GUEST SUBMISSION: After two nights and a marathon public hearing in which 139 speakers registered to voice their opinions, on Dec. 12 the City of Vancouver approved a number of amendments to the two-and-a-half-year-old Broadway Plan.

The changes were triggered by provincial Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) legislation, the removal of some view cones, and learnings from the first two years of implementation.

While opposition was at times intense and often full of misinformation and fear mongering, none of the changes rise to the level of “supercharging” the plan, nor do they fundamentally shift the economics of delivering new rental housing. We are hopeful, however, the revisions will allow for the incremental delivery of more new homes, both market and below-market.

What are the notable modifications?

Eliminates towers-per-block limit in areas closest to SkyTrain stations

This amendment is likely to have the greatest impact, allowing more homes within the blocks immediately surrounding transit stations. It is also positive that, by removing this arbitrary and inflexible limit, the city can now judge new proposals on the basis of built-form guidelines.

In the “Centres” – primarily the commercial areas along Broadway and closest to future SkyTrain stations – the tower limits have been removed entirely. These areas already permitted three towers per block face, and because of other restrictions, it’s unlikely many blocks will be able to accommodate more than three towers regardless.

Tower limits were also removed in residential areas within 400 metres from a SkyTrain station and in the half blocks directly off Broadway.

Where the tower limits were removed, constraints such as frontage requirements, tower separation and setback rules, highest-and-best-use calculations, and the presence of heritage buildings will continue to limit the number of towers per block.

It is important to note the two-towers-per-block limit remains in approximately 100 blocks in high-density residential areas that are outside the 400-metre radius.

City of Vancouver: Tower limit policies – removing tower limit policies in several locations.

More flexibility for tower heights

Up to six additional storeys can now be considered to allow for greater variety of building forms, design flexibility and to enable more public open space.

The change will allow developers in certain circumstances to reduce the massing of podiums and instead move the floorspace into slightly taller towers, which are less imposing in lower-density areas and allow for larger setbacks and more green space at street level.

The additional six storeys will not be permitted in all cases; developers will have to offer a valid rationale to vary from the original height guideline.

Increased density for low-density residential areas

Properties in residential areas within 800 metres of a SkyTrain station, previously limited to six storeys and 2.4 to 2.7 FSR, will now have the option to rezone for up to eight storeys and 3.0 FSR, as either secured rental or social housing. It’s unclear whether the new 3.0 FSR option requires 20 per cent below-market to align with the City of Vancouver TOA policy.

While eight storeys are now permitted, it’s anticipated most developers would opt for six because of the lower cost of wood-frame construction.

Especially if below-market housing is required, the viability of medium-density housing is marginal at best in most areas of the plan. Underlying property values are too high – and densities still too low – to incentivize developers to undertake assemblies in these areas.

Increased density for commercial corridors

In commercial “Villages,” such as Main Street and South Granville, the provincial TOA legislation stated that the city could no longer limit heights and density to six storeys and 3.0 to 3.7 FSR. Towers up to 12 to 20 storeys and 4.0 to 5.0 FSR are now permitted.

Development in these areas requires commercial on grade, and residential uses are limited to rental tenure with 20 per cent below market. High existing property values in these neighbourhoods are expected to limit the viability of rezoning for rental towers.

Increased density for Centres

Maximum height and densities were also increased for properties within the Centres where view cones were removed. Areas previously limited to 10 storeys and 4.5 FSR will now be allowed up to 25 storeys and 8.0 FSR – with rental or strata tenures.

These are significant changes but affect relatively few properties.

Estimated capacity impact

Based on changes to the plan and the greater-than-expected number of applications so far, staff now estimate room for 14,000 additional residents (11,500 new households) and 3,000 more jobs than forecast when the plan was first adopted, to be delivered incrementally over the next 30 years.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in The Goodman Report and is republished with permission of the authors.