Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Subdivision files
General material designation
- Textual record
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title taken from transfer documentation.
Level of description
Series
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
ca. 7,000 microfiches
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Planning Department was established on November 1, 1952 with the appointment of the Director of Planning, further to the July 1951 report commissioned by City Council from town planning consultants Harold Spence-Sales and John Bland (PD 335). The report had proposed that the Vancouver Town Planning Commission hand over the work intensive and detailed aspects of planning but maintain the advisory role to City Council (renamed Vancouver City Planning Commission in 1972). Those aspects were taken on by the new Planning Department, while the more substantial Zoning By-law interpretation and exception decision-making, as well as the broader aspects of city planning were carried out by a committee of relevant senior staff and officials, which was called the Technical Planning Board. The Board was chaired by the Director of Planning.
Previous to the establishment of the Planning Department in 1952 the Town Planning Commission was responsible for city planning (1926-1952). The earliest town planning or city planning activity was carried out under the authority of City Council, in conjunction with the Board of Works, and the Engineering Department (1886-1926).
Custodial history
Scope and content
Series consists of case files on land and lots considered for subdivision approval. Each case file is represented by one microfiche. Arranged in legal description order with the following area or project files at the beginning: B.C. Place, Canada Harbour Place, False Creek, Fraserview, Gambier Island, Old Granville Townsite, Quebec/Columbia Connector, Marathon, Musqueam, Reclassification, and West Point Grey. Following this sequence there are thousands of case files on individual lots. District lot numbers represented are: D.L. 36, D.L. 36 & 51, D.L. 37, D.L. 47, D.L. 50, D.L. 51, D.L. 52, D.L. 128, D.L. 139, D.L. 140, D.L. 176, D.L. 181, D.L. 182, D.L. 183, D.L. 184, D.L. 185, D.L. 192, D.L. 194, D.L. 195, D.L. 196, D.L. 200, D.L. 200A, D.L. 237, D.L. 258, D.L. 258 & 329, D.L. 264A, D.L. 301, D.L. 302, D.L. 306 & 306Y, D.L. 307 & 317, D.L. 311, D.L. 311 & 322, D.L. 313, D.L. 314, D.L. 315, D.L. 316, D.L. 317, D.L. 318, D.L. 319, D.L. 320, D.L. 321, D.L. 322, D.L. 323, D.L. 325, D.L. 325A, D.L. 326A, D.L. 326B, D.L. 327, D.L. 328, D.L. 329, D.L. 330, D.L. 331, D.L. 332, D.L. 334, D.L. 335, D.L. 336, D.L. 337, D.L. 338, D.L. 339, D.L. 352, D.L. 373, D.L. 391, D.L. 393, D.L. 394, D.L. 472, D.L. 526, D.L. 448, D.L. 540, D.L. 541, D.L. 628, D.L. 629, D.L. 630, D.L. 631, D.L. 631-632, D.L. 632, D.L. 633, D.L. 634, D.L. 636, D.L. 637, D.L. 638, D.L. 639, D.L. 639-640, D.L. 642, D.L. 643, D.L. 644, D.L. 645, D.L. 646, D.L. 648, D.L. 649, D.L. 650, D.L. 651, D.L. 652, D.L. 653, D.L. 654, D.L. 655, D.L. 656, D.L. 657, D.L. 658, D.L. 659, D.L. 660, D.L. 661, D.L. 662, D.L. 663, D.L. 664, D.L. 666, D.L. 667, D.L. 668-670, D.L. 700, D.L. 702, D.L. 703, D.L. 704, D.L. 705, D.L. 706, D.L. 707, D.L. 708, D.L. 709, D.L. 710, D.L. 711, D.L. 712, D.L. 713, D.L. 714, D.L. 715, D.L. 716, D.L. 717, D.L. 719, D.L. 720, D.L. 721, D.L. 722, D.L. 723, D.L. 724, D.L. 725, D.L. 726, D.L. 727, D.L. 728, D.L. 729, D.L. 730, D.L. 731, D.L. 733, D.L. 734, D.L. 735, D.L. 737, D.L. 738, D.L. 739, D.L. 740, D.L. 741, D.L. 743, D.L. 744, D.L. 745, D.L. 746, D.L. 747, D.L. 748, D.L. 749, D.L. 750, D.L. 751, D.L. 752, D.L. 753, D.L. 754, D.L. 755, D.L. 756, D.L. 1216, D.L. 2027, D.L. 2037, D.L. 2100, D.L. 2850, D.L. 3610, D.L. 3657, D.L. 5967, D.L. 7145, and THSL.
The subdivision files have been accumulated since the 1950s in the Department's role as coordinator and approval authority of the land subdivision approval process as governed by the Land Registry Act and the Subdivision Control By-law. Council approval was required when particular engineering considerations were factors. Represented are all those properties considered for subdivision (including large scale subdivisions and air space subdivision), which were adjacent to a property considered for subdivision, which were considered for other legal adjustments (e.g. title changes, right of way changes, consolidation of parcels, creation of new roads), or which concerned the City's leases outside Vancouver. The records document the subdivision approval process which proceeded as follows: property owners submitted applications to subdivide to Planning, Planning coordinated the City's consideration of the application in consultation with Engineering and other offices as necessary, the subdivision approval officer made a decision (and referred individual cases to the City Engineer when Council approval was required), then Planning informed the applicant of the City's decision. Records include subdivision applications, internal and external correspondence of the Planning and Engineering Departments, plans prepared by Engineering and external individuals/companies for development purposes, leases, meeting notes, and associated Council documentation.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Transferred from Planning in August 1995.
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Originals with office of origin.
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Restrictions apply, please consult the archivist.
Restriction details: Researchers must complete an "Agreement for Access to Restricted Records" form due to borderline privacy issues with plans and other records contained in this series.
Act reference: FOIPPA sec. 22(1)
Access form required: Yes
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Case file list available, in hardcopy only, in the Archives Reading Room. The list includes legal descriptions and addresses for each case file.
Associated materials
The earliest land subdivisions are documented in the Street Files held by the Planning Department.