Jackson's Parting Shots Big Changes at The
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VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 Vol. 5 • No. 33 Head planner speech to UDI Penny Ballem dismissed JACKSON’S BIG CHANGES PARTING AT THE TOP SHOTS Speculation continues on the abrupt “conclusion” — as the mayor’s offi ce put it last week — of former city manager Penny By Karenn Krangle Ballem’s tenure at Vancouver city hall, leaving the city soon with four top administrative jobs unfi lled. It wasn’t entirely clear last week who Brian Jackson was Mayor Gregor Robertson explained Ballem’s immediate aiming at in his lengthy speech to the Urban Development departure shortly aft er his offi ce put out a news release saying Institute, but Vancouver’s outgoing head planner did draw a council had voted to start a “senior leadership transition at city line a line in the sand when it comes to community amenity hall.” contributions. While praising Ballem for “amazing service” to the city over Jackson made it clear that CACs were not likely to go away, the past seven years as an “extraordinary city manager,” he did but there are ways he could improve them by making the CAC not spell out exactly whether she was fi red. But he said council negotiating process faster and more transparent. had decided at an in-camera meeting to terminate her contract. “But there has to be a quid pro quo arrangement,” he Th e three opposition Non-Partisan Association councillors told about 500 people at the UDI lunch. “If we fi x the CAC said they had not been informed before the in-camera meeting system, which we want to do, the development industry has that the dismissal was on the table. to stop going to Victoria asking to take it away. Because if we Deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston becomes acting city do, we will have no choice in the city but to stop rezonings manager. and will have to fi nd other ways to pay for amenities and As well as Ballem, the Vancouver is without a permanent services. city engineer (transportation director Jerry Dobrovolny is “Th at wouldn’t be a win for the development community.” acting head) and a general manager of community services, While the audience for his oft en snarky speech was primarily and head planner Brian Jackson leaves in November. developers, architects and others in the industry, Jackson lashed “As we look toward making continued progress on out at media, bloggers, former planners and community Vancouver’s most signifi cant priorities, council has decided that critics, speaking about the “haters” in the community, gossip, our city’s toughest challenges will benefi t from a new approach misinformation and innuendo. CONTINUED PAGE 7 > and a fresh perspective,” Robertson said CONTINUED PAGE 3 > INSIDE Crowning glory UBCM St. Paul’s Unique feature on Melville tower Convention in Vancouver this week New hospital ‘not just a building’ p 2 p 4 p 6 2 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 UPCOMING 33-storey Melville project DATES ‘CROWNED’ SEPTEMBER 21 Development permit board, 3 p.m. Union of B.C. Municipalities convention TOWER PROPOSED to Sept. 25 SEPTEMBER 23 Vancouver city planning commission, A tall new offi ce building proposed for of the site are to enhance the skyline “through 12:15 Melville between Th urlow and Bute architectural excellence;” to improve the Urban design panel, 4 p.m features a “crown” on top that is meant public realm, landscape and retail; to create SEPTEMBER 28 to refer to the “layered landscape” of the signifi cant employment-generating space; Vancouver park board, 7 p.m. North Shore mountains. to lead is sustainable design. SEPTEMBER 29 Vancouver city council, 9:30 a.m. Th e 33-storey building, designed by Th e project is expected to achieve Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates of New LEED Gold. SEPTEMBER 30 Vancouver city council planning, York, is the subject of a KFP, working locally on transportation and environment rezoning application shown this project with Kasian committee, 9:30 a.m. at an open house last week. Architecture Interior OCTOBER 2 Regional mayors committee, 1 p.m. Oxford Properties has Design and Planning applied to rezone 1133 Ltd., was also the architect OCTOBER 5 Vancouver heritage commission, 11 a.m. Melville from DD (down- of another Oxford buil- Development permit board, 3 p.m. town district) to CD-1 ding in Vancouver, the (comprehensive develop- MNP Tower on West OCTOBER 7 Vancouver city planning commission, ment) for the 524-foot, Hastings, behind the 12:15 stepped glass tower. retained facade of the Urban design panel, 4 p.m Th e applicants described University Club. Th e fi rm OCTOBER 9 it as “multiple, variably clad worked on that building Metro Vancouver board, 9 a.m. stepping volumes which cul- with Musson Cattell OCTOBER 19 minate in a glass crown — a Mackey Partnership. Development permit board, 3 p.m. design unique to Vancouver.” Rezoning planner OCTOBER 20 Vancouver city council, 9:30 a.m. Th e building, with a Linda Gillan said the glass and aluminum curtain project is likely to go to Public hearing, 6 p.m. wall and solar shading, is to the urban design panel have four rooft op terraces, next month but probably a ground-level plaza on the will not be presented at east side, a cafe, restaurant a public hearing before The tower’s ‘crown’ is visible when VANCOUVER and retail. viewed from the harbour and city council until the EDITION mountains to the north. Oxford says its objectives NRU PHOTO new year. nru Ian A.R. Graham, Publisher, CIRCULATION/ADVERTISING NRU Vancouver Edition is NRU Publishing Inc. Billings Department [email protected] [email protected] not to be redistributed without Vancouver Editorial Offi ce 34B McMurrich Street 416.260.1304 the written consent of the 1350 Burrard Street, Suite 368 Toronto, ON M5R 2A2 Karenn Krangle, Writer/Editor publisher. Vancouver, BC V6Z 0C2 Tel: 416.440.0073 [email protected] Annual subscription rate is T: 604.779.6135 Fax: 416.440.0074 $335 + GST(BC). NRU Vancouver Edition is F: 416.979.2707 Jeff Payette, Layout/Graphics published 45 times a year by Complimentary trial subscriptions [email protected] NRU Publishing. are available. Follow us on Twitter @NRUpublishing Advertising rates available upon request. 3 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 Projects this week URBAN DESIGN PANEL A new Cambie corridor project and a second review of a metal and cementitious panel-clad building and the legibility building in the East Fraserlands are on the urban design of the entrance, and some felt it was too conservative or panel’s agenda this week. suburban-looking. Th e project on a new road near Kent and Kinross has been 526-548 West King Edward pared down from 108 units. nru A standard Cambie corridor project is reviewed for the fi rst time this week. Romses Architecture has applied to rezone the three- parcel site on King Edward just west of Cambie from RS-1 (single-family) to CD-1 (comprehensive development) for a six-storey building and fi ve townhouses, totalling 69 dwelling units. An open house on the project is scheduled for tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. at Douglas Park community centre, 801 West 22nd. 3289 Riverwalk Shift Architecture returns with a revised scheme for a six- storey building for Polygon with 99 residential units on parcel 8B in the new River District. Th e panel last saw the project in March and voted unanimously not to support the development application Model of revised project at 3289 Riverwalk. because of the massing of the proposed wood-frame, brick, NRU PHOTO BIG CHANGES AT THE TOP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 of the “global” search process for Ballem’s replacement and groups that have expressed shared concerns about the city the rest. “With an experienced staff team and new leadership management and especially the planning processes,” he said in the City of Vancouver administration, I am very confi dent in an e-mail copied to council members, and suggested a that we can expand Vancouver’s success as one of the greenest, conference on the issue. most innovative, and most inclusive cities in the world.” Ballem, whom the mayor praised for her commitment and While the city’s spin was that it was a chance to renew leadership, but who had been criticized for micro-managing leadership, former city planning director Ray Spaxman took and making city hall less accessible, will be given 20 months’ that idea and ran with it, suggesting the city “seek harmony and salary, valued at $556,000, as severance. consensus” from residents, developers, architects, planners Johnston, who has led the city on green initiatives, has been and academics on a new management team. on the development permit board and has a number of other “Th e bonus is the opportunity for the city to benefi t from duties, appears to have a more collegial style. nru a considered and shared position statement from all the 4 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 Local resolutions on environment, housing UBCM CONVENTION THIS WEEK Environmental issues and homelessness are among Metro Other local resolutions have to do with transit funding, Vancouver municipalities’ major issues of concern to be raised agricultural land, marijuana, campaign contributions and this week at Th e Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, community support for mental health and addiction. which opens today. Resolutions sessions are set for Wednesday and Th ursday Richmond is asking for the provincial government to morning and possibly Friday morning. enact a provincial environmental bill of rights in a resolution Th e large urban communities forum on Tuesday morning that says a healthy environment is linked to personal and focuses on aff ordable-housing initiatives in Vancouver and community health.