Vancouver re-evaluates downtown viewing cones policy

VANCOUVER — Vancouver’s famous views could get a new look thanks to new guidelines from city council.

Since the late 1980s, downtown Vancouver development has used view protection guidelines, also known as “view cones,” to ensure that the city’s water and mountain views are not obstructed.

A new report to Vancouver City Council’s Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities, prepared by the city’s Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability Department, has recommended that council amend existing guidelines, as well as solar access guidelines, and clarify floor area standards.

City of Vancouver Director of Development Planning Jason Olinek said the viewing cones were only introduced in 1989, and the last comprehensive review was conducted between 2007 and 2011.

He said the impetus for the latest policy review was the changing development context and pressures for economic growth.

“Council passed two motions in October 2023 directing staff to look at viewing cones and other policies such as access to solar energy … to unlock housing and economic development such as jobs and hotels, but the primary focus was on unlocking housing potential,” Olinek said.

He added that viewing cones cover only about 15 per cent of Vancouver’s downtown area, but “it’s the highest density in the city, so it’s an incredibly complex question.”

“These changes are to assess, from a technical perspective, why, if the view is obstructed, (the view cone) is still there, and if the view is in a place where people can’t reach it or appreciate it, can we move it?” he said.

He added that there are several viewing cones in the middle of the street and “if you’re driving you wouldn’t appreciate that unless you’re a pedestrian and you turn around to look, so we’re just (as proposed in the report) moving them to a public square or sidewalk, which sometimes opens up development opportunities in that area.”

He added that the report made several exceptions for locations where the city would work with applicants to allow for view protection to provide other public benefits.

“Views are one of the public benefits, there are things like housing, jobs, day care, maybe public open space or cycling infrastructure. That’s one of many criteria that needs to be considered,” he said.

Olinek said one of the main goals of the report is to increase the supply of apartments in the city center.

“All residential buildings can be seen as a benefit as we increase supply and our indicators certainly show that we are currently trying to encourage rental housing and we would like to see that there is access to affordable housing,” he said.

He also noted that the zoning was already in line with most viewpoints and would not affect the vast majority of applicants.

“When there is a need to rezone the land to achieve greater height and density, the view cone can impact the proposal,” Olinek said.

He added that the changes in the sightline are an early action and part of a larger effort called a citywide development guide.

“It’s (an effort) to consolidate, modernize and simplify 30 to 40 years of guidelines that are over 2,000 pages and over 70 documents. It’s a big initiative and part of simplifying our entire policy and regulatory framework,” he said.

He added that once approved by the council, the new viewing cones guidelines will come into effect immediately for new developments.

“Any application that comes in and the council approves can be considered,” he said.

The report was submitted to the council on 10 July and is available here.