ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

Director of City Plans

SUBJECT:

Approval of Council Initiative - Yaletown BIA Renewal

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council policy for the renewal of a BIA was approved on July 30, 1992 as follows:

A BIA is renewed (re-established) by Council Initiative process; property owners and commercial tenants receive notification of the Initiative. The renewal will not be approved if one third or more of the owners, representing one third of the assessed property value, or one third of the tenants, counted separately, are in opposition. An outline of the process is attached as Appendix A.

Section 462 of the Vancouver Charter was amended on September 23, 1998 to permit BIA renewal terms of up to 20 years. Council has exercised its authority under the amendment by approving ten year renewal terms for the Mount Pleasant and Downtown Vancouver BIAs.

PURPOSE

The Yaletown BIA was approved in 1999 for an initial 5-year term which expires March 31, 2004. The BIA must now be re-established (renewed) for a further term to continue to operate. The Yaletown Business Improvement Association (YBIA) has completed the first step in the BIA renewal process. The purpose of this report is to commence the second step, which is to re-confirm the YBIA as BIA sponsor, to approve a Council Initiative to renew the BIA, to forward the renewal application to the Court of Revision, and to approve the proposed 5 year funding ceiling.

BACKGROUND

The Yaletown BIA was one of the first three BIAs established under the Council Initiative process in 1999, along with the Davie Village and South Granville BIAs. The Yaletown Business Improvement Association wishes to renew the BIA for a second 5 year term (April 1, 2004 - March 31, 2009). No boundary changes are proposed at this time.

DISCUSSION

The BIA boundary comprises an area of the Downtown Peninsula generally bounded by Pacific Boulevard on the south and south-east, Beatty Street on the east, Robson Street on the north, and the lane west of Homer Street. A map of the boundary is attached as Appendix A.

The YBIA proposes a Year 1 renewal budget of $275,000, representing an annual levy rate of $0.82 per $1,000.00 of assessed property value. If Council approves the Yaletown BIA renewal at the Court of Revision, staff will report back for approval of the Year 1 budget along with all of the other BIAs' 2004 - 2005 budget requests.

The proposed funding-ceiling of $1,489,489 represents the Year 1 budget projected over 5 years, plus a contingency of $114,489. The BIA funding ceiling is the maximum that may be levied over the Yaletown BIA renewal term, and reflects an increase of 58% over the previous 5 year ceiling. Copies of the proposed Year 1 renewal budget and the anticipated 5 year allocation are attached for information as Appendix B.

Membership Outreach Activities

Over the past year, the YBIA has undertaken a number of initiatives to provide the foundation for a 5-year Strategic Plan (in process), including Board `visioning' workshops held March 2002 and June 2003, a retail market study conducted June /July 2003, and a June 2003 telephone survey of Yaletown households.

Outreach to BIA property owners and business tenants commenced with a member survey conducted in Fall 2002. The survey, sent to all owners and tenants, asked respondents to evaluate YBIA programs and services and to indicate priorities for future BIA activities.

In July 2003, the YBIA began targeted outreach to major property owners. Of forty-five property owners approached, about twenty owners either met with BIA representatives or contacted the BIA by other means. The results of the member survey and the targeted outreach were used as a basis for the 2004-2009 renewal proposal.

In early September, the YBIA distributed a formal notice of its upcoming AGM to all 351 property owners and 500 business tenants, along with a 14 page Renewal document (`Looking Back/Looking Forward') to all BIA members. The Renewal document reviewed past and present BIA accomplishments, and outlined a vision and directions for the proposed renewal term. The Renewal document was accompanied by the Fall 2003 edition of the `Yaletown' newsletter, which included an article about YBIA planning for the renewal term, and a general invitation to the Renewal outreach meeting.

On September 10 2003, the YBIA held an informal general meeting of property owners and businesses to discuss renewal issues. Sixteen people attended, including YBIA Directors and staff, and the City's BIA Coordinator, who explained the BIA renewal process. A draft renewal proposal was presented, along with three Year-1 budget options. Response forms circulated at the meeting were inconclusive as to preferred option, although all participants appeared to favour BIA renewal.

Prior to the AGM, the YBIA prepared a final budget proposal reflecting all input received. The revised budget increased the `marketing' allocation in response to business tenant input and, in response to input from key property owners, set the overall budget at a level lower than the smallest of the three previously proposed budget options.

The YBIA annual general meeting (AGM) was held September 30, 2003. Forty-one members, (4.8% of total property owners and business tenants) were in attendance at the AGM, including 13 property owners (3.7% of total) and 28 business tenants ( 5.6% of total). Seven proxies were exercised. The proposed renewal, 5-year budget, and 2004-2005 budget were approved unanimously.

The YBIA did not conduct a survey of all property owners and business tenants to determine overall level of support or opposition to BIA renewal.

Based on the AGM results and member input received to date, the YBIA is confident that the 2004-2009 renewal proposal, the proposed 5-year funding ceiling, and the Year-1 budget are generally supported. The YBIA formally applied to the City for renewal of its mandate on November 20, 2003. A copy of their application letter, a further letter outlining their outreach process, and documentation of their outreach material, is attached as Appendix C.

Staff Comments - Membership Outreach and Support

Staff are satisfied that the YBIA has notified all commercial property owners and tenants within the proposed renewal area. At the Annual General Meeting, YBIA members voted unanimously to approve BIA renewal and funding. Only about 4.8% of BIA property owners and business tenants were represented the meeting, the attendance was above the required quorum of 15 present in person. While low AGM attendance is a challenge for many BIAs, the AGM results would carry greater weight if attendance had been better. As the YBIA did not conduct a general support survey of property owners and merchants, the AGM results are the only indication of support or opposition at this point in the process.

The YBIA reports that, as of the date of this report, no property owners or businesses have contacted the BIA to express opposition to the renewal proposal. Staff have received no telephone calls or correspondence from individuals expressing opposition or concern regarding the renewal proposal; however, the City's BIA Coordinator was not listed as a contact in the YBIA's literature.

CONCLUSIONS

The Yaletown Business Improvement Association is requesting that Council consider approval of its proposed 5 year renewal term and 5 year funding ceiling of $1,489,489, and has asked that their application be forwarded by way of Council Initiative to a Court of Revision. The results of YBIA outreach activities indicate no opposition at this stage in the process. If Council approves the Yaletown BIA renewal at the Court of Revision, staff will report back for approval of the Year 1 budget along with all of the other BIAs' 2004 - 2005 budget requests.

APPENDICES FOR THIS REPORT ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING IN CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OR COUNCILLORS' SECRETARIAT.

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