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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 2004 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, May 4, 2004, at 2:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: |
Mayor Larry Campbell
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CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Syd Baxter, City Clerk
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PRAYER
The proceedings in the Council Chamber were opened with a prayer read by the City Clerk.
PROCLAMATION: 100th Anniversary of Alliance Française (File 1051)
The Mayor proclaimed May 5, 2004 as Alliance Française de Vancouver 100th Anniversary Day.
PRESENTATION: BY PHOENIX CHAMBER CHOIR (File 1051)
Council welcomed the Phoenix Chamber Choir who performed "When I Fall in Love".
PRESENTATION: BC WILDFIRES SUMMER 2003 (File 1051)
The Mayor acknowledged the presentation by Premier Campbell, on behalf of the people of British Columbia, of a framed photograph acknowledging the contribution of City of Vancouver staff during the BC Wildfires Summer of 2003.
"IN CAMERA" MEETING
MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
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.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
1. Regular Council (Transportation and Traffic) - April 6, 2004
MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Regular Council (City Services and Budgets) - April 8, 2004
MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.
Amended
Councillor Sullivan requested an amendment to the Minutes on Agenda Item 2 in the Report to Council of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets meeting of April 8, 2004. The Mayor ruled the request out of order as Councillors' statements are not recorded in the Minutes.
Councillor Sullivan challenged the decision of the Chair.
The Chair then put the question:
Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?
(Councillors Ladner, Louis and Sullivan opposed)
A two-thirds majority of those present is required to overrule the decision of the Chair. Therefore, the decision of the Chair was SUSTAINED.
Councillor Sullivan rose on a point of privilege, and referring to Agenda Item 5 in the Minutes, requested another amendment.
MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
THAT the Minutes on Agenda Item 5 in the Report to Council of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets be amended to record Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed to Motion L.
CARRIED
(Councillors Cadman, Green, Louis, Roberts and Woodsworth opposed)
The amendment having carried, the Motion to approve the Minutes as amended, was put and CARRIED, with Councillor Sullivan opposed.
3. Regular Council (Planning and Environment) - April 8, 2004
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. Regular Council - April 20, 2004
MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
5. Business License Hearing - April 20, 2004
MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the foregoing Minutes be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Campbell in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
MATTERS ADOPTED ON CONSENT
MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT Council adopt Administrative Reports A1 to A5, on consent.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
REPORT REFERENCE
1. Status of Emergency Preparedness in Vancouver (File 3601)
Trish Doge, Director of Risk and Emergency Management, with Robert Bryan and Ron Martin, Emergency Planning Coordinators, presented a Report Reference on the status of emergency preparedness in the City of Vancouver and responded to questions.
Council thanked the presenters for the Report Reference.
2. Pacific National Exhibition - 2004 Operations (File 8009)
Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager and Interim Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Board Chair, and Michael McDaniel, Acting President and CEO, PNE, presented a Report Reference on the 2004 operations of the PNE and responded to questions.
Council thanked the presenters for the Report Reference.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
1. Streetscape Improvements in Gastown
April 19, 2004 (File 8107)
THAT funding of $161,000 be provided for a variety of streetscape changes in Gastown with $81,000 from Streets Basic Capital CB1EA5AX1, Local Area Traffic Plans - Unappropriated (Account #30006172) and $80,000 from the 2004 Downtown Eastside Revitalization Capital, subject to approval of the 2004 Basic Capital Budget.
ADOPTED ON CONSENT
2. Payment-in-Lieu of Parking Application - 663 Gore Avenue
April 20, 2004 (File 5655)
A. THAT Council approve in principle, for deposit into the Payment-in-Lieu Parking Reserve, the offer of payment-in-lieu in the amount of $29,000 by Gomberoff Bell Lyon Architect for the waiver of 2 parking spaces required by Section 4.1.2 of the Parking By-law.
B. THAT the Director of Legal Services be requested to bring forward a by-law to amend Schedule A of the Parking By-law pursuant to Section 4.12.5 to effect this waiver.
ADOPTED ON CONSENT
3. Building Board of Appeal Membership
April 16, 2004 (File 3002)
THAT Mr. Paul LeBranche be reappointed to the Building Board of Appeal for a period of three (3) years, expiring June 30, 2007.
ADOPTED ON CONSENT
4. Business License Hearing Panel for May 18, 2004
April 27, 2004 (File 2711-1)
THAT Council delegate the holding of a business license hearing presently scheduled for May 18, 2004 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to a panel of three Council Members, pursuant to Section 277.1 of the Vancouver Charter, as follows:
The business license hearing pursuant to Section 275 of the Vancouver Charter regarding a referral to Council by the Chief License Inspector for the year 2004 business license of Thomas McEvoy dba Harmack Enterprises at 566 Powell Street and the power to make a Council decision in relation to that hearing be delegated to:
Councillor Tim Stevenson, Chair
Councillor Jim Green
Councillor Anne Roberts
Should any of the above Members of Council be unable to attend the hearing, the hearing and the power to make a Council decision in relation to the hearing be delegated to the remaining two Councillors and alternate Councillor David Cadman.
ADOPTED ON CONSENT
5. Authority to Travel to Toronto, Ontario from May 8 to May 12, 2004
May 3, 2004 (File 1254)
THAT Council authorizes payment for Councillor David Cadman to travel to Toronto, Ontario to participate in the Conference of the Reducers; to be held May 8-12, 2004 at an estimated cost of $2,120 to be funded from the Mayor's Fund in the 2004 Operating Budget.
ADOPTED ON CONSENT
OTHER REPORTS
I. Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
March 11, 2004 (File 3053-1)
MOVED by Councillor Louis
WHEREAS the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (SACDI) strongly supports the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Advocacy Program provided by the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, as it is the only comprehensive, free, Canada Pension Plan advocacy service in BC for persons with disabilities.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues recommends Council ask that the Ministry of Human Resources continue to fund this unique and crucially important service.
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
MOTIONS
A. Administrative Motions
1. Guidelines for Seniors Supportive and Assisted Housing (File 4661/113)
MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Green
THAT the documents entitled "CONGREGATE HOUSING FOR SENIORS GUIDELINES" and "SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENTIAL FACILITY GUIDELINES" be amended and adopted by Council for use by applicants and staff for development applications involving seniors housing.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
B. Motions on Notice
1. Options for Allowing Smaller Suites (File 4659)
MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
WHEREAS,
Vancouver has over 1,000 homeless people living on its streets.
Many homeless people suffer from mental illnesses, drug addiction and other illnesses that are exacerbated by not having social housing.
Current levels of senior government funding for non-market housing will not result in enough conventionally-sized affordable housing suites to accommodate the homelessness emergency facing the City of Vancouver;
Current Vancouver policies discourage the building of suites smaller than 400 square feet.
The City of Vancouver has 6,300 SRO apartments that range from 100 sq. feet.
Vancouver City Council has recently imposed a fine of $5,000 per room for any investor who wants to upgrade or convert the use of SRO apartments away from residential use and only 14% of the total SRO stock is considered to be in decent condition.
Allowing smaller rooms could make it possible to provide housing for homeless people at a cost that would be covered by the current welfare housing allowance of $325 per month.
Living in a small suite that is warm and dry and has basic amenities is preferable to living outside on the street, in a tent in a park, in a shelter, or in an SRO room.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff include options on allowing smaller suites throughout the city as part of the upcoming report on homelessness.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The City Manager agreed to let Council know when the report is expected.
2. Tent Cities in Vancouver (File 4659)
MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
WHEREAS,
Vancouver City Council has been asked to approve a tent city for homeless people.
Several Councillors appear sympathetic to tent cities and Councillor Green has suggested that one be permitted adjacent to or on Downtown Eastside Residents Association Social Housing Units.
People require stable, warm, dry housing in order to live healthy and productive lives.
Tent cities in the United States accommodate very small numbers of homeless people (e.g., from 60 to 100) and people must abide by fairly strict rules that would disqualify the majority of homeless people from living there.
The plight of homeless people is the business of the whole community and it is essential that the whole community apply efforts to overcome this problem.
Citizens of Vancouver, no matter what their situation, deserve better than living in tents.
Many homeless people have illnesses that are exacerbated by their homelessness.
Staff are preparing a report on the state of homelessness.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council indicates that it is not in favour of establishing a tent city in Vancouver.
Referred
REFERRAL MOVED by Councillor Green
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT the Motion be referred to staff to be considered with the upcoming report on homelessness.
CARRIED
(Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed)
3. Thin Streets (File 5301/5757)
MOVED by Councillor Ladner
SECONDED by Councillor Sullivan
WHEREAS the majority of land in the City of Vancouver is occupied by single family zoning;
WHEREAS the sustainability of the city depends on finding creative ways to increase density while respecting the integrity and character of single family neighbourhoods;
AND WHEREAS the affordability of single-family housing in the city is improved by increasing supply;
AND WHEREAS various neighbourhoods involved in the CityPlan Visioning process have asked for a funding source for their neighbourhood projects;
AND WHEREAS a proposal known as Thin Streets would convert half a paved street in a selected RS-1 block into two single family 33-foot-wide lots, thus achieving the goals of:
· adding housing stock to RS-1 zones without compromising single-family neighbourhoods
· converting surplus road space into housing
· creating a new capital base and tax revenue stream for the City of Vancouver
· preserving all existing functioning of city services, including fire-fighting access, and access to sewer, water and power lines
· calming traffic without blocking traffic flow
AND WHEREAS this proposal has been presented to the Vancouver City Planning Commission and met with their approval;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council instruct Directors of Engineering Services and Planning to to report back with a proposed work program, timing, and resources to undertake a pilot Thin Street project based on the proposal presented to the Vancouver City Planning Commission, including:
· a process for choosing a site in agreement with the neighbourhood and adjoining property owners
· no disruption of sewer, water, power, or emergency access
· design guidelines, possibly including non-single-family uses that would be acceptable to the neighbourhood
· financial implications: options for dispersing the proceeds of the newly-created lots, compensating adjoining property owners if necessary and covering city costs
· an assessment of the potential for future Thin Street infills on other sites.
Amended
AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the resolve in the Motion be amended by inserting the following words immediately after "THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT":
Council inform neighbourhood associations, community groups, neighbourhood houses and other interested stakeholders about the idea of thin streets, and, if a local area decides it wants to pilot such a project, Council consider instructing the Directors of Engineering Services and Planning to report back with a proposed work program, timing, and resources to undertake a pilot Thin Street project based on the proposal presented to the Vancouver City Planning Commission, including:
(italics denote amendment)
Amended
SECONDARY AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the resolve in the Motion be further amended by inserting the words "identify issues and explore the possibility of thin streets and" following the words "Directors of Engineering Services and Planning to report back".
CARRIED
(Councillor Louis opposed)
The secondary amendment having carried, the primary amendment was put and CARRIED with Councillor Stevenson opposed.
MOTION AS AMENDED
WHEREAS the majority of land in the City of Vancouver is occupied by single family zoning;
WHEREAS the sustainability of the city depends on finding creative ways to increase density while respecting the integrity and character of single family neighbourhoods;
AND WHEREAS the affordability of single-family housing in the city is improved by increasing supply;
AND WHEREAS various neighbourhoods involved in the CityPlan Visioning process have asked for a funding source for their neighbourhood projects;
AND WHEREAS a proposal known as Thin Streets would convert half a paved street in a selected RS-1 block into two single family 33-foot-wide lots, thus achieving the goals of:
· adding housing stock to RS-1 zones without compromising single-family neighbourhoods
· converting surplus road space into housing
· creating a new capital base and tax revenue stream for the City of Vancouver
· preserving all existing functioning of city services, including fire-fighting access, and access to sewer, water and power lines
· calming traffic without blocking traffic flow
AND WHEREAS this proposal has been presented to the Vancouver City Planning Commission and met with their approval;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council inform neighbourhood associations, community groups, neighbourhood houses and other interested stakeholders about the idea of thin streets, and, if a local area decides it wants to pilot such a project, Council consider instructing the Directors of Engineering Services and Planning to identify issues and explore the possibility of thin streets, and to report back with a proposed work program, timing, and resources to undertake a pilot Thin Street project based on the proposal presented to the Vancouver City Planning Commission, including:
· a process for choosing a site in agreement with the neighbourhood and adjoining property owners
· no disruption of sewer, water, power, or emergency access
· design guidelines, possibly including non-single-family uses that would be acceptable to the neighbourhood
· financial implications: options for dispersing the proceeds of the newly-created lots, compensating adjoining property owners if necessary and covering city costs
· an assessment of the potential for future Thin Street infills on other sites.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
NEW BUSINESS
1. Call For Independent Inquiry Into Vancouver's Sponsorship Program (File 2151)
MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
WHEREAS,
The City of Vancouver has established a grant program in which trained and competent staff review applications for sponsorship from non-profit groups and conduct due diligence to ensure that citizens of Vancouver receive the benefits from these sponsorship dollars.
The recent "celebration" grants program featured a panel of 5 highly regarded community volunteers who spent significant amounts of personal time aiding our staff in their recommendations.
There is a reconsideration process in place to provide an opportunity for applicants whose requests were rejected by staff to appeal to Council with arguments as to why they should receive funding. These appeals for reconsideration take place in public to ensure there is proper and transparent process for disbursement of public funds.
During the April 8th community service grants reconsideration meeting, no delegations publicly presented any rationale as to why they should have their grants reconsidered.
Staff recommended in their report to Council that Council should not grant sponsorship money to a number of organizations that do not provide adequate service or were outside the mandate for Council grants, yet those organizations received money under the reconsideration process.
Some organizations that were deemed by staff to provide significant benefits to the city, and who should be funded if money were available, did not receive communications advising them of Council's intention of funding all applicants and so were excluded from the reconsideration process.
City Councillors made comments at the reconsideration meeting that indicated Councillors were communicating with a number of the organizations.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT,
Staff report back on the creation of an independent inquiry to determine the following:
_ Did Council knowingly approve giving public funds to groups that:
_ do not adequately provide services they claim to provide;
_ whose services fall outside the mandate of city council funding;
_ charge out at rates staff believe are unreasonable;
_ do not have the organizational capacity to provide the services they
claim to provide.
_ Did any Councillors or representatives of Councillors communicate with groups staff considered ineligible for sponsorship about Council's intention to approve all requests and not communicate the same information to eligible and worthy groups.
_ What actions can Council take to restore confidence in our sponsorship programs.
Notice
Councillor Stevenson called Notice under Section 5.4(c) of the Procedure By-law. The Motion will be considered at the next Regular Council meeting which will be held Thursday, May 6, 2004 immediately following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting.
2. Tenancy Protection for Residents of Supportive and Assisted Living Facilities
(File 4661)
MOVED by Councillor Green
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth
WHEREAS the Community Care and Assisted Living Act outlines a new model of care for seniors who do not require constant care;
AND WHEREAS the Community Care and Assisted Living Act lacks tenancy protection for seniors who are residents of Supportive and Assisted Living facilities;
AND WHEREAS this gap in legislation allows for the potential abuse of seniors and causes unnecessary anxiety to seniors and their families;
AND WHEREAS the Seniors Health and Housing Coalition (SHHC) report titled "Regulation of `Independent Living'" details the shortcomings of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and suggests the development of a new framework to remedy the lack of tenancy protection for residents of Supportive and Assisted Living Facilities;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Provincial Government establish a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework to address care, safety and security of tenure issues for residents of both supportive housing and assisted living facilities;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Province consult widely with local governments, seniors organizations, housing and health providers and the general public in the development of the framework.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3. Presumption of Occupational Cancer Risk in Fire Fighters (File 1306/1377)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth
WHEREAS Fire fighting is a hazardous occupation to the health for fire fighters;
AND WHEREAS the Ontario Industrial Disease Standards Panel (I.D.S.P.) 1994 and work of Dr T. Guidotti find a sufficiently strong set of relationships between occupational exposures experienced by fire fighters over time and the occurrence of certain diseases to justify the presumption of a causal relationship, particularly in regard to cancers of the bladder, brain, kidney, testicles, lungs (in non-smokers);and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia.
AND WHEREAS six (6) other provincial jurisdictions have adopted workers' compensation legislation and regulations or are in the process of adopting legislation and regulations recognizing the relationship between fire fighting and certain cancers;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council express to the Workers Compensation Board of BC and to the provincial government Council's support for the presumption that a number of cancers in fire fighters have been caused by their regular exposure to the hazards of fire scenes for specific lengths of time;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council request the Workers Compensation Board, in regard to the subject of presumption that many cancers in fire fighters are caused by their exposure to fire scenes, to review the legislation of six (6) other provinces and the medical research on which that legislation was based and use the results of the review to create legislation and regulations that appropriately recognize a presumption of causality between fire fighters' occupational exposure and these cancers;
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT Vancouver City Council generally supports Resolution B133 of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (U.B.C.M.) adopted at the Annual General meeting of 2003.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. Child Friendly Cities (File 4102)
MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
WHEREAS May 1st - 8th , 2004 is Youth Week;
WHEREAS children and youth are respected and valued community members;
WHEREAS the City of Vancouver recognizes their importance through the Civic Youth Strategy, and through important international declarations such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
WHEREAS the UN Special Session for Children, held in New York in 2001 was a key international event for children and youth;
WHEREAS the role of children and youth in cities has been further reiterated in the Child and Youth Friendly discussion paper for the UN HABITAT World Urban Forum to be held in Vancouver in 2006;
We therefore adopt the UN Special Session for Children, Mayors as Spokespersons for Children's Rights call to action.
This call to action requests that:
1) Mayors and local authorities all over the world to develop action plans for their cities to become child friendly and protective of children's rights;
2) Mayors and local authorities to promote the participation of children and adolescents as actors of change in the decision making process in their cities and in the process of implementation and evaluation of municipal policies;
3) UNICEF, UN-HABITAT and other partners to continue to promote child friendly cities all over the world and to enhance capacity building of local authorities towards this end.
And have committed to:
· Advance a global network of Mayors promoting child friendly cities;
· Promote exchange of information, experiences and good practices at the local level and call on UNICEF through the Child-Friendly Cities Secretariat to make them widely available;
· And reaffirm the responsibility of Mayors and Local Authorities as advocates for children to promote respect for children's rights, including by parents and teachers.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Councillor Woodsworth requested the motion be referred to the City's Child and Youth Advocate, the UBCM, and the FCM.
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
1. Fair Wage Policy (File 1307)
Councillor Green requested staff to report back by memo by mid-July on the City of Burnaby's fair wage policy, i.e. how it works, the pros and cons,.etc.
2. Parking Improvements for Motorcycles (File 5651)
Councillor Stevenson reported the members of the BC Coalition of Motorcyclists have expressed concerns with finding adequate parking in the downtown area of Vancouver. He requested staff to report back on the feasibility and measures to improve parking for motorcycles, i.e. approval for more than one motorcycle to park in a regular car stall; triangle zones at end of blocks; access. He also requested staff look at the City of Burnaby's experience.
The Council adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
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