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- City council reduces some view cone protections in an effort to encourage density, development
City council reduces some view cone protections in an effort to encourage density, development
Plus, park rangers confiscated coolers in CRAB Park during the heatwave

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Good morning,
Nate here. It’s shaping up to be another sunny, hot weekend, but with temperatures dropping slightly from earlier this week it should be a lovely time to get outside and enjoy the slew of recreation opportunities Vancouver has to offer.
It’s well and truly summer these days, and you’d be forgiven if park board and city council meetings were not front of mind at the moment. Lucky for you, that’s our job here at Vancity Lookout and we’re keeping our eye on the ball of a number of issues percolating in the municipal halls of power.
Today we’ve got a deep dive into the city’s new view cone policy, along with all the other news and events you need to get your weekend started.
Let’s dive in!
— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout
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PPS - Questions, comments, tips, or leads? You can reach me directly at [email protected]
WEATHER
Friday: 26 🌡️ 16 | ☀️
Saturday: 26 🌡️ 16 | ☀️
Sunday: 26 🌡️ 16 | ☀️
Monday: 24 🌡️ 16 | ☀️
CITY HALL
City council reduces some view cone protections in an effort to encourage density, development

People admiring the view from Queen Elizabeth Park. While the mountain views are here to stay, some of the views of downtown could shift in the near future / Nate Lewis
What happened: City council moved forward with significant changes to Vancouver’s 1989 view cone guidelines. It marks a notable departure from 35 years of city planning policy that have (mostly) prioritized certain mountain and ocean views for the general public.
In a confused voting session, the ABC-majority council moved to update 11 public view cones, remove 16 (two of which have already been obstructed by trees, they noted), and maintain 13 others. After some attempted changes (more on that below), city staff’s view cone recommendations were approved unanimously.
Background: The city’s view protection guidelines were amended twice in the ‘90s and again in 2011. Last year, ABC councillors asked city staff to review and report back on the city’s view cone guidelines.
The 2023 motion, submitted by Coun. Peter Meiszner, gestured to the geographic constraints that limit available land for development on the downtown peninsula. These conditions, and the extent of the housing crisis, put public views in political competition with the city’s goal of promoting density downtown.
The report’s recommendations attempted to “balance the need for more housing, job space and hotel rooms while ensuring Vancouver continues growing as a liveable, equitable and vibrant community,” according to the city staff.
“Vancouver’s protected public views are considered a defining element of Vancouver’s brand,” as the report put it.
Specifics: Some of the most notable changes are along Cambie and Granville street, including the bridges, and at Grace McCarthy Plaza in Queen Elizabeth Park (you may recall that view as appearing on the album cover of Destroyer’s 2011 cult classic Kaputt).
On Cambie, it means removing the protected view of Grouse Mountain above BC Place and the view of City Hall, while opening the airspace above Plaza of Nations for potential development. From the QE lookout, the changes will remove the protected views of downtown and the port, while preserving the mountain views.

The lower portion of the QE view cone was removed by city council / City of Vancouver
Some of the updates shrunk view cones to varying degrees, creating a noticeable gap for future development, while other updates simply shifted the origin point (where one views from) while, in essence, maintaining the view.
Other removals from the protected view list, at Laurel Landbridge and Choklit Park in Fairview, were due to their current obstruction by trees. However, some of these trees seem to be deciduous, meaning the view would still be partially visible during winter months.

At the Laurel Landbridge, half of the photo on the right shows the tree in winter months / City of Vancouver
In addition, downtown sites classified as “exceptional” may be permitted to encroach on retained view cones at Charleson Park and Heather Bay in False Creek South, while the guidelines suggest views of the Sisters (or the Lions, depending on your perspective) be maintained.
The density piece: As an example of the density benefit for removing this sort of view, city staff estimate that removing the protected views at Laurel could result in 215 to 1,100 additional housing units built over 30 years, which would “otherwise be limited by the view cone boundary.”
As a whole, city staff estimate a potential development capacity between 8.1 million sq. ft. and 54,000 sq. ft. over the next 30 years, including 15,000 to 75,000 additional homes, according to Urbanized.
The 1989 View Protection Guidelines, “were well-intended at the time, but no longer meet the demands of our growing and evolving city. We can not afford to be constrained by policy of the past. Allowing more housing should be top of the priority list,” Coun. Lenny Zhou said.
Higher density also reduces urban sprawl, allowing for the concentrated delivery of civic amenities and reduced environmental impacts, according to Coun. Rebecca Bligh.
Bligh, and Coun. Adriane Carr, offered a considered perspective on the benefits and drawbacks of reducing view cones, and broke with the ABC majority by (unsuccessfully) attempting to get further engagement and consultation on changes to certain view cones.
Public perspective: One Vancity Lookout Insider (a former city employee) wrote to us, expressing their thoughts on the issue in the form of a headline suggestion: City Council Sold Off Vancouver Public Mountain Views Today: They’ve privatized the view cones in one sweep!
While this may not be entirely accurate, it certainly speaks to the sentiments of some Vancouverites, including those who spoke to the motion on Wednesday.
Colin Hardwick, the former one-term NPA councillor and TEAM mayoral candidate, told council she was “deeply disturbed” and “wanted to cry” after reading the staff recommendations.
Hardwick has gone on the record before about her “deep distrust of city hall staff,” according to Vancouver Magazine.
“The loss of institutional memory [in the current council] is staggering,” Hardwick said, adding that “growth on steroids and sky high developer profit” appears to be more important than protecting public interest.
As a councillor, Hardwick gained a reputation for her criticisms of the city’s approach to housing supply and density, which she sees as a vehicle for propping up the city’s budget rather than improving housing affordability, according to Urbanized.
She often voted against rezoning applications for large and midsized developments and policies that would encourage denser housing forms, saying the city’s job is to manage development, rather than promote it, according to CBC.
VANCOUVER NUMBERS
📈 6.4: The magnitude of an earthquake recorded off the coast of Vancouver Island on Thursday morning. [Vancouver Sun]
🔥 150: The number of active wildfires in B.C., with dozens of new fires starting during this week’s heatwave. [Global]
SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN VAN
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Downtown Van in partnership with hcma recently released “Vancouver’s Awesome Alleys,” a five-year strategy to reclaim more laneways as public space and create a vibrant network of alleys in downtown Vancouver.
With Vancouver’s laneways comprising 30% of public space in the downtown core, reimagining them as third spaces could significantly reshape our urban landscape. Over the next five years, Downtown Van and hcma plan to transform 2-3 of the laneways identified in the strategy, aiming to consistently activate every Awesome Alley with public and private events.
Explore the potential of Vancouver’s urban alleys and download a copy of Vancouver’s Awesome Alleys: Five Year Strategy.
PARKS
Park rangers confiscate coolers at CRAB Park
What happened: We’re all well aware of the heat wave we’ve just been through, but that didn’t stop park rangers from confiscating CRAB Park residents’ coolers on Tuesday – the hottest day of the year thus far.
The coolers were “excessive belongings” being kept outside a tent, which is not allowed under the park board GM’s guidelines for the area, the park board said in a statement to CBC.
Details: Nine tents remain in CRAB Park’s designated shelter area, according to the same CBC report, down from the 27 sheltering spaces established by the park board during an area clean-up in April. Shelter spaces are removed each time a resident leaves or moves from the area, according to the GM’s guidelines.
The park board also said residents could reclaim the coolers if they wished. However, advocate Fiona York said it’s a difficult process to do through 311 – particularly for people experiencing homelessness – with no direct contact available for park rangers or park board staff, according to City News.
Health Canada identifies people with low income, people who aren’t able to cool their living space, and those without a home, as being at higher risk for heat-related illness.
THE AGENDA
🙅 The B.C. government “does not agree” with Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s recent report, which recommended that the province expand its “safer supply” program — in this case allowing access to alternative opioid medications without a prescription — in order to prevent further overdoses. Minister Jennifer Whiteside said the province “will not go in the direction” of “non-medical models of distributing medications.” [City News]
🚬 The park board is reminding the public of wildfire hazards, warning against lit cigarettes and open fires in city parks and beaches. Both activities are prohibited year-round but the recent hot, dry weather makes the matter more important at the moment. [Vancouver park board]
😬 Isabelle’s, a cocktail bar in Yaletown’s trendy Hamilton Street restaurant district, was the scene of a surprising drive-by shooting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The bar was closed at the time and police say no one was injured. [CBC]
🛴 The city announced they’ll be launching a new shared electric scooter program, coming later this summer. Vancouver’s approach will include docking stations like those for shared bicycles. It’ll start in Hastings-Sunrise and Grandview Woodland first. Other cities (particularly European ones) have seen concerns about street disorder caused by similar programs – specifically where scooters are left – but I thoroughly enjoyed their convenience and intuitive design on a trip to Berlin last year. [City of Vancouver, ScienceDirect]
🤔 Is Vancouver a liveable city? A recent ranking by The Economist says so, but that’s based on a very specific criteria and ideology, which The Tyee breaks down in this incisive column. [The Tyee]
🪧 Despite ending their encampment at UBC’s MacInnes Field this week, the People’s University for Gaza at UBC has so far held true in their commitment to continue pro-Palestinian protest actions at the university. On Thursday morning someone mounted a large banner on the gates of UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon’s house. [People’s University]
🏗️ City council also updated their guidelines for assessing building shadow limits, with an emphasis on not creating new shadow impacts on public parks, schools, and sidewalks. One goal of this update was to create a consistent approach for evaluating building shadows, which was previously done using a variety of different metrics (much to Coun. Pete Fry’s chagrin). [City of Vancouver]
🌉 The Pattullo Bridge, spanning the Fraser River between New West and Surrey, will be closed in both directions for an annual inspection on Sunday night, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Monday morning. The bridge will remain open to pedestrians, cyclists, and first responders. [Vancouver Sun]
👮 The Vancouver Police Department are explaining themselves after one of their officers was shown taking a firehose from firefighters who were putting out a bonfire, and proceeding to spray people nearby. The VPD said it was done as an alternative to other forms of non-lethal force against people they say were not complying with police direction. [CTV]
EVENT GUIDE
Frozen, the Musical | July 12 – 21, various showtimes | Queen Elizabeth Theatre | The kids’ favourite movie is on tour with a live-action version of the beloved film | Tickets $47 - $108
The Smart Comedy Show | Little Mountain Gallery in Gastown | July 20, 9 pm | Prepare to laugh and think at Vancouver's most intellectually stimulating comedy event, "The Smart Comedy Show," focused on social satire and comedy with substance | Learn more [Sponspred]
Brock House Society Summer Fair | July 13 | 3875 Point Grey Rd. | Artisans, social events, happy hour, picnic lunches, vendors, and more | Free admission
Vancouver Chinatown Festival | July 13 & 14, noon to 6 pm | Keefer and Columbia | Highlights include live entertainment, cultural zone, artisans’ market, food trucks, and a kids corner | Free Admission
Sweet Sounds of Summer | July 14, 10:30 am & 3:30 pm | VanDusen Gardens | Catch two separate concerts in the garden this weekend, with Modern Biology’s music from plants, and Clemintine and Friends’ family folk songs | Tickets $24 (separate tix required for each event)
EVO Summer Cinema Series | Tuesdays until August 27, 9 pm| Catch Back to the Future this upcoming Tuesday evening at Canada’s largest outdoor movie series | Free
Junction Public Market | Every day this summer (excluding Mondays) | Granville Square (above Waterfront Station) | Eat, drink, shop and hang at this casual downtown market | Free admission
ANTI-ICON: APOKALYPSIS | July 12 – September 29 | Polygon Gallery | The Canadian premiere of this exhibit features 17 provocative self-portraits of artist Martine Gutierrez portraying a multitude of idolized women | Free admission
The Really Gay History Tour | Sundays and Tuesdays, 10 am | Starts at 930 Burrard | Join Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours on this exploration of the city’s queer heroes | Tickets $33
Mount Pleasant Public Disco | July 20, 3 pm | City Centre Artist Lodge | Public Disco, who just held a very successful event on Granville Island last month, are back at it in Mt. Pleasant’s brewery district | Tickets $42
Vancouver Folk Fest | July 19 - 21, 10 am -11 pm | Jericho Beach Park | Grab your shade structures and little lawn chairs for the 47th edition of this iconic beachside music festival | Advanced ticket prices vary ($75-$230 for adults)
Wreck Beach Butoh | July 20 (11:15 am) & July 21 (noon) | Wreck Beach Trail #4 (by MOA) | A dance workshop like none other, Kokoro Dance’s 30th annual performance will take place in the nude on the beach at low tide | Free
PHOTO OF THE DAY

Nate Lewis photo
Plenty of people (and dogs) were out enjoying themselves at Spanish Banks during low tide this week.
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
You’ve probably heard of Snakes on a Plane, but what about Eels on the Tarmac… [CBC]
🌍 Geopolitics in <5 minutes? Get International Intrigue, the free global briefing crafted by former diplomats. Sign up for free. [Sponsored]
Professional cyclists were cooking on the cobbles on Wednesday night at the Gastown Grand Prix, with some averaging speeds of over 45 km/hr over the course of the 80-minute race. [Strava]
“The Eviction,” shot on Commercial Drive, explores a deeply Vancouver experience that they don’t mention in the visitor guides. The premise of this (checks notes) comedy: what if you made your place not worth buying? [Meep Productions]
Vancouver’s own masked singing cowboy (though he’s a man of many homes) had the crowd enraptured in a signature performance out at UBC on Monday night. [Georgia Straight]
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GAME TIME
This 11-letter word was on the mind of a lot of city policy-minded folks this week. Can you work out what it is?
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