VANCOUVER - City Council plowed through more speakers tonight on its plan to lift height restrictions in the historic Chinatown district. This was the second Council meeting on the plan and a third has been called for Thursday.

The vast majority speaking tonight were opposed to lifting the restrictions - saying it would open the way for hi-rise condo towers.  Speaker after speaker predicted that the move would destroy the affordable food and household goods stores that thrive in the area, push out the 1,000 low-income renters who live in Chinatown and destroy the heritage neighbourhood. 

Vancouver resident Dan Fass took the Vision Council to task, saying it had ignored the recommendations of a 2004 housing report and a 2005 comprehensive study. He said the Vision  had failed to carry out adequate public consultation. Councilor Kerry Jang countered by asking Vass if he wasn`t just against change. Fass replied he wasn`t, he was just against the lack of consultation.

Former City of Vancouver Planner Nathan Edelson suggested using the City`s density transfer program that pays off real estate speculators and developers in the hopes that they may save some heritage. He also suggested that because he approved 40-story towers in South Vancouver, 14 stories in Chinatown ``doesn't seem like much, more what I would call mid-rise than hi-rise.``

Crowd control was tight, with speakers having to line up and get and wear a number to enter the  Council chamber. At the initial meeting on the height review, Chinatown real estate interests took up every seat in the chamber. They refused even the elderly seating until forced to by City Manager Penny Ballem.