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Posted Jul 5, 2019, 8:00 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,727
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Changing City
No - read what I wrote again. All 3,100 units are in 4 storey, 6 storey (and 8-storey projects) along the Cambie Corridor. So are the 950 units in submitted applications.
Oakridge will add another 2,900 units. Pearson adds another 2,170. The YMCA adds another 228 units. The Jewish Community Centre adds another 299 units. Langara Gardens hasn't been submitted yet, but there's an approved policy framework (in 2018) to develop about 2,500 additional units. Similarly the Transit Centre has an approved framework to add about 1,500 units, but no rezoning has been submitted yet.
Many of those projects have residential densities close to, or higher than the residential densities of tower schemes in suburban municipalities. They just take a form that you don't seem to approve of.
There are also schemes south of 59th Avenue that were allowed for rezoning under the Marpole Plan, that I haven't counted. There are four and six storey buildings there that are adding over 1,000 more units.
All these policies and plans and major site rezonings are why housing starts in the City of Vancouver are more than in any other municipality for every one of the past ten years. You notice the big towers in concentrated sites in Burnaby, or Coquitlam, but the growth in Vancouver, and along the Cambie Corridor is in many more smaller projects that added together are a big change, and significantly more density. Single rancher bungalows are being redeveloped as 29 apartments - and not just studios and one-bedroom, represent a more subtle form of densification, but it's one that has been acceptable (reluctantly initially) in a series of west side neighbourhoods. In my book, that's an achievement, and much more difficulty than redeveloping retail parking lots or car dealerships.
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That's exactly what I was talking about : if they were to allow way higher density instead of the 4-6 stories, a lot more units would have been created by now after a full decade.
Fine, the 4-6 condos along the cambie stretch and major cross-streets would yield 3,100, but the way smaller nodes of taller highrises you stated would provide almost 10,000 units. That's a stark difference. The article provided by Feathered Friend above stated that fact too about the inadequacy of the original plan:
The end of July will mark the 10th anniversary of when Vancouver City Council approved the terms of reference for the Cambie Corridor Plan. Unfortunately, by the time the second phase was completed in 2011, it was already woefully outdated, allowing only 6 floor mid-rise buildings along the corridor. Even these blocks supporting the Canada Line Station at Cambie and West 41st Avenue were limited to this inadequate form (pg 49).
In hindsight, it seems obvious that our city’s housing crisis was already well underway, and that the Canada Line would reach the required passenger volume to break even 3 years sooner than expected. Nonetheless, in 2015 when consultation on the final phase began, some still argued that even 6 storey buildings along arterial roads were too much, and that the single family interior blocks should remain untouched.
Now, many homeowners who live near the King Edward Station plead to be allowed to further densify their land (pg 61). Of course, others continue to decry these changes to their neighbourhood’s character, while many renters wonder when their homes will come. Despite all the failings of the Cambie Corridor Plan, it is finally offering some relief to that later group.
These rental buildings aren’t the tallest in the area, however they’ll likely bring hundreds of homes to this transit hub. Located along 41st Avenue between the lane east of Cambie Street and the new 6 storey redevelopment of the Oakridge United Church, they descend in height from 22, to 14 and finally 10 floors. As part of that respectful transition, the western buildings share a 6 floor podium, but the one east of Alberta Street is limited to 4.
The notice doesn’t actually reveal the amount of homes proposed, but based on a recently submitted application across the road, Hannah and I have made an educated guess. Located at 5740 Cambie that project, similar in scale to this western building, will provide a total of 80 rental and 133 strata homes. Given that, we think this development may end up adding over 300 homes.
Thankfully, as a new community centre, library, and one acre park are already planned and funded, there will be more than enough amenities to accommodate these new households. Plus the amazing transit services in the area, like the new 91 B-Line, ensures there won’t be a similar amount of new cars on the road. However, there is one thing that sticks out to us.
Oddly, the property the developer owns at the northeast corner of Cambie and 41st Avenue is not included in this proposal. A development application (DP-2019-00053) reveals the plan is to temporarily use that site as a sales centre for a separate development. Perhaps this means that, even though the community plan allows for this growth (pg 74), the applicant team remains nervous over whether they will see a significant amount of opposition.
After all, the rejection of 21 rental homes in Shaughessy proves that some on Vancouver City Council are more than willing to choose hedges and neighbourhood character over new homes. Obviously, this proves your voice can make a difference. so make sure to come out to this pre-appliction open house on July 8th from 5pm – 7:30 pm at the Jewish Community Centre.
Planners here can't seem to see far. Perhaps it is coupled with the reluctance to improve by local Vancouverites as well.
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