Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Citizen Advisory Committees on Transit and Bus Impact Task Force

 

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

Council has established a high priority for public transit services through the Transportation Plan of 1997. The plan specifically identifies the need for transit priority measures (Transit Policy #5) and the development of a grid of express bus routes (Transit Policy #6).

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to establish two Citizen Advisory Committees and a "Bus Impact Task Force". One of the citizen advisory committees will provide input into specific aspects of Richmond RapidBus implementation particularly the RapidBus stop and shelter design. The second citizen advisory committee will provide input into the review of express bus service on the Cambie corridor.

An existing working group comprised of interested Councillors, staff and bus industry representatives has met on an ad-hoc basis in the past to discuss matters of safety, emissions, tour bus routings, etc. It is recommended this be formalized into a Bus Impact Task Force.

BACKGROUND

On July 28, 1998 Council approved the Richmond RapidBus project. At the same time, Council further recommended:

In July 1998, Council was informed the Vancouver Richmond RapidBus service would be implemented in December 1999. We have recently been advised there are delays in constructing the Richmond Operating Centre. Accordingly, the current implementation date is June 2000.

DISCUSSION

Citizen Advisory Committees

When discussing the Vancouver Richmond RapidBus project, Council identified two distinct areas that the public could provide input. These were:

· the potential for express bus service on Cambie;
· the RapidBus shelter area design.

These two areas of involvement are quite distinct and, practically are the work of two separate committees, although there is opportunity for some commonality in membership.

Terms of reference for two distinct committees are provided in Appendix A. It is proposed that procedures, responsibilities, interaction with staff, etc. be established in a joint inaugural meeting of both committees. Both committees would be advisory in nature and are not a substitute for broad community consultation where applicable.

The citizen advisory committee on shelter design would provide advice directly to City staff, GVTA staff, and GVTA consultants. When the design of the shelters are finalized, the committee would be dissolved. The citizen advisory committee reviewing express bus service would meet with City and GVTA staff but should provide its advice to Council, after which the committee would dissolve.

Engineering Services staff would notify the committees of meeting dates and take minutes.

Bus Impact Task Force

Councillors Chiavario and Price and staff have met previously with representatives of the bus industry to discuss a number of impacts and issues. Council has recommended this ad-hoc working group be formalized. The terms of reference of this committee are contained in Appendix B. It is proposed that membership of this committee be expanded beyond that of the ad-hoc committee.

The following are the key tasks:

· to act as a channel of communication among the represented groups;
· to discuss and advise Council and the respective agencies on issues of air pollution, safety, noise, litter, tour-bus routing, and other impacts that may arise with respect to non-regularly scheduled bus service in the City;
· to advise Council and the respective agencies on further developments related to the harmful health effects of fine diesel emissions.
· to address such further issues as may be requested by Council in the future.

The previous ad-hoc committee operated at the call of, and with office support from, Tourism Vancouver and the Councillors' Secretariat. It is proposed the new committee meet at the call of the Chair. It is proposed up to two Councillors be members of this committeeand it is recommended that the Mayor appoint these Councillors. The City Clerk will provide support for this committee in the form of taking minutes, arranging a meeting room at City Hall and notifying committee members.

Funding

The following activities of the three committees will require funding support for:

It is recommended that $8,000 be added to the 1999 Operating Budget for these purposes.

* * * *

TERMS OF REFERENCE

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPRESS BUS SERVICE ON CAMBIE STREET

Background

The City Transportation Plan identified Granville, Main and Victoria Drive, in the north/south direction as major transit corridors. Following discussion of the use of Granville for the Vancouver Richmond RapidBus, Council and the public indicated Cambie Street should be considered as a possible express bus route.

GVTA staff have indicated they will be seeking approval of the GVTA Board to review the regional transit network in 1999, including Vancouver. As part of this network review in the City, it is proposed that GVTA and City staff technically review the potential of using Cambie as an express corridor for transit trips originating in Delta, White Rock and parts of Richmond served by routes other than those already assigned the Vancouver Richmond service and the potential of establishing an express route on Cambie Street which originates and terminates in Vancouver.

Mandate of the Citizen Advisory Committee

As part of the above technical review by staff, the committee would:

· meet with GVTA and City staff prior to the start of the technical work and provide comments on the proposed express services including, but not limited to potential transit priority measures, stop locations, and downtown routings.
· meet with staff and review and comment on the on-going technical work at appropriate times.
· advise Council of any conclusions the committee may have on the work done and conclusions reached by staff including any advice on a broader community consultation process.

Membership (members to be approved by Council)

· one member from the Cambie Corridor Consortium
· two members from south Cambie
· two members from north Cambie
· one member from the Marpole Business District*
· one member from the Granville residential (63rd-16th) area*
· one member from South Granville Business District*

* Granville Members from the Committee to review the Rapid Bus shelter design may sit on this committee

Term and Meeting Dates

The Committee will start after the GVTA Board approves the proposed network review and GVTA staff have developed a work program for the review in the City. The frequency of meetings will coincide with major milestone dates of the technical work being done and meetings will be at the call of City or GVTA staff. The work of the Committee will be complete and the Committee dissolved when a report by staff is submitted to Council on the potential for express service on Cambie.

Engineering Services will take minutes and arrange to notify members of upcoming meetings.

Chair

· to be selected by the Committee at the inaugural meeting.

Staff Resources

· Engineering
· GVTA staff and consultants

Other Procedures and Conflict of Interest

· same conflict of interest guidelines as are followed by Council.
· meetings will be confined to Committee members, City staff, the GVTA and its consultants.

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE DESIGN OF THE RAPIDBUS SHELTERS

Mandate

The mandate of the Citizens Advisory Committee is to review and advise City staff, the GVTA, and its consultants on the design of the shelters on Granville Street including:

· ways the shelters may be used to maximize community presence
· a community "emblem" or public art for each shelter area
· internal space requirements for a community "notice board" including the eligibility of posted materials and authorized groups who may post notices
· street furniture (benches, litter cans, etc.) at the RapidBus stops
· potential impacts created by the shelters (e.g. parking, loitering) and advise of ways to mitigate
· a broader community consultation process if required

Membership* (members to approved by Council)

· two members from Marpole
· three members from Granville residential (63rd-16th)

· two members from South Granville

* One member from each geographical area on this committee may also represent their respective areas on the committee to review express bus service on Cambie Street.

Term

Design work on the shelters is underway now and so it would be appropriate for this committee to be established now. The Committee work would be completed and the Committee dissolved upon completion of the shelter design, expected to be by June 1999.

Chair

· to be selected by the Committee at the inaugural meeting.

Meetings

At the call of City staff or the GVTA. Engineering Services staff would be present and would take minutes of the meeting.

Staff Resources

· Engineering
· Social Planning (Public Art)
· GVTA and its consultants

Other Procedures and Conflict of Interest

· same conflict of interest guidelines as followed by City Council
· meetings will be confined to Committee members, City staff, the GVTA and its consultants.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

BUS IMPACT TASK FORCE

Mandate

· to act as a channel of communication among the represented groups
· to advise Council from time to time on issues of air pollution, safety, noise, litter, tour-bus routing, and other impacts that may arise with respect to non-regularly scheduled buses in the City
· to advise Council from time to time on further developments related to Council's interest in the harmful health effects of fine diesel emissions
· to address such further issues as may be requested by Council in the future
· to provide a mechanism for interested public or organizations to present issues of concern with respect to impacts of buses

Membership

One representative to be nominated from each of the following groups to be forwarded for Council approval:

· Vancouver Airport Authority

· Bicycle Advisory Committee
· BC Trucking Association
· Tourism Vancouver
· Hotel Association
· Major tour bus operators
· Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre
· Cruise ship industry
· Motor Carrier Commission
· BC Transit

In addition, up to two Councillors to be appointed by the Mayor.

Term

· one-year term
· term to start upon approval of the members by Council

Chair

· to be selected by the Task Force at the inaugural meeting

Meetings

· approximately monthly or at the call of the Chair with support by the City Clerk

Staff Resources

· Engineering
· GVTA
· Permits and Licenses
· Vancouver Police
· Environmental Health (Vancouver/Richmond Hospital Board)
· GVRD Air Quality
· Park Board
· City Clerk's Office

Other Procedures and Conflict of Interest

· same conflict of interest guidelines as followed by Council

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