City of Vancouver plans to increase density while protecting the environment

I attended a Breakfast Meeting for REALTOR's yesterday where we enjoyed a short speach from one of the City of Vancouver's city planners regarding the city's plans for the Westside of Vancouver. The general jist of it was that the city is planning to increase density in Vancouver, but on the westside this looks like it will mostly take the form of more duplexes, row houses and carriage houses on main streets adjacent to what they call "Community Vision Neighbourhood Centres" These are areas like Dunbar St around 41st Ave, King Edward Ave, and 16th Ave, 41st Ave. in Kerrisdale, 10th Ave in Point Grey, and Cambie St at King Edward and 16th. For more information click here.

The City is also planning a changes around the Canada Line. Starting at the Marine Dr. station at Marine and Cambie they plan more office and industional uses south of Marine and the planner added that he saw no great likelyhood of new big box stores along Marine Dr. North of Marine the city is planning for increased residential density. Planning for this area will be underway over the next 18 months. Next up the line are the station at 41st and 49th which will be planned for together along with a plan to dramatically revamp the Oakridge shopping centre site. Click here for more info. After they have planned all that they will move on to the King Edward station area. For more info on Canada Line related planning click here.

They were many interesting question from the REALTORs at the event, the most interesting, and most absurd I think, was a proposal to some Vancouver artertial routes to one way. The example the REALTOR gave was to turn 1st Ave and 12th Ave one way in opposity directions and to keep Broadway two-way. Yikes, what a mess that would be for businesses, neigbourhoods and schools along those routes.

Many REALTORs seemed understandably frustrated by the slow pace of change, but I am sure that they would also complain if there property taxes went up to pay for all more planners and more bureaucrats to enact all those new plans.

I am a big fan of increased density and the Canada Line. I think it makes cities better in almost every way. Denser cities are more walkable, better for small business, better for the environment and better in many other ways as well.

Time to go. What do you think?