Board of Variance

Meetings and agendas

Appeal submission deadlines and upcoming meetings

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  2024 meetings

  Important note Hearings occur in public at 1:15pm.

  Deadline for submission	Meeting date
  Monday, November 13, 2023	Tuesday, January 16, 2024
  Monday, December 4, 2023	Tuesday, February 13, 2024
  Monday, January 18, 2024	Tuesday, March 12, 2024
  Monday, February 19, 2024	Tuesday, April 23, 2024
  Monday, March 11, 2024	Tuesday, May 21, 2024
  Monday, April 22, 2024	Tuesday, June 18, 2024
  Monday, May 13, 2024	Tuesday, July 16, 2024
  Monday, June 10, 2024	Tuesday, August 13, 2024
  Monday, July 15, 2024	Tuesday, September 24, 2024
  Monday, August 12, 2024	Tuesday, October 22, 2024
  Monday, September 17, 2024	Tuesday, November 19, 2024
  Monday, October 7, 2024	Tuesday, December 3, 2024 (Last meeting in 2024)
  Monday, November 18, 2024	Tuesday, January 14, 2025
  Monday, December 2, 2024	Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Upcoming agendas

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  2024 agendas

  Important note Hearings begin at 1:15pm.

  Meeting date	Upcoming agenda
  November 19	1150 West 13th Avenue 2223 Commercial Drive 2398 West 19th Avenue 2668 West 6th Avenue 4010 Prince Albert Street 4785 West 6th Avenue 4317-4319 Fraser Street
  December 3	332 West 8th Avenue 511 East Georgia Street 821 Keefer Street 918 East 49th Avenue 1125 West 12th Avenue 1230 East 54th Avenue 1710 West 38th Avenue 5311 Cypress Street 5708 Knight Street 7755 Jasper Crescent

  Appeal hearing will begin at 1:15pm at City Hall, ground floor at the City Townhall (in the 'Joe Wai' Meeting Room).

  Important note Contact the Board's site office at: bov@vancouver.ca for the final agenda schedule, including the appellants’ written submission, if you wish to submit written comments, or if you wish to 'register to speak' at an upcoming Board of Variance meeting.

Meeting minutes 

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  2024 minutes

  Meeting date	Minutes
  January 16, 2024	Minutes
  February 13, 2024	Minutes
  March 12, 2024	Minutes
  April 23, 2024	Minutes
  May 21, 2024	Minutes
  June 18, 2024	Minutes
  July 16, 2024	Minutes
  August 13, 2024	Minutes
  September 24, 2024	Minutes

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  2023 minutes 

  Meeting date	Minutes
  January 17, 2023	Minutes
  February 14, 2023	Minutes
  April 11, 2023	Minutes
  May 23, 2023	Minutes
  June 20, 2023	Minutes
  July 18, 2023	Minutes
  August 9, 2023	Minutes
  September 26, 2023	Minutes
  October 24, 2023	Minutes
  November 21, 2023	Minutes
  December 5, 2023	Minutes

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  2022 minutes 

  Important note During the COVID-19 pandemic, no board meetings were held in April and June 2022.

  Meeting date	Minutes
  January 11, 2022	Minutes
  February 8, 2022	Minutes
  May 17, 2022	Minutes
  July 19, 2022	Minutes
  August 9, 2022	Minutes
  September 13, 2022	Minutes
  October 25, 2022	Minutes
  November 15, 2022	Minutes
  December 6, 2022	Minutes

Board decisions

Decisions prior to 2022 can be requested by contacting the Board Secretary at bov@vancouver.ca

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  2024 Board decisions

  Site address	Board's decisions
  1125 West 12th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (228 KB)
  3168 East 54th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (228 KB)
  3158 East 54th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (228 KB)
  2138 Kingsway	Board's decision PDF file (66 KB)
  2773 East Hastings Street	Board's decision PDF file (109 KB)
  62 West 11th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (161 KB)
  2815 Point Grey Road	Board's decision PDF file (156 KB)
  4212 Windsor Street	Board's decision PDF file (105 KB)
  3306-688 Abbott Street	Board's decision PDF file (161 KB)
  42 West 8th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (162 KB)
  110-1055 West Hastings Street	Boards decision PDF file (164 KB)
  307 West Hastings Street	Board's decision PDF file (127 KB)
  609 East Broadway	Board's decision PDF file (172 KB)
  1145 Union Street	Board's decision PDF file (115 KB)
  1538 West 2 Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (124 KB)
  2028 Garden Drive	Board's decision PDF file (128 KB)
  3085 Point Grey Road	Board's decision PDF file (128 KB)

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  2023 Board decisions

  Site address	Board's decisions
  241 Renfrew Street	Board's decision PDF file (292 KB)
  644 Woodland Drive	Board's decision PDF file (317 KB)
  845 West 20th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.8 MB)
  1148 West 7th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (286 KB)
  1366 Cartier Place 1374 Cartier Place 1388 Cartier Place	Board's decisions PDF file (308 KB)
  1410 East 49th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (682 KB)
  1775 Trimble Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.5 MB)
  1916 William Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.2 MB)
  2028 West 36th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (3.6 MB)
  2981 McGill Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (8.5 MB)
  2991 East 5th Avenue	Board's decision PDF file (290 KB)
  3019 Point Grey Road	Board's decision PDF file (314 KB)
  3045 East 18th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.9 MB)
  3295 Renfrew Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (7.3 MB)
  5560 Chester Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (2.1 MB)
  3019 Point Grey Road	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (2.1 MB)

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  2022 Board decisions

  Site address	Board's decisions
  438 Richards Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.3 MB)
  482 East 17th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (247 KB)
  944 Semlin Drive	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (3.7 MB)
  1238 Burrard Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (509 KB)
  2037 Macdonald Street	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (909 KB)
  2157 West 57th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.4 MB)
  3219 Point Grey Road	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (1.6 MB)
  3508 West 18th Avenue	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (957 KB)
  2871 Point Grey Road	Board's minutes and decision PDF file (2.2 MB)

How we work

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  Terms of reference

  The board operates under the terms of Board of Variance By-law and The Vancouver Charter, section 572.

  • Review the Board of Variance Bylaw
  • Learn about the Board's legal authority in the Vancouver Charter
  • What is the Vancouver Charter?

  The board hears appeals on decisions made under these by-laws:

  • Zoning and Development By-law

    Regulates the development of property in Vancouver by encouraging land use and building in accordance with community goals and visions for the future of Vancouver and its neighbourhoods.

  • Sign Bylaw

    Regulates the number, type, form, appearance, and location of signs according to zoning districts and uses within a district.

  • Protection of Trees By-law

    Allows us to preserve, protect, and strengthen our urban forest, while still providing some flexibility for tree removal in the event of property maintenance and development.

  • Parking By-law

    Regulates the number and design of parking, loading, bicycle parking, and passenger spaces that are to be provided in association with development on a site.

  Important note Board decisions are binding. City committees or Council may give information to the boards on particular appeals, but they cannot influence board decisions.

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  Meeting frequency

  Meeting

  The board generally meets at City Hall the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings start at 1:15pm, and run until all appeals have been heard.

  Site inspections

  There is also a site inspection the day before each board meeting to visit all the sites under appeal. Site inspections start at 1pm and run until all sites have been visited.

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  Time commitment

  The time commitment during meeting weeks is 15 hours per week on average. Considerable time is also spent reviewing appeals.

  Many board activities occur during weekday daytime hours, so board members should have a lot of control over their schedule.

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  Quorum

  There must be a minimum number of three members of the board present to make decisions.

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  Remuneration

  Members of the Board of Variance are entitled to receive payment for their expenses incurred in the conduct of their official duties on the board, including transportation to and from:

  • Their home or office to meetings of the board
  • Inspection trips to view sites involved in appeals

Who we are

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  Membership

  Both boards consist of the same five members, all of whom are appointed by City Council, who usually have experience in the building industry.

  Important note Appointed or elected City officials cannot be board members.

  All members can be reappointed. There is no limit on the number of terms a member may serve. The Chair is elected by the members.

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  Members

  As of August 1, 2024, and in accordance with our civic agency's public selection process, 5 members have been appointed to the Board by City Council. Their terms expire on July 31, 2027.

  • Peter Gee
  • Leah Karlberg
  • Elizabeth MacKenzie
  • Namtez (Babbu) Sohal
  • Gilbert Tan 

  Alternate members, who will be seated in the event of a resignation or vacancy during the term, are:

  • Stepan Vdovine
  • Alex Ray