Public Hearings – May 17th, 2022, and May 19th, 2022 With over 50 people already registered to speak on the Broadway Plan, it would be easy to forget there are three public hearings scheduled this month. So to simplify things, Hannah and I have combined this week’s zoning bylaw reviews into this post, and we’ll... Continue Reading →
April 12th, 2022 Public Hearing – A Conscious Uncoupling Leads The Next Generation Of Moderate Income Rental Homes Back To Their East Van Origins
Public Hearing – April 12th, 2022With only ten public hearings scheduled before the civic election, Hannah and I expect this will likely be one of the last calm events this term. The pandemic certainly consumed much of our city council's ambitions, yet they still managed to spend plenty of time debating simple things like Item... Continue Reading →
January 25th, 2022 Public Hearing – SkyTrain Focused Homes Forced To Undergo A Skyline Shave To Fit In
Public Hearing – January 25th, 2022If we hadn’t included it in a title years ago, this public hearing would have been a great setup for a “Grand Slam” pun. In fact, if it wasn’t for a significant amount of public support, city council would never have considered the policy updates that allow for Item #1.... Continue Reading →
November 16th, 2021 Public Hearing – Abcellera Hopes To Pause Vancouver’s Rezoning Quarantine
Public Hearing – November 16th 2021(Update – November 19th, 2021 – Despite relatively few speakers, city council only finished Items #1 & #2, meaning you still have time to comment on the rest, which will be heard on November 25th, 2021. While the last public hearing offered some unique stories, including one person’s recollection of... Continue Reading →
Lighten Up Already – Rental Homes Urged To Retain Their Community Focused Identity
2336 Charles St (DP-2020-00872) -- The MaxwellNews that city council may allow six floor rental buildings in select commercial nodes without personally examining them must come as poor comfort to this applicant team. For nearly three years, they’ve passionately tried to challenge the “crappy housing” they feel the C-2 zones require in order to protect... Continue Reading →
Without A Second Look Broadway Family Homes Get Pushed Towards The Light
2037-2061 E BroadwayIf there’s anything I’ll miss about these virtual meetings, aside from spending more time with Hannah, it’s the discussions that happen when people forget they were being broadcast live. For instance, as this applicant team waited for the Urban Design Panel’s in-camera agenda to end, I overheard a hilarious conversation about their knowledge... Continue Reading →
Revised Wedding Cake Formula Gives Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel Backdoor Troubles
2268 E Broadway (DP-2021-00510)Despite having attended its previous Urban Design Panel meeting, I barely recognized this application when it returned for further examination. Obviously, I knew it was located only a couple blocks east of the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station, as that’s one of the few areas where the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan that allows up to... Continue Reading →
Three Years Of Consistent Improvements Help Grafia Gardens Blossom Into The Light
2406 Garden Dr (DP-2021-00206) - GrafiaFrom the moment Hannah and I first saw this proposal we wondered why it had basically been split into two buildings, when unifying them seemed so much simpler, and efficient. Thanks to city council that’s now become a reality, as their approval of this application's general shape came with a... Continue Reading →
May 18th, 2021 Public Hearing – Local Retail Resurgence Hopes To Fill Vancouver’s Community Hearts
Public Hearing – May 18th, 2021 (Update - May 18th, 2021 - Thanks to the local BIA, we now know the lot at 8655 Granville has been sitting vacant for 30 years) Over the last couple years, public hearings in Vancouver have gained a reputation for being long, drawn out affairs that often last multiple... Continue Reading →
Public Hearing – April 15th, 2021 In A Sign Of The Times Vancouver Debates Running Through Red Tape With Social Sixers
Public Hearing – April 15th, 2021Update: As city council only managed to finish the first three items, the public hearing will resume on April 20th at 6pm to hear from anyone who wishes to speak to Item #4. At first glance, this public hearing might seem like a game changer for efforts to create affordable... Continue Reading →