Northeast False Creek High Level Review

The Northeast False Creek (NEFC) area is characterized by several key structures including BC Place Stadium, GM Place Arena, and the Plaza of Nations. As such, the area is of great civic importance though it remains one of the largest undeveloped areas on the downtown peninsula. The High Level Review will focus on the following Northeast False Creek Official Development Plan Areas (view the plan areas):

• 5B Cambie Bridgehead - Concord Pacific site), subject to the conditions in the attached Council Report;
• 6B (The Plaza of Nations site);
• 6C – Concord Pacific site(noting that Area 6C includes the lands between and under the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts east of Abbott Street to the SkyTrain Line and lands east of Carrall are city-owned);
• 7A (The GM Place site);
• 9 (Creekside Park extension); and
• 10 (BC Place Stadium).

The High Level Review will identify policies, plans and strategies regarding the future land use, built form, urban structure, infrastructure requirements and public amenities for NEFC. The review will seek to clarify the future role of the area within the downtown, noting it is currently the location of transit-oriented citywide entertainment, sport and cultural activities. More specifically, the High Level Review will have the following objectives:

1. to identify a preferred land use mix and development capacity for the Northeast False Creek (NEFC) area;
2. to identify the location, function and role of the streets and identify the location of pedestrian/bike routes, including the waterfront walkway;
3. to identify major open spaces and gathering places;
4. to prepare a basic massing for the development sites, noting potential tower locations and heights, and podium requirements; and
5. to develop a public benefit strategy, after the preferred land use and structure plan has been developed

For more information on the details of the study, please view the Terms of Reference (143kb).

In February 2008, Council instructed staff to assess a proposal by the BC Pavilion Corporation to amend the False Creek North Official Development Plan (FCN ODP) paralleling the NEFC High Level Review. On October 30th, Council approved the proposed amendments to the ODP which provided 1.4 million square feet of development capacity on the BC Place site. View the Report to Council for more information on the details and amendments of the ODP (718kb).

With the addition of the BC Place ODP Amendment to the work program, staff focused the initial part of the High Level Review on the preferred land use mix and development capacity for NEFC to provide the context in which to consider the ODP Amendment for BC Place. Land use and density directions policies were developed and public benefits opportunities were explored. This work was shared with the public at Open Houses (6.46mb) in January 2009.

The process has included a number of opportunities for Council, the landowners in NEFC, the general public and stakeholders to be consulted. The property owners include Concord Pacific, Canadian Metropolitan Properties (owner of the Plaza of Nations), BC Pavco (Managers of BC Place Stadium) and Aquilini Development (the GM Place site).

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