CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

APRIL 18, 2000

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, April 18, 2000, at 7:40 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall, for the purpose of holding a Public Hearing to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law.

PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen

Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick
Councillor Sam Sullivan
Councillor George Puil

ABSENT: Councillor Gordon Price

CITY CLERK'S
OFFICE: Tarja Tuominen, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Sullivan,
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the Chair, to consider proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. Text Amendment: 3075 Slocan Street (Italian Cultural Centre)

An application by Joe Finamore, President of the Italian Cultural Centre Society, wasconsidered as follows:

Summary: The proposed text amendment would permit school use in the Italian Cultural Centre.

The Director of Current Planning recommended approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the agenda of the Public Hearing.

Also before Council was a memorandum, dated April 17, 2000, in which Rob Whitlock, Rezoning Planner, provided responses to questions raised by Council members at its meeting on March 14, 2000 in referring the rezoning to Public Hearing.

Staff Comments

Rob Whitlock, Rezoning Planner, reviewed the application to amend the existing CD-1 By-law for the Italian Cultural Centre at 3075 Slocan Street to allow elementary and secondary school use. The proposed school, Stratford Hall, will use the existing floor space at the Italian Cultural Centre. Staff anticipate the school use will add a small level of additional travel on Slocan Street. The Centre currently has 400 parking spaces available. Due to the size and location of the existing buildings, most normal noise will be contained on site. Mr. Whitlock also reviewed the memorandum, dated April 17, 2000, addressing school certification requirements, required courses, non-profit categories and extension of the notification boundary. Staff are recommending approval subject to conditions.

Paul Pinsker, Parking and Development Engineer, advised the applicant is required to provide a traffic management plan and conduct a traffic impact study. The school will have convenient access from Grandview Highway and the Centre provides more than adequate parking.

Applicant Comments

Joe Finamore, President, Italian Cultural Centre, advised Stratford Hall will provide many benefits to the Italian Cultural Centre. Currently, the facilities are under-utilized in daytime hours. The Italian Cultural Centre is a non-profit society which is struggling for financing and looking for new ways of funding programs. Stratford Hall will bring different features to the Italian Cultural Centre and bring more younger people, and families, to the Centre. The Daycare issue is a separate issue to that of the rezoning; whether the rezoning application is approved or not, the closure of the Daycare will stand. The Daycare is costing the Italian Cultural Centre in resources and time. The Centre will continue to try and find avenues for the Daycare but has given the Daycare six months notice to close the program.
Joe McConnell, Stratford Hall, advised the school has received much interest fromfamilies in the East Vancouver area. Many families with children attending the school would want to live near the school and the area provides affordable housing. The school will be providing an international baccalaureate diploma program. At present, there is no international baccalaureate school in Vancouver. The school hopes to be graduating its first Grade 12 class in 2006 and is actively looking for a site within the Boundary corridor.

Summary of Correspondence

Council was advised the following correspondence was received since the date the application was referred to Public Hearing:

· two `e'-mails in support of the application

Speakers

Mayor Owen called for speakers for and against the application.

The following spoke in support of the application:

· Kim Tempest
· Craig Fenton
· Lyle Pidzarko
· Ed Mazzuca

The foregoing speakers support the application based on one or more of the following points:

· as a resident of the area, is looking forward to having an independent school located in the area;
· as a parent, support the school being located at the Centre; it will be convenient for children to attend;
· there is a need in the community for a school like Stratford Hall;
· Stratford Hall will be able to serve the whole community.

The following speakers supported having Stratford Hall at the Italian Cultural Centre, but opposed closing the Luciano Fabbian Daycare at the Centre:

· Sony Bae
· Joan Sanders
· Libby Ursini
· Dick Woldring
· Dina Cadlick
· Barb Lawson
· Laura Begg

The speakers comments are summarized as follows:

· the Daycare Centre has provided daycare services to the community for 22 years;
· as a parent, was astounded at the closure notice for the Daycare Centre sent by the Italian Cultural Centre;
· the Italian Cultural Centre did not consult widely with members regarding the change in direction;
· the Centre could get revenue from other sources;
· the Centre never talked to parents, never asked for increases to fees;
· the 6 month extension is not enough time to find another facility and relocate children;
· 6 months is not enough time for the Daycare Centre to meet licensing requirements for alternate space;
· do not want to lose the daycare operation for a temporary facility.

Jeff Piper, area resident, opposed the location of the school at the Italian Cultural Centre site. Mr. Piper expressed concerns with potential parking problems and additional traffic; school activities will coincide with Italian Cultural Centre functions . In addition, Mr. Piper was concerned Slocan Street will become a major thoroughfare.

Applicant Closing Comments

Leonard Bruno, representing the Italian Cultural Centre, reiterated the Centre did not want to carry on with the operation of the Daycare; the amount of time the Daycare program consumed was considerable. The Italian Cultural Centre wants Stratford Hall on board. The school is a good opportunity for the Centre; it hopes to learn how to operate a school. The School will allow the Centre to expand its features and benefits to the community and will ensure the Centre continues to grow. The Italian Cultural Centre asks Council's support for the Stratford Hall proposal.

Staff Final Comments

Rob Whitlock noted the two broad groups of speakers: those in support of the school and those concerned about the Daycare. However, the Daycare issue is not germane to the issue of the rezoning. Council can, as a further condition, place a restriction on the total enrolment for the School. Furthermore, any broad expansion of the School would have to come back for further decision. Staff are still in support of the application, with the limit of Grade 9 for the School.

Rob Jenkins, Assistant Director of Current Planning, advised Council may, as a condition of the rezoning, require the Centre to provide more time for the Daycare to find an alternate site.

MOVED by Cllr. Kennedy,

THAT the application by Joe Finamore, President of the Italian Cultural Centre Society, to amend the CD-1 By-law for 3075 Slocan Street (Italian Cultural Centre) to permit school use in the Italian Cultural Centre, be approved, subject to the following conditions:

(a) THAT the applicant shall obtain approval of a development application by the Director of Planning, who shall have particular regard to the following:

(i) a traffic management plan for the school will be a requirement of any development application and is to be completed subject to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services;

(ii) arrangements shall be made to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Parks and Recreation for use of the adjoining Beaconsfield Park;

(iii) requirements of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board regarding adequacy of washrooms and other matters; and

(iv) any pre-school, kindercare, out-of-school or other childcare programs will have to meet the City of Vancouver Child Care Design Guidelines and the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board Child Care Facilities Licensing requirements.

(b) THAT, prior to enactment of the CD-1 By-law, the registered owner shall enter into:

(i) an agreement with Stratford Hall and the City of Vancouver, to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services, to limit the school to Kindergarten to Grade 9 and an enrolment limit of 250;

(ii) an agreement to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services, the Director of Legal Services and the Greater Vancouver Regional District for a new 6.0 m wide Statutory Right-of-Way as outlined in this report;

(iii) an agreement with the City of Vancouver, to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Social Planning, thatdaycare will be provided on the site up to June 30, 2001, with no requirements as to operator or the future location of the daycare, and that all best efforts be made to assist the day care operation to secure a permanent location before that date.

- CARRIED

(Councillors Puil and Sullivan opposed to B(i))
(Councillor Puil opposed to B(iii)

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,
SECONDED by Cllr. Sullivan,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted, and the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare and bring forward the necessary by-law amendments.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Special Council adjourned at 11:20 p.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver