Vancouver council votes to densify upscale Shaughnessy neighbourhood

Vancouver council voted in favour of densifying the upscale neighbourhood of Shaughnessy this week, which could result in several housing units being developed on a single lot.

The matter was discussed at another public hearing Tuesday, after council ran out of time to vote on the motion last week. All eight councillors who were in attendance at the meeting voted in favour of the changes, which will amend the First Shaughnessy Official Development Plan. 

“First Shaughnessy” refers to the older portion of the neighbourhood, which is part of the heritage conservation area under the Vancouver Charter.

Templar Tsang-Trinaistich, director of the city’s rezoning centre, explained during Tuesday’s public hearing that any development applications for the neighbourhood would still go through a review process with city staff, despite the changes to the neighbourhood’s development plan.

At last week’s meeting he said the city currently receives about four development applications per year in Shaughnessy.

“We don’t necessarily see a significant change in the volume,” he said. “You might see one or two multiplexes in First Shaughnessy a year. Again, it’s going to be subject to owner-applicant interest as well.”

Tsang-Trinaistich added that, over the last 20 years, the population in the neighbourhood has decreased by about five per cent, but between 2016 and 2021, the population increased. Occupancy in the neighbourhood is at about 90 per cent, he said.