January 23, 2024
City of Vancouver
Dear Mayor Ken Sim and Councillors,
Re: Jericho Lands Policy Statement
Council Agenda – Jan.24, 2024: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240124/pspc20240124ag.htm
Council Report: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240124/documents/pspc1.pdf
Jericho Lands Policy Statement: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240124/documents/pspc1_Appendix_A.PDF
The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN) opposes the proposed approval of the Jericho Lands Policy Statement and the use of this policy to guide the Official Development Plan (ODP). We urge Council to receive this report for information only at this time until major studies on groundwater and transit are complete to inform the final planning of the site.
This is the largest current project proposed for the City of Vancouver, with major citywide and community impacts. The process to date has not addressed the many issues raised by both the West Point Grey Residents Association, which is part of our network, and the Jericho Coalition.
We are opposed to the precedents set by this project regarding process, the scale of development and impacts on infrastructure, and the proposal for the developers to retain ownership of the amenities such as parks, community centre, daycare and a VSB school, rather than publicly owned as per standard policy and practice.
If this draft Jericho Policy Statement is approved to guide the Official Development Plan (ODP) as proposed, this would be the end of the public process specifically for the Jericho Lands, even though City staff admit major issues have yet to be addressed. The public hearing for the ODP would be for city-wide development, not site specific. The necessary ground water, transit and other technical studies are yet to be done and not required until rezoning, even though they could result in major changes to the site plan and form of development. Recent changes to the Vancouver Charter in November 2023 eliminated public hearings for rezonings that are consistent with policy in the ODP.
We note that the Jericho Coalition’s Forum Research poll showed that 72% citywide agreed that the Jericho Lands development as proposed was too dense and that the City should reject it on this basis and prefer the Jericho Coalition’s alternative approach. https://jerichocoalition.org/survey-results/
Please also consider the many other issues raised by the local community in their letter here:
https://wpgra.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/wpgra-jericho-lands-policy-statement-2024-01-22-final.pdf
Also, consider the issues raised by the Jericho Coalition here:
https://jerichocoalition.org/
Therefore, we request that Council not approve the Jericho Lands Policy Statement as proposed and receive it for information only.
Sincerely,
Steering Committee,
Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods
Network Groups of the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods
Arbutus Ridge Community Association
Cedar Cottage Area Neighbours
Dunbar Residents Association
Fairview/South Granville Action Committee
Grandview Woodland Area Council
Greater Yaletown Community Association
Kitsilano-Arbutus Residents Association
Kits Point Residents Association
NW Point Grey Home Owners Association
Oakridge Langara Area Residents
Residents Association Mount Pleasant
RPSC Community Visions (Riley Park/South Cambie)
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
West Southland Residents Association
