Vancouver to allow more density at all SkyTrain stations beyond legislation

City of Vancouver to enable more density near all SkyTrain stations beyond BC legislated requirements

Government of BC's Transit-Oriented Areas in Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

Just before the end of this month, on June 26, Vancouver City Council is expected to approve the City of Vancouver’s various bylaws that outline how it will comply with the Government of British Columbia’s transit-oriented development (TOD) legislation that enables more housing near major public transit hubs.

This provincial housing legislation requires the municipal government to enact such bylaws by no later than June 30, 2024, including formally designating 29 transit-oriented areas (TOAs) within Vancouver’s boundaries. This entails 27 SkyTrain stations — including two SkyTrain stations (Gilmore and Bridgeport stations) that are located nearby in an adjacent municipality, but have TOAs that cross into Vancouver — and two bus exchanges (Dunbar and Kootenay loops).

Vancouver is not alone, as cities across the region and elsewhere in the province are required to align their bylaws with various new housing legislation, such as the TOD legislation applied to residential zoning and mixed-use residential zoning.

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Under provincial legislation, TOAs emanating from SkyTrain stations have an 800-metre radius, with the Tier 1 inner radius of 200 metres enabling residential building heights of at least 20 storeys and a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 5.0 times larger than the size of the lot. The Tier 2 middle radius of 400 metres enables residential building heights of at least 12 storeys and a density of 4.0 FAR, while the Tier 3 outer radius of 800 metres enables residential building heights of at least eight storeys and a density of 3.0 FAR.

vancouver transit oriented areas toa map skytrain bus exchange

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Areas in Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map marine drive station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Marine Drive Station. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map langara 49th avenue station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Langara-49th Avenue Station. (City of Vancouver)

City staff recommend that for the Tier 1 inner radius of the 27 TOAs emanating from SkyTrain stations across Vancouver, the minimum allowable density be increased from the legislation’s baseline of 5.0 FAR to 5.5 FAR.

For example, a 30,000 sq ft development site with a density of 5.0 FAR would theoretically be able to pursue a total building floor area of 150,000 sq ft, while the increased density of 5.5 FAR would enable 165,000 sq ft on the same site.

But there is much more to Vancouver’s TOA framework. City staff recommend that this expanded Tier 1 allowance be expanded to not just residential uses, but also proposals with 100% commercial space, such as office and hotel towers.

The increased FAR density “better reflect[s] the expected form of development based on typical lot sizes and assemblies in the Vancouver context,” reads a City staff report.

Additionally, ground-level retail/restaurant uses will be required for new developments in TOAs without a recent area plan (i.e. Broadway Plan, Cambie Plan, and Grandview-Woodland Plan), specifically for sites on arterial roads within 400 metres of a SkyTrain station or 200 metres of a bus exchange.

“Since TOAs are also ideal location for other employment-generating uses, such as office and hotels, proposals for 100% commercial space can also be considered in Tier 1 (i.e., within 200 m of a SkyTrain station), up to 20 storeys or 5.5 FAR. This will help address the lack of hotel capacity in Vancouver, which if left unaddressed could cost the city billions in lost economic impact and thousands of unrealized full-time jobs.”

New secured purpose-built rental housing projects seeking to maximize the permitted height and densities within their location in the TOA would need to set aside at least 20% of the residential units at below-market rents or at least 30% of the units for social housing. In exchange, such rezonings will not have cash community amenity contribution (CAC) and proforma review requirements, with a CAC exemption provided for these inclusionary housing projects. Extra density of up to 10% could also be granted for projects with a heritage preservation component.

Additional height and densities beyond the TOA framework will be considered on a case-by-case basis for seniors housing by non-profit operators, 100% social housing projects, and residential or commercial proposals related to First Nations.

To mitigate the impacts of the displacement of existing rental housing tenants from development, City staff are recommending that the same strict tenant relocation and protection policies made for the Broadway Plan be applied to all TOAs.

Generally, the Broadway Plan’s tenant relocation and protection policies require developers cover the costs incurred by relocated tenants in interim housing, with the developer also subsidizing any rent increase for the displaced tenant. Furthermore, once the redevelopment is complete, the original tenants have the right of first refusal to return at the same or lower rent.

transit oriented areas toa map rupert station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Rupert Station. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map 29th avenue station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of 29th Avenue Station. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map nanaimo station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Nanaimo Station. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map king edward station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of King Edward Station. (City of Vancouver)

The legislation is expected to have little to no impact for TOAs in downtown Vancouver, which is already heavily built up, but more impacts on the TOAs in the Broadway Plan area, which already prescribes heights and densities that mostly exceed the TOA framework. For instance, the legislation will end the Broadway Plan’s prescriptions that limit the number of towers per block, and force the municipal government to introduce significantly more height and density near the Canada Line’s Broadway-City Hall and Olympic Village stations.

Greater impacts can potentially be expected for TOAs emanating from the Canada Line stations within the Cambie Plan, Nanaimo and 29th Avenue stations on the Expo Line, Renfrew and Rupert stations on the Millennium Line, and the regional hub of Commercial-Broadway Station within the Grandview-Woodland Plan.

It should be noted that the Renfrew and Rupert stations are currently going through an area planning process akin to the Broadway Plan, and the resulting Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan outlining densification strategies is expected to be finalized in 2025.

Special considerations will be given to the Grandview-Woodland Plan, as its “Pace of Change” policy that slows down and limits the number of proposals will be abolished and replaced with the Broadway Plan’s enhanced tenant relocation and protection policies. As well, Commercial-Broadway Station’s TOA will enable Tier 1’s potential of up to 20 storeys and 5.5 FAR on Tier 2 sites where 12 storeys are currently permitted within the existing Commercial-Broadway Precinct of the Grandview-Woodland Plan.

As for the smaller 400-metre TOAs radius’ of the bus exchanges of Dunbar and Kootenay loops, the legislation requires new minimums of up to 12 storeys and 4.0 FAR for the Tier 4 inner radius of 200 metres, and up to eight storeys and 3.0 FAR for the Tier 5 outer radius of 400 metres.

In their report, City staff warn that serious considerations will be necessary to expedite the planning and funding of infrastructure expansion and improvements, particularly regarding water and sewer capacities.

“It is anticipated that the majority of TOA sites will need to provide significant infrastructure upgrades, which will be identified on a site-by-site basis and secured through the rezoning process,” states City staff.

“Developments in some TOAs are anticipated to have costlier and more complex neighbourhood serving upgrades and occupancy conditions than others.”

transit oriented areas toa map bridgeport station

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Bridgeport Station. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map dunbar loop

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Dunbar Loop. (City of Vancouver)

transit oriented areas toa map kootenay loop

Government of BC’s Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) of Kootenay Loop. (City of Vancouver)

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