A rezoning application has been submitted by Chard Development for a site at 750 SW Marine Drive, a block and a half West of Cambie Street. The I-2 zoned site is 18,100 SF in size and occupied by lowrise commercial buildings with tenants including Once a Tree Furniture.
The proposal is to allow for the development of an 8-storey building that includes office, light industrial and at-grade retail uses. The proposal includes:
6,100 SF of retail space at grade;
18,300 SF of light industrial space on levels 1 and 2;
65,000 SF of office space on levels 3 to 7;
Amenity space on level 8;
A total density of 4.94 FSR;
A building height of 35 ft.;
99 vehicle parking spaces and 62 bicycle parking spaces.
The City of Vancouver is proposing changes to the I-1 Zoning in Mt. Pleasant as part of a “quick start action” under a broader Employment Lands and Economy Review.
Allowing Medical Office Use in I-1
The first proposed change is to add ‘Health Care Office’ as a conditionally permitted use in the I-1 zone in response to a request from the development industry who have identified Mount Pleasant as an attractive location for medical offices at the relative mid-point between VGH and the future new St. Paul’s Hospital. This amendment is mainly intended for Mount Pleasant, but also introduces this use to one block of I-1 at the southwest corner of 6th Avenue and Clark Drive.
New I-1C Zone Along South Side of West 2nd Avenue
The second and potentially more major proposed change is increased heights and densities along the South side of West 2nd Avenue via a new zone called I-1C. The new zoning would apply to 32 individual land parcels that would be consolidated into approximately 9 or 10 developments.
Details of the proposed new zone include:
Allow double the density from3 to 6 FSR (as long as a full 2 FSR is dedicated to light industrial uses such as production, distribution and repair);
Maintain the same use provisions as the I-1 industrial zone, except that mini-storage and other low-intensity uses are not permitted;
Allow a maximum height for up to 152.5 ft. to reflect the form and scale of SEFC across the street to the north and balance the 2nd Avenue streetscape;
Limit shadowing on the north sidewalk of 2nd Avenue and secure a 5 ft. dedication along 2nd Avenue for public realm improvements including wider sidewalks;
Introduce building setbacks above 4-storeys to ensure that new higher buildings are sculpted to relate to lower buildings;
Permit a variety of new building forms, including terraced, tower and childcare forms.
For developments proposing leasehold developments, the City will apply the commercial linkage target for non-stratified commercial development.
For developments proposing strata, a negotiated CAC approach will be required to estimate the additional value that Council’s enactment of a rezoning would generate above the current land value.
The City estimates that the 32 individual parcels in the subject area could consolidate into approximately 9-10 rezoning projects in the proposed I-1C rezoning area.
As a result, redevelopment could help deliver approximately:
• 1.07 million sq. ft. of new job space over the present condition; • 685 thousand sq. ft. of job space above current zoned capacity; • 3,500+ new jobs; and • $7.2 million in public benefits (based on commercial linkage targets as described above) or more if developments are stratified.
The City of Vancouver is considering new guidelines for height and density that would impact approximately 40 properties around Marine and Cambie in South Vancouver that have potential for social housing or commercial/industrial development.
The area has been the subject of guidelines under both the Marpole Community Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan; however, more recent decisions by Council have directed staff to review the area for new guidelines. These decisions include:
In February 2020, Council directed staff to consider rezoning enquiries and applications for social housing sites around the Marine Drive Station area beyond the heights envisioned in the Marpole Community Plan to address Council’s affordable housing priorities (PDF).
In October 2020, Council also supported intensification of job space in key areas, including Marine Landing, through the Employment Lands and Economy Review (ELER) (PDF). Intensive employment sites in Marine Landing that deliver 100% job space projects with a multi-storey light industrial space may be considered for greater heights and/or densities than identified in the Marpole Community Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan.
The new analysis of the areas planning guidelines will provide new direction for building heights, densities, public realm improvements, built form and urban design, public amenities and upgrades to utilities and public transportation.
