Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Vancouver (B.C.). Technical Planning Board
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1952-1975
History
The Technical Planning Board was established by by-law no. 3497 in 1954 (though in practice it had operated since 1952) as a coordinating board of senior civic staff to oversee technical and administrative matters relating to the physical development of the city, in conjunction with the newly established Planning Department.
The Director of Planning served as its chair, and membership included the City Engineer, the Corporation Counsel, the City Comptroller, the Supervisor of Lands and Rentals, the Medical Health Officer, the Superintendent of Schools, the Superintendent of Parks, and the Chief Building Inspector. Its initial functions were: to prepare a development plan for City Council; to advise Council on city planning matters; to advise Council on amendments to the Zoning By-law; to carry out surveys and analyses relating to planning and zoning; to prepare city plans. The Board also had the power to issue development permits according to the Zoning By-law, and to authorize exceptions thereto as deemed reasonable.
By 1961 the Director of Planning, as the Board's chair, had effectively taken over all authority on these matters under the Board's remit, continuing to consult with other City officials, as appropriate. The Technical Planning Board was dissolved 17 Dec. 1974 (by-law no. 4836). The Board's functions in regards to assessment of development permits were transferred to the Development Permit Board, established 24 June 1975 by by-law no. 4876.
Much of the Board's work was conducted by its various Sub-committees, who reported this work to the Board through their meeting minutes for the Board's approval. The most active of these sub-committees was the Development Permit Sub-committee, which was responsible for conducting assessments of development permit applications that did not entail amendments to the Zoning By-law (as per by-law no. 3497, section 4b), and making recommendations to the Board on approval of applications, and recommended limitations to be imposed on a particular permit.
The Zoning and Real Estate Sub-committee was responsible for conducting assessments of re-zoning applications and making recommendations on those applications to Council, via the Board, in fulfillment of many of the Board's zoning-related advisory functions.