RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

Policies governing the Local Improvement process are set out in the Vancouver Charter and Local Improvements Procedure By-law. Many initiative projects included in this report have been chosen based on recent Council objectives.

PURPOSE

A Court of Revision is scheduled for November 18, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. to review a number of petition and initiative projects. The report for petition projects will be advanced to Council separately at a later date to allow as much time as possible for residents to circulate their petitions. The purpose of this report is to begin the formal Local Improvement process by advancing the initiative projects to the Court of Revision and reporting on the financial arrangements for the projects. Approval of this report does not commit Council to undertake the projects.

First Step

As required by the Local Improvement Procedure By-law, projects for the following categories and detailed on the attached schedule (Appendix I), are advanced to Council by Initiative for review at a Court of Revision, which will be held at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, November 18, 2004.

Court #617

SIDEWALKS

On April 8, 2004, Council approved the recommendations to establish and adopt policy that would expedite the completion of the City sidewalk network:

- on both sides of transit streets;
- on both sides of arterial streets;
- on both sides (as needed) of pedestrian collector routes;
- on both sides of higher-zoned streets; and
- on local residential streets,

The construction of new sidewalks responds to Council's top two priorities for transportation improvements; pedestrians and transit as identified by The Central Area Plan (1991), CityPlan (1995), Transportation Plan (1997), Downtown Transportation Plan (2002) and the report of the Sidewalk Task Force (2002)

To expedite completion of the sidewalk network, Council also approved a recommendation to revise cost sharing such that the City now pays between 65% to 80% of the costs depending on applicable relief's provided to owners. By reducing the costs to owners, support should increase for sidewalk projects.

Should a majority of owners for a City Initiative project object, the project is normally considered defeated. However, noting Councils priorities, staff will be recommending to Council that all defeated projects proceed immediately on Special Grounds despite property owner objections. Council has the authority to proceed on Special Grounds as specified in Section 506(3) of the Vancouver Charter.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The cost of constructing the Local Improvements is estimated at $1.90 million. The City's share is $1.45 million funded as follows

Second Step

The Director of Finance reports as follows:

In accordance with the Local Improvements Procedure By-law, I am submitting the attached City Engineers Report. The estimated cost of these projects is $1,897,754. The property owners' share of the projects is $449,146. The City's share is $1,448,608. I have to report that the necessary financial arrangements can be made to carry out this work.

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APPENDIX I
PAGE 1 OF 3

COURT OF REVISION - NOVEMBER 18, 2004

INITIATIVE PROJECTS - COURT #617

I. SPEED HUMPS

The following speed hump projects are being initiated as a result of complaints about safety due to speeding vehicles using the lanes as an alternate route in order to avoid signalized intersections or as a short cut to their destinations. Circulating a petition on some of the projects would be difficult because of the number of strata owners involved of which some are absentee owners.

II. PEDESTRIAN COLLECTOR SIDEWALKS

On April 8, 2004, Council approved the recommendations to establish and adopt policy that would expedite the completion of the City sidewalk network:

- on both sides of transit streets;
- on both sides of arterial streets;
- on both sides (as needed) of pedestrian collector routes;
- on both sides of higher-zoned streets; and
- on local residential streets,

The construction of new sidewalks responds to Council's top two priorities for transportation improvements; pedestrians and transit as identified by The Central Area Plan (1991), CityPlan (1995), Transportation Plan (1997), Downtown Transportation Plan (2002) and the report of the Sidewalk Task Force (2002)

To expedite completion of the sidewalk network, Council also approved a recommendation to revise cost sharing such that the City now pays between 65% to 80% of the costs depending on applicable relief's provided to owners. By reducing the costs to owners, support should increase for sidewalk projects.

A notice will be mailed to the owners of property adjacent the following City Initiative projects advising them of the project, the cost of the project and their individual assessment. The notice also advises owners of the date for objections to be received and the date of the Court of Revision.

Should a majority of owners for a City Initiative project object, the project is normally considered defeated. However, noting Councils priorities, staff will be recommending to Council that all defeated projects proceed immediately on Special Grounds despite property owner objections. Council has the authority to proceed on Special Grounds as specified in Section 506(3) of the Vancouver Charter.

II. PEDESTRIAN COLLECTOR SIDEWALKS (cont'd)

APPENDIX II
PAGE 1 OF 1

CITY OF VANCOUVER - LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS DETAILED SECOND STEP REPORT

Summary of Estimated Costs and Certificates to the Attached Local Improvement Estimates
Advanced on the Initiative Principle for a Court of Revision on November 18, 2004

Court #617

The estimated costs provide for necessary incidental work. The cost of the property owners' share of the above noted projects and interest, is repayable over 15 years.

APPENDIX III
PAGE 1 OF 1

Initiative Court of Revision #617
November 18, 2004

City of Vancouver Assessable Properties
As per Real Estate Services - L. Kemp

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