City of Vancouver records suggest strong opposition to Commercial-Broadway tower
Joanne Lee-Young
The Vancouver Sun
A revised rezoning application turned more of the rental units into below-market ones and made slight height and density changes that mean the project aligns with the City’s Grandview-Woodland Community Plan.
Proposed redevelopment site at the Safeway store on West Broadway and Commercial. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
A Commercial Drive citizens’ group recently obtained City of Vancouver records that suggest strong local opposition to a proposed, transit-friendly, mostly market rental tower and retail project.
The group made a Freedom of Information request to the city that uncovered documents showing that for a one-week period in November 2021, input to the municipality from the public was overwhelmingly negative for a redevelopment proposal at 1780 Broadway by developers Westbank and Crombie REIT.
Of the 157 replies the city received during that week, 118 respondents opposed the project proceeding as planned, while 16 were mixed, and 23 supported.
“Those who checked the ‘mixed’ box on the city’s feedback site nevertheless expressed highly critical views of the existing proposal,” said a release from the ad hoc citizens’ group, No Megatowers at Safeway, which also released the FOI documents.
The group directed comments to Craig Ollenberger, who isn’t a member, but is the president of the Grandview Woodland Area Council, which is the local residents’ association.
Ollenberger said he didn’t know how large the ad hoc group was, but that “as far as my history with community issues goes, it’s a rather substantial group for the neighbourhood.”
Many of the comments submitted by the public to the city focused on the lack of public spaces for such a large site, said Ollenberger. “It doesn’t reflect anything about Commercial Drive, things the city has said they value in terms of small-scale retail.”
Proposed development site at West Broadway and Commercial in Vancouver. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
The community response comes after the developers tweaked a rezoning application in November 2021 so there would be fewer overall units and more below-market rentals. In total, the proposal is for 653 units, with 215 condos and 438 secured rental units, of which 345 are market rental and 93 units are below-market rental.
The revised rezoning application turned more of the rental units into below-market ones and made slight height and density changes so that the project aligns with the city’s Grandview-Woodland Community Plan.
The city said the rezoning application is currently under review and that the process includes considering council-approved community plans, current priorities, policies and guidelines, as well as input from the public, advisory committees and other city departments.
The continuing consultation on the project, which sits beside the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station, comes as provincial Minister of Housing David Eby has been expressing frustration with community opposition and municipal red tape getting in the way of significantly increasing the supply of housing units that is necessary for future population growth.
“While the final decision on this site will be up to Vancouver city council, as housing minister I support Vancouver approving and getting built as much rental housing as possible given the depth and breadth of our current housing crisis in the region and the city,” Ebe said late Monday. “We also need the Broadway corridor plan approved before the next municipal election.
“At least 100,000 new people will be arriving as new residents in British Columbia this year — 25,000 arrived in the last three months of 2021 alone. All of these new residents are going to need housing, and housing like this that is close to transit will help us meet our affordability, sustainable transportation and climate goals all at once.”
University of B.C. economics professor Tom Davidoff said people who live near the development are more likely to oppose it and take the time to write to the city. Allowing it to proceed would give more housing choice to those who can afford it, and maybe relieve some pressure on rents, although not by much since it is only one building.
It may be that “you have to hurt a few people, a lot, in order to help more people, a little bit,” he said.
Ollenberger said it is the role of municipalities to figure out what citizens want and help them to build it.
“There are all kinds of projects going all across Vancouver that nobody has a problem with, so when people have problem with one, ask them why,” said Ollenberger.
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