Vancouver city councillors will look at a motion from Mayor Ken Sim on Wednesday that seeks to unlock industrial and mixed-use zoned lands for housing developments.
The “Realizing the Full Potential of Exceptional Lands in Vancouver” motion wants staff to look at a number of sites around the city, including the former Molson brewing site in Kitsilano, city-owned land near Main Street and Terminal Avenue, and the Mount Pleasant industrial area.
It also asks staff to look at land in the Railtown neighbourhood and Marine Gateway in South Vancouver.
Sim’s motion says that the city has received an “increasing number” of non-compliant rezoning applications to include housing on industrial and employment lands. Combined with the province’s Transit-Oriented Areas (TOA) legislation requiring municipalities to increase housing density near transit corridors, there is a “necessity for a policy review of industrial lands near rapid transit.”
Staff must also consider land parcels that “maintain or intensify employment generating capacity,” the motion says. The sites must also accommodate “thepotential for housing and public amenities such as green space, childcare, community and recreation facilities, and arts and culture spaces.”
If passed, staff will report back to council with their assessments of the industrial lands. If council decides to go ahead with rezoning, staff will then prepare submissions to Metro Vancouver Regional District to have the sites removed from the Industrial Land Reserves come fall.
You can watch CityNews 24/7 live or listen live to 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver to keep up to date with this story. You can also subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
