Local business looking forward to virtual Vancouver public hearing

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The City of Vancouver has decided public hearings into rezoning applications will continue – online.

A virtual gathering of applicants and councillors, a first for Vancouver, will debut on Tuesday.

The city will be hearing three applications on that occasion, including one by Caffe La Tana co-owner Craig Stanghetta.

He’s looking to offer some alcohol at his Commercial Drive establishment, and for that he needs rezoning.

“It took a year to get to this point and just as we were approaching the time to go to public hearing, COVID came along.”

The City of Vancouver website says, thanks to a ministerial order, public hearings can now be convened by electronic means.

Stanghetta says the meeting will be conducted using the WebEx platform.

“We did a test of it the other day. It’s very easy to share information, and it’s quite collaborative. We were pleasantly surprised as to how efficient it was. I think they are using us as a guinea pig,” he says. “It’s still new and there will be some stumbling blocks along the way. But otherwise I was very happy at how organized and efficient the platform was.”

As is usual with these types of hearings, the public is being invited to join in.

“Speakers have already been able to volunteer just like any other regular public hearing where the notice goes out. Anybody who wants to speak has the opportunity,” says Stanghetta, who is eager to see people who support his project attend and provide their opinions.

The city says people can still go to city hall in person to take part, but it is strongly urging people to opt to watch online and to phone in during the hearing or write in with comments. To speak during the meeting, either in person or on the phone, individuals must sign up ahead of time.

Does Stanghetta have second thoughts changing his business model during a pandemic?

“We were sort of lucky in some respects that as some businesses shut down, our original use, which is neighbourhood grocery store, actually became highly sought-after and a necessary asset to our community.”

He says the shop has been able to get food out the door, keep people employed and keep revenue coming in. Stanghetta and his business partner own two restaurants, which he says haven’t fared as well.

The public hearing into the cafe’s application, and two others, begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.