Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Current Planning
SUBJECT: 1030 Denman Street (Unit 126)
Development Application Number DE404128
Government Liquor Store
 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

There is no explicit Council policy directly applicable to liquor stores. However, when Council initiated by-law amendments in 1981 to create "Liquor Store" as a conditional approval use to distinguish from the use "Retail Store", it was clearly indicated that this would allow Council an opportunity to evaluate each new proposed location.

PURPOSE

This report seeks any advice Council may wish to offer concerning a development application to change the use of a portion of the ground floor from restaurant - class 1 to provide a government liquor store in the existing Denman Place Mall which contains uses such as retail/restaurant/office/hotel.

SITE DESCRIPTION AND CONTEXT

The proposed liquor store is located on the east side of Denman Street between Nelson Street and Comox Street and is within the C-5 (West End Commercial) Zoning District. (See Appendix `A' map attached.)

Staff carried out a land use survey of the surrounding area, similar to that which would be done for a licensed liquor outlet. The survey area contains primarily "commercial" uses along Denman Street, such as retail, office, restaurant and hotel. The two closest government liquor stores are located at 1716 Robson Street and 1655 Davie Street. Residential uses are located in the RM-5A zoned area across Nelson Street to the north, across Comox Street to the south and immediately adjacent to the rear of the building to the east. Also, within the survey area, there is the West End Community Centre, Joe Fortes Library and King George Secondary High School located at the 800 Block of Denman Street, and the West End Seniors Network located in the Denman Place Mall.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

The current development application seeks to change the use of approximately 146.8 mū (1,580 square feet) of the ground floor from restaurant - class 1 to provide a liquor store.

The applicant, B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (the "Branch") has submitted a letter describing their new retail store concept. The following has been extracted, in part:

"The Branch is in the process of implementing a new retail plan aimed at better serving the need of our customers and providing an interesting and unique shopping experience. As part of this plan we are developing small, focused boutique style stores to augment our existing stores in the west side of Vancouver. We have identified a location we believe is well suited for a new store. The location is a 1,580 square foot site, close to English Bay, at 1030 Denman Street, Denman Place Mall.

The product portfolio for this neighbourhood store will be tailored to customers who live, work and shop this high density area of the city with a preference for premium products.

The Branch is confident this outlet will add a new element of interest, a selection of specialty product and improved customer service to one of the most dynamic areas in the city."

Regulations

The proposed liquor store is listed as a conditional approval use under the C-5 and C-6 Districts Schedule. Staff have assessed the proposal against the relevant provisions of the Zoning and Development and Parking By-laws.

Under the C-5 and C-6 Districts Schedule, Section 3 Conditional Approval Uses, the Director of Planning, in assessing a liquor store, must consider the appropriateness of the use with respect to compatibility with surrounding uses, number existing, hours of operation, social and policing impacts and vehicular ingress and egress. In this regard, there are two existing liquor stores within a few blocks of walking distance. The proposal will have negative social and policing impacts. The adjacent residential developments to the rear will be adversely affected due to the increase in vehicular ingress and egress traffic.

In addition, Section 4.2, Frontage requires that the maximum permitted frontage for each individual occupancy shall be 7.7 m (25.3 ft.) and the proposed is 21.3 m (70.0 ft.).

NOTIFICATION

As part of the review of this development application, 605 neighbouring property owners were notified of the proposal. The Director of Planning received twelve individual letters from within the notification area, however, two letters did not provide a name or address. The notification area is included on the attached Appendix `A' map.

A summary of the neighbourhood objections is as follows:

… too many liquor stores in the area already. There are three within a few minutes walk;
… more "undesirables", such as panhandlers, street people, terrible sounding "musicians", people with substance abuse and garbage, will be attracted to and ruin the neighbourhood;
… Denman Street will be negatively impacted and the West End will lose its "distinctiveness";
… already a traffic problem as Denman Street is used as a "highway" and situation will worsen;
… unsafe and uncomfortable for citizens who have to walk by the liquor store;
… location is not for local residents as its purpose is to provide liquor to the volume of people who visit the area, which would be identical to the Branch's two month location at the Pacific Centre Mall;
… some effort should be made by the Municipality or Government to control the opening of a store that could have negative impacts on a community; and
… location is inappropriate due to close proximity to Seniors Centre located inside the Denman Place Mall.

POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS

The Police Department advises that liquor stores are prime locations for panhandlers who can create a negative environment for patrons and other businesses in the area. Panhandlers will locate at the front doors which in this case are adjacent to the mall entrance. A zero tolerance from employees and security/maintenance staff of the Denman Place Mall is the only guaranteed effective means of alleviating this problem. The Police Department is therefore opposed to a liquor store at this location.

CONCLUSION

The proposed liquor store is considered an inappropriate use at this location due to its close proximity to two other existing liquor stores in the area, the negative social and policing impacts created, and the adverse affect on adjacent residential developments to the rear due to an increase in vehicular ingress and egress traffic. In addition, the proposed frontage of 21.3 m (70.0 ft.) does not comply with the maximum permitted frontage of 7.7 m (25.3 ft.).

Based on the above, neighbourhood objections and non-support from the Police Department, the Director of Planning is, therefore, inclined to refuse this development application. However, before making a decision on this application, the Director of Planning is first seeking any advice which Council may wish to provide.

APPENDIX A

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