Currently, one of the key differences between the City of Vancouver’s densification strategies in the Grandview-Woodland Plan and those in the Broadway Plan is the inclusion of a “Pace of Change” policy in the Grandview-Woodland Plan.
Following the public consultation process for the Grandview-Woodland Plan about a decade ago, as a condition of the area plan’s enactment in 2016, a “Pace of Change” policy was implemented to address the concerns of local residents about potential rampant development and displacement in their neighbourhood. Instead, this policy slows down and limits the number of development proposals that can be considered at any given time.
A similar “Pace of Change” policy was also recommended by City staff in Spring 2023 as part of the Broadway Plan’s implementation, but it was quickly rejected by Vancouver City Council, which was a move supported by the provincial government.
More than a year later, City staff are now recommending the abolition of the “Pace of Change” policy of the Grandview-Woodland Plan, with the driving impetus being that such a policy does not comply with the Government of British Columbia’s transit-oriented development (TOD) legislation. SkyTrain’s Commercial-Broadway Station and VCC-Clark Stations are two of the 29 designated Transit-Oriented Areas (TOAs) in Vancouver under the provincial legislation, which prescribes the greatest minimum density allowances closest to such transit hubs.
Ending “Pace of Change” to comply with legislation
For this reason, Vancouver City Council is expected to approve City staff’s recommendations during the public meeting on June 26 — just days before the provincial government’s deadline of June 30, 2024 for municipal governments to adopt new bylaws and policies that align with various provincial legislation relating to housing.
“[The] Pace of Change policy to be rescinded in the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan, [is] triggered by provincial housing legislation (Bill 47) which does not allow local governments to limit development in TOAs. Provincial housing legislation necessitated a new approach for sites subject to Pace of Change policy,” reads a City staff report.
Moreover, City staff are recommending that the “Pace of Change” policy be abolished across the Grandview-Woodland Plan’s entire area of 4.5 sq km — an area generally framed by Burrard Inlet to the north, Clark Drive to the west, Grandview Highway to the south, and Kamloops Street to the east.
Map of the Grandview-Woodland Plan’s geographic boundaries, and the original 2016-enacted housing policies. (City of Vancouver)
“Pace of Change” policy has resulted in little change
This “Pace of Change” policy abolition goes far beyond the 800-metre radius of the TOAs emanating from Commercial-Broadway Station and VCC-Clark Station, as the strict and inflexible policy has essentially curbed any change since the area plan was enacted nearly a decade ago.
Much of the Grandview-Woodland Plan’s “Pace of Change” policy is currently in effect for mainly existing apartment areas, which cover a substantial area of the area plan. This policy limits rezoning for new development to no more than five proposals in the first three years of the plan or a maximum of 150 existing market rental units. The City has yet to relax the “Pace of Change” policy to allow the next five applications for consideration. There is a waitlist to be amongst the next proposals to enter the review process.
“As the Pace of Change limits have been reached, no further applications can be considered at this time,” state City staff.
“To enable additional rental development in Grandview-Woodland, including in the TOAs, staff recommend that the Pace of Change policy be rescinded. This would mean new rezoning applications could be advanced in all Grandview-Woodland apartment areas under plan policies, including in the two TOAs under the TOA Rezoning Policy.”
New tenant relocation and protection policies
There would be new measures to protect existing tenants who are displaced by development, which is deemed to be an important consideration given that the Grandview-Woodland Plan area has a high concentration of older secured purpose-built rental housing buildings with lower-income households paying low rents.
To mitigate the impacts, City staff are recommending that the same strict tenant relocation and protection policies made for the Broadway Plan be applied to all rezoning applications in the apartment areas of the Grandview-Woodland Plan and to all TOAs across Vancouver.
Basically, the Broadway Plan’s tenant relocation and protection policies require developers cover the costs incurred by relocated tenants in interim housing, with the developer also subsidizing any rent increase for the displaced tenant. Furthermore, once the redevelopment is complete, the original tenants have the right of first refusal to return at the same or lower rent.
More potential 20-storey tower sites near Commercial-Broadway Station
Additionally, City staff are recommending far greater density allowances within the TOA for Commercial-Broadway Station, enabling more high-rise towers for many more blocks near the transit hub.
Under provincial legislation, TOAs emanating from SkyTrain stations have an 800-metre radius, with the Tier 1 inner radius of 200 metres enabling residential building heights of at least 20 storeys and a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 5.0 times larger than the size of the lot. The Tier 2 middle radius of 400 metres enables residential building heights of at least 12 storeys and a density of 4.0 FAR, while the Tier 3 outer radius of 800 metres enables residential building heights of at least eight storeys and a density of 3.0 FAR.
City staff recommend that for the Tier 1 radius of all TOAs emanating from SkyTrain stations across Vancouver (not just the TOAs at Commercial-Broadway Station and VCC-Clark Station), the minimum allowable density be increased from the legislation’s baseline of 5.0 FAR to 5.5 FAR. This expanded Tier 1 allowance would apply to not just residential uses, but also proposals with 100% commercial space, such as office and hotel towers.
Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Commercial-Broadway Station. (City of Vancouver)
Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of VCC-Clark Station. (City of Vancouver)
But the key change for Commercial-Broadway Station’s TOA is the expansion of the size of Tier 1. Instead of limiting Tier 1 to the inner radius of 200 metres, Tier 1 would span all the way to the Tier 2 middle radius of 400 metres — doubling the legislation’s radius for where the greatest minimum heights and densities are to be expected.
“This would extend some additional opportunity for proposals at similar heights and densities to what the Broadway Plan enables in the apartment areas in the [Commercial-Broadway] Station Precinct where mid-rise buildings are already supported,” state City staff.
As well, new secured purpose-built rental housing projects seeking to maximize the permitted height and densities within their location in the TOA would need to set aside at least 20% of the residential units at below-market rents or at least 30% of the units for social housing.
Currently, the City is considering a newly revised rezoning application for the Safeway grocery store redevelopment immediately next to Commercial-Broadway Station. The proponent has returned with an updated design that calls for three rental housing towers reaching 43 storeys, 36 storeys, and 37 storeys above the base podium with commercial uses, including a new replacement Safeway.
The original 2016-approved building height and land use plan for the Commercial-Broadway Staton Precinct under the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan. (City of Vancouver)