Are we headed for a municipality at UBC

There are more than 7,000 permanent residents at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and on weekdays, more than 60,000 students and staff spend their days here. With its scenic views, lush parks, small-town feel and big city amenities, UBC is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing areas near Vancouver. To accommodate growth, new homes - detached, attached and condominium apartments - and new smaller scale commercial developments bringing restaurants, coffee bars, shopping plazas and offices are springing up.

Land use planning and development is clearly a priority. And until early June 2010, Metro Vancouver (formerly the GVRD) had final authority for approving UBC's Official Community Plan.

But this all changed in June 2010 with Bill 20, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 3), 2010, provincial legislation amending the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act.

Land use planning and development at UBC's Point Grey campus is the responsibility of BC's Minister of Community and Rural Development, the Hon. Ben Stewart.

REALTORS® helping clients to buy, sell or develop property at UBC should understand the effect of these changes in this legislation.

Why this change in governance?
There has been speculation in the media about the implications and motivations for these changes. We have been told the initiative responds to a request from UBC and Metro Vancouver to help sort out planning responsibilities so that each organization can concentrate on core activities.

UBC wants to concentrate on its academic mission, while Metro Vancouver wants to focus on regional sustainability, not on municipal planning which is traditionally the responsibility of member municipalities such as Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Richmond or Vancouver. But UBC isn't a municipality. Instead, it's part of the unincorporated Electoral Area "A" as is the neighbouring University Endowment Lands (UEL) including Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

Electoral Area "A" also includes a hodgepodge of undeveloped areas such as Bowyer, Passage and Barnston Islands, the west side of Pitt Lake, the northern portion of Indian Arm, and land near the Village of Lions Bay. To represent residents, Electoral Area "A" directly elects a single representative to the Metro Vancouver board.

UBC is not legally part of the City of Vancouver. Its residents don't vote in City of Vancouver elections, except for school board trustees.

Who delivers services to residents at UBC?
Services - such as the community centre and parks, as well as the development of bylaws for parking, animal control and noise, are delivered through the University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), a not-for-profit association.

Owners of homes in the UNA pay a rural tax to the province and a services levy to UBC. The two added together are comparable to the City of Vancouver municipal tax for a similarly assessed property. The services levy is collected as a "landlord charge" or additional rent and is then deposited into a "Neighbours' Fund" which is the UNA operating budget.

The UNA does not have responsibility for planning or permitting, which are the responsibility of UBC.

What does Bill 20 change?
UBC's Official Community Plan (OCP), jointly created with Metro Vancouver, residents and interest groups in 1997, establishes land use, and provides policies and criteria for development. But it does not regulate development.

Under Bill 20, this OCP will remain in place, as will UBC's Comprehensive Community Plan, its Neighbourhood Plans, and its Regional Context Statement. This Regional Context Statement is a key document explaining how UBC aligns its land use policies with the Livable Region Strategic Plan, Metro Vancouver's overall growth strategy.

But, Metro Vancouver will no longer have approving authority. Instead, the Minister of Community and Rural Development will review and approve all plans, and by extension, have the authority to regulate development.

Are we headed for a municipality at UBC?
Is this the start of a process toward municipal government status for UBC? We think there is a hint contained in the May 5, 2010 letter to Metro Vancouver chair, Lois Jackson from Hon. Bill Bennett, former Minister of Community and Rural Development. He stated:

"UBC, Metro Vancouver and the Province agree it might be time to start thinking about whether there is a need for more representative local government for the Point Grey peninsula, especially given the significant current and projected population growth and the increasing complexity of managing the area without the benefit of a municipal government."

Minister Bennett went on to state, "The Province is prepared to explore the idea of greater local self-government in the area, but does not want to impose a solution on residents."

To view Bill 20, visit: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th2nd/3rd_read/index.htm and scroll down to Bill 20. Relevant amendments start at section 37.

To view UBC's OCP and related documents, visit: http://www.planning.ubc.ca/ and go to Plans + Policies.