CD-1 Rezoning 304-316 East 1st Avenue

Motion 44 · Council Meeting, July 29, 2026

On Consent Location 304-316 East 1st Avenue

Summary

A 26-storey mixed-use building is proposed at 304–316 East 1st Avenue (corner of East 1st Avenue and Scotia Street), in the Broadway Plan's Creative District area.
The development would include 217 rental units, with a minimum of 20% of residential floor area reserved as below-market housing, plus ground-floor commercial and second-floor office space.
The proposal exceeds Broadway Plan limits (which allow up to 20 storeys and 7.0 FSR); the applicant is requesting 26 storeys and 11.8 FSR, citing site constraints including a shallow lot depth of 30.5 m and a 5 m slope toward 1st Avenue.
The site is within Tier 1 of the Great Northern Way–Emily Carr Station Transit-Oriented Area, and the future SkyTrain station will be approximately 200 m to the east; no existing residents would be displaced as the site currently contains a commercial warehouse.
Staff are supportive of the additional height and density given the site constraints, transit proximity, and alignment with the Official Development Plan's 26-storey maximum and the Development Viability Report adopted in December 2025.
The General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability recommends approval in principle, subject to conditions including a Housing Agreement to secure the below-market rental units.