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  • About

    About

    • What We Do
    • Advocacy
    • Heritage Update
    • Plans and Reports
    • Membership
    • Donate
    • Sponsors
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
  • Events & Activities

    Events & Activities

    • 2022 Conference
    • BC Heritage Awards
    • Heritage Week
    • Dates to Know
  • Learning Centre

    Learning Centre

    • ICH: Creating a Community-Based Inventory
    • Climate Adaptation: Making a Case
    • Climate Adaptation: Framework and Implementation
    • Intangible Cultural Heritage
    • Setting the Bar: A Reconciliation Guide for Heritage
    • A Guide to Making a Case for Heritage
    • Heritage Conservation Tools: Resource Guides
    • Webinars On-Demand
    • Other Heritage Education Programs
  • Cultural Maps

    Cultural Maps

    • Submerged Heritage Resources
    • Columbia Basin Region Heritage Places
    • Francophone Historic Places Map
    • Chinese Canadian Historic Places Map
    • Japanese Canadian Historic Places
    • South Asian Canadian Map
    • War Monuments and Memorials Map
    • Mapping Heritage
  • Resources

    Resources

    • Accessibility for Historic Places
    • Conservation in BC Reports
    • Definitions and Heritage FAQs
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Heritage Real Estate
    • State of Heritage: Provincial Roundtables
    • Indigenous Cultural Heritage
    • Local Government: Library of Source Documents
    • Racism: Do Not Let the Forgetting Prevail
    • Heritage Quick Studies
    • Other Tools, Publications, Guides
  • Heritage Legacy Fund

    Heritage Legacy Fund

    • Who Benefits?
    • Past Grant Recipients
    • Climate Disaster Response Fund
  • Job Board

    Job Board

    • Job Hunting Resources
    • Job Postings
    • Submit a Job
  • Contact
  • ICH: Creating a Community-Based Inventory
  • Climate Adaptation: Making a Case
  • Climate Adaptation: Framework and Implementation
  • Intangible Cultural Heritage
  • Setting the Bar: A Reconciliation Guide for Heritage
    • 1. Setting the Bar: Heritage and Reconciliation Pledge
    • 2. Setting the Bar: Acknowledging Land and People
    • 3. Setting the Bar: Celebrating Days of Recognition and Commemoration
    • 4. Setting the Bar: With a Commitment to Learn
    • 5. Setting the Bar: Committing to Strategic Organizational Diversity
    • 6. Setting the Bar: Mission-Making Room for Reconciliation
    • 7. Setting the Bar: Possession, Interpretation, Repatriation and Cultural Care
    • 8. Setting the Bar: Shared Decision Making
    • 9. Setting the Bar: Statements of Significance and other heritage planning documents
    • 10. Setting the Bar: Heritage Conservation Tools, Local Government Act
  • A Guide to Making a Case for Heritage
  • Heritage Conservation Tools: Resource Guides
  • Webinars On-Demand
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Other Heritage Education Programs
  • Learning Centre
  • Heritage Revitalization Agreements: A Resource Guide

Heritage Revitalization Agreements: Examples

Example 1

A family owns a heritage house situated on a large lot in a single-family neighbourhood. The owner wishes to subdivide their property into two legal-sized lots, which would require the relocation or destruction of the house.

To preserve the heritage building in its present landscaped setting, the owner and the City enter into a HRA with terms that allow for both the subdivision of the property and the retention of the house in its present location. The agreement varies the Subdivision Bylaw to allow subdivision into two lots, creating one lot narrower than permitted.

In return, the owner agrees to restore and continually protect and conserve the heritage house. Any future development of the narrow lot is subject to siting requirements. The proposal is in line with the permitted use and density, so a public hearing would not normally be required. However, the heritage designation also proposed for the heritage building means that a public hearing must be held. (source)

Example 2

In order to conserve an historic hotel and to construct a new building beside it, a significant investment in restoration work is required and certain variances are requested.

The property owner and City staff negotiate an HRA that describes the form of development, varies siting requirements, permits non-conforming uses and increases the allowable density on the site.

In return, the owner agrees to restore, maintain and protect the exterior of the building and the interior lobby, grand staircase and ballroom and allow public access for one day per year.

A Public Hearing is required because of the use and density variances requested. (source)

Example 3

The owner of a historic commercial building in a downtown core initiates discussion with the local government regarding the redevelopment potential of the site. In order to conserve the historic building and to build a new building on the site, a significant investment in the restoration of the historic building is required and the building siting requirements in the community’s zoning bylaw must be relaxed. The property owner and local government negotiate a heritage revitalization agreement to enable redevelopment of the site. The agreement allows relaxation of the siting requirements, permits additional uses such as multiple family dwellings to be accommodated on the site, and increases the allowable density on the site. In return, the owner agrees to restore and maintain the historic building, allow public access for interpretation one day per year, and agrees to the installation of an appropriate commemorative plaque on the property. (source)

 


This guide provides an overview of Heritage Revitalization Agreements through research and commentary. Application of this heritage conservation tool is not prescriptive, as it can be adapted to each situation. Local governments and regional districts wanting to implement the heritage conservation tools should seek legal counsel as required.
SPECIAL NOTE: It is intended this guide will develop through community input. If you have best practices and case studies that would benefit this guide, please contact Heritage BC.
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As an organization of provincial scope, Heritage BC recognizes that its members, and the local history and heritage they seek to preserve, occupy the lands and territories of B.C.’s Indigenous peoples. Heritage BC asks its members and everyone working in the heritage sector to reflect on the places where they reside and work, and to respect the diversity of cultures and experiences that form the richness of our provincial heritage.