This post has been reviewed by the Vancouver Media Co-op editorial committee.

by murray bush - flux photo

VANCOUVER - Downtown Eastside residents and organizations are speaking out against City plans for more condo towers in their neighbourhood.

Spearheaded by the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council (DNC), an ad hoc coalition held a press conference today to denounce the City's Hictoric Area Heights Review. The Vision dominated Council is expected to use the review as an excuse to ease height restrictions so developers can flood the area with hi-rise luxury condos.

The DNC is also campaigning for 10 sites of low-income, resident-controlled housing in the Downtown Eastside before the next civic election.

Council will be discussing the Review on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 2pm. Speaker after speaker at the press conference vowed to take the fight for the community to City Hall.

The speakers encouraged residents, activists and concerned citizens to get involved:

HIGHER BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN & THE HISTORIC AREA HEIGHT REVIEW

Public Information meeting

Today Monday, Jan. 17, 2011, 7- 8:30 pm at the Empire Landmark Hotel

(1400 Robson Street) in the Crystal Ballroom, lobby level.

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/capacitystudy/

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, TUES, JAN 18, 2 PM

Important motion on zoning capacity

Motion B5: "Density in Vancouver" by Clr Woodsworth calls for staff to

report back within one month on the "total existing zoned capacity" in

Vancouver. We have heard of reports that Vancouver could satisfy

demand for increased accommodation for many years into the future

without the need for any rezoning. We hope Council will pass this

motion and allow our society to make decisions with the facts on the

table.

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20110118/regu20110118ag.htm

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, THURS, JAN 20, 2 PM

Two important motions on height

Agenda item 4: "Historic Area Height Review: Policy Implementation."

Agenda item 5: "Implementation of “Vancouver Views” and Opportunities for

Higher Buildings in the Downtown."

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20110120/penv20110120ag.htm

