This petition asks for character and heritage houses to have incentives for retention through adaptive reuse, including more units, as an important part of planning for growth. This proposed rezoning undermines and removes the incentives in these important heritage areas.

Therefore, we are opposed to these rezonings.

All of the City of Vancouver Council is complicit with the provincial legislation BC Bills 44, 46 & 47 that mandate rezoning large parts of the city without public consultation before June 30. Unlike other municipalities that are advising the Province that this requires an extension for proper planning, the City is pushing ahead with rezoning two of our most important heritage areas, Kitsilano & First Shaughnessy.   

Take action now before June 13 Public Hearing at 6 pm! 

• 1. Sign this petition and pass it on;
• 2. Send an email to City Council and by online form before 5 pm June 13 for the public hearing; and 
• 3. Sign up to speak before 5 pm by phone or in person at the public hearing.

See more information at the bottom of this post.

There are TWO separate items that require separate letters and request to speak to Council.  

June 13 Agenda: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240613/phea20240613ag.htm

Item 4. Rezoning Kitsilano RT7 (West Kits) & RT9 (Kits Point)

https://council.vancouver.ca/20240528/documents/rr1.pdf

• Clearly state if you are in support or opposed.
• No public consultation for this major area rezoning covering a large area of Kitsilano.
• The City should be requesting changes to the BC one-size-fits-all rushed schedule.
• There is no need to rush this through when the City has enough development in the pipeline to meet the BC 5 year targets and the economy is putting projects on hold.
• This removes disincentives for character house demolition and incentives for retention, without adding enough incentives for retention through adaptive reuse.
• There is too much density proposed at up to 6 units on lots as small as 3014 sq.ft.(280m2) (i.e.33' x 91' without a lane) that even staff admit do not work.
• No minimum onsite parking requirements.
• Removes Design Guidelines, including lack of character streetscape consideration.
• Loss of affordable rental suites, displacement of renters, loss of trees & green space.
• Demolition adds to loss of embodied carbon while retention options reduce GHGs.

Item 5. Rezoning First Shaughnessy District & Heritage Conservation Area ODP

https://council.vancouver.ca/20240528/documents/rr2.pdf

• Clearly state if you are in support or opposed.
• No public consultation for this major Heritage Conservation Area rezoning covering all of First Shaughnessy Heritage District. 
• The City should be requesting changes to the BC one-size-fits-all rushed schedule.
• There is no need to rush this through when the City has enough development in the pipeline to meet the BC 5 year targets and the economy is putting projects on hold.
• This removes heritage protections under the zoning and ODP, without adding nearly enough incentives for retention through adaptive reuse.
• The City should be prioritizing multiplexes through adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in the zoning in this important Heritage Area.
• The large heritage houses on large lots are ideal for multiple unit conversions and infill.
• Since new Heritage Revitalization Agreements (HRAs) can no longer protect heritage properties, this heritage zoning is required to be retained.
• The removal of the First Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel is not a BC requirement, only a recommendation, so the City should keep it as this is an even more important role now more than ever.

Send emails to Council so they read it: ken.sim@vancouver.ca, mike.klassen@vancouver.ca, peter.meiszner@vancouver.ca, brian.montague@vancouver.ca, sarah.kirby-yung@vancouver.ca, , rebecca.bligh@vancouver.ca, lisa.dominato@vancouver.ca, lenny.zhou@vancouver.ca,  adriane.carr@vancouver.ca, pete.fry@vancouver.ca, christine.boyle@vancouver.ca

Also send letters through the online form so it is counted for the public hearing:

https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-council-public-hearing.aspx

Request to speak to Council at the public hearing before 5 pm June 13:

https://vancouver.ca/your-government/request-to-speak-at-a-public-hearing-form-2.aspx

Thank you!