On January 28th, the City released updates to the Draft Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan. The updates incorporate feedback from previous engagement and results from additional economic testing and technical studies. An Engagement Summary of the previous public engagement has also been released. 

Key updates and new information in the Area Plan include:    

• Updates to the Land Use Map to include:    
• New areas allowing housing opportunities up to 6 storeys; 
• Additional locations for ground-level shops and services; 
• Specifying allowable building height density by housing tenure (i.e. below market rental, rental, strata). Additional locations for shops and services on major streets and in residential areas; 
• Limits to the number of towers in Station Areas; 
• Refined policies for area-specific topics and unique sites; 
• More detailed requirements for groundwater near Still Creek; and 
• A Public Realm Strategy, including opportunities to repurpose road space. 

For more information, please review the Open House Boards.  

Opportunities to learn more about the updates to the Draft Plan and speak with City staff in in-person events include: 

• Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Thunderbird Community Centre (2nd floor, elevator access on the south side of the building)   
• Saturday, February 8, 2025, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Sunrise Community Association Hall at Sunrise Park  
• Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Italian Cultural Centre (Trattoria Room), 3075 Slocan Street  
• Thursday, February 13, 2025, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Italian Cultural Centre (Trattoria Room), 3075 Slocan Street  

The City encourages member feedback on the updates to the draft plan which can be submitted through the Online Survey, open until February 18. Input from the current engagement will help refine the Final draft before it goes to Council for discussion and decision in Summer 2025. 

July 4th, 2024

On June 18th, City staff held an information session for UDI on the draft Rupert & Renfrew Station Area Plan. The City highlighted the importance of integrating water in the Plan, due to challenges surrounding Still Creek, the floodplain, and groundwater. Proposals tied to this include: 

• The widening of Still Creek to be accompanied by setback requirements for parcels adjacent to the creek; 
• Revised flood construction levels (FCLs) to be accompanied by raised sites/buildings from street level and opportunities to locate parking within FCLs; and 
• Strategies to address groundwater implications through an updated Groundwater Bulletin, establishing a Groundwater Protection Zone, and exploring opportunities for above grade parking, specialized foundation design requirements, and limitations on underground structures. 

The draft Land Use Plan identifies opportunities for new housing, job space, shops and services. It is based on Vancouver Plan’s neighbourhood typologies, new Provincial legislation, preserving the Employment Lands for industrial uses, protecting Still Creek, high groundwater areas, and current uses. Brief descriptions of some designations can referenced in the draft Plan (page 7).  

The draft Plan is built around a different type of station area. With important Employment Lands and Still Creek adjacent to transit, new housing must be located slightly further away. The draft Plan uses a tiered approach to height and density: Tier 1 places the tallest buildings with the most housing closest to the stations. Tiers 2 and 3 are located further from the station, and have medium and lower building heights. Most sites in the 200m Tier are exempt from these regulations because they are in the Employment Lands, the flood plain, or alongside Still Creek.  

For the draft Plan to deliver the diversity of housing types and tenures expressed by the public and expected of a TOA, the provincial density requirements must be exceeded. This means proposed building heights in all tiers are increased, and some distances from the stations were adjusted. The exception is within the 800m Tier where the draft Plan allows for 6 storey buildings and the Province allows for 8 storey buildings. For these areas the development of an 8 storey building will be enabled through a rezoning application (refer to page 13 of the draft).  

The City has published a draft plan and an official survey (open until July 31st). Feedback from this phase of engagement will be summarized later this summer, and used to help refine the final Plan. 

UDI will continue to engage with the City on the draft Plan. If members have feedback, please email your comments to the UDI Policy Team at policy@udi.org by Wednesday, July 17th. 

June 6th, 2024

In 2022, the City initiated the Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan in order to guide development in the area around Rupert and Renfrew SkyTrain Stations over the next 30 years. The planning process is currently at the Draft Plan stage, and it will provide opportunities for growth to include: expanded and diverse housing choices, protected and intensified employment uses, increased access to daily needs and services, rehabilitated Still Creek, and improved walking, cycling, and rolling opportunities through the area. City staff are currently conducting technical studies to understand how to keep Still Creek healthy, including maintaining the flow of groundwater to the creek year-round. This work will have important implications for the conditions of development in the area. City staff expect to finalize the plan and present to City Council for approval by Q1 of 2025. 

The City will be hosting a virtual engagement session for UDI members on the Rupert & Renfrew Station Area Plan from on June 18th from 9:00am-10:00am. During this session, City staff will share the draft Land Use Map, its associated policies, and population projections. 

If you are interested in attending this session, please email the UDI Policy Team at policy@udi.org.