[misher]

The Article is here
https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/20...ing-group.html
and letter is here
http://udi.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/...n-Broadway.pdf


The Urban Development Institute has written a moratorium to the city criticizing the Broadway corridor saying it doesn't make sense. I love their sarcastic criticism, pointing out that they have been urging for a plan since 2014. This is very funny to read as usually the UDI is very polite and professional.

We have been suggesting the City develop an Area Plan for the corridor since the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation prioritized Broadway Extension in 2014.

I also love how they point out that the city is only planning on an increase of 12,500 people, when 4x that amount was planned for Cambie.

We are disappointed that many areas along the Corridor are being identified as having limited development potential beyond what is currently in place. It is noted in the Report to Council that 12,500 people are expected to move into the area by 2041. For comparison, this represents one-quarter of what was recently approved for the Cambie Corridor.

This interim plan calls for a 2.5 year halt on all permits except for "100 per cent social and supportive housing, community care facilities, 100 per cent below market rental housing or 100 per cent affordable student housing". Which is of course rare meaning there will be little to no development in the interim.

I have made this point before. It doesn't make sense to freeze permits on the Broadway corridor for two years from 2018-2020 when skytrain stations will be up and running in 2025. The article points out that it takes 3-7 years for new housing developments, some projects can

take as long as seven years for approvals

, meaning many will not be ready in time for the skytrains opening. Its honestly going to be crazy to be building at the same time as the skytrain's construction as streets everywhere will be shutdown from the double whammy. Gregor Robertson said that the city had failed/errored when it did not develop high density around past skytrain stations and promised that Broadway would not repeat this mistake.

Another point the article makes is regarding the heavy DCE rates.

the association also expressed concern at the “steep increase” in development fees proposed by the city in a recent report, called Development Contribution Expectation.

“The charges are substantial — $330 to $425 per square foot of additional density. This would be more than two to three times higher than the fixed Community Amenity Contribution rates along the recently approved Cambie Corridor Plan, and will ultimately impact affordability for homebuyers,” McMullin said, noting costs are often passed on through taxes and fees.

The city needs to encourage increased density along Broadway, but with these DCE's building big is going to be much less profitable/desirable for developers. A note that much of Broadway is zoned for low-rise commercial which as you can imagine is not what you expect beside a skytrain station.

I personally don't believe the city can afford to two years for the plan to be finished before doing any development. Plans for towers around skytrain stations need to begin now for them to be complete when we need them in 2025.

I suspect this 2 year period could be shortened to a couple months and believe its because of the city's development office which is one of the slowest in Canada.

Earlier this year, a study found that Vancouver has the longest building permit approval times with an average of 21 months for an application.

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vanco...-november-2017
I think its wrong for a city that everyone agrees has a housing crisis to have the longest wait time to approve new housing.

But representatives of the development industry say it still comes down to insufficient labour resources in the development office, and the resulting delays are contributing to the City’s housing crisis.

“These permitting delays are part of an ongoing challenge, one that UDI has been sounding an alarm on for many years. The processing delays are a big factor in housing supply shortages,” said Anne McMullin, President & CEO of the Urban Development Institute.

Though I would prefer the city modify its interim policy, at the very least I think it should reduce its planning period from 2 years to 1 (or less!) so things can get started.


The below regarding the city's desire for increased DCE's is interesting as they are also saying they will allow very few strata developments if any at all. I love how they point out with more sarcasm that the city and public sector have been purchasing large swathes along the Canada line yet criticizing others who do it as speculators.

One issue that needs to be urgently addressed is the connection between strata
development and public benefits. Strata development would likely be the key funding
vehicle for new amenities along Broadway – as they have been for previous area
plans. However, the City’s website states, “The Broadway Plan may or may not
include opportunities for increased strata residential density.” If little or no strata
development is allowed, it will be unclear how public benefits are funded.

We are concerned that the City may seek to charge Community Amenity
Contributions on rental housing projects and/or increase the Commercial Linkage
Targets on new job spaces. Both strategies would significantly undermine the City’s
efforts to improve housing affordability and enhance economic development.
If strata development is allowed, the Report includes a new concept of Development
Contribution Expectations (DCEs). The charges are substantial - $330 to $425 per
square foot of additional density. This would be more than 2-3 times higher than the
fixed Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) rates along the recently approved
Cambie Corridor Plan, and will ultimately impact affordability for homebuyers. A
recent analysis by appraiser and property tax expert Paul Sullivan demonstrates that
over 26% of the cost new housing along the Cambie can be attributed fees and taxes
3from all levels of government. These proposed DCEs will only increase the impact of
government costs on housing.

The City has indicated that the DCEs are needed to control land speculation.
However, much of the speculation is being driven by a lack of clarity regarding what
will be allowed in terms of height and density along the corridor and the timing of
projects. We also note that governments and the public sector have also contributed
to land speculation through major land acquisitions along the corridor in anticipation
of the funding of the transit line.

Moreover, we are concerned that the City’s CAC policy may be changing. Our
understanding is that the City’s proposed DCEs represent 100% of the lift in the
value of land from rezonings, which is substantially higher than past practice. It is
noted in a City of Vancouver brochure, Rezoning & Community Amenity
Contributions: Negotiating for a More Livable City, that “CACs typically represent 70-
80 per cent of the increase in property value.” If a change in CAC policy is being
contemplated, there needs to be much more extensive consultation with key
stakeholders including our industry.