Vancouver approves controversial plan to increase density, public space on Broadway
More than 100 residents and advocates brought their concerns about the plan to council Wednesday
After hours of public comment Wednesday, Vancouver city council reconvened Thursday and approved a revised plan for Broadway that would further increase the density of the busy corridor.
The approved changes mean the city will allow taller buildings along Broadway, including housing for thousands more people, and add more public spaces like parks and community gardens.
City planners say the changes will also help Broadway align with and exceed provincial legislation requiring higher density near transit hubs as construction continues on a new SkyTrain line for part of the street.
More than 100 residents and advocates brought their concerns and opinions about the plan to a City of Vancouver standing committee meeting on Wednesday.
Some residents and business owners were concerned they would be displaced by development. Others said they were worried the density would change the character of their neighbourhoods without addressing affordability.
Meanwhile, some housing advocates said the plan would help bring much-needed housing to Vancouver.
On Thursday, city council approved the revised plan, with Coun. Adrianne Carr objecting to some of the changes aimed at increasing density.
"I feel very worried about how this is going to impact the people, in terms of the pace of dislocation of people who are in rental housing that's affordable and a great size," Carr said. "Where are they going to go? Is there enough available housing near this area?"
More housing, taller towers
The Broadway Plan will guide how the City of Vancouver manages development along Broadway for the next three decades.
Revisions approved Thursday include new plans to build 41,500 homes in the area over the next 30 years — up from the 30,000 initially proposed. The new spaces would allow about 64,000 more people to move into the area.
The changes would also remove height limits on some transit-adjacent housing buildings near Broadway, provided at least 20 per cent of units are offered at affordable rents.
In much of the city's plan for the area, height limits depend on proximity to the new Broadway SkyTrain stations. Some buildings within 200 metres of SkyTrain stations will be allowed to rise up to 20 storeys. Others within 800 metres of a station would be allowed to rise up to eight storeys.
"This is more heightened density compared to what was originally envisaged in the Broadway Plan," Vancouver planner Chris Mah told council on Wednesday. "However, it does not necessarily mean that all of the villages will change."
City staff are also recommending about 11 per cent of existing road space be reallocated to make public, non-vehicle areas.
Despite council's approval, some residents and urban planners are concerned about the scale of the changes.
Denise Cousineau, a resident who said she lives near Broadway, said Vancouver's parks and other public amenities are already busy, and at capacity.
She said she can understand adding density, but that the city also needs to add a higher proportion of public parks, pools and community centres.
"If you're serious about maintaining the quality of life in this city, we would need a new Queen Elizabeth Park and Riley Park, and all the facilities within, not minor roadside enhancements," she said.
Patrick Condon, a city planner and professor of urban design at the University of British Columbia, said he's not sure scaling up the density of Broadway will help housing affordability.
"If adding new housing supply was going to lead to lower prices, Vancouver should have the lowest home prices in North America," Condon told On the Coast Wednesday. "Unfortunately, it has [some of] the highest. So it undercuts the idea that the affordability will be improved by adding new housing."
Condon is one of 22 planners, architects and researchers who signed an open letter ahead of the vote asking the City of Vancouver to rethink the plan.
But housing advocate Russil Wvong said while the Broadway Plan isn't perfect, it promises to help many more people find sorely needed housing near transit.
"Vancouver is surrounded by the ocean as well as by mountains," he said. "We just don't have that much land. So, you know, the only way we can add more housing is to build up."
He added redeveloping the area may mean some residents are displaced and urged council to enshrine agreements to help evicted tenants relocate, and return to rent new buildings at affordable rates.
"People don't necessarily trust [agreements] because they haven't seen it actually happen yet," he said. "It's really important that the city and the council make sure the first time this happens, people in fact are protected."
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With files from On The Coast