Board of Variance

Meetings

Appeal submission deadlines and upcoming meetings

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  2023 meetings

  Important note Hearings occur online at 1:15pm.

  Deadline for submission	Meeting date
  Monday, November 14, 2022	Tuesday, January 17, 2023
  Monday, December 12, 2022	Tuesday, February 14, 2023
  Monday, January 16, 2023	Tuesday, March 14, 2023
  Monday, February 20, 2023	Tuesday, April 25, 2023
  Monday, March 20, 2023	Tuesday, May 23, 2023
  Monday, April 17, 2023	Tuesday, June 20, 2023
  Monday, May 15, 2023	Tuesday, July 18, 2023
  Monday, June 5, 2023	Wednesday, August 9, 2023
  Monday, July 10, 2023	Tuesday, September 26, 2023
  Monday, August 7, 2023	Tuesday, October 24, 2023
  Monday, September 11, 2023	Tuesday, November 21, 2023
  Monday, October 9, 2023	Tuesday, December 5, 2023
  Monday, November 13, 2023	Tuesday, January 16, 2024
  Monday, December 4, 2023	Tuesday, February 13, 2024

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  2022 meetings

  Important note Hearings occur online at 1:15pm.

  Deadline for submission	Meeting date
  Monday, December 6, 2021	Tuesday, January 11, 2022
  Monday, December 13, 2021	Tuesday, January 25, 2022
  Tuesday, January 4, 2022	Tuesday, February 8, 2022
  Monday, January 10, 2022	Tuesday, February 22, 2022
  Monday, January 31, 2022	Tuesday, March 8, 2022
  Monday, February 28, 2022	Friday, April 22, 2022
  Monday, March 28, 2022	Tuesday, May 17, 2022
  Monday, April 25, 2022	Thursday, June 16, 2022
  Monday, May 30, 2022	Tuesday, July 19, 2022
  Monday, June 27, 2022	Tuesday, August 9, 2022
  Monday, July 25, 2022	Tuesday, September 13, 2022
  Monday, August 15, 2022	Tuesday, October 18, 2022
  Monday, September 26, 2022	Tuesday, November 15, 2022
  Monday, November 7, 2022	Tuesday, December 6, 2022
  Monday, December 5, 2022	Tuesday, January 17, 2023
  Monday, December 12, 2022	Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Upcoming agendas

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  2023 agendas

  Important note Hearings occur online at 1:15pm.

  Meeting date

  Upcoming agenda

  January to February 2023

  1232 Burrard Street 6945 Victoria Drive 2257 Kingsway 3045 East 18th Avenue 4898 Joyce Street Email the Board’s site office: BOV@Vancouver.ca for the final agenda schedule, including the appellants’ written submission. Appeal hearing will commence 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 if you wish to submit written comments or if you wish to 'register to speak' at an upcoming Board of Variance meeting.

Board's decisions

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  2022 decisions

  Site address	Board's decisions
  2076 Kingsway	Board's decision PDF file (6.9 MB)
  895 Great Northern Way	Board's decision PDF file (652 KB)
  3958 Main Street	Board's decision PDF file (577 KB)
  4627 Bellevue Drive	Board's decision PDF file (563 KB)
  2137 East Hastings St	Board's decision PDF file (1 MB)
  2140 Kingsway	Board's decision PDF file (1.5 MB)
  6945 Victoria Dr	Board's decision PDF file (9 MB)
  3378 Vanness St	Board's decision PDF file (490 KB)
  1232 Burrard St	Board's decision PDF file (632 KB)
  1817 West Broadway	Board's decision PDF file (2 MB)
  3596 Kingsway	Board's decision PDF file (589 KB)

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

  In accordance with the our civic committee public selection process, City Council appointed five members to the board on July 20, 2021. Terms expire July 31, 2024.

  • Gilbert Tan – Board Chair
  • Rakshin Kandola
  • Matthew Naylor
  • Namtez (Babbu) Sohal
  • Simona Tudor