POLICY REPORT
                                 PUBLIC SAFETY

                                           Date: January 2, 1996


   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     Assistant Chief (Fire Prevention)

   SUBJECT:  Victory Square Area - Interim Fire Safety Measures


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT  Council   endorse  the   interim  upgrading  program   as  an
        appropriate life safety standard, pending consideration of approved
        area plan and by-laws.

   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

        The General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services RECOMMENDS approval
        of the foregoing.

   COUNCIL POLICY

   Council has approved  Fire By-law  No. 7004, which  governs Fire  Safety
   Standards in  the City.  The  City falls within the  jurisdiction of the
   B.C.  Fire  Services  Act,  Sections  26(1)  and  38(3)  which  requires
   municipalities to provide a regular system of Fire Safety Inspections.

   PURPOSE

   This  report advises  Council  of  a  program  of  limited  fire  safety
   upgrading  by Fire  and Rescue  Services (F&RS),  in the  Victory Square
   area,  for  buildings  which  are  occupied  as  residences  or  Artists
   Live/Work Studios and, as such, do  not currently comply with zoning and
   approved uses.   This program is  an interim  measure until the  Victory
   Square Concept Plan is  implemented and Building By-law   amendments are
   adopted; after which, if  buildings are approved for reuse  for housing,
   will be required to meet approved  standards.  Staff will report back to
   Council prior to resumption  of full enforcement in compliance  with the
   By-laws applicable at the time.

   BACKGROUND

   Some buildings in  the Victory Square area are being used as residential
   occupancies  and, in some instances, Artist Live/Work Studios.  In 1993,
   pending   completion  of  the  Victory   Square  Concept  Plan  and  the
   consideration  of  By-law  amendments,  and recognizing  that  reuse  of
   buildings  for housing  may be  a preferred  development option  for the
   City, it  was decided that the City would limit enforcement to immediate
   life safety hazards.
   DISCUSSION

   Approximately  25 buildings  have been  identified as  potentially being
   used as  residential occupancies, inconsistent with  the existing zoning
   and  approved uses.  Assessments of each  building were made by Fire and
   Rescue  Services.    Six  (6) buildings  were  identified  as  requiring
   immediate attention, due to  life safety hazards.  A committee  of Fire,
   Permits  and  Licenses, Social  Planning  and  Planning developed  basic
   requirements to address these issues.   These include:  two (2) means of
   egress;  fire  separations between  floors;  fire  separations for  each
   sleeping  room; and  early  fire warning  systems (typically  individual
   smoke alarms  - in  one instance,  a fire alarm  system).   In addition,
   staff  met with area artists  to discuss potential  life safety upgrades

   and to address their concerns.

   Meetings have also  been held with owners  of the affected  buildings to
   discuss  the required work.  Generally, owners have been cooperative and
   it  is anticipated  the required  work will  be done.   City  staff will
   continue to monitor compliance.

   City  staff will  work together  to ensure  a  reasonable level  of life
   safety  is provided  within the  buildings in  the Victory  Square area,
   pending  consideration  of  a  new  area   plan  and  implementation  of
   associated By-law amendments, where appropriate.

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