July 29, 2016

Grandview-Woodland plan approved

The exhaustive and exhausting G-W Community Plan process came to an end Thursday when council approved the last iteration (with only Adriane Carr opposed due to the accelerated, mid-summer final-approval schedule). The amended plan reflected much of what the innovative Citizens Assembly had recommended but parted company with planning staff on the controversial Boffo-Kettle site at Venables and Commercial. The Vancouver Sun story is here.
The process itself will probably be mined for years for ideas about public engagement and attempts to hear the voices of citizens other than “the usual suspects.” What united the community was a concern about displacement of renters; the plan has a “pace of change” provision in which only 5 rental buildings, of a maximum of 150 units (out of about 4,000 in the area), will be considered for redevelopment in the first three years. It’s interesting the city has the power to do that within the framework of the Vancouver Charter.
 
vibeofthedrive
A city graphic from The Plan.
An uncontroversial part of the plan involves zoning on Commercial Drive itself – keeping the existing 3 FSR and resisting lot consolidation to try to keep its streetscape of small storefronts alive and vibrant. Changes to the RT duplex heritage/character area east of The Drive sailed through, too; changes to that zoning to make it more like the successful RT8 zoning in Kitsilano will penalize with a reduced FSR any owner/builder who wants to tear down a pre-1940 house, and reward retention with infill, multiple-suite conversions, and other goodies. However, a group of architects and fellow-travellers under the title “Dynamic Cities Project” opposed the reduction of the outright FSR there to .5.
Is there any innovative mechanism to retain and renovate the small, affordable apartment buildings without renovicting the tenants? If so, I haven’t spotted it. It seems everyone has drunk the Kool-Aid of Affordability and Supply to such an extent that they’re willing to tear down buildings that would sell at $400/square foot and replace them with larger ones at $800/square foot. However, there is much new rental density, especially along Hastings and on Broadway, which most people supported.
Open space in park-deficient Grandview was an issue for many, but the plan only offers “enhancements” and new “plazas” to soothe the 35% population increase predicted by the plan. Is this the new normal for dog-abundant, child-friendly Vancouver? Will the city say okay, this new ratio of greenspace/person is enough for the 21st century, and let’s decommission parks elsewhere in the city and build affordable housing on them? Doubt it.
In the hearings, the sweep of the plan was hijacked, to a degree, by the split in the community over Boffo-Kettle led by the No Venables Tower group. Supporters of the project, including a carefully curated, heartwarming video of the Kettle’s clients, were encouraged in chambers by Councillor Jang and clearly won the day. Much of the controversy about the project focused on building height (12 storeys) rather than its proposed FSR of around 6.7 in an area where the highest density so far is about 2.5; staff’s response, presumably reflecting urban design concerns and the impact of such a large condo component on the nearby low-income apartment area, was to recommend 9 storeys, a lower streetwall and an FSR close to 4. Cllrs. Carr and Affleck voted against the amendment.
I spoke to council in favour of the plan (as presented, not as amended) but didn’t find the amended outcome surprising. This is a rich country which increasingly supports its mentally ill population (in the case of Boffo-Kettle) and impoverished renter population with private-sector bonusing. The din of the cash registers while property-transfer taxes flow into provincial coffers and the city increasingly stratifies is never matched by increasing public investments in social services.
To me the major sour note was Councillor Meggs, at the end when words of reconciliation would have been appropriate, chiding the community for its reluctance to accept what he considers to be adequate density for public transit. A 35% population increase is not enough? In a community of transit users, many of whom are poor renters, with the highest cycling rate in the city? Of course, he is the point man on the Subway to Nowhere, aka the Broadway line that will terminate at Arbutus Street. Did I say I tried to stay neutral?
 

Posted in

Support

If you love this region and have a view to its future please subscribe, donate, or become a Patron.

Share on

Comments

  1. Thanks Michael; it was a long day and a very long process. i can only say how disappointing it was, and both dismissive and self-serving of Council. Regardless of the FSR, the Boffo project will do more to render affordable rentals a distant memory than any other single project. It will serve as a barrier to Commercial Drive and a visual assault. A very sad day.

  2. FYI Broadway;
    -busiest bus route in USA & Canada, >100,000 daily riders
    -every day >2000 pass ups on 99 B-line, > 500,000 per year
    -off peak is 75% capacity (capacity, not what’s comfortable)
    -2nd largest office district in Metro Van
    -95,000 jobs
    -2nd largest job hub in B.C., more jobs than next 8 largest Metro Van town centres combined
    -largest health care precinct in province, 8 major institutions, 40% all health care jobs in Metro Van.
    -87,000 daytime people at UBC by 2041, currently 60,000
    -6 of the 17 existing density nodes (2006 census) over 100 jobs/residential population per hectare in Metro Van
    -200,000 people live along Broadway Corridor
    -250,000 Skytrain trips on day it opens (Port Mann bridge 180,000, new George Massey Bridge 110,000)
    -320,000 boardings by 2041 (how did the boardings estimates work out on the Canada Line…significantly above)
    -in 1980’s planned for 30 years (~2010) and ranked ahead of Canada Line
    -original 2nd phase of Millennium Line (opened to Lougheed Stn and loop to New Westminster in 2002)

    1. These statistics are tremendous arguments for surface rail all the way to UBC using the existing level of funding, with money left over to provide north-south links to that line. Imagine a redesigned Broadway dominated by transit rather than cars! More pedestrian space, an entirely different feel to it. With a subway, it will be same old same old unsuccessful street on the surface.

      1. A street level LRT has far too many cross streets to block off. It is a bad idea. You still need east-west car traffic somewhere. Look to Calgary or Edmonton LRT how not to design it in dense areas ! Surface is OK west of Jericho along UBC golf course or Chancellor Blvd.
        In the interim a bus signaling system to turn cross streets red would be nice as the bus stops far too often for one or 2 cars while 100 on the bus people get stopped. How about some modern bus stop signage that shows me when the next #99 bus comes. It is far too slow to be called “express” bus.

      2. “With a subway, it will be same old same old unsuccessful street on the surface”
        East Broadway (from around Yukon to Fraser) is lined with the same types of structures that you see along Main St. Older, smaller scale 2 story structures with retail at ground level. With a subway station at Cambie and, maybe more importantly at Main, there will be a large surge in pedestrian traffic along this stretch. Lots of pedestrian traffic combined with these older affordable retail spaces should bring with it a diversity of new businesses. After a subway is built, Mt. Pleasant will become next level great.

      3. There’s much to be said for LRT between Main Street and UBC plus subway to Arbutus that Translink included in their Broadway transit study.
        Subway where demand and cross traffic make at-grade impractical, LRT bringing fast frequent transit to the entire length of False Creek and Granville Island (allowing GI to greatly reduce space devoted to cars), correct recognition of the much lower demand and cross traffic west of Arbutus, but with one serious problem: from Arbutus to Blanca it would have to run on street.
        If we accept Michael’s vision of a lively pedestrian street then the LRT will have to be able to cope with crosswalks every 200-300m. It will have to run slowly like trams do in downtown Toronto.
        Given that LRT would have a protected ROW both west of Blanca and east of Arbutus, the overall travel time would still be very competitive with other options, even with a slow streetcar segment in the middle. Try driving along Broadway between Trafalgar and Waterloo and you’ll soon see what I mean. Delays caused by closely spaced crosswalks, drivers attempting to turn left and right, parallel parking, etc. are significant. Where there are lots of destinations all forms of transportation slow down.
        Whether the public could be convinced that such a solution is worth spending another billion dollars is, however, debatable.

        1. The subway is essentially self-funding . We get higher property values which the city will tax AND we get ore business i.e. more GST and PST revenue and we will get more employment ie more income taxes. A subway tunnel is good for 100+ years. London’s subway system is 150+ years old.
          Missing is also the subway going east out of downtown, and one downtown to Denman @ Davie / Stanley Park, and one over Lionsgate bridge to W-Van and along North Shore. Why are there not daily riots demanding a new Lionsgate bridge ? Where is that debate ?
          As long as we elect narrow-minded politicians that continue to clog our roads with more and more housing and think more (diesel spewing) buses and bike lanes are the only answer to congestion nothing significant will change.
          Province and feds are ready to fund. What is stopping us besides this local narrow “vision” ? The transit referendum was lost as the plan was WEAK ! Why are the same mayors still running the (Mayor Council on Transportation) show ? See Brexit: the PM resigned as did numerous ministers that supported the “stay” vote then lost. We demand far too little of our politicians.

        2. You could get another few blocks of off-road LRT along the Jericho lands. There are no commercial frontages between Highbury and Discovery to so LRT wouldn’t be missed as a business generator on that stretch where the bus currently runs along 10th Ave.

        3. Jericho final design is 2-3 years out, possibly more. Only then can one say what kind of LRT or subway is appropriate. Unclear why the Vancouver Mayor wants a Broadway subway to Arbutus only with the Jericho medium to high density development imminent, or concurrent with subway development in the 2020’s ? Subway to Alma at least, then possibly surface to UBC.
          UBC btw has ZERO plans to have a subway below Wesbrock to the very dense “village” south of 16th ! ZERO.
          Talk about “integrated” planning in Metrovan ! Is the Electroal Area A rep asleep at the switch ?

        4. A fairly (not very) dense, tiny little village stranded an absurd distance to the campus, across expansive playing fields. No need for a subway or even a streetcar. It’s a continuation of the same dumb UBC move to the end of the world. It barely justifies a bus.

        5. UBC is where it is. A jewel with worldwide attraction and part of the BC brand. A $2B+ annual budget ! As I said, totally disconnected planning. UBC is the second largest employer base in the region (after downtown) with 10,000+ employees and a day time population of over 60,000 going to 80,000+. Massive lineups on buses when UBC is in session. Less so on weekends and in summer. To see what is happening at UBC click here: https://pricetags.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/whats-happening-at-ubc-lots
          Massive traffic jams along Wesbrock Mall. Shoudl have a second subway stop at Wesbrock Village.
          Ditto in N-Van. Once 200,000 more people have arrived there in 50,000+ condos they realize: oh, there is a traffic problem. Let’s plan to fix it .. and then 20 years later a solution. Or Surrey, or Langley ..
          Common sense is not so common. But who cares. The city planning jobs pay very well and the jobs are safe. Why make an extra effort ?

        6. Well the Broadway tram line might be better along the 16th street central boulevard with tram actuated stop lights for the few crossings every 5 blocks by cars.

  3. Good that Commercial Drive will not be rezoned. Density along arterials should start 1/2 block away from the arterials in order to preserve the streetscape and daylignt and to reduce noise levels for residents.

      1. Yet Commercial Drive retail is rapidly becoming dreadful bars and cafes with high turnover of operators with the current zoning.
        Nothing to protect the community stupidity of the Drive landowners.

Subscribe to Viewpoint Vancouver

Get breaking news and fresh views, direct to your inbox.

Join 7,284 other subscribers

Show your Support

Check our Patreon page for stylish coffee mugs, private city tours, and more – or, make a one-time or recurring donation. Thank you for helping shape this place we love.

Popular Articles

See All

All Articles