VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 Vol. 5 • No. 34 Federal election Transportation, land use planning MONEY AND NEW METRO PARTNERSHIPS STUDY By Karenn Krangle GROUP Canada’s cities and towns want the federal government not only to commit more money for urban projects and infrastructure but also to work with municipalities as partners, Federation Metro Vancouver’s new transportation planning and of Canadian Municipalities president Raymond Louie said governance review task force meets for the fi rst time today last week. to consider ways the governance structure for TransLink He told a small session at last week’s Union of B.C. can be improved and to look at how transit can linked more Municipalities convention that the FCM’s campaign to raise eff ectively with the regional growth strategy. awareness of municipal issues is gaining momentum during Th e task force is a sub-group of Metro’s inter-government the federal election through online tools and outreach to and fi nance committee. candidates. “Th e sub-committee will prepare a report that examines “Our goals are to place municipal issues front and centre in the role of transportation planning within the GVRD regional the campaign and put pressure on federal parties to respond, planning function and the role of transportation planning change the framing of the coverage of municipalities with within TransLink governance structure,” the terms of reference their hands out — because that was the refrain, ‘We can’t do attached to the meeting agenda says. “Th e objective is to it without you,’ – but rather, we’re off ering our hands out in compare the two independent regional planning functions, to partnership,” he told about 25 people at the session. “We need explore opportunities on how these two systems can be better to keep making these political points to all the candidates in integrated and aligned and to develop a set of recommendations order to bring home the message and ultimately the resources that would propose a new regional transportation planning at the government level. framework that would work within the existing governance “It’s not us just asking for more money, we’re asking to be structure for both organizations with the objective to improve partners with which ever federal government it happens to be the overall advancement of transportation planning within and we’re showing that we have the expertise, the willingness the Metro Vancouver region. and the capacity to partner with them if they make the monies Th e Metro board agreed July 31 that the region needs to and the resources available to us. CONTINUED PAGE 6 > resume coordinating land-use and CONTINUED PAGE 7 > INSIDE Urban design panel Municipal auditor-general Vancouver Art Galley Residential buildings get different responses A waste, NDP leader Horgan says New building design revealed this week p 3 p 4 p 8 2 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 UPCOMING Conditional OK for East Fraserlands project DATES DEVELOPMENT SEPTEMBER 28 Vancouver park board, 7 p.m. SEPTEMBER 29 PERMIT BOARD Vancouver city council, 9:30 a.m. SEPTEMBER 30 Vancouver city council planning, Vancouver’s development permit board glazed canted element; more contrast and transportation and environment committee, 9:30 a.m. last week approved an East Fraserlands bolder colour; more use of wood; extended OCTOBER 5 project that was twice not supported by the balconies; better solar gain on the west side; Vancouver heritage commission, 11 a.m. urban design panel, but it used a number an improved pathway; usable roof decks Development permit board, 3 p.m. of the panel’s concerns as conditions of at the top level; design development to the OCTOBER 7 approval. base of the buildings; enhanced landscaping Vancouver city planning commission, Th e board called for revised drawings to the west building to mark it as the 12:15 and development information on Raymond front of the project and other landscaping Urban design panel, 4 p.m Letkeman Architects’ residential project conditions. OCTOBER 9 at 3699 Marine Way for two, six-storey Th e project, at the northeast corner Metro Vancouver board, 9 a.m. buildings with 273 dwelling units and a two- of Marine Way and Boundary, is on the OCTOBER 19 storey amenity building. north side of Marine Way, which separates Development permit board, 3 p.m. Th e project team has fully committed it from most of the new East Fraserlands OCTOBER 20 Vancouver city council, 9:30 a.m. to responding to the conditions. district, which is divided into three Th ese include an improved connection neighbourhoods, with a large park. Public hearing, 6 p.m. between the west building and the courtyard Staff have said the new, 130-acre neigh- OCTOBER 21 > Vancouver city council finance and to add more light and views; extension of a bourhood, formerly the CONTINUED PAGE 5 services committee, 9:30 a.m. Vancouver city planning commission, 12:15 Urban design panel, 4 p.m Vancouver park board, 7 p.m. OCTOBER 24 Metro Vancouver council of councils meeting, 9 a.m. VANCOUVER EDITION Model of project at 3699 Marine Way, but revisions have been ordered. NRU PHOTO 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. 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Follow us on Twitter @NRUpublishing Advertising rates available upon request. 3 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 Mixed support for projects URBAN DESIGN PANEL By Karenn Krangle Two residential projects in areas in transition received diff erent now being built along the corridor. responses last week from Vancouver’s urban design panel. “We should be looking to permit some departures,” he said, adding that the city should be looking for some “memorable 526-548 West King Edward moments” along the corridor. “Sometimes there’s a bit of Most panel members were generally pleased with Romses fussiness and lack of clarity.” Architecture’s design for a six-storey building with fi ve He said he was aiming for a project with “good bones to it,” townhouses, but had problems with the proposed courtyard but which was “a little less predictable from what we see.” and breezeway, the density and the lane treatment, and voted Th e panel, which has oft en made similar comments about 5-3 not to support the project. the corridor, agreed that the building was attractive but could Th e application is to rezone the three-parcel site on King use less volume and the courtyard was cramped. Edward near Cambie for the 69-unit project, which includes a “It’s a good piece of architecture but I think it could benefi t number of three- and four-bedroom apartments. from less density, frankly,” Roger Hughes said. “I think the Planner Ann McLean told the panel that, under the Cambie courtyard is just too tight. Maybe the townhouses have to get corridor policy, the western parcel has a lower height allowance smaller to help enlarge the courtyard.” than the two eastern lots, which allow for six storeys. Panel chair Jennifer Marshall agreed: “I think the nut of is your Th e project team responded by concentrating the building’s architectural strategy is compelling and convincing but it is working density on the eastern side by going taller there, but some against livability. Th ere’s no breathing room in this project.” panel members had issues with the massing. Panel members had mixed feelings about the building’s Although the project includes fi ve townhouses at the back setbacks and balconies in the front. lane, as specifi ed in the corridor guidelines, McLean noted that the project is on a T-lane and suggested there be townhouses 3289 Riverwalk on two sides. Cam Halkier of Shift Architecture had better luck with his “We thought it would be interesting to see how it would work to revised design for a six-storey building in East Fraserlands. activate both of the lane faces with two-storey massing,” she said. Th e panel voted unanimously to support the development Architect Scott Romses said the project team was not application for a 99-unit building on parcel 8B in the new straying far from the policy with the overall building scheme neighbourhood aft er not supporting it in March, with concerns but he did make comments about a “sameness” of the projects over its massing and legibility of the entrance. CONTINUED PAGE 4 > Model of project at 526-548 West King Edward. NRU PHOTO Model of project at 3289 Riverwalk. NRU PHOTO 4 VANCOUVER EDITION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 UBCM convention AUDITOR A WASTE, HORGAN SAYS By Chris Rose Municipalities in Metro Vancouver and throughout British Horgan said the province has an abundance of land that it is Columbia need a new provincial partner in Victoria to deal not making available to local governments. As an example, he collaboratively with transit infrastructure problems, high noted Victoria recently sold property in the Burke Mountain housing costs and mental health challenges. area of Coquitlam for $85 million when it was appraised at But they certainly do not require an auditor-general for $128 million and could have been used for housing projects.