Bonnis Properties is aiming to build a 33-storey residential rental tower with no underground parking along 365-395 Broadway in Vancouver. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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Since the city of Vancouver stopped mandating the number of parking stalls in residential projects two years ago, developers have had to wrestle with the question of how many — if any — to add.

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One proposed rental tower project along the Broadway corridor is proceeding with no plans for underground parking.

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The city recently approved a revised rezoning application by Bonnis Properties to build a 33-storey, mixed-use tower on Broadway near Yukon Street. It would feature 196 rental units and sit just one block away from the Canada Line Broadway-City Hall station.

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“Given the high walkability, transit, and bike score offered by site, we propose a development with no on-site standard parking,” application documents state. “Ample, secure, and easily accessible bike parking is provided to encourage green mobility, support active transportation, and reinforce the project’s transit‑oriented development principles.”

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Rendering of the 33-storey rental tower Bonnis Properties is looking to build on Broadway in Vancouver. Photo by Bonnis Properties / Perkins & Will

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The documents state the inclusion of dedicated bike elevators, well-lit bicycle rooms and maintenance amenities will “promote cycling as a primary mode of transportation” for residents and visitors.

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Bonnis Properties co-principal Kerry Bonnis told Postmedia his team concluded no parking was needed because they’ve seen “sufficient demand for rental apartments without parking where so many alternative modes of traffic are available,” including public transit, bicycles and Uber/Lyft services.

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“The site is within 100 metres from two transit lines, in addition to being along the busiest bus transit corridor in the city,” he said.

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The decision to exclude parking stalls was further motivated by the site’s unusually shallow 15-metre depth, according to Perkins & Will architect Aik Ablimit.

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“It would not have been logistically feasible to include vehicle parking in any case.”

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There were early explorations of incorporating an automated parking system, which would use mechanical lifts, shuttles and conveyors to store and retrieve cars. But the size made it impractical to consider.

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Bonnis Properties co-principal Kerry Bonnis says the site is ‘within 100 metres from two transit lines, in addition to being along the busiest bus transit corridor in the city.’ Photo by Bonnis Properties / Perkins & Will

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In June 2024, city council voted in favour of removing minimum parking requirements. Before this, with the exception of a few areas, developers had to provide a certain number of off-street parking stalls based on ratios to the number of units or floor area.

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Developers ended up building large, underground parkades that increased the cost of projects or made them too expensive to build.

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Around the same time, the province introduced Bill 44 and Bill 47, requiring municipalities to allow more small-scale, multi-unit housing and transit-oriented development areas.

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While minimum parking requirements were removed, the city requires developers to include — in some cases — accessible parking spaces, bicycle parking and loading bays.

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Asked how many development permit applications have been received for projects without underground parking since the 2024 changes, the city said it doesn’t track that information.