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Did the new five-storey building going up at Broadway and Carnarvon go through any public consultation?

Q. Frances, I noticed that the Orr development at West Broadway and Carnarvon is now framing a 5th storey on their rental building project, which is very surprising since the height limit is 4 storeys (45 feet) under the existing C2 zoning. I would be interested to know whether this additional height was approved through the Rental 100 program and whether this was done without any public consultation?

Regards, Eric

A. So, even though I have been somewhat erratic about answering some of the spine-tingling questions that are directed to City Plumber, I got interested in this one because I’ve been working on a magazine story about mid-rises (appearing soon! film rights under discussion!) and I had noticed this low-rise building going up on Broadway, where Windmill Toys used to be, if I’m not mistaken.

I really had no idea what the situation was with this project and so had to employ all of my search tricks on the City of Vancouver website. Did you know, dear readers, that there are now almost 600 sites in Vancouver zoned CD-1 (a zoning that means — we decide whatever the hell we want in terms of what kinds of uses will go on this site) and that getting to the list that itemizes them clearly is not the most simple process? It always takes me a few steps and I end up the first time at the not-so-helpful list of recently passed bylaws, which doesn’t give details on the address until you click on each item — very tedious.

Anyway, for all of you trying to find out what the actual, actual bylaw governing the latest development in your neighbourhood is, it’s very likely in this list of CD-1 rezonings here.

Now, after that little digression, back to Eric’s question. What is the deal with the building at Broadway and Carnarvon.

Yes, it is a Rental 100 project, although it doesn’t seem to say that in exactly those words in official city documents. However the official city documents do talk about giving some extra density to this site (3.37 FSR instead of the usual 3) and 83 rental units that are for-profit but affordable. (Their words, not mine.)

It did go through the standard public-hearing process. There is a link here to the initial listing of the project as a rezoning. There is a link here to the initial report, where council seems to have voted unanimously to send it to public hearing. Then there are the minutes of the public hearing, where apparently only five people came out to speak and council received seven letters in opposition and four in favour. No wonder I never noticed it. I have no time for public hearings any more that don’t generate at least 100 angry delegations!! Council also voted unanimously to approve it.

Then there is the actual bylaw as it appears in the city’s list of CD-1 bylaws.

So it appears that council did not pull a fast one here and sneak this through, but it certainly didn’t generate much attention — as is happening with a lot of the low-rise Rental 100 projects being built these days.

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  • Andy Ferris

    Ooh, as a resident of the area, I can affirm there was public consultation. There was even an old style posters on lamp posts campaign against it, most likely by the people in the lane behind the project as they would lose their views. My own view is that more people right on the stretch of Broadway from Macdonald to Alma is good thing.

    By the way, the Toybox store is set to reopen very soon in the new building at Broadway and Bayswater. The Shoppers Drug Mart currently across the street from the Orr project is going to be the main (perhaps only) ground floor retail unit. So, the suspicious minds can get to mulling over what will happen to the current Shoppers site.

  • Milton Chenkis

    I attended an informal public open house for this project about 2 years ago and found it very informative, the room was quite full. Renderings of a 4th storey option were provided too.

    Not long after I also attended the formal open house done by the city, wherein a model of the 5 storey building was presented for viewers to digest.

    All in all, I think 5 storeys looks great on broadway as the building currently sits. Including the parking lanes, west broadway is 6 lanes wide and I would say this width agrees well with a five storey building, especially with the existing foliage present that breaks up the street wall facade nicely.

    My understanding is that the sidewalks fronting the retail portion will be wider now, new landscaping is going to be incorporated, a bench for pedestrians to sit on and rest is being provided, and there appears to be a retail location suitable for a restaurant or cafe with an outdoor patio east of the Shoppers location. Nice if you live in the neighbourhood.

    As a student rent is not cheap in the area and more supply would help with this situation.

  • peakie

    Hmm!!
    Plumber has “lost” all comments at this time 22:49 pm 01 October 2014. Maybe the system is catching up?

  • Chris K

    Trackback here: http://reflectingvancouver.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/perils-of-cd-1-arterial-shadowing-on-west-broadway/

    The previous C-2 zoning of this site is pretty mindful about tapering top floors of east-west arterial developments. Most of the four-story development along 4th and West Broadway feels much more modest due to these guidelines, and the street more spacious. In my mind, this building is a cautionary tale of CD-1 departures from surrounding zoning bylaws.

  • peakie

    Shoppers is 3/4 of the frontage. Huge and destructive like its site under 3333 Main street at 17th, or 2330 Kingsway in the newly blighted Norquay development.
    Not open on 22 May, but soon.

  • peakie

    Ex-Shoppers site sill papered over. No no tenants 5 months ater transfer.

    More death-of-Kits developments as the Kidsbooks site and adjacent is slated for the Stomp-of-Death as yet another 4 (5) storey building has its development permit up.

  • peakie

    The early distinct-to-Vancouver-sign-of-gentrification is that Cartems, the overly sweet, trendy-for-the-moment doughnut ( donut?) shop has opened up on the end (away from the corner) one-quarter streetface.
    Sad!
    West Broadway part of Kitsilano is doomed to be a cemetery of zombie stores and cafes within the decade.
    Thanks for all the subway, Mr. Mayors.