Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee

The committee works to preserve and protect the heritage and character of the historic Gastown area.

Meeting updates

Next meeting

Date and time: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Location: To be determined

Meeting format

Advisory body meetings may be in-person, electronic (as authorized by Section 14.14 of the Procedure By-law), or a hybrid of the two. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted online under the ‘Meetings’ tab below.

In 2025, virtual meetings will be transitioning from Cisco WebEx Events to MS Teams Webinar. No software download is required. A link to join the virtual meeting will be posted 24 to 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Following the meeting, minutes will be posted online and can be found in the ‘Meetings’ tab below.

Attending meetings

To view a meeting online or listen by phone, follow instructions provided below. Join link is made available at least 24 hours before the meeting.

For in-person attendance at City Hall, get directions to the meeting room from security staff. If arriving after 5pm, enter through the 12th Avenue entrance by using the intercom (this entrance is equipped with a wheelchair ramp).

Unlike meetings of City Council, there is usually no public speaking option during Civic Agency meetings. Virtual attendees will be muted and unseen by meeting participants. If you wish to get in touch with a Civic Agency, see the contact information at the bottom of this page. 

Consent - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy:

To view or participate in meetings virtually, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information outside Canada as described below. The City of Vancouver collects your personal information in accordance with section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for purposes of organizing and administering civic agency meetings. For virtual Civic Agency meetings, your contact information will be shared with the City’s web conferencing provider, Cisco WebEx. Information submitted to WebEx will be stored on servers in the United States and may be accessed in the United States or internationally for technical support purposes. If you have questions about the collection of this information, contact the Director of Access to Information and Privacy by emailing privacy@vancouver.ca or mailing a letter to 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1V4.

Terms of reference

The committee works to preserve and protect the heritage and character of the Gastown area (zone HA-2) by:

  • Advising the Director of Planning on matters relating to Gastown
  • Working with all City departments to develop and implement policies and programs that affect Gastown  

Meeting frequency

The committee generally meets on the third Wednesday of each month, except August. Meetings typically start at 5:30pm and run for 2 to 3 hours.

Time commitment

Members may also serve on the Design Review Subcommittee or on another issue-related subcommittee, requiring about three additional hours a month. Significant preparation time is required for all meetings.

Attendance requirement

Members may miss no more than four consecutive meetings without obtaining leave of absence from the committee. Membership will be terminated following the fourth such absence.

Membership

The committee consists of 10 members, representing the following groups in Gastown:

  • Tanya Bennett (community business representative)
  • Lorelei Jiang (community business representative)
  • Adrian Watson (community architect representative)
  • Vacant (local property owner)
  • Vacant (local property owner)
  • Vacant (community resident owner)
  • Vacant (community resident tenant)
  • Vacant (community hospitality representative)
  • Vacant (community engineer representative)
  • Vacant (community heritage representative)

Membership of the committee will be inclusive of low-income residents.

Members are appointed by City Council for 1-year and 2-year terms. A newly-elected Council may reappoint members in a 1-year term for 1 additional year. No member may serve more than 4 years.

Liaisons

  • Staff:
    • Elijah Sabadlan, Heritage Planner
    • Rachel Magnusson, Associate Director, Street Activities
  • Council:
    • Councillor Peter Meiszner

Meetings, agendas, and minutes

Resources for Civic Agency members

Contact the Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee

Email: ghapc@vancouver.ca

Staff contact
Elijah Sabadlan
Heritage Planner

Phone: 604-873-7056