The City is continuing business as usual during the pandemic through virtual electronic Council meetings and Public Hearings. Next week there are a number of significant issues that need your attention. Read about them HERE.

1. Building By-law Changes for Zero Emissions

While these changes may be reasonable for new construction, it would also affect most heritage and character building renovations and all additions and infill, making retention options more difficult to do.

The proposed changes require heating and hot water to be zero emission and all parking spaces to provide electric charging.

The Vancouver Character House Network has written a letter to the City, published HERE for reference.

Please provide an email to the City contacts at the bottom of this post, with the following as a minimum statement or anything from the reference letter above.

• Please do not make these changes to the Vancouver Building By-law (VBBL) mandatory for heritage and character house renovations, additions or infill to make retention options more viable rather than demolition.

2. Motion B.4.) Strengthening Representative Democratic Practices in Vancouver

The fundamental issue of disclosing if public comments to Council are from residents or non-residents, is the proposal of this motion. Please send emails of support. This is particularly important now with meetings held electronically. The motion is HERE.

3. Referrals to Public Hearings

During the pandemic, it is not the time to be bringing forward non-emergency Public Hearings, that are being conducted electronically for the first time in history starting May 12 and are against requirements of the Vancouver Charter.

Reports are again being referred to Public Hearing; including very controversial rezonings such as a 60 storey tower on Nelson St. and a multifamily building on the former CP right-of-way at Fir St. & W.2nd that would preclude future use as a streetcar line. See HERE.

Please send an email to Council requesting that rezonings are not referred to Public Hearings and that Public Hearings are cancelled until after May or when restrictions on public assembly are lifted.

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Please email Council separately for each issue above, before 9:00 am Tuesday April 28.

To:

kennedy.stewart@vancouver.ca;  adriane.carr@vancouver.ca; melissa.degenova@vancouver.ca; lisa.dominato@vancouver.ca; pete.fry@vancouver.ca;  colleen.hardwick@vancouver.ca;         CLRkirby-yung@vancouver.ca;  jean.swanson@vancouver.ca; michael.wiebe@vancouver.ca;  rebecca.bligh@vancouver.ca; christine.boyle@vancouver.ca;   ccclerk@vancouver.ca

And submit through the City's online form so that staff count it: HERE

Thanks!