Financing Active Communities Don Klimchuk, P. Eng. City of Vancouver Engineering Services Session...

Financing Active Communities

Don Klimchuk, P. Eng.City of VancouverEngineering Services

Don Klimchuk, P. Eng.City of VancouverEngineering Services

Session #78

Pro Walk / Pro Bike Conference

Victoria, BCSeptember 10th, 2004

Session #78

Pro Walk / Pro Bike Conference

Victoria, BCSeptember 10th, 2004

Financing Active CommunitiesVancouver & Greater Vancouver

Area

Financing Active CommunitiesDowntown Vancouver and False

Creek


Greenway RoutesLinear public corridors for pedestrians & cyclists that connect parks, nature reserves, cultural features, historic sites, neighbourhoods and retail areas.


Bicycle Routes


Transit Routes


Vancouver 24-Hour Mode Shares (1999)

46%

13%

19%

22%

Auto Driver

Auto Passenger

Transit

Walk/Bike*

Vancouver 24-Hour Mode Shares (1999)

46%

13%

19%

22%

Auto Driver

Auto Passenger

Transit

Walk/Bike*

Downtown 24-Hour Mode Shares (1999)

31%

8%

27%

34%

Auto Driver

Auto Passenger

Transit

Walk/Bike*

Mode Splits


Transportation Plans

• City of Vancouver Transportation Plan(1997)

• Downtown Transportation Plan

(2002)

• City of Vancouver Transportation Plan(1997)

• Downtown Transportation Plan

(2002)


3 Main Financing Methods

3 Main Financing Methods

1. Capital Budgets

2. New Developments

3. Cost-Sharing Partnerships

1. Capital Budgets

2. New Developments

3. Cost-Sharing Partnerships


About $4M a year directly for Pedestrians and Bicycles:• New Sidewalks,• Sidewalk Reconstruction,• Curb Ramp Program,• Bicycle Network,• Beautification / Street Trees,• Pedestrian Structures,• Greenways, and• Pedestrian Signals.

1. Capital Budget - Overview

50% increase in funding since Completion of 1997 Transportation Plan.


“Local Improvements” – capital improvement (sidewalk, curb, pavement, etc.) that specially benefits adjacent properties, with a portion of the cost recovered by a special tax on thoseproperties.

1. Capital Budget – Local Improvements

Changes made to expedite completion of sidewalk network.

Priority order:• transit routes• arterial streets• pedestrian collector routes• higher density streets• local residential streets

2004 Review


Targets set for completion of sidewalk:• on both sides of all transit routes by 2007 (date that all transit routes will have wheel chair access), and

• on both sides of all arterial streets by 2009.

1. Capital Budget – Local Improvements

Changes made to cost-sharing bylaws:

2004 Review (continued)

CHANGES TO COST SHARING

ImprovementPrevious Cost

ShareNew Cost Share

New Sidewalks 47% City / 53% PO 80%City / 20% PO

Residential Streets

76% City / 24% PO 70% City / 30% PO

Residential Lanes

46% City / 54% PO 40% City / 60% PO

Higher Zoned Streets

34% City / 66% PO 30% City / 70% POPO = Property Owner


2. New Developments - Building Lines

“Building Lines” - establish where the legal boundary of a street (i.e. property line) will be after a planned future widening

• only landscaping and temporary structures permitted between existing property line and building line

• when transportation project proceeds, only the needed land is purchased (i.e. no building purchase, demolition, etc.)

• implemented beginning in the 1930’s for major road widening projects


2. New Developments - Building Lines (cont’d)

Review – using building lines to support wider sidewalks, bike lanes and transit priority


2. New Developments - Building Lines (cont’d)

Review (continued)• Downtown Transportation Plan reviewing pedestrian related building lines on Davie St.


2. New Developments – Zoning and Development Policy

Commercial Zoning

• recently commercial zoning (C2) was amended to require new buildings to be set back a minimum of 2’ from the property line

> effectively widens the sidewalk (can walk along property line)

> provides strip for complimentary commercial uses such as small sidewalk cafes, merchandise displays, sandwich board signs, etc.


2. New Developments – Zoning and Development Policy (cont’d)

Development Streetscape Policies

• Council policies for specific high-density residential development areas set detailed streetscape design standards and building setbacks

> sidewalk and boulevard treatment, tree species and locations, tree grates, pedestrian lighting, benches, etc.

> building setbacks of 6’ to 12’ (allows second row of ‘street’ trees)

> deposit for estimated costs collected at time permits issued



Development Weather Protection Guidelines

• Zoning guidelines in most commercial areas require the provision of awnings or canopies:

> “The ground floor of arterial frontages should have a continuous, architecturally integrated weather protection and signage system. This may be composed of glass and steel, canvas or vinyl, but should be designed as part of the building and function principally as weather protection.”



Development Cost Levies (DCLs) for Transportation

• Implemented as part of the City’s recent Financing Growth review:

> 2-year long public process for implementing new city-wide development charges

• Charge against new development to pay part of the capital costs generated by residential, industrial and commercial growth:

> $6 per square foot, except for industrial ($2 per square foot)

> collected at the building permit stage

> governed by provincial legislation



Development Cost Levies for Transportation (cont’d)

• Transportation projects receive 22% of total DCL revenues:

EstimatedProject Annual Rev.Bikeways $ 180,000Greenways $ 120,000Arterial Improvements $ 540,000Downtown Streetcar $ 640,000Neighbourhood Centres $ 160,000Major Sustainable Projects $ 360,000

Total $2,000,000



Development Cost Levies for Transportation (cont’d)

• Based on estimated transportation growth costs for the next 25 years:

> Total of $230 million in project costs

> About 50% assumed to be growth related

> Funding from other sources (senior government, property owners, etc.) netted out to come up with an estimate of $110 million for transportation growth related projects

> 22% allocation for transportation was derived by taking the above transportation cost, and dividing it by the total for all eligible categories (includes parks, replacement housing and childcare facilities).



Community Amenity Contributions (CACs)

• Growth charge for local amenities in a community where a rezoning (increase in density) has occurred

> condition of rezoning approval

> City receives a portion of the lift in land value

> Initially, all CACs were negotiated with developers on a case by case basis

> Financing Growth review set a flat rate ($3/ sq. ft.) for most re-zonings; only “non-standard” re-zonings (large sites and downtown sites) negotiated

> Can be used for a wide variety of services

> Types of amenities, including transportation improvements (if any), are determined through rezoning public consultation process



Community Amenity Contributions (CACs)

Guidelines:

1. Serve the site and/or community in which the rezoning occurs;

2. Be growth-related, or meet past deficiencies or other community priorities;

3. Be identified through: a) An evaluation of the full range of City services and of the level of

existing City amenities in the area, and b) Public input obtained during the rezoning, and through community

plans or Visions, and/or city-wide plans and policies; and

4. Operationally viable and within City servicing standards; and

5. Approved by City Council as a Community Amenity Contribution.



Servicing AgreementsLarge re-zonings typically require a Servicing Agreement that includestransportation upgrades (i.e. dedication of new streets, walkways,bike lanes, pedestrian signals, etc.) needed to service the development.A Public Realm Plan provides details of sidewalk treatments, streetfurniture, lighting type and location, etc.

> re-zoning condition

> newly dedicated streets and rights-of-way are designed and installed by the developer at the time each site is serviced

> developer is also responsible for a 2-year warranty period, in which they must maintain all components

> the City takes over maintenance after the warranty period; to help offset costs of maintenance and repair, developers are typically asked to provide a 10% oversupply of non-standard items such as pavers



Servicing Agreements – examples

Public Realm Plan (Great Northern Way Lands)

New waterfront walkway (Coal Harbour)



Concord “Green Links” (Parking Pay-in-Lieu)> Part of a 1990 parking agreement for the re-zoning and development of the former Expo 86 site

> Developer agreed to provide payment for improved transit, walking and cycling connections to the downtown, in exchange for reduced underground parking requirements (870 stalls x $8500/stall = $7.4M)

> Paid in full before the issuance of the first occupancy permit for each development site

> About $2M received to date, with balance phased in between now and 2013



By-law Requirements for Off-Street Amenities

1) Parking By-lawIncludes requirements relating to the amount, location, and design of bicycle parking, including specifications governing enclosures, racks, security and clothing lockers

2) Building By-lawIncludes corresponding requirements for showers and change rooms


3. Cost-sharing Partnerships

Regional Government (TransLink)

“TransLink” – Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority; formed in 1999 (via Provincial legislation) to deliver regional transportation services.

Sources of revenue include:• transit fares• gasoline taxes• sales tax on paid parking• residential & commercial property taxes• BC Hydro (electric utility) levy


3. Cost-sharing Partnerships (cont’d)

Regional Government (TransLink) (cont’d)

1) Minor Capital Program ($3.9 million/year - Vancouver)• 50% cost-sharing provided for

safety and “people-moving” improvements to the region’sMajor Road Network (MRN)

• Eligible projects include pedestrian crossing improvements (signals, cornerbulges, etc.) and bike routes/crossings on the MRN

• Discussions between TransLink and municipalities, on increased flexibility to fund more walking and cycling projects, are scheduled for this fall



Regional Government (TransLink) (cont’d)

2) Bicycle Infrastructure Program (approx. $900,000/year - Vancouver)

• 50% cost-sharing for bicycle route construction• covered in Session 39 (Sept. 9th) – Role of GVTA Bicycle Programs

for the Vancouver Region



Provincial Government

1) Cycling Network Program (1995 – 2001)

• Contributed over $1M towards $4M total in bicycle route expansion projects

• Part of “conditional” grants program for BC municipalities

• Eliminated as part of overall provincial cutbacks• Program was initiated after lobbying by senior City

staff• City has requested provincial government to restore

funding



Provincial Government (cont’d)

2) Rapid Transit Project Integration Funds

Expo SkyTrain Line• BC Parkway Greenway

- linear walking and cycling path located under the SkyTrain guideway- initially sponsored by 7-11 stores

Millennium SkyTrain Line• Municipal Integration Fund

- local amenities negotiated as part of access agreement to City streets and rights-of-way- included a new greenway and plazas

Financing Active Communities3. Cost-sharing Partnerships

(cont’d)Federal Government

1) Opportunities Envelope Fund• Up to 50% cost sharing for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

• $ 180 million nationally over 3 years

• Vancouver has submitted a “Gold Medal Transportation Alternatives” application through the provincial governments. Includes:

> $5.3 million for walking and cycling infrastructure in the downtown> $1 million for supporting safe walking and biking routes to school

• Application supports City’s draft Community Climate Change Action Plan (Vancouver’s contribution towards meeting Kyoto targets)



Federal Government (cont’d)

2) Urban Transportation Showcase Program• Up to one-third federal cost sharing for projects that demonstrate,

evaluate and promote transportation greenhouse gas reductions

• TransLink and Greater Vancouver Application approved:> $16.5 million in total, with $5.5 million in federal funding> Vancouver projects includes: - Central Valley Greenway ($6.4 million total) - SkyTrain Station Precinct Improvements ($3 million total - improved sidewalks, lighting, street furniture, bus shelters, bicycle lockers, traffic calming, signals at 3 stations)



Federal Government (cont’d)

3) Vancouver Agreement (Downtown Eastside Revitalization)• Part of commitment by the federal government, the provincial

government and the City of Vancouver to support sustainable economic, social and community development

• Funding has included streetscape improvements (greenway design and construction, pedestrian lighting, etc.

4) Canada/BC Infrastructure Program• Current program began in 2000 (5-year program)• covers a variety of hard and soft infrastructure projects• costs shared equally between federal, provincial and local

governments (about $800M in total)• Some bicycle routes funded in previous programs



Private Sector

Street Furniture and Amenities Program• City partnership (2002 agreement) with Viacom / JC Decaux, for the

provision and maintenance of a coordinated suite of street furniture, at no cost to the City

• New infrastructure provided in exchange for exclusive rights for bus shelter advertising

• Higher service levels and improved aesthetic quality than previously provided

• Includes bus shelters, benches, litter receptacles, news paper box racks, bike racks and pedestrian signage/maps

• 10% of advertising space made available for community oriented advertising, free of charge

• Projected city benefit of $135 million over a twenty year term, including guaranteed revenue sharing of $1.5 million/year (pays for administration, litter receptacle emptying, etc.



Residents

Green Streets Program• Offers residents an opportunity to become

volunteer street gardeners in their neighbourhood by sponsoring a traffic circle or corner bulge garden

• Volunteers can tend either city supplied or theirown plantings

• City support includes bi-annual newsletter, a Gardener’s Information website, free advicefrom a certified Master Gardener and an annual Green Streets Garden Party

Financing Active Communities3. Cost-sharing Partnerships

(cont’d)Non-Governmental Organizations

Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST)• Promotes local sustainable

transportation and land-use planning, and pedestrian, cycling and transit-orientedneighbourhoods

• With the support of a $1 millionaward from VanCity Credit Union,BEST is helping to complete the Central Valley Greenway

• Partnership with TransLink, theGVRD and the Cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster


Conclusions

• As a first step, develop policies and detailed plans to act on

• Use outside funding to stretch capital dollars

• Lobby senior governments for cost-sharing programs

• Look for win-win opportunities with developers, the private sector and your community members


Don Klimchuk, P. Eng.Strategic Transportation Planning Branch, Engineering Services, City of Vancouver Phone: 604-873-7345Email: [email protected]

Don Klimchuk, P. Eng.Strategic Transportation Planning Branch, Engineering Services, City of Vancouver Phone: 604-873-7345Email: [email protected]

Financing Active Communities Don Klimchuk, P. Eng. City of Vancouver Engineering Services Session...

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