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REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
JUNE 24, 2004 |
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, June 24, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: |
Councillor Tim Louis, Chair |
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Tina Hildebrandt, Meeting Coordinator |
* Denotes absence for a portion of the meeting.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of May 20, 2004, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. FCM Quality of Life Indicators - Implications for Vancouver (File 3253)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 7, 2004, in which the Director of Social Planning reviewed the FCM Quality of Life Reporting System Highlights Report, particularly as it pertains to Vancouver. The General Manager of Community Services Group recommended approval.
Rick Gates, Social Planner, reviewed the report and, together with Jeff Brooks, Director - Social Planning, responded to questions concerning the decline in Vancouver's quality of life, the factors used in determining quality of life, whether more detailed factors could be used, and whether staff could prepare a more comprehensive vision for the future of Vancouver. In response to a question, Mr. Gates agreed to provide a memorandum on regional air quality.
Nancy Henderson, Executive Director, SPARC BC, congratulated Council for participating in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Quality of Life project, provided a brief overview of SPARC's inclusive cities project which looks at monitoring perceptions of social inclusion, and strongly urged Council to consider a comprehensive social vision.
In response to a question, Mr. Brooks advised that staff will be reporting back in late Fall on how Council policies impact quality of life indicators in Vancouver and possible strategies to address the decline in these indicators at the municipal and regional levels.
A Council member requested Communications put out a press release on the report's highlights.
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council receive for information "The Federation of Canadian Municipalities Quality of Life Reporting System Highlights Report 2004" and the Administrative Report dated June 7, 2004, entitled "FCM Quality of Life Indicators - Implications for Vancouver".
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Mayor absent for the vote.)
2. A.S.T.C. Science World - Annual Review & 2004 Operating Grant Request (File 2201)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated May 26, 2004, in which the Directors of Office of Cultural Affairs and Finance reviewed Science World's 2003 activities and presented for Council's consideration their 2004 operating grant request. The General Managers of Community and Corporate Services recommended approval.
Karen Hasselfelt, Cultural Planner, briefly reviewed the report.
Bryan Tisdall thanked Council for its support, noting Science World has had a successful year and there are plans to create sustainable art outside the facility.
MOVED by Councillor Louie
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve an Operating Grant of $85,800 to the A.S.T.C. Science World Society; source of funds to be the 2004 `Other' Grants budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Mayor absent for the vote.)
3. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society - Annual Review & 2004 Operating Grant Request (File 2201)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 1, 2004, in which the Directors of Office of Cultural Affairs and Finance reviewed H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society's 2003 activities and presented its 2004 operating grant request for Council's consideration. The General Managers of Community and Corporate Services recommended approval.
Karen Hasselfelt, Cultural Planner, briefly reviewed the report.
Donna Livingstone, Executive Director, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, introduced Doug Purdie, Secretary/Treasurer, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, thanked Council for its support and reviewed activities to date as well as future initiatives.
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve an operating grant of $474,900 to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society; source of funds to be the 2004 `Other' Grants budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Mayor absent for the vote.)
INFORMATION
4. City of Vancouver Advertising Policy (File 1161)
This item was postponed to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting on July 8, 2004.
RECOMMENDATION
5. Broadway and Commercial Drive Community Amenity Proposal (File 1755)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 8, 2004, in which the Director of City Plans in consultation with the Director of Social Planning, General Manager of Engineering Services and the Manager of Real Estate Services sought Council's approval to allocate $208,000 earmarked for a community amenity in the Broadway and Commercial Drive area to develop a community garden, children's playground, neighbourhood greenway and public art on three vacant BC Transit and City-owned sites along the SkyTrain guideway, as proposed by the My Own Back Yard (MOBY) community group. The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval, noting that the creation of community gardens was identified as a priority area in the Food Action Plan approved by Council on December 9, 2003. The City's interim food policy staff team will provide assistance to the volunteers involved with this project, as well as facilitate links with other relevant food-related initiatives. The General Manager of Engineering Services supported the proposed uses on the City-owned lanes included in the sites subject to a number of conditions being addressed in an agreement to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services, including but not limited to:
· the uses are temporary;
· access to existing sewers and for installation of potential new utilities;
· the possibility of future lane opening;
· safety concerns;
· maintenance and liability.
Susan Anderson, Planner - Community Visions Implementation, was available to respond to questions.
Jason O'Brien and Chris Taulu, My Own Back Yard (MOBY) Community Group, presented a proposal to develop a multi-use space, including a community garden, playground and greenway, on three vacant sites on East 11th and 12th Avenues east of Commercial Drive. With regard to safety issues, Ms. Taulu advised that there are more ways to address this concern than just enforcement, pointing out that getting people interactive in this project will create a much safer neighbourhood.
The following spoke in favour of the proposal from MOBY:
Peter Wohlwend
Maryke Nap
Tanita Flake, Pacifica Treatment Centre
Helina Mickiewicz, MOSAIC Language Centre & Daycare
Lilibet Greig
A summary of speakers' comments follow:
· this proposal will provide a much needed focus for people to rally around and, with more people on the street, will create a safer neighbourhood;
· the garden space will allow people to get back in touch with the earth and have some responsibility;
· the development and sustainability of this project will not only provide the clients of Pacifica Treatment Centre with skills but will also help foster in them a sense of cooperation and community pride which will serve them well as they begin their new lives; and
· MOSAIC Language Centre & Daycare strongly supports this project because there is no playground nearby for the children in the daycare.
The following expressed concern with regard to the use of the Community Amenity Funds and stressed the need for a policing centre at the Broadway/Commercial SkyTrain station:
Ian Egloff
Brigitta Tin
Colleen Gem
Rod Russel
Ken Baker, Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Association
Barb Wright, Cedar Cottage Safety Office
A summary of speakers' comments follow:
· how can anyone believe it is right to take monies lobbied by one community group and give it to another without the consent of the original intended recipient - our neighbourhood needs the safety office as it was promised;
· not opposed to green space but have a problem with the Collingwood Neighbourhood Safety Office having to cover both its own and the Broadway/Commercial area;
· part of the amenity package agreement included funding specifically earmarked for community policing services - the residents north of Broadway deal with crime related issues continually and need a place to go to address these concerns;
· have great admiration for the initiatives MOBY has brought forward and the logic they use but it is not a proper use of these funds - we need a neighbourhood policing office;
· concerned over the use of citizen time and volunteerism in the past only to be shunted aside because someone comes up with another idea - the citizens were promised a neighbourhood safety office; and
· the gardens are wonderful but they are not going to make this neighbourhood safe - the purpose of the community amenity funds is for the safety office.
Ms. Anderson, together with Wayne Pledger, Manager, Vancouver Rapid Transit Office, and Mario Lee, Social Planning, responded to questions related to the MOBY proposal, safety issues and funding.
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council postpone decision on the Administrative Report dated June 8, 2004, entitled "Broadway and Commercial Drive Community Amenity Proposal" and ask staff for a full consultation with the community, City police and SkyTrain police to fulfill the commitment made by RTPO to provide a neighbourhood safety office.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Green, Ladner, Louie, Louis, Roberts, Stevenson, Sullivan and the Mayor opposed)
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT City Council approve in principle the proposal from the My Own Back Yard (MOBY) Community Group to use the $208,000 earmarked for a community amenity for the Broadway and Commercial Drive area to develop community gardens, a children's playground and a neighbourhood greenway on the three vacant sites on East 11th and East 12th Avenues east of Commercial Drive, subject to the City entering into a lease with B.C. Transit and all other necessary permissions and approvals, including arrangements for the use of City-owned lanes to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services.
B. THAT the community garden phase of the project be approved up to a maximum cost of $93,000, to be administered by the Collingwood Community Policing Centre, in partnership with the My Own Back Yard Community Group, under contract with the City. Source of funds is the CSG Broadway and Commercial Community Amenity budget.
C. THAT the Manager of Real Estate Services be instructed to negotiate, and the Director of Legal Services authorized to enter into on behalf of the City, a lease with B.C. Transit for the properties as generally identified in Appendix B of the Administrative Report dated June 8, 2004, entitled "Broadway and Commercial Drive Community Amenity Proposal".
D. THAT the Director of City Plans in consultation with the General Manager of Park Board and the General Manager of Engineering Services report back within 6 months with a strategy and estimated capital and operating costs for developing the playground and neighbourhood greenway phases of the project.
CARRIED
(Councillor Cadman and the Mayor opposed)
6. Report of Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission (File 1103)
At the Regular Council meeting on June 8, 2004, Commissioner Thomas Berger presented a Report Reference on A City of Neighbourhoods: Report of the 2004 Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission. Council received the report and postponed discussion and consideration to the Regular Council meeting of June 22, 2004. Subsequently, as Mr. Berger was not available on June 22, 2004, Vancouver City Council referred this matter to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting on June 24, 2004, at 11:00 a.m.
Accordingly, Commissioner Berger responded to questions related to the report, including the current at-large election system and the costs involved with implementing a Ward system.
MOVED by the Mayor
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
WHEREAS Thomas Berger, the City's electoral reform commissioner, has recommended in his report of June 8, 2004, that the at-large system of electing Vancouver City Councillors should be abolished and Councillors should be elected from wards; and
WHEREAS he further recommended that the City hold a referendum on the adoption of a ward system for Council on or about October 16, 2004; and
WHEREAS the Berger report recommended the proposed ward boundaries, the form of the referendum question and the form of the ballot; and
WHEREAS the Berger report also contained a series of additional recommendations for legislative changes to further enhance civic democracy, including amendments to the Vancouver Charter to open the way to possible proportional representation in city elections; and
WHEREAS City Council in interested in implementing, as quickly as possible, every possible measure to expand civic democracy;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council ask the City Manager to report at the next meeting on the necessary steps, including a budget to improve voter outreach and access programs, to hold the referendum as proposed by the Berger Commission; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager report by September on steps necessary to implement the remaining recommendations, including the legislative changes proposed by the Berger Commission to the Vancouver Charter.
carried
AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Ladner
THAT the RESOLVES in the foregoing Motion be amended as follows (italics denote amendment):
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council ask the City Manager to report at the next meeting on the necessary steps, including a budget to improve voter outreach and access programs, to hold the referendum as proposed by the Berger Commission except for the date which should be November 2005 to coincide with the civic election; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager report by September on steps necessary to implement recommendations 2, 4, 6, 11, 12 and 14 to 23 as contained in the report entitled "A City of Neighbourhoods: Report of the 2004 Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission", including the legislative changes proposed by the Berger Commission to the Vancouver Charter.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Green, Louis, Roberts, Stevenson, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)
(Councillor Louie absent for the vote.)
The amendment having lost, the Mayor's Motion was put and CARRIED with Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed; Councillor Louie absent for the vote.
The Committee adjourned at 2:19 p.m.
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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 24, 2004 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, June 24, 2004, at 2:19 p.m., in 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: |
Mayor Larry Campbell
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CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Tina Hildebrandt, Meeting Coordinator |
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Bass
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Campbell in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
June 24, 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. FCM Quality of Life Indicators - Implications for Vancouver
2. A.S.T.C. Science World - Annual Review & 2004 Operating Grant Request
3. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Society - Annual Review & 2004 Operating Grant Request
4. City of Vancouver Advertising Policy
5. Broadway and Commercial Drive Community Amenity Proposal
6. Report of Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission
Items 1, 5 and 6
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets at its meeting of June 24, 2004, as contained in Items 1, 5 and 6, be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
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 24, 2004, as contained in Items 2 and 3, be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
Item 4
This item was postponed to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting on July 8, 2004.
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 Roberts
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
MOTIONS
A. Administrative Motion
None
B. Motions on Notice
1. Vancouver Maritime Museum (File 4002)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT Council postpone consideration of the Motion entitled "Vancouver Maritime Museum" to the Regular Council meeting on July 20, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
NEW BUSINESS
1. Section 3.2 of the Procedure By-Law (File 113)
MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Roberts
THAT Council waive Section 3.2 of the Procedure By-law as it relates to the start time of the afternoon Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Leave of Absence - Councillor Green (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Stevenson
SECONDED by Councillor Louie
THAT Councillor Green be granted Leave of Absence from the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting on July 6, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 2:24 p.m.
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