1. Is STIR the Answer for
Vancouver
Neighbourhoods?
20 September 2010
www.WestEndNeighbours.ca
2.
3.
4.
5. STIR
"The STIR program and its genesis could best be
described as a symbol of everything that is
dysfunctional at City Hall today. It has brought out
all the worst in everyone and created
controversy. It has diverted energy away
from what could be have been a tremendous
amount of positive cooperation in building our
communities' futures. I would say the STIR
program, as it is being implemented here in the
West End, is toxic. It should immediately be
either modified or terminated."
15. What does the West End need?
Many have ALREADY spoken.
•Thousands of letters, e-mails, meetings, and
comments to open houses in the past year
•WEN Town Hall Meeting (April 22, 2010), 450 people
•City-organized consultations (Empire Landmark Hotel,
May 12 & 13, 2010), a few hundred people
•600 responses to City survey (May 2010)
•Two forums by WERA (January, May 2010)
•Thousands of conversations over our petition
16. City’s official findings:
(CoV study, June 2010)
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES ARE…
•Neighbourhood character 69%
•Parks and green space 67%
•Housing 60%
•Sustainability 56%
•Crime and safety 55%
•Transportation 45%
17. Community concerns:
(CoV study, June 2010)
Key Messages with Respect to Community Needs
•Neighbourhood character and green space is
important.
•Increased density will increase pressure on
already stretched community infrastructure and
services.
•Recent tower developments don’t appear to fit
in the context of the West End’s unique
neighbourhood character.
18. Key Messages on “Affordable
Housing”
(CoV study, June 2010)
•There are growing affordability challenges for renters, and
concerns with the ability of STIR projects to alleviate this problem.
•There is a lack of options or support for the elderly who are living
on fixed incomes and cannot afford further increases in rent.
•Respondents supported increased density and the City’s efforts
to encourage purpose-built rental housing, but the majority of
respondents also expressed fears about the tower height, loss of
sunlight, green space, and affordability.
•The speed at which the Short-Term Incentives for Rental (STIR)
developments are proceeding and the lack of consultation with
the community is a concern.
19. Key Messages on “Planning
Issues”:
(CoV study, June 2010)
•There should not be any further site specific
rezonings until a comprehensive community
plan is developed.
•The public should be more involved in the
planning process
20. Similar findings: WERA “Visioning”
Forum (Jan. 2010)
TOP PRIORITIES OF WEST END RESIDENTS
(about 100 participants)
•Affordability
•Green Space
•Views/View Corridors
•Diversity + Inclusiveness
•Walkability
•Safe Community
•Community Character “Not Yaletown”
•History/Heritage
•Transit Options (Walk, Bike, Cycle, Bus, drive)
•Civic Facilities (Library, Community Ctr., etc.)
•Health Facilities
•Public Spaces
•Age-friendly (Children, Families, Seniors)
21. West End schools—already
FULL!
This is the school
“catchment” area for King
George Secondary School.
Includes Lord Roberts
Elementary (Main and Annex)
plus Elsie Roy Elementary
(Yaletown). All are already
full to capacity. Children
among 1500+ new residents
from about 10 projects in the
pipeline are likely to have to
send kids elsewhere.
22. Joe Fortes Library: Heavily
Used!
"...Joe Fortes' most considerable challenge is its limited space. [For comparison]
Kerrisdale's physical space is 17% larger than Joe Fortes. Joe Fortes however
contains more library materials within its walls than Kerrisdale. Futhermore, in
the time period examined, Joe Fortes had more people visit the library, and
when they did visit, they borrowed more books, videos and music than
Kerrisdale. This can be directly attributed to the longer open hours. … as the
demographic changes in the West End and more young families move into the
neighbourhood, there will likely be a need to increase children’s programming
at this location. Space limitations have also meant that there is not enough
room to provide users with enough Internet terminals to meet demand at Joe
Fortes."
(Director, Neighbourhood & Youth Services, Vancouver Public Library, August
2010)
23. Question: Is STIR the answer to
community priorities for the West
End?
Answer:
NO.
24. Issue is not only STIR. Not only one
site.
Rezoning and
development
sites we are
now monitoring
(Sept 2010)
25. STIR Case Study
St John’s Church at 1401 Comox
•No advance consultation
•Currently zoned 1.5 FSR, 6 storeys height
•Developer asking for nearly 500% increase in
floor space ratio (FSR, or density), and nearly
400% increase in height
•A shocked community reacted
29. A modest Increase in density under a newA modest Increase in density under a new
zonezone
2.75 FSR (43,000 square feet)2.75 FSR (43,000 square feet)
30. The same density in a tower formatThe same density in a tower format
2.75 FSR (43,000 sq. ft.)2.75 FSR (43,000 sq. ft.)
This is the same height and density as the
existing non-profit rental seniors building at
1175 Broughton Street
31. Westbank Peterson ProposalWestbank Peterson Proposal
7.5 FSR – 130,000 sq. ft.7.5 FSR – 130,000 sq. ft.
No relationship to existing buildingsNo relationship to existing buildings
35. Amenity Space
The developer has set aside
less than 3% of the building
for neighbourhood group use.
Is this a fair tradeoff for being
allowed to build 192 units
instead of 40? Is this just and
fair for the community.
3%
192 units
36. Other scenarios:
First United
Church redevelopment to include shelter, social housing
(jeff hodson, 29 April 2010, Metro News)
• First United Church (Downtown Eastside), $31-million
redevelopment with supportive and social housing. A fixture in the
neighbourhood for 125 years ... plans to build a new facility with 60
units of mixed social housing... 40 supportive housing units, a 40-
bed shelter, a place of refuge … retail spaces, dental and health-
care facilities, and places for families.... United Church of Canada
has donated $6 million in land and cash.
37. Urban planning: Vancouver WAS
ONCE a model city
• Urban planning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver)
• At 5,335 people per km2 (13,817.6 people per mi2) in 2006, Vancouver has a high population density
relative to most other North American cities. Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise
residential and mixed-use development in urban centres, as an alternative to sprawl. This has been
credited in contributing to the city's high rankings in livability.
• This approach originated in the late 1950s, when city planners began to encourage the building of
high-rise residential towers in Vancouver's West End, subject to strict
requirements for setbacks and open space to protect sight lines and preserve
green space. …. The result is a compact urban core that has gained international
recognition for its "high amenity and 'livable' development.“
• “Vancouverism” =Urban planning and architectural
technique pioneered in Vancouver, Canada. It is characterized by mixed-
use developments, typically with a medium-height, commercial base and narrow, high-rise residential
towers to accommodate high populations and to preserve view corridors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouverism
39. West End "No Rezoning Without A
Comprehensive Plan" Petition
As a Vancouver citizen and West End resident:
(1) I support current zoning provisions in
the West End that permit a maximum
building height of 18.3 meters (60 feet or 6
storeys), request that they be maintained for
future developments in the West End, and
that the current Zoning District Plan for the
West End be upheld.…
40. West End "No Rezoning Without A
Comprehensive Plan" Petition
(2) I request in the event of considering
general or site-specific land use and/or West
End zoning changes, that these include
meaningful consultation with residents,
protect existing neighbourhood liveability,
and respect/maintain the character of the
neighbourhood. We need a comprehensive
plan, not site-by-site rezoning.
41. Who and What is WEN?
• Volunteers dedicated to preserving the quality of life
of our neighbours and the unique and distinctive
character of our neighbourhood. Compelled to act in
response to pressure for rapid change without
consultation.
• Our purpose is to preserve the quality of life, the
distinct, diverse character, and the heritage of the
West End.
• Influence policy decisions and ensuring future change
is based on community needs, is neighbourly and
reflects meaningful engagement of residents.
42. WEN is not …
• Against all development
• Change
• Demanding a moratorium on development
• Only about one site
• About single issues (e.g., green space)
• Consisting of just renters, not just owners
43. WEN is for …
• Meaningful consultation
• Transparency
• Comprehensive planning
• Consideration of cumulative effects of change
• Upholding existing guidelines until a new plan is created
• Full information about the costs of zoning & development
decisions
• Better policies on housing for seniors to "age in place"
• Concrete ways to address renovictions
• Full discussion about all options for providing reasonably priced
housing
• Consideration of all needs in the community
44. WEN supports …
• Renewal and change that enhances our
community and respects our heritage.
• A mix of housing suitable for all ages and means
(retired and seniors, young families, and more).
• Change that respects the social needs and ways
to provide community services (community
centres, libraries, child care, facilities) that
serve our evolving, diverse population.
Editor's Notes
Cut off most of large black base
Cut off building showing: only first 3 floors (levels 1, 2 & 3); first 7 floors (levels 1 to 7); and total building.
I will enlarge and add text boxes
