1406-1410 East King Edward Ave rezoning application

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This application was approved by Council at Public Hearing on June 14, 2022.

We would like your feedback on a rezoning application at 1406-1410 E King Edward Ave. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 14-storey residential building. The zoning would change from RM-1N (Residential) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. This proposal includes:

  • 109 social housing units
  • Floor space ratio (FSR) of 11.73
  • A net floor area of 7,183 sq. m (77,313 sq. ft.)
  • Building height of 56.4 m (185 ft.)
  • 4 vehicle parking spaces and 129 bicycle parking spaces

The application is being considered under the Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Vision.

In response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), an extended online question and answer (Q&A) period was held in place of an in-person open house for this project.

Announcements 

May 3, 2022

The original rezoning application, received in October 2021, proposed that all 109 social housing units with supports be rented at the shelter component of income assistance.

Following staff review of the proposal, as well as of comments and feedback received during the rezoning application's Virtual Open House and comment period, the affordability mix was adjusted to: approximately 50% at the shelter component of income assistance (currently $375/month), and 50% at rents-geared-to-income (RGI) for households earning up to 50% of the BC Housing's Housing Income Limits (HILs) (currently max $719/month).

December 6, 2021

The minutes from the Nov. 10 Urban Design Panel meeting on this item are now available online, here: https://vancouver.ca/your-government/urban-design-panel.aspx.

December 1, 2021

Revised shadow studies are provided. They show the proposed building’s shadows cast at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm. The shadow studies previously shown in the Application booklet were offset by one hour, and showed shadows at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. See to Appendix D of the Referral Report.

To provide the public with additional time to review the application materials, the virtual open house Q&A period was extended by one week to December 12, 2021.

We would like your feedback on a rezoning application at 1406-1410 E King Edward Ave. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 14-storey residential building. The zoning would change from RM-1N (Residential) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. This proposal includes:

  • 109 social housing units
  • Floor space ratio (FSR) of 11.73
  • A net floor area of 7,183 sq. m (77,313 sq. ft.)
  • Building height of 56.4 m (185 ft.)
  • 4 vehicle parking spaces and 129 bicycle parking spaces

The application is being considered under the Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Vision.

In response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), an extended online question and answer (Q&A) period was held in place of an in-person open house for this project.

Announcements 

May 3, 2022

The original rezoning application, received in October 2021, proposed that all 109 social housing units with supports be rented at the shelter component of income assistance.

Following staff review of the proposal, as well as of comments and feedback received during the rezoning application's Virtual Open House and comment period, the affordability mix was adjusted to: approximately 50% at the shelter component of income assistance (currently $375/month), and 50% at rents-geared-to-income (RGI) for households earning up to 50% of the BC Housing's Housing Income Limits (HILs) (currently max $719/month).

December 6, 2021

The minutes from the Nov. 10 Urban Design Panel meeting on this item are now available online, here: https://vancouver.ca/your-government/urban-design-panel.aspx.

December 1, 2021

Revised shadow studies are provided. They show the proposed building’s shadows cast at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm. The shadow studies previously shown in the Application booklet were offset by one hour, and showed shadows at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. See to Appendix D of the Referral Report.

To provide the public with additional time to review the application materials, the virtual open house Q&A period was extended by one week to December 12, 2021.

This application was approved by Council at Public Hearing on June 14, 2022.

The opportunity to ask questions through the Q&A is available from November 15 to December 5, 2021. 

We post all questions as-is and aim to respond within two business days. Some questions may require coordination with internal departments and additional time may be needed to post a response.

Please note that the comment form will remain open after the virtual open house time period. The Rezoning Planner can also be contacted directly for any further feedback or questions.

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    This location isn't that safe, with an entrance right at the corner of Knight and King Ed. These semi trucks have a history of not being well-maintained. What if one careens into the sidewalk and building and kills someone? Have you considered this issue with this building sitting on the sidewalk of a major truck route?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your concern about pedestrian and resident safety. Your question is being considered by the applicant team. The building is setback 4.5 m from the street edge, which is the minimum typical of residential buildings.

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    One of your answers states that you will be offering “life skills training.” What does that mean?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    Life skills training vary between operators of supportive housing buildings as they are based on the needs of the residents. Examples of life skill supports could include but are not limited to: cooking, budgeting, cleaning, job search, and cultural learnings/teachings such as drum circles.

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    Why is this building so much better looking than the one Arbutus and West 8th, which looks like a prison? Why do you contract and pay different architecture firms to cover up the container units? Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to replicate one design and perhaps just add some different decorative elements?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    The design of this building was proposed by the architect, in consultation with BC Housing and the selected Indigenous operator, to reflect that the building has an Indigenous focus and prioritize housing individuals who identify as Indigenous. Note, non-Indigenous residents will also be accepted. 

    Each site is also designed according to the site size, constraints and surrounding context. Studio units are proposed to be built using modular construction techniques, which are pre-fabricated off-site and brought to the site for assembly. One of the objectives of modular construction is to try to shorten the construction and delivery of much needed affordable housing.

     

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    This is 14 storeys, but 11 storeys are bachelor suites. You only need one floor for administration. What’s going on with the other 2 floors?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    You can review the architectural floor plans in the Application Booklet on the SYC website:

    https://shapeyourcity.ca/24620/widgets/99156/documents/68628. You can see from the plans that the ground floor contains the lobby, service rooms, and amenity spaces. The second floor contains more indoor amenity spaces, staff offices, a laundry room, and kitchen. The third to thirteenth floors contain studio apartment units. The 14th floor contains another indoor amenity space, co-located with the outdoor rooftop amenity space.

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    Is Vancouver Native Housing Society going to have offices on the top level?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    No, the 14th floor rooftop contains an indoor amenity space, co-located with an outdoor roof deck amenity space for residents. Seating, tables, and urban agricultural planters are located on the outdoor rooftop amenity space. The rooftop also contains rooms containing the building’s elevator and mechanical equipment.

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    Is BC Housing’s PR Company Big Idea Space answering the questions on this forum?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    Staff provide responses to the questions received during the Virtual Open House. In some cases, responses may be repeated, because questions contain the same, or similar themes to ones previously asked.

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    Where in Vancouver is a SFH lot zone for 14 storeys (but really equivalent in height to 20 storeys due to the height of the individual container units - Refer to: https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2021/11/30/fake-shadow-diagrams-1406-e-king-edward-tower-application/). This is an unusual precedent. Will other developers be able to build an equivalent 20 storey height building on a SFH lot if they say it contains social housing?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    Disclaimer: The City of Vancouver is not responsible for, and does not endorse, any websites or links posted within the question above.

    A rezoning application can be considered for sites across the city where there is a rezoning enabling policy in place. In this case, the rezoning enabling policy is the Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Vision, which permits social and affordable housing projects to proceed to a rezoning.

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    Why doesn't this proposal follow the Kensington Cedar Cottage Community Plan that recommends 3 And 4 storey mixed use buildings. Page 5 of https://vancouver.ca/docs/planning/kensington-cedar-cottage-community-vision-full-report.pdf

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    In the Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Vision, KCC Vision, (https://vancouver.ca/docs/planning/kensington-cedar-cottage-community-vision-full-report.pdf), like many other Visions adopted for neighbourhoods across the City, social and affordable housing projects are allowed to proceed to a rezoning without additional policy planning, as they further city wide policies and meet the need for housing for lower income residents (p. 50, section 2.1).

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    This building is huge - 2 1/2 to 3 times the size of the nearby condo building. It will disfigure the view of the North Shore Mountains to those south on Knight Street and from Kensington Park. Why has there been no consideration for the rest of the Kensington residents who want to enjoy this view?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    Vancouver is facing a housing crisis and people experiencing homelessness continue to be the hardest hit, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The creation of new housing is a key priority for the city and is one of the most important ways that we can address the homelessness crisis. Through the rezoning application, Council considers a balance of different objectives.

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    The UDP said that this area has no character. Obviously they are oblivious to the fine Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican and Indian restaurants in the area. Does the UDP receive any education about neighborhoods before making such insensitive statements?

    Onesie asked over 1 year ago

    The UDP panel is an independent advisory body made up of professional architects and landscape architects. They comment on the materials which they are presented, which are provided 10 days prior to the UDP session.