July 18 Email

In the interests of transparency and widest possible communication within the Norquay community, Eye on Norquay here reposts the following City of Vancouver email, sent out earlier today to unspecified recipients — especially because an undated variant of some of this information has recently been added to the web address provided in the letter:

            http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/neighcentres/norquay/index.htm

You may wish to consider further the content and timing of this email in the context of statements made before City Council at public hearing on July 12 — reported on July 14 by Eye on Norquay in July 12 Public Hearing.

This email to Norquay is also being archived through a link made in the Documents section of Eye on Norquay.

 
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From:       Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Program
            norquayvillage@vancouver.ca
To:	
Date:       Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 5:17 PM
Subject:    Update re: Implemention of the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan
Mailed-by:  vancouver.ca
	
            5:17 PM (4 hours ago)
	
Dear Norquay Residents/Business Owners,

Since our April 30 information session, staff have been working to draft the detailed
regulations and guidelines for the rowhouse, stacked townhouse and small house/duplex
zones outlined in  the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan. In developing any
new zoning, there is generally a long list of technical issues that need to be resolved
after the basic zoning parameters have been set. In Norquay this has been particularly
challenging as the Norquay Plan supports unique directions – ensuring that existing
single-family property development rights are embedded in the new zoning, that infill
housing, and secondary or lock-off suites are allowed in each of the zones, and that
existing housing can be retained through conversion to duplexes if it is upgraded to
meet appropriate building code standards. All these requirements add complexity to the
regulations and have resulted in the need for more technical analysis in order to
finalize the content of these zones and ensure that they will produce high quality
designs and livable units. We are now anticipating completing the draft zoning
regulations and design guidelines later this year and will provide an opportunity for
the public to view the draft schedules and guidelines before they go to Council.
We will also begin developing the apartment zoning – the fourth of four new zones in
the Plan – this fall.

On the public benefits work, we have completed much of the background information
on the current facilities and needs in the neighbourhood and are now costing out the
priority directions in the Plan and reviewing funding, development charge rates and
anticipated timing of development. The public will have an opportunity to engage
in this work once we have all the background information together and possible options
drafted. As part of this work, we're also anticipating doing a public realm plan
that will help flush out directions in the Plan, including providing guidance on
the design and function for the public plazas associated with the larger development
sites on Kingsway. We will advise you of opportunities to participate in this
work later this year.

You may have already visited the new Norquay Park – the first public amenity
improvement project in Norquay. The grand opening for the Park is scheduled for this
Wednesday, July 20 from  4:30 to 5:30 pm.  

Please continue to check-out the Norquay Village website at http://vancouver.ca/
commsvcs/planning/neighcentres/norquay/index.htm for further information.

In the meantime, if you have questions or comments please call Titania Lam at
604.871.6302, or if you have questions or comments in Chinese, please call Angela Ko
at 604.871.6598.

Warm regards,
Titania Lam

Community Planning
City of Vancouver
604-871-6302

 
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