Opinion: Vancouver should pilot Villages Plan before reshaping 17 neighbourhoods | Daily Hive

Opinion: Vancouver should pilot the Villages Plan before reshaping 17 neighbourhoods

West 41st Avenue in Kerrisdale, Vancouver. (The Rockel Group)

Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Steve Jedreicich, who is the principal of Vancouver’s SJ Development Ltd., bringing over 30 years of local urban planning and real estate consulting experience to the housing discussion.

On July 14, the ABC Vancouver party’s governing majority on Vancouver City Council will vote on one of the biggest planning changes in Vancouver’s history.

They have the votes. But have they done the work?

The Villages Plan would reshape 17 neighbourhoods, affecting more than 14 per cent of the city’s land area. It would allow buildings of up to eight storeys and require roughly one million square feet of mandatory new retail space.

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No one disputes that Vancouver needs more housing, but changes of this scale also require public confidence, and ABC hasn’t earned it.

Staff with the City of Vancouver released their 329-page report only weeks before the public hearing. While City staff say consultation has been sufficient, more than 200 people have registered to speak, and over 1,900 written submissions have been received, mostly opposed.

Clearly, many residents haven’t been heard.

The plan raises practical concerns, requiring significant new commercial space in village areas that already have up to 15 per cent retail vacancy rates, which risks creating more empty windows, not more vibrant shopping streets. Existing businesses may also face years of construction disruption, and many small businesses won’t survive long enough to return.

Before requiring this much retail space, the City should validate that there is demand.

Housing choice is another concern. In many village cores, redevelopment would be largely limited to six- to eight-storey mixed-use buildings, reducing opportunities for replacement homes, laneway houses, and townhomes. More housing options should be available.

The report also identifies existing parks, libraries, community centres, fire halls, and other amenities, but provides little evidence that these services will keep pace with the population growth anticipated.

Villages Plan. (City of Vancouver)

Illustrative concept of what a Village area could look like. (City of Vancouver)

Some homeowners could also face substantially higher property taxes as redevelopment potential increases, even if they have no intention of redeveloping.

Finally, there is neighbourhood character. Kerrisdale is different from Commercial Drive. Dunbar is different from Hastings-Sunrise. One-size-fits-all zoning ignores exactly what makes each village work.

There is a better way: launch pilot projects in one or two willing communities, measure the results, and learn from the experience. Then expand using the knowledge we’ve gained.

When rewriting the rules for entire neighbourhoods, getting it right matters more than getting it done.

Vancouver needs more homes. It also needs a City Hall that listens before it legislates.

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