Below is the list as of April 1, 2019.
For an explanation of our monthly snapshots please visit this page:
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/city-hall/snapshots-rezoning-development-applications/
As a free public service CityHallWatch takes a monthly snapshot of the Rezoning Applications listed on the City of Vancouver website. The list contains valuable information on each application, and indicates scheduled “open houses” and Public Hearings. Spread the word to anyone who might be affected or interested. There are about 70 proposed, over 70 approved, and several open houses coming up.
A tech-savvy citizen is voluntarily producing two handy online maps (click bottom right to switch between rezoning and development applications): https://vancouverapps-fa328.firebaseapp.com/
Download the full list of development applications we created in PDF format:
CoV rezoning applications snapshot 1-Apr-2019
For a current list of applications, click: vancouver.ca/devapps/.
Below is the list as of April 1, 2019. Continue reading
Update –
COPE Commissioner John Irwin has submitted a motion to the Vancouver Park Board meeting for April 1, 2019 seeking a significant expansion of Crab Park, the downtown waterfront park east of Canada Place and north of Gastown. This would increase the size of the park’s size by about 50%, from 8.2 to over 12 acres. He is also calling for funds to improve Crab Park, including enhancements to green space, construction of an arts and cultural centre, and construction of a new pedestrian overpass over the railyard between Columbia Street and Crab Park.
The park is a precious piece of Vancouver waterfront, but relatively inaccessible, as it can only be accessed from a Main Street overpass from the east or Waterfront Road from the west.
Further below is the text of his motion, plus some key facts and links to related coverage. Anyone supportive of this motion is encouraged to write or speak to the Park Board. (See contact info below.) But first, here are some photos and video kindly created by Vancouver photographer Susan Lu (www.susanluphoto.com).
[New version of video]
MOTION ON NOTICE [for April 1, 2019] (PDF)
Submitted at the Regular Board meeting held on 2019-03-11
Request that Port of Vancouver Extend the Area of the Crab Park Lease
MOVER: Commissioner Irwin
WHEREAS:
1. On April 18, 2018, a project permit was approved for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s project to build a series of improvements at the Centerm container terminal;
2. The project will extend the Centerm container terminal considerably to the west, which will greatly impair the view of the ocean and north shore mountains from Crab Park;
3. Crab Park would benefit from the addition of greenspace and a possible site for a proposed arts and cultural centre (which would include First Nations and Urban Indigenous programming); and
4. Access to Crab Park for area residents could be greatly improved by the addition of a walkway from Columbia Street to the park.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
A. THAT the Vancouver Park Board immediately write a letter to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority requesting that the current leased area for the park be extended by adding the four acre parking area directly to the west of the park to the leased area of Crab Park;
B. THAT the Park Board also request that the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority dedicate offsetting funds from the project to be directed to improving Crab Park by funding greenspace enhancements and construction of an arts and cultural centre;
C. THAT the Vancouver Park Board request offsetting funds for funding a new accessible pedestrian overpass from Columbia Street to Crab Park.
************** Continue reading
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
QUOTE OF THE DAY
This is relevant for us all these days, not the least in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver, dealing with such complex and fast-paced issues. A shout-out to urban thinker and former city planner, Ray Spaxman, for pointing out the quote in his e-mail newsletter.
“Though everyone wants to be right, as soon as people start to air incompatible views it becomes clear that not everyone can be right about everything. Also, the desire to be right can collide with a second desire, to know the truth, which is uppermost in the minds of bystanders to an argument who are not invested in which side wins. Communities can thereby come up with rules that allow true beliefs to emerge from the rough and tumble of argument, such as that you have to provide reasons for your beliefs, you’re allowed to point out flaws in the beliefs of others, and you’re not allowed to forcibly shut people up who disagree with you. Add in the rule that you should allow the world to show you whether your beliefs are true or false, and we can call the rules science. With the right rules, a community of less than fully rational thinkers can cultivate rational thoughts.”
From “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” (2018) by Canadian-American cognitive scientist Steven Pinker.
More reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_Now
The two remaining open houses at this point are as follows:
Kitsilano Neighbourhood House
2305 W 7th Avenue (at Vine)
March 13, 2019 (3 – 7 pm)
Kingsgate Mall
370 E Broadway (at Kingsway)
Thursday, March 14 (3- 7 pm)
The City of Vancouver is launching a two-year process “to create a comprehensive Broadway area plan,” covering the area between 1st and 16th Avenues, and between Vine Street and Clark Drive. It is intended to be a 30-year plan with a focus on housing, jobs, and amenities around the “future” Broadway Subway.
CityHallWatch hastens to note that by no means is the subway guaranteed. It is a legacy of a decade of Vision Vancouver, when all efforts were made by the developer-and-union funded “regime” to drive all discussions toward the inevitable conclusion that the subway must be built. Valid challenges have been made to the fundamental data used to justify the need for the subway. Many things still need to happen to start construction and get it through to completion. There never was a significant effort to get an extensive or real gauge of public opinion on whether or not the specific Broadway Subway proposal was supported or not. In fact, one could say that the complete obliteration of Vision from City Council in the October 2018 election was a proxy vote, as the Broadway Subway was one of former Mayor Gregor Robertson’s main pillars.
But be that as it may, everyone is encouraged to learn what the City is proposing, stay engaged, and provide input. Continue reading
Proposed by Westbank Project Corp and affiliated company Creative Energy (formerly Central Heat Distribution Ltd.), here are details of an open house for a rezoning application for 720 Beatty Street from Downtown (DD) District to Comprehensive Development (CD-1) to permit the development of a 17-storey office tower, above a steam plant that provides thermal energy to the downtown peninsula. See below to links to presentation materials and documents.
March 11, 2019 (Monday)
5 to 7:30 pm
Vancouver Public Library Central Branch,
Alice Mackay Room (350 W Georgia St)
Creative Energy’s exiting pipe network
References:
Westbank’s Bjarke Ingels-designed office tower goes to open house –
Open house March 11 for proposed Beatty Street project (Naoibh O’Connor, Vancouver Courier, 27-Feb-2019)
https://www.vancourier.com/real-estate/westbank-s-bjarke-ingels-designed-office-tower-goes-to-open-house-images-1.23645933
Note that the application goes to the Urban Design Panel on April 17, 2019.
Screen grab from City of Vancouver VanMap – zoning districts of the city
A sharp citizen noticed this meeting posted on the City website on Thursday.
City-wide Plan – Special Council Meeting
March 9, 2019 (Saturday), 9 am to 3 pm
Joyce Walley Room, Museum of Vancouver
1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC
Agenda: https://council.vancouver.ca/20190309/spec20190309ag.htm
Info from the City:
Extra comments (not from the City):
Related reading Continue reading
