Vancouver City Council

REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS JUNE 10, 2004

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, June 10, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Councillor Tim Louis, Chair Councillor Fred Bass Councillor David Cadman Councillor Peter Ladner Councillor Raymond Louie Councillor Anne Roberts Councillor Sam Sullivan Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Vice-Chair
ABSENT:	Mayor Larry Campbell (Leave of Absence - Civic Business) Councillor Jim Green (Leave of Absence - Civic Business) Councillor Tim Stevenson (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of May 6, 2004, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. 2004 Opportunity Grant Allocation (File 2051)

Council agreed to move this item to the afternoon meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment.

2. Review of Sewer BOD/TSS/Flow Charges for Permitted Industries, Other Source Control Measures, and Establishing 2004 Rates (File 1755)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated May 21, 2004, in which the General Managers of Engineering Services and Community Services, in consultation with the Sustainability Program Manager, reviewed the appropriateness of sewer fees charged to permitted industry in consideration of the environmental, social and economic impacts which result from these businesses and their liquid waste discharges and recommended 2004 Sewer
BOD/TSS/Flow rates. The report also reviewed ways to address source control and educational initiatives for dealing with waste from industrial, commercial and residential properties in accordance with Council's commitment to move towards sustainable local government practice.

Jeff Addis, Sewers and Drainage Design Engineer, with the aid of an overhead presentation, provided a summary of the report and responded to questions related to the efficiency of delaying the education component of the program until the fall, the failed Fisheries Canada tests on Vancouver's primary only sewage treatment, the potential role of the Columbia pump station in the Southeast False Creek sustainability project, and the impact of food grinders on BOD waste volumes.

Doug Roberts, Manager, Environmental Protection, provided information related to charges made to polluting industries and affluent flow rates. Don Brynildsen, Assistant City Engineer, Water and Sewers, provided details related to GVRD and Fisheries Canada discussions on additional sewage treatment options. Staff also provided details on the intended use for the $25,000, as set out in Recommendation B of the report. A number of Council members asked if this amount was adequate to undertake the broadened scope of the project as discussed at today's meeting.

Don Scott, Hallmark Poultry representative, provided his views on the benefit of investments to industries in reducing BOD and noted the need for the GVRD to examine the 2^nd stage of the project. He noted the cost benefits on one side are eaten up by larger costs for disposal.

Councillor Bass requested a memorandum back on related work being done at Edmonton's waste management centre.

MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT Biochemical Oxygen Demand/Total Suspended Solids/Flow (BOD/TSS/Flow) rates for permitted industries continue to be established using the same methodology as used in previous years.

B. THAT staff report back by the end of the year on alternatives, including the potential of banning the use of food grinders, and a best practices action plan for implementation to move towards elimination of solid and toxic discharges to the sewer system and develop an action plan for potential energy recovery from the heat and flow of the sewage system, with funding of up to $40,000, subject to approval of the City Manager, to be provided from the Sewer Rate Stabilization Reserve to carry out this work

C. THAT 2004 BOD/TSS/Flow rates payable by waste discharge permit users ("permitted industrial users") be set as per Appendix 1 of the Administrative Report dated May 21, 2004, entitled Review of Sewer BOD/TSS/Flow Charges for Permitted Industries, Other Sources Control Measures, and Establishing 2004 Rates".

D. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to bring forward for enactment and amendment to the Sewer and Watercourse By-law effective July 1, 2004, implementing Recommendation C of the Administrative Report dated May 21, 2004, entitled Review of Sewer BOD/TSS/Flow Charges for Permitted Industries, Other Sources Control Measures, and Establishing 2004 Rates".

carried

AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Roberts

THAT the figure "$40,000", in B above be amended to read "$25,000".

LOST (tie vote)
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Louie and Louis opposed)

The amendment having lost, Councillor Cadman's motion was put and CARRIED, with Councillor Sullivan opposed to B.

3. Small Development Sites in Downtown South (File 8105/5300)

The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated May 21,2004, in which the Director of Current Planning, in consultation with the Director of Cultural Affairs, Director of the Housing Centre and the Director of Social Planning, in response to growing concerns from new neighbours moving into the Downtown South neighbourhood about developments larger than they were led to expect from the zoning and guidelines, recommended the approval of policies which will clarify the opportunities for density increases for new developments on small sites in Downtown South.

Michael Gordon, Senior Planner, Central Area Major Developments Group, provided the Committee with a brief overview of the report and responded to questions related to the potential number of sites that could be impacted if these policies were approved. Jill Davidson, Senior Housing Planner, Housing Centre, provided details related to the process and allowable FSR as it relates to social housing in Downtown South.

Sharon Promislow, President, Enhanced Learning & Integration, spoke in support of staff's recommendations, noted the extreme value of site lines being created, and stressed the need for, and importance of, a satisfactory notification process related to all future developments in Downtown South. Ms. Promislow also suggested zoning setbacks should be considered.

Councillor Bass requested a memorandum back on the demographics of the Downtown South area compared to the rest of Vancouver.

MOVED by Councillor Bass

THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT small development sites (these being corner sites with frontages of less than 175 feet and interior sites with frontages of less than 200 feet), as described in the Administrative Report dated May 21, 2004, entitled "Small Development Sites in Downtown South" and , in Downtown South (Areas L, M and N in the Downtown District Official Development Plan[DDODP]) not be considered for floor space (density) bonusing beyond the 10 per cent increase in floor space which can be considered for heritage density transfers and the density and height provisions allowable for affordable housing projects, unless there are exceptional circumstances such as:

· there will be no opportunity for more than two towers on a block face, due to the frontage restrictions in the DDODP and the pattern of development sites; and
· higher elements (i.e. those portions of a building over 70 feet (21.4 m) in height) of the building are a minimum of 80 feet (24.4 m) away from an adjacent tower;

THAT these policies shall not apply to current applications which shall be dealt with on their own merits;

AND FURTHER THAT in all cases where a height relaxation or densities exceeding 3.0 FSR are considered for small development sites the development sufficiently addresses the design, livability, shadowing and other provisions of the "Downtown South Guidelines (except Granville Street)" and other relevant Council-approved policies and neighbourhood input.

B. THAT the proposed amendments of the Downtown South Guidelines (except Granville Street) (attached as Appendix `A' to the Administrative Report dated May 21, 2004, entitled "Small Development Sites in Downtown South") be adopted by Council for development applications in Area L, M and N in the Downtown District Official Development Plan.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee adjourned at 11:40 a.m.

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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS JUNE 10, 2004

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, June 10, 2004, at 11:40 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations and actions of the Committee.

PRESENT:	Councillor Peter Ladner, Deputy Mayor Councillor Fred Bass Councillor David Cadman Councillor Raymond Louie Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Anne Roberts Councillor Sam Sullivan Councillor Ellen Woodsworth
ABSENT:	Mayor Larry Campbell Councillor Jim Green Councillor Tim Stevenson
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Louie
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

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

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
June 10, 2004

Council considered the report containing the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets. Its items of business included:

1. 2004 Opportunity Grant Allocation
2. Review of Sewer BOD/TSS/Flow Charges for Permitted Industries, Other Sources Control Measures, and Establishing 2004 Rates
3. Small Development Sites in Downtown South

Item 1

This item was moved to the June 10^th Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting.

Items 2 and 3

MOVED by Councillor Cadman

THAT the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets at its meeting of June 10, 2004, as contained in Items 2 and 3, be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Louie

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman

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

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTIONS

A. Administrative Motions

None.

B. Motions on Notice

1. Community Social Services Funding (File 1263)

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

WHEREAS community social services are vital to the health and well-being of thousands of British Columbians, especially women, people with disabilities, children and families in need, and the most vulnerable people in our society; and

WHEREAS these critical services are dependent on adequate funding by the provincial government; and

WHEREAS the provincial government has already cut $100 million from the community social services sector since 2001, and plans to cut at least $70 million more before March 31 of this year; and

WHEREAS these cuts are having a devastating impact on families and communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED council send a letter to the BC government calling on Premier Gordon Campbell, Finance Minister Gary Collins, and Minister of Children and Family Development Christie Clark to put on hold any further cuts to community social service funding in the upcoming 2004/2005 budget, and to make every effort to restore program funding to the pre-2001 level.

Referred

The Chair noted a request to speak on the matter.

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

THAT consideration of this Motion be referred to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting on July 8, 2004, to hear the speaker.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Request for a Report on Options and Costs for Testing Low-Cost Alternatives for Redesign of the Burrard Bridge (File 5553)

Councillor Bass submitted the following Motion. Councillor Sullivan 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, June 10, immediately following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting.

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

Background

The purpose of this request is to seek a report that would identify the pro's and con's of implementing a test of the simplest and least-cost alternatives for redesign of the Burrard Bridge, that is, committing one or two lanes of the bridge for bicycle use. This report would allow Council to consider the options and costs of testing a much-lower-cost alternative prior to receiving in September/October the full report that considers all the options for bridge re-design. The test period would begin before the end of July and would end when Council acts on the report for the Burrard Bridge redesign or sooner, if circumstances require ending of the test period.

The summer offers an opportunity to begin such a test, since commuter traffic is reduced because of holidays, and persons are more likely to try commuting by bicycle during warm weather than they would during rainier, colder weather.

Motion

BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council requests staff to report to Council by July 6 the work done to date on options that would assign one or two lanes of the Burrard Bridge for cycling and other non-powered wheeled transportation. Staff should list the pro's and con's of each option (taking zero, one or two lanes for cycling) and the costs of each option.

The report should address, as feasible:

a) Simple traffic modifications at each end of the bridge;
b) Means to monitor traffic and make adjustments;
c) Suggestions for diversion of traffic to alternative routes;
d) Ways to separate the lanes from motor vehicle traffic with cones or other barriers and the cost of demarcating the bike lanes with temporary paint;
e) Suggestions for publicizing the planned changes in advance; and
f) Potential sources of funding.

Notice

NEW BUSINESS

1. Leave of Absence - Councillor Louis (File 1254)

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT Councillor Louis be granted Leave of Absence (Civic Business) from this afternoon's Planning and Environment Committee meeting.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 11:45 a.m.

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