Cambie corridor planning could have an impact on 43,000 residents south of West 16th Avenue

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Vancouver's assistant director of planning for Vancouver South has suggested including Oak and Ontario streets within phase three of the Cambie Corridor scope of work.

      In a presentation to city council today, Susan Haid said there are opportunities to "knit" the Louis Brier Home and Hospital at 1055 West 41st, the King Edward Mall site, and the Langara Family YMCA site into the planning process.

      She also defined the Cambie corridor as encompassing Ontario Street on the east, Oak Street on the west, and moving south from West 16th Avenue to the Fraser River.

      The population of this area is 43,000—approximately the same as the City of North Vancouver. In the northern part of the corridor, she said, the median family income is $69,000 and it declines to $52,000 in the southern section.

      In addition, Haid pointed out that the corridor is "very family-oriented" with nearly 30 percent of households having children under the age of 19. Most households are single-family with 57 percent being owners and 43 percent being renters.

      In 2009, council approved a three-phase process for dealing with the corridor, which was transformed by the opening of the Canada Line that year.

      In the first phase, which was approved in 2010, council approved planning principles and an interim rezoning policy around rapid-transit stations.

      The second phase was endorsed in 2011 and outlined planning for arterials and an interim public-benefits strategy.

      "Phase three is intended to focus on the transition areas off of the arterials," Haid explained.

      Since 2011, there have been 33 rezoning applications in the Cambie corridor, and 26 have been approved covering 1.8 million square feet.

      Haid said that this has led to a "commitment to deliver 6,600 units", with more than half offering two or more bedrooms.

      She added that these rezonings will ultimately provide $256 million in community-amenity contributions and public art, including 143 child-care spaces.

      Meanwhile, the general manager of planning and development, Brian Jackson, told council that the Marpole community planning process has influenced the thinking around this phase.

      "We learned not all single-family neighbourhoods want to change," Jackson said.

      As a result, staff is looking at making a transition to single-family areas by ensuring there is far more ground-oriented family housing in the corridor.

      Haid said that the city intends on employing an "adaptive planning process" that will take a "localized approach" by meeting small groups of residents.

      Staff has also recommended that council approve a rezoning policy to set conditions for changing land uses and enabling heritage revitalization as the third phase of planning proceeds. Tomorrow, the public will have an opportunity to speak to the staff recommendations at a committee meeting at Vancouver City Hall.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      frances

      Apr 14, 2015 at 4:26pm

      This city is f*cked

      VanMike

      Apr 14, 2015 at 6:33pm

      Of course the city tells the public this after the large land accumulations occurring on Oak St. become news. These lots are where large tracts of single family homes will be given rubber stamp zoning approval for high density housing. Oak and Cambie and soon chunks of Granville will look like Fairview Slopes one day.

      John

      Apr 14, 2015 at 7:14pm

      Wonderful. Anything to create housing units in a city desperate for new supply. Near transit corridors is the easiest to add. Hopefully the city won't listen exclusively to the loudest nimbly resident and give more consideration to the less wealthy people who will be able to live close to where they would like to.

      S. Johnstone

      Apr 15, 2015 at 8:03am

      One has to wonder where all of the opposition was when the first phase was passed in 2009? If this had been east of Ontario the GS would have been all over it and many outlandish claims made and much froth produced.

      Xander Davis

      Apr 15, 2015 at 1:36pm

      Have you seen the StatsCan Census profile of the area?
      Mainly 64% new Asian immigrants ready to sell out.
      Nobody in Planning nor on Council knows any Asian immigrants from 20 years ago, nor care.