CD-1 Rezoning 7051 Ash Crescent Langara Gardens

Statement Watch

Good evening. I'm Judy Helley, and I'm the rental office manager at Langara Gardens, but I'm also a tenant. I've been at Langara for over 31 years. From the time I started back in 1994, redevelopment of Langara Gardens was discussed. I'm absolutely in favor of redevelopment. The garden apartments are getting old, and more and more there are issues that cannot easily be repaired. Many people want air conditioning, freezers, and en suite laundry, which we're not able to offer or allow. We don't have the power or the plumbing to allow this. Being accessible is so important. I found this out as my husband was disabled and in a wheelchair for years. Now, as I'm getting older, not old, I find stairs can be difficult and painful. Carrying laundry would be difficult or impossible for some, and stairs are currently unavoidable in the garden apartments. We have a photo of the original Langara Gardens in our office from 1970, the days before trees. The architect showed this in his presentation, along with Langara Gardens and the future Langara Gardens. I could imagine the opposition before Langara was built. I believe we are now ready for a new phase of this complex. It will look even better than now. I understand this change is not inconvenience us but to prepare us for the future future for the young and older populations with redevelopment going on all around us personally it is not unbearable when buildings are completed they're beautiful and refreshed with the traffic you can plan your day around it learn the shortcuts we have convenient transit as well The ownership of Langara Gardens from the beginning listened to what our tenants wanted in the new development, especially the outdoor pools, recreation area, accessibility, and views. We have tenants that reside in what will be phase one that have special needs. It would be awesome for them to be around to enjoy and watch the birth of the new Langara Gardens complex. Benefit from the transfer to the towers at the same rent. until the new apartments are ready. Now, I made a promise when this all started that I would be here for our tenants for redevelopment. I am 68, and I would like to fulfill this promise. So let's get started, get it done. Let's do it for the future, the next generation, and to add to our beautiful community, our family, our home. Build it so that many, like many of us, will continue to make Langara Gardens our home. Thank you.

Statement Watch

I'm ready to go.

Yes, go ahead, Donald. You have five minutes.

Thank you. So my name is Donald Hickling. I'm a resident of Vancouver. In fact, I live in Langara Gardens in Tower 3, which is located on 7241 Canby Street. I am in favor of the redevelopment of Langara Gardens and wanted to make three very quick points. So firstly... When I moved to Langara 12 years ago and it was shown around the various apartments, the Langara Gardens rental agent was very transparent about the fact that the owner was planning to redevelop the property and that it would involve the townhouses and garden apartments, all of them. They could not specify a specific timeframe, but I kind of had the impression it might happen within five years. But here we are 12 years later. So that's my first point. The owners of the property, it was first Peterson and then joined by Concert as their partners, have been very upfront and transparent about their redevelopment plans. In fact, I would say they've gone out of their way to keep tenants informed about each step of the process. My second point I wanted to make, even to a somewhat untrained eye, but I did do a bit of construction work in my early years, it is easy to see just from walking around that the garden apartments and the townhouses are nearing the end of their useful life. Peterson is the rental agent does an excellent job of maintaining them, but really they're coming up from being 60 years old and there's really a limit to what you can do with wood frame construction of that era and age. So in my mind it's not a question of if it's really about when and who does the redevelopment. And my third and final point is. Again, going back to if we accept the fact that redevelopment is inevitable, given the age of the buildings, it comes down to the question of who. And I personally, I've lived in Vancouver all my life. I personally don't think we could ask for better developers than Peterson and Concert. It's really a perfect marriage in my mind. They're two excellent developers, and they've enjoyed a sterling reputation in the community for all the projects they've done, top quality every time. And I say this with all respect, you can't say that about every developer, I think, but you can say that about Peterson and Concert. And on top of that, they're good community partners and landlords. I really do feel confident, but I am also concerned about renters. I know it's hard moving, but I really do feel confident that Peterson Concert will do everything they can to help the renters who will be temporarily displaced. And they will also, for the people that will be staying on the property, myself on the towers, they will minimize to the greatest extent possible the disruptions that will be faced by residents. And ultimately, and this is most important, I've looked at the plans, I've studied them, I've listened very carefully. We're going to end up with something that's really spectacular on Langara Gardens. I love the fact that they keep in mind the original tent of the architect. I think that's spectacular. So for those reasons, I'm in support, and I want to thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to speak this evening.

Statement Watch

Thank you so much. This is Jared Foreman, and I'm a resident of Vancouver, and I am here today to speak strongly in support of the Langara Gardens project being proposed. And I say that because while I didn't grow up in this city, I chose to build my life in Vancouver because it's an ambitious place, it's a diverse place, and I see it as a city full of possibility. And yet for a lot of young professionals like me, the biggest barrier to putting down roots in this place is housing. Rent eats up too much of our income. Ownership feels like a distant dream. And quite frankly, too often major housing proposals like this one get delayed or watered down, leaving real concerns about whether the city is serious about providing serious and real opportunity for the next generation. Langara Gardens really is the sort of project that can turn the tide. It would deliver thousands of new homes in a transit-connected neighborhood, including a substantial number of purpose-built rentals and below-market units. It's the sort of scale that truly matters, and it would show that we can meaningfully address affordability instead of just continuing to add housing in small increments. Projects of this size and scale are truly rare, and this is the sort of project that can have citywide impact. Young professionals like myself, but also tradespeople, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and so many others just want an opportunity to contribute here in Vancouver. We want to build careers, we want to start families, and we want to invest in our communities. We want to stay here. But realistically, that's not possible unless there are homes we can realistically afford. And so it's for that reason that I strongly support the Langara Gardens project, because it moves Vancouver in the right direction towards more housing, more opportunity, and a city where young people can see a future for themselves. Thank you so much.

Statement Watch

for taking the call today. I'm glad to be speaking to all of you. I am speaking as a resident of Vancouver and I'm speaking strongly in support of this proposal. Langara Gardens is located near great transit networks, schools, parks, and adding housing here aligns directly with our housing targets and transportation goals. As a young person in the city, increasing housing seems like a no-brainer to me and this project seems... Absolutely great. And I think that it would be a wonderful addition, especially with close proximity to transit and rapid transit. And the part about this project that I actually really love, and though I'm not a parent yet, I hope to be, and I love the addition of the childcare spaces. I hear from young parents that I know that we are very much lacking those childcare spaces. People are having to put their kids on these lists even before their children are born. And I think that putting housing with child care just makes sense. And I'm really happy to see this project and see how it's turning out. And I hope that you all choose to expedite this project and get it approved. Thank you very much.

Statement Watch

Okay. Hi, everyone. My name is Baraka Guta. I'm a resident of Vancouver and a member of the South Vancouver Neighborhood Assembly. And, yeah, I want to just speak frankly about my position on this rezoning application. I'm not opposed to redevelopment, but I disagree with this rezoning plan. And I've had the opportunity to talk to many neighbors, residents, and friends about this rezoning application. And I'm here on behalf of the people who couldn't make it, the workers, the residents, the seniors, the people in the neighborhood, those people who are working hard to keep our city and country running, those raising the next generation, and those directly impacted by these changes. As members of the South Vancouver Neighborhood Assembly, we've been talking directly with these people and learning from each other to determine what is in our interest. Based on these conversations, I want to raise some issues that I see with this plan and what I've learned from our neighbors. So first of all, I think everybody's worried about this redevelopment. We can see what's happening in the city already. I myself have been living in the city for more than 20 years, and I'm genuinely worried about the way that redevelopment is pushing people like me out of the city. I've had many friends go leave BC because even with the promise of market housing, new stratas, I don't see how a person like me can actually afford this city. The people that I've talked to are saying they're planning on leaving this country. They don't know what future that they have in the city because of redevelopments like this. We all love our community. We are part of it and we do not want to leave, but plans like these make us, displace us. We see this plan as disruptive to the lives of working people, and it lacks genuine democracy. I myself pride myself in being able to understand bureaucratic corporate mumbo-jumbo, but this is on a whole other level. It's vague. It is unclear what the way redevelopment, like the tenant relocation policy is going to occur. People that I've talked to are unsure where they're actually going to find this housing that they say is available in this city when I can't even find housing in South Vancouver. We see this plan as disruptive. There's nothing that can be said. It's being imposed by these corporations that are coming in all in suits, clearly here to make profit while people like me are being kicked out of the city. And this housing crisis, I'm unsure how this plan for more significant market housing is going to solve it and help our communities. With the rising cost of living, which is on everybody's mind, this plan is just another nail in the coffin in our community. It's literally killing us. I'm glad the questions about grocery stores, food desert have been raised because this is something I've already been hearing. In Marpol, there's literally no grocery stores other than one Safeway. In this area, there's literally one bus station, one... train station right at Langara and 49 that's filled every day with working class people just trying to get home. I don't see this plan as being meant for working class people in this neighborhood. I see it as profit for Peterson and concert properties, which already own a ton of properties across the city and are just going to continue making more and more money. Something else that's been raised by residents of South Vancouver has been the lack of schools in this plan. Where are the kids going to go? There's no space for us. Again, I'm not opposed to redevelopment, but I'm opposed to redevelopment that's based on corporate interests, not working class people. So what I ask you to consider is make a plan that's actually for working class people. This 20% social housing is not enough. In this housing crisis, we need decent and genuine social housing for working people, not more housing for corporate profits. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you. So I want to start off with a quote that I've been trying to understand for the past bit. It says any approval that may be granted following the public hearing shall not obligate the city to enact a bylaw rezoning the property at any cost incurred and fulfilling requirements imposed as a condition of rezoning or at the risk of the property owner.

Can you just pull away from the mic a little bit? Is this better? It's a little better, yeah. Well, thanks.

So my understanding of that quote, and I am not a lawyer, I'm not a planner, I did spend a lot of time trying to understand the Vancouver official development plan. Is this better? Is the mic still weird? That was better. But I still get a bit lost, so I might be wrong. But my understanding of this is that whatever happens tonight... It's not legally binding. So if, for example, Peterson or concert were to have financial troubles, they could change the plan. And this concerns me because I've seen it happen before. I used to live in Burnaby. And I understand the tenant assistance policy is not the trip. And then Peterson is doing something based on the trip. So it also might not totally be the trip. What happened with the tap is a developer in Metrotown did go bankrupt, sinned, so couldn't... wouldn't pay the tenants who were evicted and supposed to, so they'd be paying the same rent, and it's not quite the same for the trip. So these tenants are not getting any money, and also the building isn't being constructed, so they can't move in. And I bring up this example, even though it's all staying... It's all staying within Lingara Gardens, which sounds good, right? Like, you don't have to move too far, although you still have to move. And the units people are moving back into are going to be smaller, which... And also... What if something goes wrong? There's no guarantee. And also, if the towers aren't being torn down, where are people going to go? I just really don't understand what this relocation is going to look like. And it worries me. And it also worries me that there's no guarantee it will even have to happen. We're in a wild timeline. There are empty... condos and rents going down like a little bit so I'm not sure and do we and do we need more units it's not a problem of supply they're empty they're empty units empty condos so to me it's it's missing the mark like what this proposal is trying to do it's as though we're like oh yeah and also like it sounds good like social housing yeah we need that but again i go back back to my initial quote i i worry that it won't actually end up happening if something if something happens The daycare facility, it also sounds good, but there's no mention of how much it will cost. And daycare that costs, like, 20, 30 bucks a day, it's not affordable. I know parents who stay home with their kids, like, aren't working right now and trying to get by on disability and whatnot, because daycare is expensive, and the plan doesn't mention that. And I'm not shocked that all of this is happening. If we go back to 20... 2018. I think it came from the city, that first document. I appreciated the history. It's been a long time. And then I think that Peterson Concert came up with a second, something very similar. So I can see that the council is working with developers for more housing. And yes, but what about the people who are already living there? What if we reverse this? And did they come? And Judy might actually know. Like, did people come to you, and did they say, like, I want a new building? My building's from 1950, and it's old, and stuff's not okay, but I don't want to leave. And no one I spoke to in these towers wanted to leave. But I could be wrong. Like, maybe you had, like, 100 people demanding you go to a new building. Relocate us. We want to live in smaller units. Like, I don't know. The people who live in the building are really important, and I get why they're not here as many of them are here tonight. Because I have spoken before. I've been cut off at council. I've spoken through hundreds of other people, and none of us were listened to. And I even know these hearings are going away. A city planner told me this, that they're kind of a sham. Like, we can say whatever. They can listen to us. I hope you do, please, because maybe something can change. But you don't have to. There's no guarantee. And I think there's something to be said for people who live in the buildings, who work in the neighborhoods, being the ones who get to decide what happens. We're early days. But not really. I've been speaking to council for the last eight years. And... And the South Vancouver Neighborhood Assembly is a place where we should go to have our voices heard because we're going to get there. Emily, thank you. Oh, it's the time. Thank you for coming.

Statement Watch

Okay. Yes, hi. My name is Scotty Green. I'm resident of Marple, actually Montcalm and 72nd, and I do want to speak in opposition to this motion. um like one of the previous speakers said i'm not opposed to redevelopment at that site um but i do have a lot of concerns uh the fact that when asked about parking solutions and grocery solutions the developer openly said yeah we'll figure it out later um should be some massive red flags um that typically means they won't deal with it and it'll be somebody else's problem um i parking in this city is an absolute nightmare as it is, and without a valid parking solution, without a valid grocery solution, without valid a number of family-oriented homes, I believe they said they would expect a certain number. This should be voted down just on that basis alone. They should come back with some more concrete numbers. Like, why is this being allowed to happen where we just take them on their word that they might, in theory, have an idea of what they're doing? um and the second thing i want to speak in opposition to this is the whole idea of market rate i believe they said about 70 units will be at market rate with 30 below market rate now for context i work at canada post i have a full-time job in theory i should be able to afford a modest place in this city i'm not talking a penthouse i'm not talking a home just a modest one-bedroom apartment The only reason I can afford my place at Montcalm and 72nd is because I moved in in 2019. The market rate for my place now is about 60% higher than what I'm currently paying for rent. If or even when I get rent evicted again, I cannot afford market rate in this city. Mar-a-Pole is one of the few cheap, affordable places for working class people left in the city. And for city councillors to decide market rate is acceptable is shameful. Market rate is dictated by capitalist landlords who are wanting to gut our wallets for their own pockets. They don't care about this city. They don't care about the people who live here. Market rate is dictated by forces beyond the renter's control. In 2017, I believe, there was a motion to put forward a Canada Line station at 57th and Canby that was rejected at the time. And that would vastly have increased the, quote, market rate in the area. So anyone who would have wanted to move in at that time would have paid significantly more. So this whole idea of market rate is something every city Councillor should wholeheartedly reject. They should tell them, no, you come back with below market rate or at-cost housing. This whole idea of market rate. I've seen so many developments in this neighborhood come up, I can't afford. Granville and 70th, I can't afford it. Marine Gateway, I can't afford it. French and 71st, I can't afford it. Developments on 70th, developments on Osler, I can't afford it. Keep in mind, I work a full-time job at Canada Post. You'd think I could afford something simple and modest. I cannot. when i get renovated next i will not be able to afford to live in this city so this whole idea of market rate is shameful i will be paying very close attention to every council who votes yes for this including the ones who claim to support housing affordability and i will be making sure to tell people how they voted because working-class people in marple cannot afford market rates So please remember that. Please remember that when you decide this proposal. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Yeah, so, I mean, I was just calling in to... yeah i wanted to calling for my support for the uh langara gardens rezoning um i just think it's really important to have more rental houses across the the vancouver area just not in uh the kind of more select areas that you typically end up seeing it um like a lot of people have said already like the the city is facing um like a severe uh yes housing crisis um it's a shortage The proposal brings in a bunch of new homes and a bunch of new rental homes that the scale of that just like it feels like it pushes us in the right direction. I also feel that the inclusion of the 700 homes through the city social housing and moderate income rental program. It's especially important. I feel like that is at very least a step in the right direction. Yeah, it's excellent for those projects also to have those inclusion of the social spaces and the more open plan for parkways. Yeah, I feel like the proposal really creates... uh options for for working people who are increasingly priced out of uh living in vancouver and while it might not be uh the perfect solution i think the intention of it and the the direction of it uh pushes us again in the correct direction we like the vancouver residents need uh well-located program projects like this one um that help push us towards making a more affordable area to live in for Vancouver.

Statement Watch

Perfect. Thank you so much. My name is David Gover. I'm a resident in Vancouver. Thank you for the opportunity to speaking in front of council. I'll keep it short. I just want to speak in support of this project. I think it hits on a few areas, including new childcare spaces, the addition of new rental homes to the area, including moderate and income rental suites. but also just the added greenery space as well and the preservation of the garden-like setting. I think building new homes everywhere in the city is super important, and this project should be a no-brainer and just want to urge council to strongly vote in support of this project. Thank you very much.

Statement Watch

yeah hi i'm a resident of vancouver and i like to speak in support of this development all the points that i would have made have already been made by most people here like being near transit uh transit station obviously beneficial i go along camping all the time and i always wondered when you would see between that space and south band and oakridge 41st you'd see more master plan communities coming up with lots of green space especially uh just because i find that a lot of the development that's already been there just kind of in single or one or two buildings but nothing really cohesive to the neighborhood obviously a lot of other people here have spoken uh who who live in the uh the current existing uh development there have spoken in favor of wanting to enhance their their their living quarters due to the deteriorating quality of the uh the the space there and i think it's very beneficial air conditioning especially with how hot summers are getting in vancouver these new units Being more energy efficient, having better performing windows and things like that will improve the living standards of everyone who lives in this area greatly. But one thing I really want to touch on that's been brought up a lot with relating to working class people being priced out of the neighborhood, I find this really frustrating because... you need to be able to meet the housing demand in order for rents to be low enough for people to afford housing. And coming in and saying, I usually am in support of development, but then saying, I actually don't want this development, and this is just repeated on and on and on and on again for so many developments in the city. the vacancy rate in the city is incredibly incredibly low we need more housing you do not lower rents by not building housing it is counterintuitive it doesn't make sense economically there needs to be more housing built you can read posts and articles in the cmhc that that they've released about how the vacancy rate is affecting the cost of housing and how building more houses especially now as the vacancy rate has actually gone up because more housing is being built we're seeing a lowering of the rent And this needs to continue. If we go back to times post-COVID, 2021, 2022, 2023, when the vacancy rate was around 1%, you were seeing people in bidding wars to rent apartments. That can't happen in the city anymore. People like myself are paying way too much to afford rent in this city.