Council Meeting
April 11, 2023 · 10:30 am
Summary
- Council approved updated Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) target rates, effective September 30, 2023, and added a CAC exemption for routine lower-density secured market rental rezonings.
- Seven plaza locations approved in principle for the 2023 Alcohol Consumption in Public Plazas Program, with both seasonal and year-round schedules.
- Auditor General's recommendations on office furniture purchases endorsed; Councillor Lenny Zhou appointed as alternate member of the Auditor General Committee.
- Approved a $19,000 funding application to the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for Emergency Operations Centre staff training.
- Five rezoning applications referred to public hearing: updated Density Bonus Contribution rates; Cambie Corridor townhouse/rowhouse rezoning; two towers at 1040-1080 Barclay Street (West End, up to 60 storeys); a 12-storey office building at 855-865 West 10th Avenue; and six-storey mixed-use buildings at 208 East 54th Avenue/Main Street.
- New bear spray bylaws enacted, regulating sales to those 19+, requiring ID checks, locked storage, and sale records; the identification number requirement was removed by amendment before final passage.
- A rezoning bylaw for 692 West 29th Avenue (RS-1 to RM-8A) enacted.
- Six subdivision bylaw amendments enacted for properties at Renfrew Street, Oak Street, West 49th Avenue, Willow Street/West 37th Avenue, West 42nd Avenue, and Dunbar Street.
- Four councillor motions referred to the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services (April 12, 2023): climate resilience retrofits for multi-family buildings; wine-on-shelf grocery store sales; arts event licence policy review; and a Mayor's Budget Task Force.
- Councillors raised questions about outcomes of the Hastings Street decampment and public access to Council meetings.
Minutes approved
- Approve Nomination Subcommittee Minutes Nov 28 2022
- Approve Nomination Subcommittee Minutes Feb 6 2023
- Approve Special Council Minutes Feb 28 2023
- Approve Special Council Minutes Mar 1 2023
- Approve Auditor General Committee Minutes Mar 2 2023
- Approve Special Council In Camera Minutes Mar 6 2023
- Approve Nomination Subcommittee Minutes Mar 10 2023
- Approve Council Minutes Mar 28 2023
- Approve Council PSPC Minutes Mar 29-30 2023
- Approve Nomination Subcommittee Minutes Mar 31 2023
Motions
Recalibration of CAC Targets
Carried Details
- Staff presented updated CAC target rates, with external consultants recommending maintaining eight rates and increasing five.
- Rates to take effect September 30, 2023; exemption for routine lower-density secured market rental rezonings effective immediately.
- Council also received for information a plan for establishing city-wide CAC targets for low- and mid-rise residential development.
- CACs are developer contributions made when land is rezoned for greater density or changed uses, helping fund public amenities without increasing property taxes.
Sites for 2023 Alcohol Consumption in Public Plazas
- Council is asked to approve seven public plaza locations for the 2023 Alcohol Consumption in Public Plazas Program, expanding on successful pilots run since 2020.
- The program will offer two streams: year-round (May 15, 2023 to May 14, 2024) and seasonal, based on requests from plaza steward partners.
- Year-round sites include the Main & 21st Neighbourhood Plaza and the Cambie & 17th Neighbourhood Plaza; all sites must provide accessible washroom facilities as a key eligibility requirement.
- The program has broad public support (92% approval in a 2021 survey) and no health or safety concerns were raised by VPD or Vancouver Coastal Health in previous years.
- Staff also consulted with VANDU and the Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education (EIDGE) regarding a peer-staffed outdoor drinking space in the Downtown Eastside as a harm-reduction measure, as directed by Council in 2022.
- A bylaw amendment to the City Land Regulation By-law No. 8735 is required to formally designate the approved locations as places where liquor may be consumed.
Auditor General Committee Recommendations Transmittal
- Council is asked to endorse five recommendations from the Auditor General's February 2023 audit of the City's office furniture purchases, which found general compliance but identified opportunities for improvement.
- The audit was initiated in response to significant public interest, particularly around the procurement of office chairs, and was conducted with the stated goal of impartiality regardless of public sentiment.
- The audit examined procurement policy, supplier selection processes, value achievement, and individual purchasing transactions, but did not assess the underlying policy decisions driving purchases (e.g., ergonomic requirements).
- A planned 2024 audit will examine the City's broader office space management practices.
- Council is also asked to update the Auditor General Committee's terms of reference to add an alternative voting member position, with Councillor Zhou appointed as that alternate member effective immediately.
UBCM Emergency Preparedness Fund Application
- Council is asked to approve a $19,000 funding application to the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) to support staff training for the Vancouver Emergency Management Agency (VEMA).
- If successful, the grant would fund four training sessions delivered by the Justice Institute of BC: two sessions of "EOC Essentials" (covering Emergency Operations Centre fundamentals) and two sessions of "Psychosocial Resilience in Disasters," each accommodating up to 24 participants.
- VEMA's training program was largely paused in recent years due to staff resources being directed toward COVID-19 response, the Strathcona encampment, heat emergency response, and Hastings Street operations, creating a pressing need to resume training.
- The CEPF stream covers up to 100% of eligible costs to a maximum of $30,000; VEMA is not requesting additional funds for EOC equipment upgrades, as capital priorities are already funded through Technology Services.
- A Council resolution is required as part of the grant application, and if approved, the City would need to sign a formal grant agreement with UBCM within 30 days of approval notification.
Refer Density Bonus Contributions Recalibration to Public Hearing
- Referred to public hearing proposed changes to Density Bonus Contribution rates across several zones, including increases to four rates and maintaining nine others.
- Proposed changes also include a new exemption for secured market rental in the Joyce-Collingwood RM-10N zone and an expanded definition of eligible amenities to include cultural facilities and transportation/public realm infrastructure.
- Rates to take effect September 30, 2023 if approved after public hearing.
Refer Cambie Corridor Townhouse Rezoning to Public Hearing
- Referred to public hearing a city-initiated rezoning of 220 parcels in the Cambie Corridor from RS-1/RT-1 to RM-8A/RM-8AN to streamline townhouse and rowhouse development.
- If approved, would eliminate individual rezoning applications for each parcel, saving applicants roughly 10-12 months of processing time.
- Could yield up to 1,600 townhouse/rowhouse units for home ownership in the Cambie Corridor.
Refer CD-1 Rezoning 1040-1080 Barclay Street to Public Hearing
1040-1080 Barclay Street- A rezoning application for 1040-1080 Barclay Street in the West End proposes two towers: a 60-storey east tower (167.6 m) with 636 secured-rental units (20% below-market) and a 57-storey west tower (167.6 m) with 365 strata units, ~99 social housing units, a 37-space childcare facility, and ground-floor commercial space.
- The site currently contains four rental buildings (built 1955–1981) with 173 units, 60 of which are eligible for protection under the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy.
- The proposal would dramatically increase density, raising the floor space ratio from 2.75 to 25.0 (east tower) and 20.7 (west tower), enabled by the West End Community Plan and the West End Rental Policy for the Burrard Corridor.
- The application is brought forward by Perkins+Will Canada Architects on behalf of Bosa-Kingswood Properties, and is supported in principle by the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability.
- Staff recommend referring the application to a Public Hearing, where residents will have an opportunity to provide input before any final decision is made.
- Housing agreements securing the below-market and social housing components would be required to be enacted prior to any rezoning by-law taking effect.
Refer CD-1 Rezoning 855-865 West 10th Avenue to Public Hearing
855-865 West 10th Avenue- A rezoning application for 855-865 West 10th Avenue, near Vancouver General Hospital, proposes a 12-storey strata-titled office and commercial building, replacing two existing three-storey office buildings on the site.
- The proposal would increase the floor space ratio from 1.70 to 6.17 and raise the building height from 10.7 m (35 ft.) to 46.4 m (152 ft.), under the framework of the Broadway Plan approved by Council in 2022.
- There are no residential tenants on the site, so no tenant relocation considerations apply.
- The application, submitted by W. T. Leung Architects on behalf of Three Putt Investments Ltd., qualifies under the Broadway Interim Rezoning policy, which allowed certain in-stream applications to proceed while the Broadway Plan was being developed.
- The Broadway Plan aims to integrate new housing, jobs, and amenities around the new Broadway Subway, and the surrounding area includes healthcare facilities, parks, schools, and childcare within close proximity.
- Staff recommend referring the application to a Public Hearing, with the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability supporting approval in principle subject to conditions.
Refer CD-1 Rezoning 208 East 54th Avenue to Public Hearing
208 East 54th Avenue, 7018-7078 Main Street and 211 East 55th Avenue- A rezoning application for a full block of properties at 208 East 54th Avenue, 7018-7078 Main Street, and 211 East 55th Avenue proposes two six-storey mixed-use residential buildings containing 131 secured market rental units.
- The site currently contains eight single-detached houses and nine secondary rental units; staff note there are no eligible tenants under the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy.
- The proposal would increase the floor space ratio from 0.75 to 3.62 and raise building height from 9.2 m (30 ft.) to 22.0 m (72.2 ft.), enabled by the Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy.
- The application is submitted by Matthew Cheng Architect Inc. on behalf of 7000 Main Holdings Ltd., and the surrounding neighbourhood is primarily single-detached and duplex (RT-2/RS-1) zoning, with a similar six-storey rental building recently approved four blocks north on Main Street.
- Nearby amenities include Sunset Park, Sunset Community Centre, and eight childcare facilities within 1 km; local schools (John Henderson Elementary and John Oliver Secondary) are projected to operate below capacity by 2031.
- Staff recommend referring the application to a Public Hearing, with the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability supporting approval in principle subject to conditions including a Housing Agreement to secure the rental units.
Amend By-law 2 Bear Spray Record Requirements
Carried Details
- By-law 2 (bear spray licence amendment) was amended to remove the requirement to record the identification number from a purchaser's ID.
- The amended record-keeping requirement retains: date and time of sale, product name and quantity, purchaser name and address, and type of ID provided.
- The change was intended to address privacy concerns about retaining government ID numbers.
Enact By-laws 1 and 4-9
Carried Details
- By-laws 1 and 4-9 enacted: rezoning of 692 West 29th Avenue (RS-1 to RM-8A) and six subdivision bylaw amendments (Renfrew Street, Oak Street, West 49th Avenue, Willow Street/West 37th Avenue, West 42nd Avenue, and Dunbar Street).
- Councillors Bligh, Montague, and Mayor Sim were ineligible to vote on By-law 1 as they were not on Council at the time of the original public hearing.
Enact By-law 2 Bear Spray License Amendment (as amended)
Carried Details
- Bear spray licence bylaw (By-law 2) enacted as amended, requiring businesses selling bear spray to verify purchaser age (19+), keep spray in a locked or inaccessible area, and maintain sale records for 12 months.
Enact By-law 3 Bear Spray Ticket Offences
Carried Details
- Bear spray ticket offences bylaw (By-law 3) enacted, setting $1,000 fines for each violation of the bear spray licence rules, including selling to minors, failing to verify ID, improper storage, and failing to maintain required records.
Agenda documents (26)
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
- Nomination Subcommittee – November 28, 2022
- Nomination Subcommittee – February 6, 2023
- Special Council (2023 Draft Operating Budget) – February 28, 2023
- Special Council (Business Licence Hearing) – March 1, 2023
- Auditor General Committee – March 2, 2023
- Special Council (In Camera) – March 6, 2023
- Nomination Subcommittee – March 10, 2023
- Council – March 28, 2023
- Council (Policy and Strategic Priorities) – March 29 and 30, 2023
- Nomination Subcommittee – March 31, 2023
REPORTS
1. Recalibration of Community Amenity Contribution Targets
2. Sites for 2023 Alcohol Consumption in Public Plazas Program
3. Auditor General Committee March 2, 2023 Recommendations Transmittal Report
4. Funding Application to the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) and Training
REFERRAL REPORTS
1. Recalibration of Density Bonus Contributions
2. City-Initiated Zoning Changes for Townhouses and Rowhouses in the Cambie Corridor
3. CD-1 Rezoning: 1040-1080 Barclay Street
4. CD-1 Rezoning: 855-865 West 10th Avenue
5. CD-1 Rezoning: 208 East 54th Avenue, 7018-7078 Main Street and 211 East 55th Avenue
BY-LAWS
MOTIONS
1. Requests for Leaves of Absence
2. Improving Climate Resilience and Reducing Emissions in Existing Multi-Family Buildings
3. Updating Guidelines to Allow for Wine-on-Shelf Sales in Vancouver Grocery Stores
4. Amping Up the Arts Event License Policy to Support Arts & Culture in Vancouver
5. Mayor’s Budget Task Force
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
Vote matrix
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Sim🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Rebecca Bligh🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Adriane Carr🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lisa Dominato🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pete Fry🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sarah Kirby-Yung🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Mike Klassen🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peter Meiszner🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lenny Zhou🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Christine Boyle🥜 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brian Montague🥜 |