ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                                Date: January 11, 1996
                                                Dept. File No.000 051


   TO:       Vancouver City Council


   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services


   SUBJECT:  Proposed  Closure of Portion of the Lane West of Joyce Street,
             between the  Lane North  of Vanness  Avenue  and the  Dead-end
             South



   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT all  that portion of lane shown within the bold outline on the
        plan  attached as Appendix "A", be closed, stopped-up and leased to
        BC Transit subject to the following conditions:

        a.   The annual rental to be a nominal $1.00.

        b.   BC  Transit to  keep  the  lease  area  in  a  neat  and  tidy
             condition.

        c.   BC  Transit to indemnify the  City to the  satisfaction of the
             City's Director of Risk Management.

        d.   The  owner of the property  abutting the westerly  side of the
             lease area,  B.C. Hydro, is to  first consent to the  lease of
             the subject portion of lane.

        e.   The City to retain  a right-of-way over the entire  lease area
             for public utilities.

        f.   Any agreements are to  be to the satisfaction of  the Director
             of Legal Services.

        g.   No legal right or  obligation shall be created and  none shall
             arise hereafter, until the documents are executed.


   COUNCIL POLICY

        The procedure for closing and disposing of streets and lanes is set
        out in the Vancouver Charter.



                                     - 2 -


   PURPOSE

   The purpose  of this report  is to seek  Council authority to  close and
   stop-up  and lease  to BC  Transit, the  portion of  lane west  of Joyce
   Street, between the lane north of Vanness Street and the dead-end south.

   BACKGROUND

   As part  of the  development  of the  Joyce Street  station, BC  Transit
   dedicated significant portions of land they owned around the station for
   road and  lane.  At the  west side of Joyce  Street to the  north of the
   B.C.  Hydro and Power Authority right-of-way, BC Transit dedicated a new
   lane outlet  from the  lane west  of Joyce Street  out to  Joyce Street.
   This left a dead-end stub of the lane west  of Joyce Street to the south
   of the new lane outlet, see sketch attached as Appendix "A".  

   To improve safety and security around the transit station BC Transit has
   requested that  they be allowed to  fence in a portion  of this dead-end
   lane.  

   DISCUSSION

   Engineering  staff have reviewed this  request and have  no objection to
   the proposed fencing  of the lane,  provided the  abutting owner on  the
   westerly side, B.C. Hydro, consents to the construction of the fence and
   the lease by the City  to BC Transit.  The northerly limit  of the lease
   area is to be as far as B.C. Hydro ownership extends along the west side
   of the lane.

   The  nominal rental for  this lease is  recommended here  because of the
   significant  road  and  lane dedications  made  by  BC  Transit at  this
   location,  and because there is  no monetary advantage  to BC Transit in
   obtaining this lease.  There are operational and safety advantages to BC
   Transit.

   CONCLUSION

   The proposed  fencing of  the BC  Transit bus facility  is necessary  to
   improve pedestrian safety.   The General Manager of Engineering Services
   has no objection to this area  being leased subject to the condition set
   out in the recommendation.





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