WERA president Brent Granby was busy on November 14 getting the word out about the upcoming WERA-sponsored public meeting about West End rezonings. See http://wera.bc.ca/archives/886 for details.

City of Vancouver is hosting an Open House on this Rezoning Application on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Coast Plaza Hotel, Nelson Room (1763 Comox Street).

More information from the city: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/1401comox/index.htm

Rezoning and Development Permit Application – 1401 Comox Street (DE413347)

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Henriquez Partners Architects, on behalf of Westbank/Peterson, has applied to the City of Vancouver for concurrent rezoning and development permit applications for 1401 Comox Street. The proposed rezoning would rezone this site from RM-5 (Multiple Residential) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal is to construct a 22-storey residential tower with seven townhouses at grade and 180 apartments above plus six free-standing townhouses. All residential units would be rental.

The purpose of the rezoning to CD-1 is:

• To increase the density from the RM-5 maximum floor space ratio (FSR) of 1.5 to 7.5 FSR (i.e. the total building floor area permitted would be equal to 7.5 times the site area instead of 1.5 times); and
• To increase the height from the RM-5 maximum discretionary height of 58 m (190 ft.) to 66 m (216.5 ft.) as measured to the top of the parapet of the rooftop amenity area.

The proposed increase in density and height is to secure the provision of the rental housing. The rezoning application is being considered under the Short Term Incentives for Rental (STIR) Program approved by City Council on June 18, 2009. This program responds to low vacancy rates and the lack of new purpose-built rental housing by providing a strategic set of City incentives to encourage and facilitate the development of new market rental housing.

CORRECTION:

Tonight’s meeting (Nov. 5) is not an open house. It’s an information meeting about the STIR program, by invitation only. WERA is invited and will be in attendance and able to share information afterwards. We’re sorry for the confusion.

By way of an update on this property, the City heard the application on Tuesday of this week and referred it to a public hearing on Dec. 1^st.

More information from the City of Vancouver: vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/1201-1215bidwell

Rezoning Application – 1201 – 1215 Bidwell Street and 1702 – 1726 Davie Street

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Henriquez Partners Architects have submitted a revised application to rezone this site from C-5 (Commercial) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development). The rezoning would increase the permitted density from a maximum floor space ratio (FSR) of 2.20 FSR to 6.27 FSR. This increase would secure the provision of rental housing and the retention of the façade of the C-listed heritage building at 1215 Bidwell Street. The proposal is to construct a 210 ft. residential tower (maximum height permitted in the C-5 District) on a 4-storey podium base with retail/service uses at street level and 3 levels of rental housing above.

Changes from the previous proposal include:

• reduction in the size of the condo units, increasing the number from 55 to 98;
• the addition of another level of rental housing in the podium, increasing the number of rental units from 33 to 49;
• Density was proposed at 5.67 FSR and is now 6.27 FSR, tower height is unchanged.