On July 10th, 2024, the Vancouver City Council approved the most significant changes to the city’s view cone policies since their inception in 1989. These changes aim to increase housing and job space while still preserving key scenic views.

Source: Daily Hive

Historic Policy Changes

The council’s decision marks a significant shift in priorities, balancing the need for scenic preservation with the city’s urgent demand for more housing and commercial spaces. The view cone policies, originally designed to protect northward mountain views from select public areas, will see major changes but retain their core purpose.

Key Amendments

The new 2024 Public Views Guidelines reduce the number of protected public views from 38 to 24 and the number of origin points from 18 to 16. These changes will open up substantial development opportunities, particularly in areas where views have been obscured by natural growth or urban development.

Council’s Vision

ABC city councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung emphasized the need for adaptable city policies:

“There is no one silver bullet to address our housing crisis. We need a synergy of policies to achieve our goals. Cities are living entities that must evolve. The Vancouver of 1989 is not the Vancouver of today.”

Development Potential

City staff estimate that these policy changes could enable an additional building floor area of between 108 million sq ft and 215 million sq ft over the next century, translating to approximately 230,000 to 300,000 new homes. In the next 30 years alone, potential development could add between 15,000 and 75,000 homes.

Focus Areas

The single largest development capacity gain comes from adjustments to View Cone 3.0, which originates from Queen Elizabeth Park. This adjustment alone accounts for half of the total development capacity gains, opening significant development opportunities along the Cambie Corridor and downtown Vancouver peninsula.

Community Impact

Councilor Peter Meiszner highlighted the broader benefits of these changes:

“The modernization of the view cone policy balances the need for more housing with maintaining a livable city. This will also generate significant community amenity contributions, funding vital infrastructure and amenities.”

Shadowing Guidelines

In addition, to view cone policy changes, the council approved new building shadowing guidelines for areas outside downtown Vancouver, standardizing the impact assessment to spring and fall equinoxes from 10 am to 4 pm.

Public Reaction

Former city councilor Colleen Hardwick expressed opposition, arguing that the changes prioritize profit over livability. However, the council remains committed to managing growth in a way that benefits current and future residents.

Conclusion

The approval of these policy changes marks a significant step towards addressing Vancouver’s housing crisis while maintaining the city’s unique connection to nature. The council’s decision is poised to reshape the urban landscape, balancing development with preserving iconic views.

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