A controversial plan to build a townhouse development next to a hospice in the city’s upscale Shaughnessy neighbourhood has been defeated.
After a marathon public hearing, council voted 7-4 to reject a rezoning application for the 3.5-storey project which would include 21 stacked rental townhouse units and 32 parking spaces.
Mayor Kennedy Stewart and councillors Melissa De Genova, Christine Boyle and Lisa Dominato backed the proposal, while Adriane Carr, Pete Fry, Jean Swanson, Colleen Hardwick, Michaele Wiebe, Rebecca Bligh and Sarah Kirby-Yung voted against.
Rezoning of the property located at 4575 Granville St. was recommended by city staff, and would have taken advantage of the city’s Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy meant to help address the city’s shortage of purpose-built rentals.
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But the proposal met stiff opposition from the Vancouver Hospice Society, which it said could negatively impact terminally ill patients at the adjacent hospice, and could result in the temporary closure of the facility.
Neighbours had also expressed concerns about increases in noise and traffic associated with the project.
Supporters said rejecting the project could set a precedent of barring “gentle” density from the area, which is among the lowest density neighbourhoods in the city.