Agenda Index City of Vancouver

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REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

JUNE 27, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment was held on Thursday, June 27, 2002, at 2:00 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:

Councillor Lynne Kennedy, Chair
Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee, Vice-Chair
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick

*Councillor Gordon Price

Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

 

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Francie Connell, Acting City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Diane M. Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator

* Denotes presence during part of the meeting.


pe020627.htm

RECOMMENDATION

1. New Provincial Liquor Licensing Reforms & Anticipated Staffing Requirements (File: 2610)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 14, 2002, in which the Chief License Inspector provided an update on recent changes to Provincial Liquor Licensing regulations and their potential impacts on the City's liquor licensing policies. Council approval was sought for the creation of two one-year temporary staffing positions to address liquor licensing policy issues arising from the new Provincial liquor strategy. The General Manager of Community Services supported the recommendations.

Guy Gusdal, License Coordinator, and Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, reviewed and report and responded to questions.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT the Administrative Report New Provincial Liquor Licensing Reforms & Anticipated Staffing Requirements dated June 14, 2002, be provided to Council as an update on the Provincial Liquor Licensing Reforms adopted on March 15, 2002 and their potential impacts on the City's liquor licensing policies; and

B. THAT Council approve the creation of two one-year temporary full-time positions of a Planner and Planning Assistant III to address liquor licensing policy issues arising from the Provincial liquor reforms. The cost of these positions is $145,125 (approximately $70,000 in 2002) and will be funded from revenue generated from increased business license fees for liquor license establishments and will be subject to a formal classification review by the General Manager of Human Resources.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. City Response to Provincial Person Capacity Increase Process (File: 2611-1)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 14, 2002, in which the Chief License Inspector sought Council approval for the proposed liquor application process for Person Capacity Increases relating to various applications in Class `A' Hotel lounges/pubs, Class `C' cabarets, Class `D' neighbourhood pubs and Class `F' marine pubs. Council was also asked to reaffirm the existing moratorium areas of Gastown, the Downtown Eastside and Downtown Granville South by not endorsing Person Capacity Increases in any of these areas or in neighbourhoods in the immediate vicinity, and to establish fees for all applications eligible for further processing.

Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, and Guy Gusdal, License Coordinator, reviewed the report, its historical background and responded to questions. It was noted that at this meeting, Council approval is sought for a global strategy. The merits of individual applications will be reviewed under separate reports in the future. They also clarified the rationale utilized to determine the category into which each application was placed.

The following spoke expressing concerns regarding various aspects of the recommendations:

Bert Hick, Rising Tide Consultants, (brief submitted - on file)

Speakers' comments included:

· moratorium is being used as a blunt instrument; removes Council discretion to review individual meritorious applications;
· applicants who have complied with regulations believe they should be able to apply for PCI;
· a more effective policy than a moratorium is relocation of license seats;
· Gastown moratorium must be reviewed sooner rather than later; this review has been promised several times over the years;
· Gastown neighbourhood and businesses are suffering; problems have become entrenched; good operations have been punished;
· Gastown neighbourhood is different and may require different solution;
· a Gastown forum involving stakeholders from various sectors is proposed in order to develop strategies relating to the entertainment industry in conjunction with responsible hospitality principles;
· Gastown will lose good entertainment businesses if moratorium continues;
· moratorium on areas adjacent moratorium areas is inappropriate;
· policies do not recognize differences among licenses and how they operate;
· neighbourhood notification needs revision to ensure public understands process;
· timeframe of process is too lengthy;
· process is flawed; if applications in Category B are not eligible, they should not be considered at all; if they are eligible, they should be moved into Category A;
· process is inequitable; all applications should be dealt within the same timeframe.

In response Staff advised the following:

· moratorium boundaries have not been re-evaluated, the recommended process will enable current applications to be dealt with expeditiously and then the boundaries would be re-examined;
· divisiveness within Gastown itself (residential vs business) makes a moratorium review difficult and time consuming. Staff is willing to assist with a forum;
· if issues relating to a specific application can be resolved, that application should be upgraded;
· signage as well as letters will be used for notification process.

In response to a question, Francie Connell, Acting City Manager, advised that Council does have the legal right to establish moratoriums.

MOVED by Councillor Clarke
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

E1. THAT Council reaffirm the Gastown Council moratorium area as indicated by the map shown in Appendix B of Administrative Report City Response to Provincial Person Capacity Increase Process, dated June 14, 2002, by further defining the district as a moratorium area where the one time only Person Capacity Increases as proposed by the Provincial Liquor Policy Review for Class "C" Cabaret, Class "A" Hotel Lounge/Pub, and Class "D" Neighbourhood Pub applications (or the equivalent license type under the LCLB's proposed 2 license system) will NOT be endorsed and that the moratorium be effective from June 27, 2002.

E2. THAT Council, having considered the community impact of an increase in person capacity, traffic, noise, road access, parking availability and the proximity within the Gastown Person Capacity Increase Moratorium area, does NOT endorse the following applications for a person capacity increase:

F1. THAT Council reaffirm the Downtown Granville South Moratorium Area as defined by the map in Appendix D of Administrative Report City Response to Provincial Person Capacity Increase Process, dated June 14, 2002, as a moratorium area where the one time only Person Capacity Increases as proposed by the Provincial Liquor Policy Review for Class "C" Cabaret, Class "A" Hotel Lounge/Pub, and Class "D" Neighbourhood Pub applications (or the equivalent license type under the LCLB's proposed 2 license system) will NOT be endorsed and that the moratorium be effective from June 27, 2002.

G. THAT Council, having considered the community impact of an increase in person capacity, traffic, noise, road access, parking availability and the proximity to the Downtown Eastside and Gastown Moratorium areas, does NOT endorse the following applications for a person capacity increase:

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

- - - - -

CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

JUNE 27, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, June 27, 2002, at 4:25 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:

Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor George Puil

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Francie Connell, Acting City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Diane M. Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Kennedy
SECONDED by Councillor Don Lee

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the Chair.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
June 27, 2002

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the foregoing report:

Clauses 1 and 2

MOVED by Councillor Kennedy

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1 and 2 of this report, be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Kennedy

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Kennedy
SECONDED by Councillor Don Lee

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

BYLAWS

1. A By-law to amend Development Permit Board and Advisory Panel By-law No. 5869 (Bylaw No. 8508)

MOVED by Councillor Don Lee
SECONDED by Councillor McCormick

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The By-law was read a first time and the Presiding Officer declared the By-law open for discussion and amendment.

There being no amendments, it was

MOVED by Councillor Don Lee
SECONDED by Councillor McCormick

THAT the By-law be given second and third readings and the Presiding Officer and City Clerk be authorized to sign and seal the By-law.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 4:30 p.m..

* * * * *


pe020627.htm


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