January 24, 2022
City of Vancouver Council
Dear Mayor Kennedy Stewart and Councillors,
Re: Making Home Motion
Agenda: https://council.vancouver.ca/20220125/regu20220125ag.htm
Motion: https://council.vancouver.ca/20220125/documents/b3.pdf
The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN) agrees with the aim of this motion to provide more affordable, innovative housing options throughout the city. However, CVN continues to oppose this motion, based on concerns regarding its total lack of details and that it will not accomplish the intended goals.
Citywide spot rezoning of 2000 projects everywhere is not a pilot project. At 6 units each, it would create 12,000 units / 26,000 people that equals the entire population growth of the City of Vancouver for 4 years, without considering the huge amount of projects already in the pipeline.
This ignores neighbourhood-based planning that could potentially produce unintended consequences leading to the development of more intensive high-end market housing that inflates land values in the areas affected.
Additionally, this would increase speculation and demolition of older, more affordable housing, causing displacement while also undermining the few character house retention incentives currently existing in zoning and City policy.
The RT zones in particular have a lot of missing middle character housing already that would be put at risk of demolition, so RT zones and areas with a lot of character houses should be excluded. Also, houses on the heritage register, both listed and registered, should be exempt. Lots with character houses should require the character house retained as part of this proposal.
Neighbourhood-based planning processes integrated into a citywide plan will deliver substantially better results. However, this motion is unclear what it actually proposes and raises a lot of questions.
We would be prepared to work with the City on identifying other options that could be put in place to increase affordable housing options. Any of these approaches should recognize the unique characteristics and needs of each neighbourhood so as to best adapt any actions to that neighbourhood, thus following the intent of zoning by-laws and local community visions and plans.
Seeking truly effective solutions to the need for affordable housing, we oppose this motion.
Thank you,
Steering Committee,
Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods
Member Groups of the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods
Arbutus Ridge Community Association
Arbutus Ridge/ Kerrisdale/ Shaughnessy Visions
Cedar Cottage Area Neighbours
Dunbar Residents Association
Fairview/South Granville Action Committee
False Creek Residents Association
Grandview Woodland Area Council
Granville-Burrard Residents & Business Assoc.
Greater Yaletown Community Association
Joyce Area Residents
Kitsilano-Arbutus Residents Association
Kits Point Residents Association
Marpole Residents Coalition
NW Point Grey Home Owners Association
Oakridge Langara Area Residents
Residents Association Mount Pleasant
Riley Park/South Cambie Visions
Shaughnessy Heights Property Owners Assoc.
Strathcona Residents Association
Upper Kitsilano Residents Association
West End Neighbours Society
West Kitsilano Residents Association
West Point Grey Residents Association
