ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: May 20, 1999
Author/Local: A.Higginson/7556
RTS No. 00365
CC File No. 5306

P&E: June 17, 1999

TO:	Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM:	Subdivision Approving Officer
SUBJECT:	Proposed Amendment to Subdivision By-law No. 5208 - Reclassification of the South Side of the 3500-Block McGill Street

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council refuse the application to reclassify the properties on the south side of the 3500-block of McGill Street from Category `C' to Category `A' of Schedule A, Table 1, of Subdivision By-law No. 5208.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council Policy regarding amendments to the subdivision categories in the RS-1, RS-1S, RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5, RS-5S, and RS-6 Zoning Districts is reflected in the Manager's Report as approved by Council on October 28, 1987. As well as establishing seven parcel size categories for subdivision in the RS-1 District, the report provided for possible future changes in the categories in cases where property owners seek to classify their parcel category either up or down, to either facilitate or prevent subdivision.

PURPOSE

This report addresses a proposal to reclassify the properties on the south side of the 3500-block of McGill Street from Category `C' to Category `A' for the purpose of subdivision in accordance with the minimum parcel size requirements of Schedule A, Table 1, of the Subdivision By-law.

BACKGROUND

On January 19, 1998, Council enacted an amended Schedule A to the Subdivision By-law by introducing seven categories of minimum parcel width and area to govern the subdivision of lands zoned RS-1. Subsequently, lands zoned RS-1S, RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5, RS-5S and RS-6 have been included as well. All lands in these zoning districts are classified on a block-by-block basis, as shown on 279 sectional maps, which are on file with the City Clerk and which form part of Schedule A.

As shown in Appendix A to this report, the south side of the 3500-block of McGill Street is classified as Category `C', which prescribes a minimum width of 15.240 m (50.00 ft.) and a minimum area of 464.515 m² (5,000.00 sq. ft.) for each new parcel created by subdivision.

This application has been submitted by the owners of the property at 3570 McGill Street (Lot 677 on Appendix A), who have applied to not only reclassify their own property, but all of the other properties on the south side of McGill Street between Fellowes and Kootenay Streets. They have included all of the properties in order to maintain consistency in the classification.

Under Category `C', none of the parcels within the subject block can be subdivided individually, because they do not meet the minimum width or area requirement for each new parcel created.

The blocks immediately to the north and northeast of the subject block are also classified as Category `C'. The properties directly to the south across the lane, as well as to the east of the subject block, are classified as Category `A', which prescribes a minimum width of 9.144 m (30.00 ft.) and a minimum area of 278.709 m² (3,000.00 sq. ft.), for each parcel created by subdivision.

If approved, this reclassification will allow for consideration of subdivision proposals to create parcels no less than 9.144 m (30.00 ft.) in width and 278.709 m² (3,000.00 sq. ft.) in area. If all owners in the blockface decided to pursue subdivision, either singly, or in the case of the parcels at the west end of the block, in conjunction with adjoining parcels, over time, the subdivision pattern illustrated in Appendix B could result.

HISTORY OF SUBDIVISION IN THE BLOCK

The original subdivision pattern for this area was established by the registration of Plan No. 100 in February, 1908, which created blocks consisting primarily of 20.117 m (66.00 ft.)-wide parcels, in the area north of Cambridge Street to Wall Street, and between Rupert Street and Boundary Road.

The north half of the subject block consists of larger parcels which are consistent with the original subdivision pattern in the area. The three 20.117 m (66.00 ft).-wide parcels have remained unchanged since 1908. The three 13.411 m (44.00 ft.)-wide parcels, and the small, triangular, City-owned parcel at the west end of the block at Fellowes Street, were created in 1944. There have been no subsequent subdivisions in this portion of the block.
The south half of the subject block, which clearly originally consisted of 20.117 m (66.00 ft.)-wide parcels, reflects "west half/east half" subdivisions which were common in the past.

NEIGHBOURHOOD NOTIFICATION

Twenty-one property owners in the immediate area were notified in writing of this application and asked to comment. Twelve responses, including one from the applicant, were received, with the following results:

Support reclassification to Category `A': 7
Oppose reclassification: 5
Did not respond: 9 21

Four property owners who reside in the subject block, and who could have potentially benefited from the approval of this reclassification and the ensuing subdivision opportunities, are opposed to the proposal. The owners in opposition to the reclassification felt that the resulting potential subdivision would detrimentally affect both the character of the area and property values. One owner expressed concern regarding the style and quality of the homes that might be constructed on the proposed parcels. The owners in support of the reclassification did not offer comments. The location of the respondents is shown in Appendix A.

RATIONALE FOR CLASSIFICATION AS CATEGORY `C'

During the process of designating the RS-1 lands into one of the seven subdivision categories enacted by Council in 1988, staff studied subdivision patterns across the city on a block-by-block basis. Blocks having no definitive subdivision pattern were classified into a category most reflective of the surrounding neighbourhood. A relatively common form of subdivision throughout the city was characterized by blocks having a "mid-block split". These blocks were noted to contain distinct development and streetscape patterns due to the substantial difference in parcel sizes from one part of the block to the other. It was determined that mid-block splits, without exceptions, would be preserved if part of a continuous pattern of two or more half-blocks, whether or not part of the same block.

Differing categories in blocks of this type provide subdivision opportunities for the remaining large parcels in the small-parcel portion of the block, while not establishing a precedent for consideration of similarly sized parcels in the large-parcel portion of the block.

Although the subject block clearly contains "exceptions" to the original subdivision pattern of 20.117 m (66.00 ft.)-wide parcels, it was still determined to meet the guiding criteria for being classified as a mid-block split.

For this reason, it and blocks to the north and northeast were classified as Category `C', while the blocks to the south were classified as Category `A'.

ASSESSMENT AND CONCLUSION

Although several parcels in the north half of the subject block maintain a width that is less than the 15.240 m (50.00 ft.) minimum required in Category `C', that category was chosen to reflect the predominate subdivision pattern in the blockface and in the neighbouring blocks to the north.

On the basis of the established pattern of subdivision, and the objections of the property owners residing in the subject block, there is no convincing rationale for changing the category of these parcels to a smaller standard. For this reason, the Subdivision Approving Officer recommends refusal of the application for reclassification.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver