Council voted on the villages plan Tuesday following a marathon, multi-day public hearing into one of the most contentious land-use decisions of the current four-year term.
Article content
Vancouver council has rejected the villages plan, a proposal from the city’s planning department to add residential and commercial density to 17 areas around town.
Article content
The villages plan emerged from several years of decisions and directions from successive city councils, after public engagement found strong support for adding medium-density housing as well as more shops and services spread throughout residential neighbourhoods.
Article content
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
Sunrise
Article content
At a council meeting Tuesday, councillors from the majority ABC Vancouver party said their decision was guided by public response to the villages plan, which council members variously described as a “tsunami,” “landslide,” and “storm” of opposition.
Article content
All ABC council members voted against the plan, as did councillors from three other parties: Vote Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh, Green Coun. Pete Fry, and COPE Coun. Sean Orr.
Article content
Only OneCity Coun. Lucy Maloney voted in favour. She said in the meeting: “This plan wasn’t perfect, but it would have provided more affordable, accessible housing choices in more neighbourhoods.”
Article content
Tuesday’s decision followed a marathon, multi-day public hearing hundreds of members of the public appeared at city hall and phoned in to speak passionately to register their support and opposition to the plan. Opponents out-numbered supporters, both in spoken and written submissions. Many objected to the proposal to enable apartment buildings of up to six storeys in 17 hubs around town, citing concerns about neighbourhood character, parking, and loss of tree canopy.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
At Tuesday’s council meeting, ABC Coun. Peter Meiszner said he was responding to the strong public opposition to the plan.
Article content
Article content
Soon after, OneCity’s Maloney proposed to refer the proposed changes back to city staff for “further deep consultation.”
Article content
Meiszner said he did not believe “this is a consultation issue,” and he felt the plan, as presented, was “flawed,” and he would oppose Maloney’s amendment. Maloney’s amendment was rejected by the ABC majority.
Article content
Maloney then proposed what she described as a “compromise,” suggesting a pilot program with zoning changes to a few specific areas on a “pilot” basis. That, too, was rejected by ABC.
Article content
More to come …
Article content
Article content
Article content
