Vancouver City Council |
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
(RICHMOND/AIRPORT - VANCOUVER RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT)DECISIONS
DATE:
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Wednesday, May 14, 2003 (reconvened)
Thursday, May 15, 2003 (reconvened)PLACE:
Council Chamber
Third Floor, City HallFor information, please contact Laura Kazakoff at 604.871.6353 or by
Email at laura_kazakoff@city.vancouver.bc.ca1. Richmond/Airport - Vancouver Rapid Transit Project (File 5559)
A. THAT Council reiterate its support for a Richmond/Airport-Vancouver (RAV) rapid transit line as a key element in helping the City achieve its environmental, transportation and liveability objectives as part of a comprehensive, carefully-developed, adequately-funded, long-term, regional strategic transportation plan.
B. THAT Council advise TransLink and the GVRD that enhanced transit service to UBC remains a City priority and that TransLink commit to a schedule for its implementation.
C. THAT Council request TransLink and the other contributing agencies ("the Agencies") that the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project (the "RAV Project") ensure that its forthcoming request for proposals (RFP) for a design-build Richmond/Airport-Vancouver rapid transit line reflect the conditions of support contained in Recommendations D through V.
D. THAT Council advise the Agencies that its conditions for the rapid transit system are as follows:
i) The City of Vancouver shall have input at every major decision point in the process.
ii) In a tunnel from Waterfront Station through downtown and continuing to at least 46th Avenue and Cambie for a partially grade-separated system, and to south of 49th Avenue and Cambie for a fully grade-separated system. The RFP should also include an option for remaining in a tunnel to 63rd Avenue. Any deviation from this must take into account the values of the City of Vancouver.
iii) Tunnel portals must be designed to minimise their visual impact.
iv) The heritage, landscape and urban design values of the Council- designated Cambie Heritage Boulevard are preserved.
v) For a partially grade-separated system (conventional light rail transit), an at-grade alignment may be considered between 46th and 63rd Avenues if the design results in no net loss of green space within the Cambie Street right-of-way. At-grade pedestrian/vehicular crossings must be maintained at 49th, 57th and 59th Avenues, with additional pedestrian crossings in the vicinities of 54th and 62nd Avenues.
vi) For a fully grade-separated system (SkyTrain or comparable), an at-grade or trench alignment between 49th and 63rd Avenues may be considered if the design results in no net loss of green space within the Cambie Street right-of-way. Grade-separated pedestrian/vehicular crossings must be provided at 57th and 59th Avenues, with additional pedestrian crossings in the vicinities of 54th and 62nd Avenues.
vii) The alignment must not be elevated except south of 63rd Avenue, as required to cross SW Marine Drive. The elevated portion south of 63rd Avenue must be designed to cross Marine Drive at the lowest feasible height and be treated to minimise impacts on the residential properties on Cambie Street.
viii) Green space lost due to rail uses within the Cambie Street right-of-way should be replaced within the street right-of-way through median and/or boulevard widening. Any trees removed during construction must be replaced with trees of a species and diameter mutually agreed to between the City arborist, General Manager of Engineering Services and the RAV Project.E. THAT the service standards (performance specifications) be relaxed to allow a range of travel times to permit a design that is affordable and compatible with neighbourhood liveability and to permit better access to the system.
F. THAT the RAV Project meet the highest standards in station and system design, for example, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), neighbourhood fit and public art, as outlined in Appendix A of the Policy Report dated April 4, 2003, entitled "Richmond/Airport - Vancouver Rapid Transit Project".
G. THAT the City and the RAV Project agree on a mutually acceptable review process of the design and construction program and such process shall involve the private sector partner. This may include review by the Urban Design Panel and Development Permit Board of stations and vents, and by City Council in regard to changes to the Cambie Heritage Boulevard, if necessary, through a Heritage Alteration Permit.
H. THAT the system be designed to minimise visual, noise and vibration impacts on nearby properties.
I. THAT a construction management plan be developed to minimise construction impacts, maintain access to properties and businesses, and include a truck management plan.
J. THAT the stations on the line be designed for maximum integration into the city's transit, pedestrian and cycling networks, as well as to complement and enhance the communities they will serve. Where underground stations are provided, efforts should be made in order that pedestrians should not have to cross major streets at grade to make frequently used connections. Opportunities to integrate stations into adjacent developments should be pursued. Specific conditions for stations include:
i) The downtown terminus station in the Cordova/waterfront area should form an integral part of an expanded multi-modal transportation hub integrating Waterfront Station and the Canada Place/Convention Centre area.
ii) Additional stations be included at 2nd Avenue at the south end of the Cambie Bridge to serve the South and Southeast False Creek developments and to provide a connection to the City's streetcar network; at 16th Avenue, at 33rd Avenue and at 57th Avenue to ensure the line serves Vancouver riders inside the City as well as Vancouver-Richmond commuters; and investigate the need for an additional station on Granville.
iii) The Broadway station be designed to accommodate the future extension of the Millennium Line west along Broadway.
iv) Incorporating the 41st Avenue station into the Oakridge Shopping Centre development is encouraged.
v) The preferred location of the Marine Drive station is on the ICBC Claim Centre property on the east side of Cambie Street south of SW Marine Drive. This station should have an off-street bus loop sufficient to serve as the terminus of the Main, Cambie, Oak and Granville trolley routes.K. THAT the system and all stations be fully accessible to persons using wheelchairs and other mobility devices, persons with sight and hearing disabilities, and passengers with small children.
L. THAT Council request the TransLink Board to commit, prior to the final approval of the RAV Project, to a major increase in the provision of trolley and bus service such that provision of bus service frequency, hours of service and loading standards in Vancouver will rise by 2010 to the top quarter of major urban areas in Canada.
M. THAT the RAV Project be designed to accommodate bicycles on board all trains and provide bicycle parking facilities at all stations. Provision of secure, enclosed, short-term bicycle parking is encouraged where feasible.
N. THAT good bicycle access be provided at all stations. Providing bicycle access to and on the new Fraser River transit bridge should be considered.
O. THAT TransLink capital funding for the Project be capped at $300 million and that the repayment of this debt should not result in reduced bus service or curtailed plans for expansion of transit services.
P. THAT, if a private contractor designs and builds the RAV Project, it should include an independent monitoring process to ensure that the transfer of risk and reward to the private sector is appropriate, and that the public interest and investment in the project is protected. The benefits of private sector participation should be assessed through a comparison with what the public sector could achieve (public sector comparator). Furthermore, any private sector partner is expected to:
i) Liaise with City staff on design and alignment issues.
ii) Follow a technical review and approvals process agreed upon with the City.
iii) Participate actively in community consultation related to detailed planning and implementation of the line.
iv) Recommend solutions to traffic and environmental issues, and station and alignment compatibility issues with adjacent neighbourhoods.
v) Provide an adequate budget for appropriate community integration and mitigation measures.Q. THAT the RAV Project demonstrate a commitment to local employment and procurement practices.
R. THAT before a decision to proceed with the RAV Project, staff should negotiate with the RAV Project Office to cover funding for a work program, staff and consulting resources, and a technical review of the project. As well, staff should report back on the costs to the City of a public consultation process with affected residents, businesses and neighbourhoods.
S. THAT in order to exercise the due diligence required of TransLink Directors before an RFP is issued, the full PriceWaterhouseCoopers financial study and all other information must be available for their examination if they so request.
T. THAT before an RFP is issued, all external funding sources must be identified and secured.
U. THAT in addition, TransLink must have a plan in place that identifies the source of revenue for repaying its capital investment and for covering the operating and maintenance costs of the RAV line as well as the funding to pay for other identified priorities, such as trolley buses, expansion of the bus fleet, completion of the Broadway line and construction of the Coquitlam extension.
V. THAT Council request the TransLink Board to specify transportation demand management strategies before final approval of the RAV Project, including a commitment to work with Federal and Provincial agencies to use TDM measures on roads and bridges leading to and crossing the Fraser River.
Council also approved the following:
Whereas, the City of Vancouver supports a Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit line as key element in helping the city achieve its environmental, transportation and liveability objective; and
Whereas, the RAV project is proposed to be a public-private partnership in which a private company will be contracted to design, finance, build, operate and maintain over 35 years a public transportation project; and
Whereas, the public sector is proposed to contribute up to $1.35 billion (TransLink, $300 million; the province, $300 million; the federal government, $450 million, and the airport authority, $300 million) and a private company is to invest between $200 million and $300 million, and yet the major financial risk is assigned to the public sector, including:
· a yet-to-be-negotiated portion of any cost overruns on tunneling;
· all shortfalls if ridership revenues lower than predicted;
· repayment of an extra $63 million in operating costs paid by TransLink during the first 10 years of operation until ridership reaches predicted 100,000/day;
· all shortfalls if bus service reductions fail to produce predicted savings;
· any increases in interest rates;
· costs incurred if a private company defaults on the contract;
· any unforeseen costs and overruns judged to be TransLink's responsibility; andWhereas, the public sector will contribute over 85 per cent of the cost and the private sector will invest less than 15 per cent of the cost, TransLink will have to pay a private company an annual guaranteed payment from $40 million to $60 million to cover the company's operating costs, repayment of its capital costs, and its profit; and
Whereas, TransLink directors, GVRD directors, and municipal councillors have been all denied access to key financial information regarding costs, revenue and risks included in the full PriceWaterhouseCoopers report on a design, finance, build, operate and maintain private-public partnership; and
Whereas, the public sector will have to pay as much as $10 million to private companies to cover their costs of submitting bids; and
Whereas, TransLink recently rejected Bombardier's proposal to operate the Millennium SkyTrain line because, with higher borrowing costs and a margin for profits, it would cost about $3 million a year more for a private company to operate the line than for TransLink to operate the system; and
Whereas, the City of Vancouver has a long tradition of successful design, finance, build, operate and maintain projects to provide municipal services; and
Whereas, the City of Vancouver is concerned about the impact on public services under provisions of the WTO/GATS, NAFTA and other international agreements if a private company finances, operates and maintains public transportation services; and
Whereas the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has specifically advised that these agreements "Do not offer the possibility of indemnification of Canadian municipalities by the Government for the costs of trade tribunal decisions following from municipal actions, even where those actions conform to domestic law"; and
Whereas if the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority should decide to privatize part of the public transit system by implementing a P3 project would mean foreign investors would be able to claim they should be given the same treatment when similar projects are considered such as the Coquitlam line.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT Council affirms its commitment to the public operation and control of public transit and requests that the GVRD and TransLink reject a public-private partnership with regard to finance, operation, maintenance and control of the RAV line; and
FURTHER THAT this motion be conveyed to all member municipalities of the GVRD with the request that each municipality and their TransLink and GVRD Directors act to support public control of public transit services.
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