Urban Design Panel

The Urban Design Panel (UDP) advises City Council and staff about development proposals or policies, including major development applications, rezoning applications, and other projects of public interest.

As well, the panel helps the Planning Department and City Council create urban design policy, including the design and interrelationship of all physical components of the City.

The panel reviews all civic building projects, including bridges, roads, parks, beautification projects, transit systems, civic buildings, and design competitions.

The UDP does not approve or refuse projects or make policy decisions.

COVID-19 update: meeting updates

April 11, 2022: As a response to the health emergency, meetings may be convened by electronic means as authorized by Section 14.14 of the Procedure By-law. Advisory bodies may elect to conduct their meetings in person, by electronic means, or as a hybrid of the two.

The Urban Design Panel provides expert advice to staff and Council and is not a forum for direct public input. The procedure will remain the same for virtual meetings as in-person meetings. The public may observe meetings in progress but may not address the panel. Members of the public who wish to comment on the application may do so at any time by contacting the rezoning planner for the relevant application as indicated above.

The virtual UDP meeting will be held using Cisco WebEx. No software download is required. Use the link below to view the meeting live through your web browser. 

Next meeting: Wednesday, June 7, 3pm

Join the meeting

Online meeting password: UDP

Join by phone (audio only)

  • 1-604-646-8916
  • 1-855-699-3239 (Canada - toll-free)

Access code: 2774 811 4571

Items to be heard:

  • 900 W Georgia St (Vancouver Hotel)
    • Time: 3pm
    • Contact:
      • Nicholas Danford, Rezoning Planner, 604-871-6121 
      • Hiroko Kobayashi, Development Planner, 604-871-6689

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 advisory body meetings. For virtual advisory body 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, please contact the director of access to information and privacy by emailing privacy@vancouver.ca, phoning 3-1-1, or mailing a letter to 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1V4.

Questions

If you have any questions, contact Kathy Cermeno at 604-873-7770 or udp.info@vancouver.ca. Following the meeting, minutes will be posted online under the Meetings tab below.

Terms of reference

The Urban Design Panel Bylaw establishes the Panel, and describes its membership and duties.

Function and authority

Panel meetings are open to public attendance but the meetings are not a forum for public comment. Depending on the type of project process, there are always opportunities for public input.

Recording and filming of the panel by the public is not generally allowed.

Meeting schedule

Panel meetings are held every two weeks throughout the year. Special meetings are convened when necessary. The meetings are normally held on Wednesdays at 3pm in the Joe Wai Meeting Room, 1st Floor, City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue and virtually through Webex. Public attendance is permitted, however, the public may not address the panel.

Meeting procedure

The panel meetings are conducted by the elected chairperson in the following manner:

  • The Development Planner introduces the project to the panel (referring to its location, context, background, scope and response to established bylaws and design guidelines)
  • The applicant is given the opportunity to clarify any aspects of the plan to the panel (no presentation is required of the applicant)
  • The panel members review the project material and provide comments and observations
  • The Chairperson summarizes the comments of the panel
  • The Chairperson presents a motion to either support the project, support the project with recommendations, or recommend resubmission
  • The Chairperson asks city staff if they have any final comments before the vote
  • The Chairperson asks the panel for a mover and a seconder for the motion, calls the vote and announces the result
  • If the motion does not pass, then the chairperson asks a panel member to move another motion, call the vote, and announce the result.

Attendance requirement

Members may miss no more than two consecutive meetings without obtaining leave of absence from the panel. Membership will be terminated following the second such absence.

Membership

The panel consists of at least 13 members, representing the following groups:

  • Six members, Architectural Institute of British Columbia
  • One member, the development industry, from the Urban Development Institute, the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association, or the Building Owners' and Managers’ Association
  • Two members from the Association of Professional Engineers
  • Two members from the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects
  • One members representing the Art Professionals

All members are appointed by Council, and may be reappointed. There is no limit on the number of terms a member may serve.

Members of the 2023 Urban Design Panel

Nine members from the Architectural Institute of British Columbia

  • Craig Taylor, AIBC, TKAD Architecture + design
  • Federica Piccone, AIBC, HCMA Architecture
  • Heidi Nesbitt, Architect, Human Studio
  • Jane Vorbrodt, Member-at-Large: Accessible Design 
  • Kai Hotson, AIBC, Hotson Architecture
  • Meeta Lele, Architect, Dialog Design
  • Peeroj Thakre, Architect, ph5 Architecture Inc.
  • Scott Romses, Member-at-Large: AIBC
  • Stefan Aepli, AIBC, Francl Architecture

Two members from the Association of Professional Engineers

  • Brittany Coughlin, Engineer, RDH Building Science Inc.
  • Reza Mouskhani, Engineer, AME Consulting Group

Two members from the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects

  • Bob Lilly, BCSLA, Lanarc Landscape Architure
  • Margot Long, BCSLA, PWL Partnership Landscape Architects Inc.

Two members of the Vancouver City Planning Commission

  • Amina Yasin, Commissioner VCPC
  • Alasdair Butcher, Commissioner VCPC

One representative from the development industry

  • Jon Stovell, Reliance Properties

One member representing the Art Professionals

  • Geoff Lister, Geoff Lister Photography

Meetings, agendas, and details

Previous minutes

Resources for advisory committee members

Contact the Urban Design Panel

Kathy Cermeno
604-873-7770
udp.info@vancouver.ca

May Sem
604-665-2168
may.sem@vancouver.ca