Download formatted PDF version: CVN Letter to Council – Vancouver ODP Terms of Reference 2024-06-10
June 10, 2024
City of Vancouver
Dear Mayor Ken Sim and Councillors,
Re: Report 1. Vancouver Official Development Plan – Project Scope and Terms of Reference
Agenda Wed. June 12, 2024: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240612/pspc20240612ag.htm
[Readers: This item goes to Council 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 12. The above link to Council agenda includes link to sign up to write or speak to Council. Sign up to speak before 5 pm Tuesday.]
Report: https://council.vancouver.ca/20240612/documents/pspc1.pdf
The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN) strongly opposes the proposed process and terms of reference for creating an Official Development Plan (ODP).
Of particular concern is the proposal to use the flawed Vancouver Plan as the base for this work.
As we advised Council in our letter on July 5, 2022, we oppose the Vancouver plan for the following reasons: https://coalitionvan.org/posts/2022-07-06-vancouver-plan-opposed/
- No Neighbourhood-based Planning – One Size Fits All
- Lack of Urban Design
- Excessive Population Targets
- Lack of Consideration of Existing Capacity
- Too many Rental Towers (mainly for REITs) and too little Ground-Oriented Family Housing
- Not Enough Provision of Green Space (Private and Public)
- Embodied Emissions too High
- Inadequate City Services and Amenities
- Lack of Social License
We continue to oppose the Vancouver Plan, and are particularly opposed to this being used as a basis for the Official Development Plan (ODP) since there was very little, if any, meaningful public consultation or public support. Yet, there is no requirement in this ODP Terms of Reference process for further ODP public consultation, other than that done in the flawed Vancouver Plan.
At the time of adoption of the Vancouver Plan in 2022, we note in our letter that “The Ipsos Read Survey referred to in the report is the only randomized survey that has been conducted with under 200 people. Only 15% of the respondents said that they strongly support the Land Use Strategy. Everyone else had some or many concerns.”
This is even more of a concern now since the provincial housing bills require that once the ODP is approved, all projects consistent with the ODP must be approved without a public hearing.
So it is even more important than ever that the ODP has neighbourhood-based planning with meaningful public input and strong public support.
Therefore we request that Council reconsider using the Vancouver Plan as the basis for future planning on the Official Development Plan, and instead do proper planning now.
We request a whole new approach that includes community involvement in planning each neighbourhood that considers the local context and consultation. The plan outcome should reflect community input for livable affordable sustainable communities.
Consider all of the future needs for infrastructure and amenities, with realistic funding, including from provincial and federal governments, so the costs of growth are not just downloaded onto the City of Vancouver.
We also note that in the report page 10, there is no requirement under the Terms of Reference to consult with the Park Board. While the City has asked for the removal of the Park Board, that is not final until the changes to the Vancouver Charter are made by the Province, which are not yet assured.
We also are concerned about the increasing provincial overreach into municipal planning authority and request that the City of Vancouver act in the public interest by opposing this one-size-fits-all approach dictated by the Province with arbitrary unreasonable deadlines.
Sincerely,
Co-Chairs Larry Benge & Dorothy Barkley
CVN 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
Riley Park/South Cambie Advisory Group
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
