[Burnaby] Concord Brentwood | U/C and Proposed

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Metrotown is certainly touched by the provincial TOD legislation, and to a similar extent to Brentwood. Brentwood residents are just squeakier wheels.

Metrotown:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housin...naby_metrotown_station_toa_map_day_1.pdf

Brentwood for comparison:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housin...od_town_centre_station_toa_map_day_1.pdf

Metrotown will also be affected by the TOD legislation around Patterson, but Brentwood also will be affected by the TOD legislation around Gilmore so it's a bit of a wash. (And Holdom and Royal Oak, but they're a bit on the fringe of Brentwood and Metrotown respectively.)

The Patterson area was already getting densified as it falls within the City's "Downtown Core" designation.
The immediate area around the Skytrain station east of Central park is going to see something like 7-8 tower constructions or proposals (if they're not already under application process) - including the 4 that are currently under construction (Perla, Central Park House, Solhouse, Nuvo)

I think the area of Metrotown that's going to be more visibly impacted by the TOD legislation is over on the other side closer to Royal Oak with more towers actually proposed for the Royal Oak station neighbourhood over the 4-6 storey height densities that the city previously preferred for that area as a designated " urban village".

They broke the mold themselves a little over a year ago when they approved the BCGEU towers right next door to the skytrain station and where pretty adamant that it was a one-time exception, but the TOD legislation means that any developer can now shoot for more towers and more density, even east of Royal Oak Avenue, and that the BCGEU towers will not be the last towers in the area.

I don't imagine the old Safeway site at Royal Oak and Kingsway for example, is going to sit vacant for too long and that any new proposal for redevelopment will go small since it too sits within the skytrain station's 800m radius.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Redtruck

It depends on your lifestyle or what you value in life on how much you see the effects of population increase. I feel the city Burnaby was already doing a good job in densifying around SkyTrain’s stations and the 800 meters is a huge increase from the original Brentwood Town center plans. For example, The amazing Brentwood is being affected directly from these changes. From what I see, the indoor mall will no longer be redeveloped but replaced with an 80-storey condo tower.

The scale of proposed changes to the mall's redevelopment plans are not related to the provincial legislation.

[BaddieB]

Originally Posted by Redtruck

Still not a lot of parkland being added for 1000 x condo towers... If you guys want a good example of what Vancouver will be like once all these projected developments are built out just go to Metrotown on a weekend.

Metrotown, as in the mall? A mall is not a park. People come all over the region to the mall, unlike local parks.

The area around Metrotown station and the crosswalks are absolutely overcrowded, although if I had to guess, that is because Burnaby gives about 100 times more space for motorists than for pedestrians there. Central Boulevard should really be a pedestrian and bus only square/plaza from Sussex to McKay, like many European cities have.

(But we can't have nice things)

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Metrotown is certainly touched by the provincial TOD legislation, and to a similar extent to Brentwood. Brentwood residents are just squeakier wheels.

Thanks. Everything within 400m of Metrotown is already allowed to go higher and to greater density than the provincial legislation, but I can see there's a sliver to the north of Grange Street, and a larger area south of Imperial will have to allow up to 8 storeys and 3.0 FAR.

[Redtruck]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The scale of proposed changes to the mall's redevelopment plans are not related to the provincial legislation.

https://vancouvermarket.ca/2024/01/25/am...-to-amend-master-plan-due-to-toa-policy/

[Redtruck]

[QUOTE=BaddieB;10218677]Metrotown, as in the mall? A mall is not a park. People come all over the region to the mall, unlike local parks.

I never said it was a park; I was using it as an example of what the future will look like if we overdue density to quick, especially without the infostructure to handle it. There are a lot of things around Vancouver that draw people from different areas, which is part of why so many people want to live here... However, with the increasing population and too much density there will also be reduced quality of life unless you like crowds and traffic.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Redtruck

It depends on your lifestyle or what you value in life on how much you see the effects of population increase. I feel the city Burnaby was already doing a good job in densifying around SkyTrain’s stations and the 800 meters is a huge increase from the original Brentwood Town center plans. For example, The amazing Brentwood is being affected directly from these changes. From what I see, the indoor mall will no longer be redeveloped but replaced with an 80-storey condo tower.

But then shouldn't you be happy with that, if they're no longer redeveloping the mall, because from what it looks like, you seem to equate places like malls with overcrowding and having too many people, and generally being emblematic of a runaway over-densified population?

Originally Posted by Redtruck

I never said it was a park; I was using it as an example of what the future will look like if we overdue density to quick, especially without the infostructure to handle it. There are a lot of things around Vancouver that draw people from different areas, which is part of why so many people want to live here... However, with the increasing population and too much density there will also be reduced quality of life unless you like crowds and traffic.

I think we can all agree that the cities and municipalities need to better manage the upkeep of existing infrastructure, and alsowtih the development and construciton of new infrastructure to keep with the growing population if the plan to increase density adjacent to transit hubs is to come to fruition and be executed responsibly.

How they handle that goes directly into what quality of life you eventually end up with when all's said and done, because remember that you can still have poor or low quality of life even without a high population density.
Just based on poor instrastructure handling and amenity provision.

Some areas obviously need major infrastructure upgrades to be able to cope with these new TOD legislation requirements to handle more density (looking at you, Nanaimo and 29th Ave. stations and surrounding areas). I don't see Brentwood as falling in that camp.
Burnaby has had the area earmarked as a designated 'Town Center' for a long time in keeping with how they're apportioning resources to that end.
It would still be great to have more parks and recreation and community centers but those usually come at a cost like everything else.

[Burquitlaman]

Maybe this is a cultural thing, but I personally see "overcrowding" as a positive and not a negative. Perhaps the only downside is traffic, but that gets mitigated over time as the city adapts. Once you have the necessary mass, services suddenly begin popping up all around you.

Vancouver does need to grow up. The city can't be a 12 year old forever. Time to become an adult.

The only places worth living in right now are the so called "overcrowded" parts of Vancouver. With all due respect to Maple Ridge and Mission... Actually I'm going to leave it and not say anything bad. There is no need to explain what's wrong with North America's suburban hell holes.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Redtruck

https://vancouvermarket.ca/2024/01/25/am...-to-amend-master-plan-due-to-toa-policy/

To repeat, the scale of proposed changes to the mall's redevelopment plans are not related to the provincial legislation. Bill 47 would require the site to be allowed up to 5.0 FAR and 20 storeys. The 2013 masterplan propoosed 6.6 FAR, so more than the legislation requires. The revised rezoning earlier this year was permitted because of Burnaby's Rental Rezoning policy, and took the density to over 10 FAR.

The provincial legislation does impact the more ambitious concept for The Amazing Brentwood because it removes requirements for residential uses to meet minimum vehicle parking standards for sites within 800 metres of designated rapid transit hub.

[Precix]

Thank you for the clarification. The city of Burnaby is also to blame; it seems like we need new councilors who do not want to turn Burnaby into Hong Kong. This density is getting out of hand with both provincial and Burnaby's rental rezoning policy.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Precix

Thank you for the clarification. The city of Burnaby is also to blame; it seems like we need new councilors who do not want to turn Burnaby into Hong Kong. This density is getting out of hand with both provincial and Burnaby's rental rezoning policy.

Burnaby:


Hong Kong:


I'm sorry but someone's been putting some misinformation in your ear. There's no world where Burnaby looks like Hong Kong in your lifetime.

[giallo]

The Metro Vancouver bubble is so funny. Have any of these people actually been to Hong Kong or any other city that's actually densely populated? Metro Vancouver is a dominant SFH region with a few small areas with density of varying degrees. I can only laugh at people freaking out at these high rise TOD districts. If they truly concern you, move the countryside. The city ain't for you.

Seriously though. Move. It's only going to become more dense as time goes on.

[Precix]

Yep its going to be an absolute 🞵🞵🞵🞵 show soon and I am thinking of it.

[Precix]

Why are people so destined to make Vancouver like Hong Kong? that place looks absolutely horrible barf.

[giallo]

It looks nothing like Hong Kong, and would need a population of 20 million to even come close. The hyperbole is weird.

If you like small towns, then a growing, important region like Metro Vancouver is a weird fit. It's never going to be the small, sleepy fishing and mill hamlet it once was.

But there's good news, plenty of small villages and towns dot the shorelines all throughout the North and South Coast of BC.

[seamusmcduff]

>chowhou shows a picture showing how far away burnaby is from ever being like Hong Kong

>someone still shows up in the thread anyways to complain about how vancouver is becoming like Hong Kong

You can't make this stuff up lol

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Precix

Yep its going to be an absolute 🞵🞵🞵🞵 show soon and I am thinking of it.

Plenty of room in Campbell River. Make room in Vancouver for someone who actually wants to be here.

[Precix]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Plenty of room in Campbell River. Make room in Vancouver for someone who actually wants to be here.

Currently policy lets cram more and people people closer and closer together hoping it will fix the housing problem. Mean while developers are marketing their condo developments overseas. This fixes nothing we should have banned foreign buying in Vancouver long ago.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Precix

Why are people so destined to make Vancouver like Hong Kong? that place looks absolutely horrible barf.

I'm sure many people would give you a ride to the airport.

[LeftCoaster]

Foreign buying? What is this 2014? Foreign purchases have about 0.1% to do with the current housing crisis, they practically are banned at this point given the financial obligations of purchasing from abroad and the empty homes taxes take care of the rest.

The problem is we are not building as many homes as we are growing by. If you can think of a better way to add more homes in a geographically constrained area other than densifying I'm sure the housing ministers would all love to hear it.