Vancouverism Urban Planning
Guest: Larry Beasley, urban planner
In this edition of Journal, we wade into the fraught topic of city planning, density and affordability by examining Vancouver’s latest efforts to get more housing built – no matter what.
In the beginning, when the province mandated more density around transit hubs, people grumpily agreed, even though it was stomping on the right of municipalities to control their own zoning.
After all, having people live close to transit lines should lead to more people using the system, therefore making the massive infrastructure costs worthwhile.
Thus, the Broadway Plan allowed increased density and towers along the new rapid transit route.
But then Vancouver City Council went further by proposing to greatly increase the areas where this was allowed. It now encompasses many different character neighbourhoods, often at some distance from the transit corridor.
The idea that, without needing a rezoning process, anyone can build a 20-story tower next door has worried many city planners, architects, and community activists. Whatever happened to all the work that went into those individual neighbourhood plans?
Larry Beasley was one of 23 community leaders who wrote to Council, asking them not to pass this further expansion of the Broadway Plan and its towers.
However, the Council disagreed and passed the changes.
Larry Beasley is an internationally respected urban planner who, as Co-Director of planning for the City of Vancouver, helped develop what is now known around the world as Vancouverism. He is frequently asked to speak and advise on this urban planning concept.
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