Some views from homes in Vancouver might become a little less picturesque.
Vancouver city council has voted to remove some of the city’s “view cones” in an effort to bring additional housing to the city.
The cones were implemented to preserve ocean and mountain views for specific locations within the city, and have limited the size and location of construction projects.
Changes to the view cone policy were approved on Wednesday, which will allow for more building space.
Fourteen view cones have been removed and 24 remain. Eleven of the remaining 24 view cones have been amended as well.
View cones have been a feature of Vancouver’s development policy since 1989.
Councillors in favour of the changes argued some of the protected viewpoints had become outdated and more housing is needed.
”The Vancouver of 1989 when these view cone guidelines were set 35 years ago is not the Vancouver of today and nor do our residents have the same needs,” Vancouver Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said.
“Some have suggested the views will be gone.… No, they won’t. They’re just changing, just like our city.”
Some councillors were against removing certain viewpoints, including ones in Choklit Park and along the Cambie and Granville Street bridges, but were ultimately outvoted.
The changes to policy could add between 108 million and 215 million square feet of floor space for future housing, offices and hotels.
Not everyone is on board with the changes.
Back when the idea was just a proposal, Melody Ma, who is part of Save Our Skyline YVR and Save Chinatown YVR, posted on X: “Vancouver’s new director of planning thinks it’s ok to shrink Vancouver’s iconic postcard public mountain views like this one from Cambie St, to almost nothing.
“Once public views are destroyed, you can never get it back. You should be ashamed.”
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