455-565 Great Northern Way and 1850 Thornton St rezoning application

More information on general ‘greenery’ included in the proposal including visuals are available in Section 3.7 Landscape & Public Realm of the submitted Application Booklet, particularly page 55 which covers Green Infrastructure / Urban Forestry. In addition, the applicant team has provided the following response:

The project is designed to enhance public access and maximize the green spaces within the development. We have identified several key areas that will serve as vital green spaces within the project boundary:

1. Arcade Treed Zone: Surrounding the south and west faces of the towers, this area features contiguous planters with deciduous tree canopies that provide shade and refuge at the heart of the plaza. Beneath these canopies, we have created a park-like setting with native and climate-adaptive understory plantings, including a variety of shrubs and ground covers. Additionally, we will incorporate fixed and flexible seating options along the edges of the planters, allowing users to access to the greenery.
   
   
2. Emily Carr [SkyTrain] Station Rooftop: Over Lot 7, we are introducing a terraced landscape that offers access to a tiered, park-like setting atop the building. This design will activate the rooftop with a variety of seating opportunities, encouraging social interaction and enjoyment of the outdoor space. The proposal for the station rooftop is to maximize the presence of the greenspace including deciduous and evergreen trees as well as shrubs and groundcovers, perennials and even edible species with high habitat value.
   
   
3. The Mews: This green space situated between the eastern tower development and the Emily Carr building aims to enhance the overall greenery and facilitate access to native plants. The corridor will connect E 1st Street to the heart of the project, promoting a seamless transition between urban and natural environments.
   
   
4. Great Northern Way Streetscape: We will increase the number of street trees along the pedestrian and cyclist zones on Great Northern Way, along with adding green pockets at building entrances to further enhance the public realm.
   
   

Together, these elements are designed to create an inviting and accessible environment that prioritizes green space and community interaction.

Regarding public space within the Broadway Plan area, the Plan includes a Public Realm Framework as well as associated commitments from the City for new/expanded public spaces (e.g. parks, plazas, etc.) in the Public Benefits Strategy. Also, the City is currently working on a comprehensive public realm plan for the Plan area. More information is available here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/broadway-public-realm. 

In terms of this specific rezoning application, a publicly accessible park/plaza/open space of 0.49ha (53,000 sf) is proposed around the SkyTrain station as well as linear connections through the site. More information on the open space within the proposal is available here. 

Rezoning application is under review including for potential traffic impacts. Proposed redevelopments (if approved) are required to comply with the Parking By-law with respect to off-street vehicle parking spaces. The application also includes a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan which aims to further reduce development demand for vehicle trips and parking and the rezoning site is generally well-situated relative to the frequent transit network, cycling infrastructure, and future Skytrain station at Emily-Carr to encourage reduced vehicle trips and parking demand. Regarding outlets for electric vehicle charging, the application materials note that “100% of residential parking and approximately 45% of non-residential parking are EV ready with Level 02 charging.”

This rezoning application proposes a 0.49ha (53,000 sq. ft.) publicly accessible park/plaza/open space at the southeast corner of the site adjacent (and connected) to the future Emily-Carr Skytrain station. Detailed information on the proposed open space is available in Section 3.7 of the Rezoning Booklet submission here.

Below market units are different than social housing units. According to the City of Vancouver’s Zoning and Development By-law, “social housing” is defined as rental housing where at least 30% of the dwelling units are occupied by households with incomes below the Housing Income Limits, as set out in the current Housing Income Limits (HILs) table published by BC Housing. The housing must be owned by a non-profit corporation, non-profit co-operative association, or by or on behalf of the City, the Province of British Columbia, or Canada. 

Below-market rental housing units, which are proposed in this rezoning application, will be at least 20% below the average market rent for private rental apartment units city-wide as published by the most recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in the Rental Market Survey Data Tables for Vancouver at the time when the Occupancy Permit is issued. To qualify for a below-market rental unit, a household’s gross annual income cannot exceed the maximum income requirements for the unit type with at least one household member per bedroom. Policy 12.2.17 of the Broadway Plan specifies that below-market rental units will be subject to tenant income testing and monitoring requirements as described in the Rental Incentive Programs Bulletin.

The table below provides reference to average rents and the average household income served from the most recent CMHC’s Rental Survey (2023).

1: The below-market rents reflect a 20% discount from CMHC average market rents for purpose-built rental apartments in Vancouver for 2023
2: Based on the eligibility criteria for BMR new tenants, household income cannot exceed 4 times the annual rent for the unit (i.e. at least 25% of their gross income is spent on rent).
3 and 5 : Data source from CMHC Rental Market Survey October 2023.
4 and 6: Incomes are calculated by multiplying rents by 12 and dividing by 30%.

The applicant team (PCI) indicate that they have not determined what the final unit sizes and mix will be. At the rezoning application stage, unit plans are conceptual and unit size is a detail that is determined typically at later stages of the permitting process; however, the applicant team indicates the proposed unit mix averages are approximately 370 sq. ft. for studio units, 500 sq. ft. for one-bedroom units, 730 sq. ft. for two bed-room units and 900 sq. ft. for three-bedroom units. 

The City does have some minimum requirements for unit size. For instance, the Zoning and Development By-law requires that dwelling units be at least 37 sq. m (398 sq. ft.); however, for secured rental projects, studio units may be relaxed to a minimum of 29.7 sq. m (320 sq. ft.) provided that the design and location of the units meets the livability criteria set out in the By-law. For family unit requirements, the Broadway Plan requirement is for secured market rental and below-market rental housing developments to include a minimum of 35% family units, including a minimum of 10% of units with three or more bedrooms and a minimum of 25% of units with two bedrooms. As well, family units are to be designed to meet the High Density Housing for Families with Children Guidelines (1992, last amended 2022). The Guidelines provide guidance on location, building design, amenity space and unit design, but do not prescribe minimum unit sizes for family units. If approved, confirmed unit sizes would be required for review at the Development Permit stage of the permitting process.