CD-1 Rezoning: 4949-5255 Heather Street and 657-707 West 37th Avenue (Heather Lands)

• This report evaluates an application to rezone 4949-5255 Heather Street and 657 West 37th Avenue (referred to in this report as the “Heather Lands” or the “Site”) from CD-1 (52A) and CD-1 (80) to create two new CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) Districts. The rezoning application is for the entire 21.1-acre site and is being assessed comprehensively. The creation of two CD-1 Districts, as requested by the registered owners of the Heather Lands, allows for phased enactment of the zoning and build out. To allow for the proposed rezoning, the boundaries of the current CD-1 (52A) and (80) must first be amended.
• The Heather Lands project is a joint venture partnership between the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) (collectively the “MST Nations”) and Canada Lands Company (“CLC”). The project represents a significant milestone and will be a benchmark for the City’s efforts toward Reconciliation. For the purposes of this report, staff refer to the MST Nations as a collective as they, along with CLC are joint owners of the rezoning site.
• The proposed rezoning would permit a mixed-use development containing approximately 540 units of social housing, 400 units of market rental housing with 25% of the floor area at below market rent rates and 1670 leasehold strata-titled units, all in buildings ranging in height from 3- to 28-storeys. In addition, the proposal includes a 74-space childcare facility, 4.4 acres of park and public open space, commercial space including office use, a xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ cultural centre, and a site for a Conseil Scolaire Francophone (“CSF”) French language school and associated childcare facility.
• The application proposes a total net floor area of 234,219 sq. m. (2,521,107 sq. ft.) for the Heather Lands. Build-out of the development will be phased over several years. The rezoning includes the draft Heather Lands Design Guidelines to direct implementation over the long build- out anticipated for this project.
• Staff have assessed the application and conclude that it meets the intent of the Heather Lands Policy Statement and the objectives of the Issues Report: Direction for Intensification of Large Sites to Include Moderate Income Rental Housing (the “2019 Issues Report”). If approved, the proposal would address multiple City priorities including Reconciliation, the climate emergency, and housing affordability.
• Staff support the proposal and recommend the application be referred to a public hearing, with the recommendation of the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability to approve it in principle, subject to the public hearing, and conditions contained in Appendices C and D and the draft Heather Lands Design Guidelines in Appendix L.

Climate Emergency – In 2019, Council approved six new targets (“Big Moves”) to guide the City’s efforts in response to the climate emergency, followed by 19 actions to support Big Moves #2, #3, #4 and #5 in 2020. The Heather Lands, given its location within the city, proximity to transit infrastructure, proposed mix of land uses, and design of the master plan, substantially addresses Big Move #1 (Walkable complete communities) and Big Move #2 (Active transportation and transit). Big Moves #2 (Active transportation and transit), #3 (Pollution-free cars, trucks and buses), and #4 (Zero Emissions space and water heating) are addressed primarily through rezoning conditions contained in Appendices C and D. Big Move #6 (Restored coasts and forests) is a long-term direction to reduce carbon pollution. The Heather Lands, at the headwaters of the watershed, proposes to retain and treat rainwater on site protecting sensitive receiving water bodies. Retention of trees and the proposed ultimate vegetative cover of up to 50% work to absorb carbon locally.

Green Buildings – The Green Buildings Policy for Rezonings (amended by Council on May 2, 2018) requires that rezoning applications satisfy either the near zero emission buildings or low emissions green buildings conditions within the policy. This application has opted to satisfy the policy under the low emissions green buildings requirements. The low emissions green buildings pathway represents City priority outcomes, establishing limits on heat loss, energy use, and greenhouse gases, and drawing on industry best practices to create more efficient, healthy and comfortable homes and workplaces. The applicant has submitted preliminary energy modeling analysis detailing building performance strategies to meet the energy use intensity, greenhouse gas and thermal demand targets. For developments with non-residential buildings, the policy also requires they achieve LEED Gold certification, and the applicant has submitted a preliminary LEED scorecard indicating they are on track for Gold certification. Conditions are included in Appendices C and D.

Rezoning Policy for Sustainable Large Developments – Given the site size and proposed floor area, the requirements of the policy apply to this rezoning application. The policy requires defined plans or studies on eight different topic areas to demonstrate how the proposal will achieve the City’s sustainability goals. As part of the proposal, the applicant proposes to meet the eight requirements in the following ways:

• Sustainable Site Design – the Heather Lands is considered, as a master planned site with a single rezoning application, to be a Type A site, and per this classification the applicant proposes to provide tree coverage and vegetation over up to 50% of the site. This requirement was fundamental in the creation of the Heather Lands Policy Statement informing the location of park and open space, retention of existing trees, tree canopy coverage, planted areas on courtyards, patios and rooftops, and inclusion of the pollinator corridor to connect off-site ecological hot spots.
• Sustainable Food Systems – The application includes a range of food assets, with emphasis on MST Peoples traditions of honouring the connection between nature, food and community. A commercial kitchen is proposed as part of the cultural centre and plaza. A variety of programs are proposed for the plaza including a fire pit, community food market, and Indigenous plant garden. The northern park will include an Indigenous food forest and orchard. Development parcels will provide urban agriculture space.
• Green Mobility – The site plan includes a high quality public realm designed to prioritize walking, rolling and cycling with an objective of shifting two-thirds of trips by active transportation and transit. The plan includes new wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, two public bike share stations, and a variety of small pedestrian pathways throughout the plan. The applicant has also proposed potential Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan measures as part of the application, to be finalized at the development permit stage.
• Potable Water Management – The application proposes to reduce potable water use through high efficiency irrigation design and water efficient fixtures. Outdoor water use reductions will be achieved through water efficient plant and landscape features and high efficiency irrigation systems.
• Rainwater Management – The long-term MST Nations ownership of the Heather Lands allows for an integrated site-wide approach to rainwater management. On private property, rainwater management systems must meet retention, rate control and water quality requirements. The application proposes rainwater from private development parcels be routed to green infrastructure within the park, Heather Street greenway, and public open spaces. On public land (streets, lanes, park and open space) rainwater management must treat and retain 48 mm of rainwater in any 24-hour or 90% or average annual rainfall. To address this requirement, the application proposes permeable pavement, bioretention and stormwater tree trenches within streets and lanes, depending on the location. These approaches are consistent with the City’s goals of prioritizing the use of green infrastructure to minimize harmful storm water pollutants from entering receiving waters and adds resiliency to the drainage system. Enactment conditions included in Appendix C and D will ensure further advancement of the design. The proposed rainwater management strategies may require an Alternative Solutions (AL) application at subsequent stages to demonstrate that the proposed approach provides an equal or better level of performance to the prescribed provisions in the Vancouver Building By-law for review by the Office of the Chief Building Official.
• Groundwater Management – The City requires a hydrogeological study and groundwater management plan that demonstrates that the proposed development will not result in significant groundwater-related risks or impacts. In response to these requirements, a Preliminary Hydrogeological Study was submitted. The study indicates that groundwater management provisions, such as tanking of the parkades or the use of a cut-off wall, will be required to reduce groundwater discharge to acceptable rates. A detailed analysis and design will be provided with the first development permit application to address conditions included in Appendix C and D. The application also proposes a groundwater-based district energy system to meet the Zero Emissions Building Plan requirements, as it provides the highest energy efficiency at the lowest lifecycle cost, including capital cost. Low-energy carbon options have the potential to impact the groundwater conditions in the surrounding area. The groundwater conditions contained in Appendix C and D outline the requirements needed to further assess the proposed concept.
• Zero Waste Planning – A Zero Waste Plan has been submitted outlining anticipated waste generation rates and a range of approaches to encourage zero waste. At the next stage of the project, the applicant will select at least seven initiatives in section 6.1.2 of the Sustainable Large Sites bulletin.
• Affordable Housing – The application includes 35% (approximately 940 units) of all residential floor area as a combination of secured social, market rental and below market rental housing units. For more details refer to the Housing Section.
• Resilience – At the time of development permit application, the applicant will be required to submit a Resilience Worksheet. The worksheet assesses the local risk, hazards and identifies consideration and mitigation strategies.

Staff have reviewed the applicant’s overall response to the Rezoning Policy for Sustainable Large Developments and, in some instances, have recommended improvements to strengthen the response to the policy. Conditions to secure the delivery of these features prior to enactment or as a part of subsequent development permit stage applications are included in Appendices C
and D.