is grown on site
_ 25% of the roof area in SEFC is designed to carry plant life

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