Councillor notes development opportunities around transit system
Cheryl Rossi
Van. Courier
Developers hope to build on a 4.8-acre site that includes the new rapid transit line station and a bus loop between Cambie, Yukon and Southwest Marine Drive. Photograph by : Dan Toulgoet
Staff recommended against it, but city council unanimously supported a review of potential housing on industrial land adjacent to the new Canada Line station at Southwest Marine Drive, July 28.
Council also asked staff to report back on encouraging green and creative industries in this industrial zone.
In April, PCI Group and architects Busby, Perkins and Will submitted a rezoning application for a 4.8-acre site that includes the new rapid transit line station and a bus loop between Cambie, Yukon and Southwest Marine Drive.
The companies propose market housing snug to the Canada Line station, an office building close to the bus loop and, potentially, a 23-storey tower containing 245 units of rental housing, a movie theatre, fitness centre and daycare. They say the offices, stores and other retail outlets there would create approximately 2,300 new jobs.
One of the touted benefits was more eyes on transit hubs.
But a city staff report states industrial land prices in Vancouver are the most expensive in the region due to limited land supply and a high demand for locations with easy access to customers, suppliers and workers. Since 1968, Vancouver’s industrially zoned land has been reduced from 2,400 acres to 1,677 acres.
Brent Toderian, the city’s director of planning, told the Courier in April that residential land generally has four times the value of commercial land, let alone industrial, so he was worried perceived support of residential use would spur land speculation.
Vision Coun. Raymond Louie, who forwarded the recommendation about reviewing housing opportunities at 8430 Cambie St., said the city has made it clear to speculators that the only piece of property where residential would be considered is the chunk with the rapid transit station and bus loop.
“It was important for us to take advantage of the $2 billion investment of the Canada Line, that we look to every opportunity to build complete communities where there would be opportunities to live and work and for the creation of [housing] affordability within the area as well,” he said.
Louie also forwarded a motion requesting staff to explore green and creative industrial uses, which was promoted by Vision Mayor Gregor Robertson.
Otherwise, council confirmed the importance of retaining existing industrial land in South Vancouver and supporting job intensive uses.
The industrial lands appear to be underutilized at this point. But the staff report states structural shifts in the economy have seen the closure of large-scale operations in the area, particularly those associated with the forestry sector.
“In some cases, the owners of these sites have been awaiting a planning policy review prior to making future plans for their sites,” the report says.
Council also supported staff’s recommendation to work with the local community and business owners to enhance public access to the Fraser River waterfront while balancing the needs of industry.
Louie said possible future residents would need to know that despite potential odours and noise, industry comes first.
Staff is expected to report back to council on new industrial land uses in six months.
