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Vancouver City Council Minutes

2. Text Amendment - Downtown District (General Office Live-Work)

An application by the Director of Current Planning was considered as follows:
Summary: The proposed text amendment would permit General Office Live-Work in certain areas of the Downtown District. A text amendment to the Sign By-law is also required.

The Director of Current Planning recommended approval.

Staff Opening Comments

Phil Mondor, Rezoning Planner, reviewed the application, provided rationale for staff's recommendations, and noted permitting the new use provides economic opportunity for small business and provides a bridge between home-based business and a full office. Mr. Mondor, with Dave Thomsett, Senior Planner, Rezoning Centre, responded to questions regarding the excluded businesses noted in the draft by-law.

Summary of Correspondence

Council received the following correspondence since referral to Public Hearing:
· 1 letter in opposition;
· 1 press release in opposition.

Speakers

Jamie Lee Hamilton spoke in opposition to restricting the excluded businesses listed in the draft by-law and any policy that infringes on the rights of any identifiable individuals. Ms. Hamilton responded to questions and pointed out escort services already operate under the General Office business license category. Ms. Hamilton noted there would be no impact on surrounding tenants because live-work units have separate ground-level entry ways, and pointed out that people using dating services meet by telephone and memberships rather than at an office.

Nancy Chiavario spoke in support of allowing escort services to operate in separately entranced live-work units. Ms. Chiavario noted escort services already operate in the City and that everyone has rights unless they are infringing on other people.

Council Decision

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth

A. THAT the application by the Director of Planning to amend the Downtown District Official Development Plan (By-law No. 4912), to define General Office Live-Work use and permit it in appropriate circumstances and to update the map diagrams in the ODP, generally as contained in Appendix A of the Policy Report "General Office Live-Work in the Downtown District" dated July 8, 2003, be approved.

B. THAT the Application by the Director of Current Planning to amend the Sign By-law (By-law No. 6510), to establish regulations for Live-Work use generally as contained in Appendix B of the Policy Report "General Live-Work in the Downtown District" dated July 8, 2003, be approved.

C. THAT the draft by-law be amended by removing the following clause:
"2.(a) any such use shall not include a health enhancement centre or any dating service, entertainment service, exotic dancer business, social escort service or other similar business, as determined by the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chief License Inspector;"

D. THAT Council instruct the Development Permit Board to require that General Office Live-Work applications by health enhancement centres or any dating service, entertainment service, exotic dancer business, social escort service or other similar business, as determined by the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chief License Inspector, be subject to a good neighbour agreement. CARRIED

(Councillors Bass, Ladner and Deputy Mayor Sullivan opposed)