CVN sent the following letter to Mayor and Council as official input on Agenda Item #2 for the Public Hearing scheduled for July 17, 2018.
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July 16, 2018
City of Vancouver Mayor & Council
Dear Mayor Gregor Robertson and Councillors,
Re: Public Hearing July 17, 2018, Changes to all RS Zones –
- TEXT AMENDMENTS: Development and Building Regulatory Review – Minor Amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law, the Downtown Official Development Plan, and Various Land Use and Development Policies and Guidelines https://council.vancouver.ca/20180619/documents/rr1d.pdf
The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods again finds itself seriously concerned with the lack of proper planning processes at City Hall, and is opposed to how the above changes have been brought forward without following a proper process.
This report proposes to make major changes to the RS zones, while misrepresenting them as minor text amendments with a number of unrelated items in a miscellaneous report that doesn’t include these issues in the subject. The city is proposing this without advising the affected neighbourhoods of these major changes or providing any public consultation.
The recommendations affecting all RS zones include major items such as changes to the intent of the zoning, front yard setbacks and the number of front doors allowed. It also proposes changes that allow the Director of Planning more authority without any involvement of the Development Permit Board.
These are not minor text amendments, but in fact are substantive in nature. They are pre-empting the proposed changes to zoning in the Making Room program rather than considering them as part of the overall zoning changes.
This report should be referred back to staff for a meaningful public consultation process on each related zoning bylaws separately, within the context of any further zoning changes as may be contemplated through housing policy, and before consideration by Council after the fall election.
Sincerely,
Larry Benge, Co-Chair
Dorothy Barkley, Co-Chair
On behalf of the 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
Chinatown Action Group
Citygate Intertower Group
Community Association of New Yaletown
Crosstown Residents Association
Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council
Dunbar Residents Association
False Creek Residents Association
Grandview Woodland Area Council
Granville Burrard Residents & Business Assn.
Joyce Area Residents
Kitsilano-Arbutus Residents Association
Kits Point Residents Association
Marpole Residents Coalition
Norquay Residents
NW Point Grey Home Owners Association
Oakridge Langara Area Residents
Residents Association Mount Pleasant
Riley Park/South Cambie Visions
Shaughnessy Heights Property Owners Association
Strathcona Residents Association
Upper Kitsilano Residents Association
West End Neighbours Society
West Kitsilano Residents Association
West Point Grey Residents Association
