Dan Fumano: Is Broadway corridor development too fast, too slow or just right?

Builders appear eager to redevelop the Broadway corridor after Vancouver’s previous city council approved a major plan last year for the city’s “second downtown.”

Now, the current council must decide how fast.

This month, council is expected to consider a “pace-of-change” policy for redevelopment of the corridor where the Broadway subway is currently under construction.

The Broadway plan encompasses about 500 city blocks, from Clark Drive west to Vine Street. City hall wants to take particular care with areas that include older and more affordable apartment buildings — think of the three-storey walk-ups south of 12th Avenue in Fairview or north of 4th Avenue in Kitsilano.

City staff’s original Broadway plan didn’t include a “pace-of-change” limitation. But when council was considering the plan last June, Green Coun. Pete Fry proposed an amendment to direct staff to “phase the implementation” of the plan for five years to focus redevelopment in industrial and commercial areas, close to high-density hubs near subway stations, and away from existing apartment areas (with exceptions for social housing).