City Council Pushes Back Vote on Controversial Beach Towers Rezoning

After more than 50 Vancouverites signed up to speak at a public hearing Tuesday night, city council planned to push back its vote by two weeks on a controversial plan to rezone a prime piece of waterfront real estate in the city’s West End.

Many of the planned speakers were locals asking city hall either to reject the plan or force affordable housing into a Beach Towers rezoning application that proposes the development of 133 units available at above-market rental prices.

“We want a third of these units to have a starting rent that’s targeted to the median income in our community,” said Christine Ackermann of the West End Residents Association. “I think it’s our job to push city hall for more affordability and I think they can get it.”