Agenda Index City of Vancouver

10

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

AUGUST 14, 2002


A Special Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment was held on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 at 10:00 a.m., in Council Chamber, 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 Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

Councillor Sandy McCormick (Leave of Absence)

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Diane M. Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator

RECOMMENDATION

1. 687 Howe Street: Proposed CD-1 Text Amendment (File: 5305)

Due to time constraints at the August 1, 2002 meeting of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, consideration of this item was postponed to a special meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment to be held on August 14, 2002, at 10:00 a.m.

Accordingly, the Committee had before it Policy Report dated July 29, 2002, in which the Director of Current Planning recommended Council refuse the application by Bing Thom Architects Inc., on behalf of Allied Holdings Inc. to amend the CD-1 By-law for the site at 801 West Georgia Street and 687 Howe Street to increase the total building height to 182.9 m (600 ft.). The General Manager of Community Services supported the recommendation.

Michael Gordon, Senior Planner, reviewed the report. Mr. Gordon, along with Larry Beasley, Director of Current Planning, responded to questions. Their comments included:

· a review of staff rationale based on City policy; reference was made to Mr. Beasley's memo dated August 9, 2002 (on file);
· a 600' building would have a substantial impact on 12th & Cambie view corridor;
· the public is very concerned about loss of mountain view; large majority believe city should be in a setting of mountains and water; there is a building already approved at 560' (tallest Vancouver building);
· approved residential use for the Howe Street site is not typical;
· policy states that in order to consider additional height there must be significant public benefit; staff believes this proposal does not qualify;
· policy states tallest buildings should be on the widest streets; Howe Street is not;
· approval of this project will encourage other developers to expect similar concessions;
· Urban Design Panel was supportive of this project; however, their support was based on review of design only, not view corridors policy;
· view corridors are determined from street level, not from building tops;
· this project does not comply with City policy; therefore, staff is not recommending referral to public hearing which would cost the City unwarranted time and money; however, if Council rejects staff recommendations, a second report will be submitted to Council which will include referral to public hearing.

Bing Thom, Bing Thom Architects, Inc., with the aid of a powerpoint presentation, and Jim Mouzourakis, Vice-President, Goddard & Smith International Realty, representing client Peter Eng, of Allied Holdings, owner of the Howe Street property, spoke in opposition to the recommendation.

Their comments and response to questions from Council included:

· commended Planning staff as one of best in North America;
· they are not asking for building approval at this time; they requested Council open process for discussion by bringing in third party;
· reviewed process of this project to date;

·this project is in the middle of the tall building zone; reviewed projects currently under way or sites still to be developed;
· while this site is not on the 600' list; it should be; there is no other site as crucial to the downtown core;
· there are three heritage buildings fronting this proposed project; two signature buildings should bookend - Wall Centre being one, the proposed project should be the other with a roof garden overlooking the city centre;
· there are 19 view cones; the proposed extension would intrude only slightly into the one at 12th & Cambie;
· design guidelines are meant to be a soft measure of control with flexibility to encourage good design; view cones are design guidelines, not zoning regulation;
· important to allow flexibility and review each situation on own merit;
· survey of 300 people conducted at 12th & Cambie: 90% were aware of issue; individuals: 70% were in favour of this proposal; residents of area: 67% in favour;
· reviewed rationale and aesthetics of why extra footage would be beneficial: roof garden, sky lobby, elevator to newly renovated Georgia Hotel to allow access to roof garden; automated sky parking (new concept in Vancouver);
· interior of Hotel Georgia will be true to heritage characteristics;
· must make decision to anchor downtown core or it will ultimately disappear;
· with this building in centre of downtown core, energy will be pulled back from edges;
· with client approval, would consider providing public access to top of building;
· only 1% of view cones would be affected, applicant requests opportunity to review calculations with city staff;
· there is no extra square footage, only extension of height costing $8 million;
· acknowledges that extra height enhances marketability of the project;
· Council should not miss this opportunity to enhance the city skyline/cultural centre.

Mr. Beasley, in response to a question from Council, advised that a discussion regarding view cones is quite different from discussion regarding building heights; each time this issue has been publicly reviewed, there has been wide support for view cone policy. He stated it would be preferable if discussion of view cones was based on overall policy, not on one building. While staff agrees that only 1 of 19 view cones are affected, these corridors are slowly being eroded and each view cone must be protected.

MOVED by Councillor Puil
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT the application by Bing Thom Architects Inc., on behalf of Allied Holdings Inc., to amend the CD-1 By-law for the site at 801 West Georgia Street and 687 Howe Street (Lots F and G, Block 41, D.L. 541, Plan LMP42609), to increase the total building height (to top of mechanical and decorative roof) to 182.9 m (600 ft.), be REFUSED.

LOST
(Councillors Bass, Clarke, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, Kennedy, Price and Mayor Owen opposed)

Mr. Beasley advised next steps include convening a building panel, scheduling public sessions and open houses, negotiating with the applicant and providing detailed reports to Council. He also stated this would not occur until the new Council term.

2. Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre Expansion- Funding the Industry Contribution (File: 6007)

At the August 1, 2002 meeting of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, consideration of this item was postponed to a Special meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment to be held on August 14, 2002, at 10:00 a.m.

Accordingly, the Committee had before it Administrative Report dated July 26, 2002, in which the City Manager in consultation with the General Manager of Corporate Services and Director of Finance, sought Council's input to arrangements for funding the $90 million industry contribution to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion. The General Manager of Community Services supported the recommendation.

Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, with the aid of a power point presentation, reviewed the report and responded to questions. He reviewed alternative recommendations as noted in the City Manager's memo, dated August 13, 2002 (on file). He also reviewed staff concerns regarding the proposed Memorandum of Understanding.

In response to questions from Council, Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager, and Mr. Bayne reviewed the process of how the hotel tax is generated, how it is administered and the potential impact of staff recommendations. Mr. MacGregor also reviewed the process relating to the City, the provincial government and Tourism Vancouver.

The following spoke regarding the recommendations:

Speakers' comments included:

· while stakeholders have been supportive of convention centre expansion, funding contribution is a concern; hotel industry canvass indicates a willingness to increase hotel tax contribution by .5%;
· industry/provincial government solution may not be perfect, but is beneficial to all;
· marketing/promotion is crucial to industry and must be addressed;
· province would recognize Tourism Vancouver and industry as full funding partner in VCEC expansion;
· industry would like assurance that the 2% hotel tax would go towards marketing/promotion as originally intended;
· Tourism Vancouver has two objectives - to ensure adequate and appropriate funding for this project and having accomplished that, to ensure an adequate flow of marketing funds to Tourism Vancouver to attract delegates to the expanded convention centre;
· recommendations E & H would suit objectives of Tourism Vancouver;
· congratulated work of Tourism Vancouver, City of Vancouver and Province of British Columbia in developing this agreement.

Chris Nelson, Province of BC, responded to questions regarding the process of collection and allocation of funding to Tourism Vancouver and the oversight role of the City of Vancouver as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. He advised there is no objection to making it clear in the Memorandum of Understanding that the City of Vancouver is not liable for any financial shortfall and that the Province could assume responsibility for Tourism Vancouver. A detailed agreement would evolve from the Memorandum of Understanding.

Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager, responded to questions as to how City of Vancouver could have meaningful oversight control under the proposed Memorandum of Agreement without control of the balance of the 2% hotel tax. He summarized relating to financial arrangements, City of Vancouver & Tourism Vancouver role and rationalization behind staff recommendations.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that, unless Tourism Vancouver identifies a viable alternative source of funding, it supports the allocation of future growth in the 2% hotel tax to provide the industry contribution of $90 million to the expanded Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre.

LOST
(Councillors Clark, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, Kennedy, Price, Puil, Sullivan and Mayor Owen opposed)

B. THAT Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that any commitments required by the City to provide funding for the industry contribution will require the safeguards to ensure Vancouver taxpayers face no financial liability.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

THAT the City Manager be authorized to enter into discussions with the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver on how this plan will be implemented and administered with a report back to Council prior to any commitments being made

LOST
( Councillors Clark, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, Kennedy, Price, Puil, Sullivan and Mayor Owen opposed)

F. That Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that if the Province does not wish to make legislative changes to ensure "E" above, the City of Vancouver supports use of the 2% hotel tax as a funding source for the $90 M industry contribution to the Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion, and that the City will continue to exercise its responsibility over the annual allocation of the 2% hotel tax revenues.

CARRIED
(Councillors Daniel Lee, Kennedy, Price and Mayor Owen opposed)

MOVED by Councillor Puil
THAT Committee recommend to Council

E. That Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that it supports funding of the $90 M investment for the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion, to come from the annual 2% hotel tax, as outlined in the draft Memorandum of Understanding dated August 13, 2002, on condition the Provincial Government makes legislative changes to absolve the City from all responsibilities for administering the 2% hotel tax, and for any responsibility for financial and business plans of Tourism Vancouver during the period of the repayment.

CARRIED
(Councillors Bass and Louis opposed)

H. That the City Manager be authorized to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the City after clarification to reflect approved recommendations as noted above.

carried

AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Bass

THAT Recommendation H be amended at the end to include the wording "and to specify that Vancouver taxpayers face no financial liability".

LOST
(Councillors Clarke, Kennedy, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, Louis, Price, Puil, Sullivan and Mayor Owen opposed)

The motion to amend having lost, Councillor Puil's motion was put and CARRIED with Councillors Bass and Louis opposed.

MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT Committee recommend to Council

THAT staff report back on strategies to improve the relationship between the City of Vancouver and Tourism Vancouver.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

For clarity, the motions as approved have been numbered and listed below:

1. THAT Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that any commitments required by the City to provide funding for the industry contribution will require the safeguards to ensure Vancouver taxpayers face no financial liability;

2. That Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that it supports funding of the $90 M investment for the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion, to come from the annual 2% hotel tax, as outlined in the draft Memorandum of Understanding dated August 13, 2002, on condition the Provincial Government makes legislative changes to absolve the City from all responsibilities for administering the 2% hotel tax, and for any responsibility for financial and business plans of Tourism Vancouver during the period of the repayment;

3. That Council advise the Provincial Government and Tourism Vancouver that if the Province does not wish to make legislative changes to ensure "2" above, the City of Vancouver supports use of the 2% hotel tax as a funding source for the $90 M industry contribution to the Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion, and that the City will continue to exercise its responsibility over the annual allocation of the 2% hotel tax revenues;

4. That the City Manager be authorized to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the City after clarification to reflect approved recommendations as noted above;

5. THAT staff report back on strategies to improve the relationship between the City of Vancouver and Tourism Vancouver.

3. Award of Proposal No. PS02004 - Provision of Street Furniture (File: 5762)

Having heard delegations at the August 1, 2002 meeting of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, Council postponed decision of this item to a Special meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment to be held on August 14, 2002, at 10:00 a.m.

Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Service, with the aid of a powerpoint presentation, provided information and responded to questions. He reviewed numerical projections and explanations for street furniture elements, advertising and flexibility requirements. He reviewed the Request for Proposal process including criteria of design, service and maintenance. Mr. Rudberg advised local sourcing was not a criterion as City policy does not permit preference be given to local suppliers and, therefore, cannot be considered as part of the evaluation process. He reviewed financials, details relating to non-advertising bus shelters, rationale for recommending Viacom/Decaux which included revenue, different mix of advertisers; lower number of advertising spaces to be used which adheres to City policy limiting street advertising; leverage networking contacts, and advertising medium quality.

With reference to service and maintenance, staff considered Viacom/Decaux superior to Pattison. While the delivery timetable for Viacom Decaux's installation of benches and litter receptacles is unacceptable, this will be worked out in the contract.

In response to questions from Council, Mr. Rudberg advised that newspaper distribution companies would still be responsible for newspaper boxes. The successful company on street furniture would maintain newspaper racks. He also stated that if local sourcing was still City policy, staff would have made the same recommendation. He further answered questions relating to neighbourhood customization, enforcement of maintenance standards, source of products, and `escape' clauses which would be built into the contract..

Carol Wyatt, Manager, Materials Management, reviewed the process of checking references for both companies.

MOVED by Councillor Price
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

CARRIED
(Councillor Louis and Mayor Owen opposed)

The Committee adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

- - - - -

CITY OF VANCOUVER

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

AUGUST 14, 2002

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Wednesday, August 14, 2002, at 3:00 p.m., in Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Special Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:

Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

Councillor Sandy McCormick (Leave of Absence)

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
August 14, 2002

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

Clauses 1, 2 and 3

MOVED by Councillor Kennedy

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1, 2 and 3 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

The Council adjourned at 3:01 p.m.

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pe020814.htm

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