East Vancouver Farmers' Market - Lord Roberts School

City of Vancouver
Larry Beasley Co-Director of Planning, Director of Central Area Planning, Community Services;
Member - Development Permit Board
453 W. 12th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4 _ 604.873.7698 fax: 873.7045
larry_beasley@city.vancouver.bc.ca

MEMORANDUM June 9, 1999

TO: Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

COPY TO: U. Watkiss, City Clerk

J. Forbes-Roberts, General Manager of Community Services
F. Connell, Director of Legal Services
D. Losito, Director, Environmental Health
P. Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, Permits and Licenses

FROM: L. Beasley, Director of Central Area Planning

on behalf of Land Use and Development

SUBJECT: Farmers' Market - Lord Roberts School, 1100 Bidwell Street

At Council on May 18, 1999, a notice of motion was called on the above-noted item. Council requested that staff provide information on the matter for the June 17, 1999 meeting of Council's Standing Committee on Planning and Environment.

Background

In 1995 the East Vancouver Farmers' Market Society requested that Council withhold enforcement against a proposed Saturday market to be held on the parking lot of the CD-1 zoned Croatian Cultural Centre at 3250 Commercial Drive. Council instructed staff to withhold enforcement for the summer and fall seasons, on a trial basis, pending a report leading to a CD-1 text amendment application to permit the use.

The market had two successful years at that location, and Permits and Licenses Staff were not aware of any complaints. Vancouver Health Board staff worked closely with the organizers and were satisfied with the results. Before the second year, when considering whether to make a change to the CD-1 zoning to permit the use, Council asked staff and the Society to explore other permanent, preferably public, locations for the market.

In 1997 the Park Board supported the relocation of the market to the parking lot at the Trout Lake Community Centre. The Planning Department agreed to the use of a Park Board special event permit as a regulatory device to ensure an appropriate level of control. The permit is specific to the current type and scope of operation, and is not viewed as a precedent for more commercially-oriented use of parks.

Proposal

Proposed, is to start a second farmers' market by the same group on the parking lot at Lord Roberts Elementary School in the West End. Staff understand the operation would be similar to that already in place at Trout Lake. The School Board is supportive providing necessary permits are issued by the City and that rent is paid for the space.

Zoning Issue

The RM-5A zoning of the school site does not permit a farmers' market that is a form of retail use. Furthermore, the Vancouver School Board does not issue special event permits because events at their schools are generally school-oriented. The only option available, should Council wish to allow a second market on a trial basis, is to pass a resolution instructing staff not to enforce this use pending an application to amend the RM-5A zoning schedule to permit the use. Following the trial season on the subject site, staff would report back on the merits of a text amendment to the schedule.

Parking

There are no defined parking standards for this use, whether on a stand-alone basis or in combination with another principal use. Parking and standards for parking could become an issue, especially in the West End where non-resident parking is restricted.

Precedent and Similar Proposals

Other groups may wish to locate similar markets on other sites and it will be difficult to advise on proposals in the absence of locational criteria. Should the market be successful, and should Council decide to consider amending the RM-5A schedule, it may then be appropriate to amend other residential schedules to conditionally permit farmers' markets elsewhere without the need for further rezonings. However, this could raise issues with respect to perceived unfair competition with nearby retailers and to enforcement problems associated with outdoor vending and flea markets given that other forms of outdoor retailing are strictly curtailed. These issues would be addressed in the staff report.

Conclusion

In the past, staff have expressed both caution and support for the East Vancouver Farmers' Market on sites in East Vancouver. The same group now wishes to start a second market in the densely populated West End, and Council may wish to consider it on a trial basis prior to amending the RM-5A zoning schedule to permit the use. Should Council wish to pursue this course of action, staff suggest minor changes to the notice of motion to provide more clarity, revised as follows:

"THAT Council instruct the Chief License Inspector to withhold enforcement of the Zoning & Development By-law respecting land use on a farmers' market operated by a registered non-profit society proposed for the Lord Roberts School parking lot, 1100 Bidwell Street, for the summer and fall seasons of 1999, on a trial basis, pending a report back after the trial period by the Director of Central Area Planning on behalf of Land Use and Development towards an application to amend the RM-5A District Schedule."

L. Beasley

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