CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 18, 1999

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 18, 1999, at 7:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber, third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	*Mayor Philip Owen Deputy Mayor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Nancy Largent

*Denotes presence during part of the meeting only.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

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

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Deputy Mayor Chiavario in the Chair, to hear public input about the Province's plan to build the first phase of a new SkyTrain line along the Broadway/Lougheed Corridor.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. Phase 1: SkyTrain Alignment and Station Locations

from Boundary Road to Commercial Drive

Jane Bird, Rapid Transit Project Manager for the City of Vancouver, advised thepurpose of this meeting was to conclude the Phase 1 public consultation process by providing a forum for citizens to address Council directly regarding SkyTrain guideway alignment and station locations. Ms. Bird also referenced materials distributed to Council at this meeting (on file):

· handout entitled Rapid Transit in Vancouver: A City Perspective;
· handout entitled Phase 1: SkyTrain Alignment and Station Locations

from Boundary Road to Commercial Drive;

· handout including two aerial maps of the proposed corridor, chart of public consultation events, and an evaluation matrix for Commercial Drive.

Frank Ducote, Planner, gave an overview of community comments during the past six months regarding station locations and SkyTrain alignment in east Vancouver. Mr. Ducote also summarized issues and opportunities arising out of the SkyTrain project , including:

· issues common to all stations system-wide;
· VCC/Glen Drive Station;
· Commercial Drive Station;
· Grandview Cut
· Renfrew Station; and
· Rupert Station.

Mr. Ducote also clarified City and Provincial jurisdictions in the decision-making process.

Arthur Griffiths, Chair of Public Consultation, Rapid Transit Project 2000, reviewed the public consultation process to date, and advised that Phase 2, dealing with station design, will be very inclusive with the objective of designing stations which fit well into their surrounding neighbourhoods. Mr. Griffiths emphasized opportunities to enhance neighbourhoods which can be facilitated by station design. The process is expected to take three to four months, with design of the various stations proceeding concurrently.

(The Mayor arrived and assumed the Chair at 8:10 p.m.)

The following speakers addressed City Council:

Tim Ames
Royston Forsyth, Grandview Cut Residents' Association
John Mott, CECONA
Agnes Lacombe, Mount Pleasant Community Policing Centre
Thomas Nichols, Sierra Club

Ken Baker, Kensington - Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Visioning Program (brief filed)

Donna Chang, Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House
Barb Wright, Cedar Cottage Community Policing Centre (brief filed)
Bill Andrews, Coalition for SkyTrain Review.

Following are some of the comments made by the speakers:

· better use of public transportation was generally viewed as a worthy objective; however, some speakers felt the current project would not contribute to that objective;
· the current fast-track timetable for this project does not allow adequate opportunity for meaningful public participation or thorough analysis of impacts and alternatives;
· sufficient information has not been made readily available to the public;
· the project is not consistent with existing transportation plans;
· concern was expressed regarding potential negative impacts on the ecology of Grandview Cut, including loss of trees and disruption of wildlife habitat;
· noise impacts will need to be addressed;
· design of the stations should address issues of crime and public security, particularly since some existing stations have a poor record of drug dealing, panhandling, use by escaping criminals, etc;
· it was suggested that some security concerns can only be fully addressed by placing security attendants at the stations;
· redevelopment around SkyTrain stations should be carefully managed to ensure that impacts on the surrounding neighbourhoods are positive;
· it was hoped that during Phase 2, area residents and property owners will have genuine opportunity to contribute to station design in such a manner as to ensure that design and concurrent redevelopment will benefit their neighbourhoods;
· the City should work with the GVTA, which is not obliged to contribute 40% of the costs of this project unless it approves the route, design and costs.

Edward Leplupy, Rapid Transit Project 2000, responded to questions regarding station design and construction, and undertook to make drawings available for examination by Council and the public.

Gary Youngman, Director of Public Consultation, Rapid Transit Project 2000, responded to questions regarding availability of studies, and advised that station design will make use of CEPTED principles to ensure security.

Council expressed its appreciation to the speakers for their input, and the Mayor noted there would be a Report Reference at the Council meeting of February 23, 1999, regarding this matter.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

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

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Special Council adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver