It’s a busy week at 12th and Cambie. Our round-up of all the various public-space related meetings and events will be coming in a few parts…

Monday night starts with a Public Hearing on a number if rezoning applications. We reported on a few of these in January, including the Beth israel synagoge/ Talmud Torah school at Oak and 26th. (Pedestrian and plaza-space features are included in this proposal).

The most contentious, however, will be application associated with the proposed Rize development at Broadway and Kingsway. Under consideration is a two-storey podium base and a pair of five and 19-storey residential buildings. The proposal in question has already been the source of objections and disagreement in the neighbourhood.

The community plan that was approved for the Mt Pleasant neighbourhood called for ‘additional height and density’ on the site – to be determined through the rezoning process. But now the process is here there’s considerable unhappiness with the form and scale of the buildings on offer.

This proposal will contrast the potential for a range of public benefits against the impact of tower-development in a low to mid-rise neighbourhood.

Most recently, Council asked City staff to report on some of the discrepancies between the applicant’s 3D renderings of the development and those produced by a citizen. This question about the accuracy of development and real estate visualizations has added another layer to an already intense discussion.

Tonight’s Hearing, starting at 7:00, promises to go long and will be an interesting one to watch. Check it out. (There’s still time to get on the speakers list if you want to have your say as well).

For more info:

• http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20120227/phea20120227ag.htm
• http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/speaktocouncil.htm

More to follow on the rest of the week at City Hall. Stay tuned!