A non-partisan, non-profit group representing the Grandview-Woodland community
Grandview Woodland Area Council
  • News
    • In the news
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Member feedback
    • Previous Boards 2019-2020 through 2002-2003
  • Community Calendar
    • Submit Calendar Events
  • Community Issues
    • High-Level Planning Initiatives
    • Stop the Stink!
    • Britannia Centre Master Plan & Visioning Process
    • Community Plan >
      • Venables Greenway Project
  • Archives
    • Meeting Minutes >
      • 2014-2015
      • 2013
      • 2002
      • 2001
      • 2000
      • 1999
    • Publications >
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
      • 2009
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2002
      • 2001
    • Founding Documents

Analysis of 5-storey infill proposal at 1102 Commercial Drive. Public input due May 20th

5/18/2016

 
A proposal for a 5-storey infill building has been filed for 1102 Commercial Drive, at the corner of Napier Street. Many residents of Grandview-Woodland will know the site by the current two-storey building with Moja coffee, and formerly containing the Florida Market.

The City of Vancouver has provided an opportunity for public feedback on this proposal. Comments can be made on or before Friday, May 20th for staff consideration in the review (the wepage also notes: "However, comments will be considered up until the date of decision"). Further details are on the City of Vancouver’s website:
  • http://development.vancouver.ca/pc1102commercial/index.htm

Comments can be sent directly to City staff via email: sangeeta.vishwakarma@vancouver.ca (604-871-6412)
and to darren.lee@vancouver.ca (604-871-6703)
Please note that the planner now assigned to the proposal is Sangeeta Vishwakarma, the previous contact was phoebe.stewart@vancouver.ca

There are a number of issues with this proposed 5-storey development, the most serious of which is that it does not appear to conform to the limits set under the current zoning bylaw.

Current zoning does not allow for:
• a 5-storey, 48.5 ft tall building anywhere on the site
• a setback of 7.16 feet is not permitted in the rear under any circumstance (the 5-storey building wall would be 2.16 metres from the laneway)

Furthermore, there are issues of scale, fit and neighbourliness. One of the urban design conventions in the “C-2” zones is to have a building step back toward the laneway so that the scale transitions from a 3 or 4-storey building along an arterial road to housing on residential blocks. Across from the laneway to the east are a couple of duplex, two-storey ‘Vancouver specials’ on 33’ lots (10.5m wide). The proposed abrupt change in scale is not neighbourly. As well, there will be issues not just with privacy, but with shade later in the afternoon.

Based on the width of the lane, a minimum building setback of 15.1 feet in the rear would be required, even when allowing for the maximum relaxation outlined in section 4.6.2 of the C-2C1 zoning bylaw.

The current building height that is allowed outright is 10.7 metres, or 35 feet (for 3-storeys).  A relaxation can be requested to a height not exceeding 13.8 metres (45 feet) that could allow for a 4-storey building. The regulations do not allow for a further relaxation on the relaxation to exceed the maximum height on this site.

The proposal would see the removal of a tall, mature street tree. Work would need to be done on the hydro lines as well on the laneway.

The suggested choice of siding installed “using pre-formed pre-coloured aluminum joint materials” is not compatible with the recently renovated building frontage on Commercial nor is it neighbourly and sensitive to the materials in the buildings in the vicinity.

A single information sign is tucked away around the corner of the site on Napier Street, there is no information sign posted prominently at the 1102 Commercial Drive address. This has limited the ability of the public to comment on the project.
 
The City’s description of the proposal is as follows:
• retaining the existing two-storey Heritage B building;
• a new five-storey infill residential building with 8 secure market rental units at the rear of this site;
• a proposed maximum height of approximately 48.5 feet;
• a proposed floor space ratio 2.7 (approximately 10107.5 square feet);
• one-car share parking space having vehicular access from the lane; and
• removal of one street tree on Napier Street.

The zoning bylaw is available here :
  • http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/BYLAWS/zoning/c-2c1.pdf

Setting the record straight
As a result of the ongoing Grandview-Woodland Community Plan, there is a freeze on new rezoning applications. This 5-storey infill proposal is a Development Permit Application that would require the approval of City staff to proceed. City staff can only permit the application if it is allowed under existing zoning.

Zoning limits what you can and cannot do on property. This proposal exceeds current zoning limits, and none of the relaxations outlined in section 5 of the C-2C1 bylaws apply to this site condition. City Council, and not staff, have the power to rezone land in Vancouver.
 
The City of Vancouver has a series of predefined zoning types that are commonly used for commercial districts along arterial streets. The Drive uses variants of the “C-2” zoning that are also used along Kingsway, Fraser, parts of Main Street, West 4th Avenue and East Hastings and Nanaimo. The specific variant of C-2 used along this stretch of Commercial Drive is C-2C1.
 
According to the information sign, the current Acting Director of Planning, Jane Pickering (email: jane.pickering@vancouver.ca), will review this proposal behind closed doors. The zoning alternately allows for review of this proposal in the public by the Development Permit Board (DPB).

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All
    Community
    Democracy
    Social Housing
    Transit
    Urban Planning

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly