Vancouver City Council

CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 21, 2003

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2003, at 2:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Mayor Larry Campbell Councillor Fred Bass Councillor David Cadman *Councillor Jim Green Councillor Peter Ladner Councillor Raymond Louie *Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Anne Roberts Councillor Tim Stevenson Councillor Sam Sullivan Councillor Ellen Woodsworth
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Syd Baxter, City Clerk Tarja Tuominen, Meeting Coordinator

*Denotes absence for a portion of the meeting

PRAYER

The proceedings in the Council Chamber were opened with a prayer read by the City Clerk.

PRESENTATION: BY ANDY GREENWOOD - File 1051

Council welcomed Andy Greenwood, who performed the Toreador Song from Bizet's Carmen.

"IN CAMERA" MEETING

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

THAT Council will go into a meeting later this day which is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2(1) of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraph(s):

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the Council considers that disclosure might reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city;

(i) the receiving of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEMS ARISING FROM THE "IN CAMERA" MEETING OF OCTOBER 7, 2003

· Council approved the resumption of the City's partnership in the presentation of the Vancouver Citizen Peace Award in conjunction with the United Nations Association of Canada - Vancouver Branch.

· Council granted the 2003 Vancouver Citizens Peace Award to Irene MacInnes.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

1. Regular Council - October 7, 2003

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Special Council (Single Room Accommodation) - October 7, 2008

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Roberts

THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Louie

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

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

REPORT REFERENCE

1. Update by Vancouver International Airport Authority (File 8025)

The following members of the Vancouver International Airport Authority provided an update on ongoing airport initiatives and activities and responded to questions:

· Larry Berg, President and Chief Executive Officer
· Anne Murray, Vice President, Community and Environmental Affairs
· Jane Fleming, Director and Vancouver's representative on the Board.

Some of the topics covered in the presentation included:

· 2003 Airport Update
· Security Issues
· Richmond-Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit
· Federal Policy Issues
· Environment and Noise Management Plan.

Also before Council was a memorandum, dated October 17, 2003, from Vancouver Coastal Health, Environmental Health Division, advising of the Division's work with the Airport on aeronautical noise management issues.

The Mayor thanked the representatives from the Vancouver Airport Authority for their presentation.

- - - - -

PRESENTATION: CITY OF VANCOUVER BOOK AWARDS - File 1051

The Mayor recognized the following 2003 City of Vancouver Book Awards finalists, and announced as the co-winners of this year's Book Award: Heroines and Stan Douglas: Every Building on 100 West Hastings:

· Vancouver, City on the Edge by John Clague and Bob Turner (Tricouni Press)
· Heroines, photographs by Lincoln Clarkes; essays by Ken Dietrich-Campbell, Patricia Canning and Elaine Allan (Anvil Press)
· Intimate Distances by Fiona Tinwei Lam (Nightwood Editions/Harbour Publishing)
· Stan Douglas: Every Building on 100 West Hastings edited by Reid Shier, essays by Christina Ritchie, Jeff Sommers, Nick Blomely, Neil Smith, Jeff Derksen and Denise Blake Oleksijczujk (Contemporary Art Gallery/Arsenal Pulp Press)

- - - -

Council recessed at 3:55 p.m. and, following a reception in honour of the book award recipients, reconvened at 4:15 p.m. with all members present.

- - - - -

2. TransLink: 3-Year Financial Strategy and 10-Year Transportation Plan (File 5561)

Pat Jacobsen, CEO, TransLink, presented TransLink's 3-year financial strategy and 10-year transportation plan and responded to questions.

Topics covered in the presentation included:

· City of Vancouver transit, cycling and road update
· Making transit a real option
· Reducing gridlock especially for goods movement
· Maximizing economic potential
· Maintaining and enhancing the environment
· Sharing benefits and costs equitably
· Funding principals and strategies.

The Mayor thanked Ms. Jacobsen for the presentation.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

1. Regulation of Single Room Accommodation
October 15, 2003 (File 4656)

On October 7 and 8, 2003, Council heard delegations on the Regulation of Single Room Accommodation (see Minutes 2) and postponed its discussion and decision to the Regular Council meeting on October 21, 2003.

Before Council was a Policy Report "Revisions to the proposed Single Room Accommodation By-law" dated October 15, 2003, which recommended amendments to the proposed by-law based on feedback received from the public.

MOVED by Councillor Green

THAT Council, as a result of the public consultation process, approve the following changes to the Single Room Accommodation By-law considered by Council on September 16, 2003:

_ Delete the requirement to post designation notices outside the entrance door to each designated room;

_ Include an exemption process for rooms larger than 320 square feet or used for transient guests or other purposes not including living accommodation for permanent residents;

_ Allow owners to rent up to 10% of vacant designated rooms in their buildings to transient guests if the room is vacant because the last permanent resident vacated the room, the owner terminated only for cause or rent arrears, and the owner makes such a room available, within seven days, to a person who requests it for permanent residency.

Carried

AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Ladner

THAT Clause 4.6(a) in the proposed Single Room Accommodation by-law be amended by adding the words "in a comparable SRA building" after the word "accommodation" at the beginning of the third line of the clause.

LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Green, Louie, Louis, Roberts, Stevenson, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)

The amendment having lost, the motion was put and CARRIED with Councillors Ladner and Sullivan in favour.

MATTERS ADOPTED ON CONSENT

MOVED by Councillor Bass

THAT Council adopt Administrative Reports A1 to A5, on consent.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

1. 1628 Station Street - Extension of Building Permit

September 29, 2003 (File 2608)

THAT City Council approve an extension of Building Permit No. BU421214 for 1628 Station Street until April 15, 2004.

ADOPTED ON CONSENT

2. Form of Development: 310 Bute Street

October 2, 2003 (File 2604)

THAT the form of development for this portion of the CD-1 zoned site known as 501 Bute Street (310 Bute Street being the application address) be approved generally as illustrated in the Development Application Number DE407574, prepared by Jorg Helssen Architect Inc. and stamped "Received, Community Services Group, Development Services September 18, 2003", provided that the Director of Planning may approve design changes which would not adversely affect either the development character of this site or adjacent properties.

ADOPTED ON CONSENT

3. Sale of Vancouver 2010 "Candidate City" Street Banners

October 6, 2003 (File 5766)

THAT Council approve the sale of the Vancouver 2010 "Candidate City" Street banners as outlined in the Administrative Report "Sale of Vancouver 2010 "Candidate City" Street Banners" dated October 6, 2003, with the proceeds to credit the funding provided for the City's participation in the Olympic Bid process.

ADOPTED ON CONSENT

4. UBC Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability

October 1, 2003 (File 8026)

A. THAT Council support, in principle, the UBC Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability as an initiative that will contribute to the City's understanding of sustainability; and

B. THAT Council endorse staff's participation in this initiative to identify and review City by-laws regulating land use, construction, infrastructure servicing needs, and site issues to better facilitate innovative development technologies.

C. THAT Council ask Community Services staff to report back on a regular basis to provide updates on project progress and new data on sustainability as it becomes available.

ADOPTED ON CONSENT

5. Implementation Plan for Olympic Legacy

October 6, 2003 (File 4209)

A. THAT the City Manager provide updates to Council on at least an annual basis on the status of the Mayor's report, Ensuring Vancouver's Olympic and Paralympic Legacy, and on the City's involvement in the planning and organization of the 2010 Olympic Games.

B. THAT Council approve the carry over of any surplus funds remaining from those identified for Olympic Bid activities and allocate such funds to a 2010 Olympic Games planning and organization budget.

ADOPTED ON CONSENT

POLICY REPORTS

1. Text Amendment to CD-1 By-law - 555 Great Northern Way

October 3, 2003 (File 5304)

MOVED by Councillor Ladner

THAT the application by Moodie Consultants to amend CD-1 By-law No. 8131 for 555 Great Northern Way to add "School - University or College" as a permitted use, be referred to a public Hearing together with:

(i) draft CD-1 By-law amendments, generally as contained in Appendix A to the Policy Report "Text Amendment to CD-1 By-law - 555 Great Northern Way" dated October 3, 2003; and

(ii) the recommendation of the Director of Current Planning to approve the application, subject to satisfaction of the conditions contained in Appendix B to the Policy Report dated October 3, 2003;

FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary by-law for consideration at the Public Hearing.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Cadman

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

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

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

BY-LAWS

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Green

THAT Council enact the by-law listed on the agenda for this meeting as number 1, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign and seal the enacted by-law.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. A By-law to regulate conversion or demolition of Single Room Accommodation
(By-law No. 8733)

MOTIONS

A. Administrative Motions

None

B. Motions on Notice

None

NEW BUSINESS

1. Regulate Uses of City-owned Land (File 113)

MOVED by Councillor Ladner
SECONDED by Councillor

WHEREAS, City Staff have been working on a by-law to regulate unauthorized structures and uses on city-owned land, such as the property known as Creekside Park;

AND WHEREAS, residents, neighbours and Science World managers have been petitioning City Hall and sending letters asking the City to return Creekside Park to public use;

AND WHEREAS, the Creekside Park squatters have continued to occupy that land and have refused help from the City in finding them housing;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, City Council ask City Staff to draft a bylaw for the next meeting of Council, giving the City the power to regulate uses of city-owned land. The purpose of the bylaw would be to enable city authorities to take action as necessary to remove unauthorized structures and protect city-owned public lands for the use of all citizens.

Notice

Councillor Louis called Notice under Section 5.4 (c) of the Procedure By-law. The Motion will be placed on the agenda of the Regular Council meeting on October 23, 2003 immediately following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment.

2. Seismic Upgrading of Schools in the City of Vancouver (File 3603)

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

WHEREAS there are 47 schools with close to 30,000 students in the Vancouver School District built of materials which are at risk of sustaining damage during an earthquake of moderate to high intensity;

AND WHEREAS it is estimated that at its current pace, work to complete seismic upgrading of schools in the City of Vancouver will not be complete until 2062;

AND WHEREAS Families for School Seismic Safety and other groups, including students themselves, have been working to seek seismic upgrading to Vancouver schools;

AND WHEREAS the City of Vancouver recognizes the importance of students and teachers having safe and secure learning environments;

AND WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia's mandate includes responsibility for the construction, operation and upkeep of our public schools;

AND WHEREAS Families for School Seismic Safety  has said to Premier Gordon Campbell "we don't need equations or calculations of cost effectiveness to tell us what our guts already know and millennia of evolution have wired us to feel: there is no greater treasure to a society than its children. We must keep them safe".

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Vancouver:

1) publicly endorses the efforts of Families for School Seismic Safety to draw attention to the risk to the safety of our children who go to school daily at 47 Vancouver schools;

2)  endorses the public forum being organized by the Families for Seismic Safety;

3) calls  on the Provincial government to develop a School Building Seismic Safety Program to provide a safe learning environment for both students and staff in the event of a significant earthquake;

4) calls on the Provincial government to establish a capital funding initiative to deal with this imminent safety and infrastructure issue with a timeframe for completion of work on all school buildings which represent a serious risk to life safety within the next 10 to 15 years;

5) calls upon the Provincial government to conduct a risk assessment of school building infrastructure to incorporate most recent technical advances in seismic engineering.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

3. Space Preservation Treaty (File 1263)

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth

WHEREAS, the termination of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty on June 13, 2002, permits research, development, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of space-based weapons, thereby promoting an arms race in space;

AND WHEREAS, the Space Preservation Treaty will establish a permanent ban on all space-based weapons, on the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and the permanent termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of all space-based weapons;

AND WHEREAS, the Space Preservation Treaty will establish an outer space peacekeeping agency to monitor outer space and enforce the permanent ban of space-based weapons;

AND WHEREAS, the Space Preservation Treaty permits space exploration, space research and development, testing, manufacturing or deployment that is not related to space-based weapons or systems, including civil, commercial, or defence activities such as communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning, or remote sensing;

AND WHEREAS, the Space Preservation Treaty facilitates investment in clean, safe and sustainable technology, products and services to support expanded, cooperative, non-weapons space ventures and the consequent stimulation of the national and world economy;

AND WHEREAS, the Space Preservation Treaty preserves the peaceful, cooperative uses of space for all residents of Vancouver and prevents harmful health and safety impacts on residents from space-based weapons testing.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, Vancouver City Council urge the Prime Minister of Canada to sign the Space Preservation Treaty and have the House of Commons of Canada ratify it;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, Vancouver City Council urge the Government of Canada to convene a treaty-signing conference for the Space Preservation Treaty, as Canada did in the treaty-signing conference in December 1997, where 122 countries signed the Convention Banning Land Mines, known as the Ottawa Convention;

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT, this resolution of Vancouver City Council be sent to the President and Executive of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for information.

CARRIED
(Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed)
(Councillors Green and Louis absent for the vote)

4. Leave of Absence - Councillor Stevenson (File 1254)

MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Green

THAT Councillor Stevenson be granted Leave of Absence due to civic business for Thursday, October 23, 2003.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councilllor Louis absent for the vote)

5. Leave of Absence - Mayor Campbell (File 1254)

MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

THAT the Mayor be granted Leave of Absence due to civic business for the evening of Thursday, October 23, 2003.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councilllor Louis absent for the vote)

NOTICE OF MOTION

Councillor Woodsworth submitted the following Notice of Motion for the Regular Council meeting of November 4, 2003:

1. Reductions and Cutoffs of Income Assistance Benefits (File 1263)

WHEREAS it is the right and responsibility of City of Vancouver to advocate on behalf of its citizens to other levels of government;

AND WHEREAS unprecedented new provincial laws that limit the time people classified as employable can collect Income Assistance to two of every five years and reduce benefits for families with children by $100 per month come into effect on April 1, 2004;

AND WHEREAS the Province has failed to provide accurate numbers on Vancouver citizens who will be impacted, but it is estimated that it could be in the thousands;

AND WHEREAS the people who will be impacted are among the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, and are already struggling to deal with the impacts of cuts to other federal and provincial programs and services;

AND WHEREAS non-profit housing societies, the owners of Single Room Accommodation hotels and other businesses have expressed serious concern about their ability to do business if many of their tenants lose their ability to pay rent or have it reduced as a result of these new laws;

AND WHEREAS time limits effectively download provincial responsibility for people in need onto the City of Vancouver and other municipalities;

AND WHEREAS time limits for Income Assistance conflict with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms assurance to equality and life, liberty and security of the person, and are inconsistent with provincial and federal obligations to fulfill the right to an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing and shelter as provided in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Canada is a signatory;

AND WHEREAS Vancouver's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stands at 8.4%;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver urges the provincial government to rescind the laws imposing Income Assistance time limits and reducing benefits;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver write to other BC municipalities through the UBCM, the LMMA and the GVRD urging them to call on the Province to rescind the changes to Income Assistance laws.

Notice

ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS

1. Bus Benches at Bus Shelters (File 5554)

Councillor Roberts requested a memo from staff advising when the new bus shelters will be completed and the role of the public/private partnership on this contract.

The Mayor advised he has asked the City Engineer to provide information on this issue, including the contractor's legal requirements. The information is expected shortly.

2. Applying for Homeowners Grant (File 1552)

Councillor Louie requested staff to provide a memo advising how citizens would be able to apply for their homeowners grant at the same time they pay their property taxes on line, therefore paying their property taxes in a more seamless way.

The City Manager agreed to provide the information.

3. Exemption of Ports from Municipal Taxes (File 1551/8109)

Councillor Louie requested staff to provide a memo on what steps the City could take to address the issue of the Province exempting Ports from taxes to municipalities.

The City Manager advised staff have been working with other municipal jurisdictions and will be reporting on the matter as soon as they have all the information.

The Council adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

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