Council continues to hear from speakers

The last meeting got to speaker 163 of 202, extended multiple days to Tuesday May 31 at 3 - 10 pm

There is still time to send more emails in opposition!

Massive amounts of towers up to 40 storeys  
The proposed Broadway Plan sets the scale of station area development at 40 storeys with up to 20 storeys in low density areas with RT character house & RM zoning  that are currently 2 - 4 storeys.

The Plan also proposes to repeal the current community plans throughout the area, plus all of Kitsilano and Mt. Pleasant. This includes the RT zones for character house retention incentives.

These precedents would affect development expectations at all stations, including in Grandview at Commercial Dr., Rupert Station planning, and an extension to UBC, the rest of Kitsilano, WPG & Jericho Lands.

Please email Council to oppose this Broadway Plan!

Send an email to Council and through the online form so it will be counted by staff. See contacts below. If you are OPPOSED say so up front so it is counted as such.

Reference:

Council Agenda: https://council.vancouver.ca/20220518/pspc20220518ag.htm
Council Report:  https://council.vancouver.ca/20220518/documents/pspc1.pdf
Appendix A: https://council.vancouver.ca/20220518/documents/pspc1appendixA.PDF

Emails to Council :

kennedy.stewart@vancouver.ca; CLRboyle@vancouver.ca; CLRbligh@vancouver.ca; CLRcarr@vancouver.ca; CLRhardwick@vancouver.ca; CLRdominato@vancouver.ca; CLRdegenova@vancouver.ca; CLRfry@vancouver.ca; CLRkirby-yung@vancouver.ca; CLRswanson@vancouver.ca; CLRwiebe@vancouver.ca

AND submit through the online form so staff count it: 
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-council.aspx

Broadway Plan Background:

The Plan covers 16th Ave. to 1st Ave., Mt. Pleasant, Fairview, South Granville and part of Kitsilano to Vine St.
Plus it affects Grandview to Commercial Dr. that is following similar typologies.
Also the station area currently in planning at Renfrew Station.

Base Housing Typologies:

- Centres - Station Areas 30-40 storeys
- Centres - Shoulder Areas 20-30 storeys
- Villages - 4-6 storeys
- Residential - Existing Apartment Areas (currently 3-4 storeys) up to 20 storeys
- Residential - Existing Low Density (Existing RT zones character house retention with multiple suites/infill) 6-18 storeys
- Industrial Employment - Allows towers, unspecified

If the subway extension to UBC is approved, these kinds of typologies are likely to be extended throughout Kitsilano and West Point Grey, with Jericho Lands as a station area development typology. 

Points to Consider:

- Will create a concrete jungle with a canyon down Broadway. Think of downtown Georgia St.
- Towers are the least affordable, sustainable and livable form of development, and not required to meet population growth.
- Undermines neighbourhood-based planning and character retention incentives.

Affordability:

- Speculatively inflate land values and rents throughout the areas decades ahead of redevelopment that  displaces renters and homeowners alike.
- Proposed renter protections will not work because most renters will be displaced or priced out well in advance of any redevelopment applications being submitted when the rental protections would apply.
- The city and province using fees from tower development as a cash cow that adds to the costs of housing.
- New units to own or rent more expensive and smaller than the older units being demolished, not suitable for families.

Sustainability:

Towers are the least sustainable form of development, adding to the embodied GHGs in both the towers and related infrastructure as well as the highest amount of operating energy according to BC Hydro

Livability:

Lack of servicing and community amenities for the increased development and population, that development fees will not cover so require more property taxes and capital funding.
Towers will shadow parks all the way to the waterfront.

Growth:

- Not justified by census data - City of Vancouver on average population increase is 1% per year

- The Broadway Plan alone could amount to about 81% of the City’s population growth over the next 30 years in 7% of the City’s landmass.
- Major growth corridors are an American model for large sprawling cities, not pre-war transit oriented cities like Vancouver that were designed for the streetcar system with all areas walkable to an arterial. We just need more electric bus service throughout the arterial grid.
- All of the transit investment for many generations is being put into only a few expensive development oriented corridors instead of providing more affordable transit across the city and region.

Media
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2022/05/07/palmquist50_affordability-capacity-trust/
https://vancouversun.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-sun-may-14-2022-vancouver-is-worth-fighting-for

3D images of Broadway Plan
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2022/05/05/rally-city-hall-megaplans-may7/

City Hall Rally Media:
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2022/05/07/hundreds-attend-rally-against-broadway-plan/

City Hall Rally Video by Elvira Lount: https://youtu.be/bhsMHbMz-7k

Murphy Interview CKNW
https://omny.fm/shows/the-jill-bennett-show/rally-planned-to-protest-broadway-vancouver-plan

Thank you!