Community Amenity Contributions at Harbourside

Known colloquially as CACs, community amenity contributions are in-kind or cash contributions provided by real estate developers when the City grants development rights through rezoning. 

Due to the fact that demands on City facilities and infrastructure increase with a rezoning as result of new residents and employees in the area, CACs offset this impact while also serving as a method of profit sharing between the developer and the broader community. 

Throughout the CAC process, the multimillion dollar question inevitably becomes, how exactly does one determine the scope and magnitude? Because each rezoning situation is unique, assessments are typically made on a case-by-case basis and negotiated between the developer and the City. In Harbourside’s case, the City has engaged an independent, third-party mediator to ensure maximum transparency in this process. 

From the outset of planning for a mixed-use Harbourside, significant community amenity contributions (CACs) have been part of Concert’s vision. Initiatives Concert has proposed include:

Public realm enhancements
Concert is proposing the creation of a variety of public real enhancements which would help to foster a coherent and distinct “sense of place” at Harbourside. A universally accessible viewing deck along the waterfront would provide direct public access to the water; something which cannot be found elsewhere in North Vancouver. Large public waterfront gathering spaces would also be integrated within the new street design, the perfect venue for farmers markets or cultural festivals. Finally, significant funding for public art would serve to further enhance the character of the public realm.

Traffic & transportation improvements
Harbourside’s development would bring with it a host of offsite traffic and transportation upgrades. A primary area of focus would be upgrading offsite roads and intersections that feed into Harbourside to improve vehicular access. The addition of 50 parking stalls would help alleviate parking shortages, as would the addition of four car share vehicles. Furthermore, pedestrian rail safety and landscape improvements along Bewicke Ave would make walking or cycling into Harbourside more viable. Concert would also be the first developer to work with Translink to subsidize a new bus route; this would increase service to and from Harbourside and neighbouring communities. Furthermore, construction of an integrated transit "hub" would include thoughtful amenities such as free WiFi access to make transit ridership more pleasant. Finally, Concert is looking at funding a “travel coordinator” for 12-15 years who would work with businesses and residents to promote sustainable transportation options.  

Park & Spirit Trail upgrades
Parks and open spaces would be a key element of the Harbourside community and serve to maintain a connection to nature. In addition to the 2.5 acres of public open space which would be created within the new development at Harbourside, Concert would dedicate 1.2 acres of additional park area to the City. Concert would also provide funding for a City-led public parks process which would determine the highest and best use for existing and newly-dedicated park lands, and subsequently fund these improvements. Concert has suggested that a sandy beach, complete with volleyball courts, might be a welcome addition to North Vancouver. Connections to the Spirit Trail would be expanded and enhanced with the addition of separated pedestrian and cycling paths and landscaping. A concession kiosk, complete with food service and public washrooms, would serve as the perfect public gathering point along the Spirit Trail. Finally, there would be both habitat restoration and enhancement of the shoreline as well as adjacent creeks.  

Other contributions
Concert would employ a forward-thinking design to address flood control management concerns at present, while also building in the capacity for further adaptation to address sea level rise in the future. Providing space for a LEC District Energy “mini-plant” would not only help to power Harbourside, but it would also benefit the surrounding community’s expansion in the future. Harbourside’s construction would also create significant economic value to the local economy by creating 4,500 construction jobs, employment space for 1,500 full-time jobs and $2.3M in annual property takes for the City. In addition, there would be 50,000 square feet of retail amenities to serve the community as well as 100 rental homes to help alleviate the City’s shortage. Finally, Concert would make a significant cash contribution to the City above and beyond the initiatives and amenities described above.  

The City has engaged Sandra Cawley of Burgess, Cawley, Sullivan & Associates to act as the mediator in the process of assessing the methodology for calculating the CACs at Harbourside. With her help, Concert and the City are close to finalizing a CAC proposal. Once complete, this proposal will be presented at the upcoming Town Hall Meeting, currently anticipated for September.