Vancouver City Council

These minutes will be adopted at the Regular Council Meeting on March 1, 2005

CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 8, 2005

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, February 8, 2005, at 7:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:

Deputy Mayor Raymond Louie
Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor Jim Green
*Councillor Peter Ladner
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Anne Roberts
Councillor Sam Sullivan
Councillor Ellen Woodsworth

ABSENT:

Mayor Larry Campbell (Civic Business)
Councillor David Cadman (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)
Councillor Tim Stevenson

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator

*Denotes absence for a portion of the meeting.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth

THAT this Council resolve itself into Court of Revision for the purpose of hearing complaints against the accuracy of names of property and business owners, or any other complaint which person interested may desire to make and which is by law cognizable by the Court, Deputy Mayor Louie in the Chair.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Ladner absent for the vote)

COURT OF REVISION

Projects by Council Initiative

Strathcona BIA Renewal
Marpole BIA Renewal
Chinatown BIA Renewal
Commercial Drive BIA Renewal

Delegations

Deputy Mayor Louie called for representations relating only to errors in the names of property and business owners, and no one came forward.

RISE FROM COURT OF REVISION

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth

THAT the Court of Revision rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Ladner absent for the vote)

COUNCIL

ADOPT THE REPORT OF THE COURT OF REVISION

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

THAT the report of the Court of Revision be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Memorandum from the Director of City Plans
February 4, 2005

Before Council was a memorandum from the Director of City Plans, dated February 4, 2005, which noted that on November 30, 2004, Council considered the following Business Improvement Area (BIA) applications:

Strathcona BIA Renewal
Marpole BIA Renewal
Chinatown BIA Renewal
Commercial Drive BIA Renewal

The applications were described in Appendices to the memorandum. Property owners in the BIA areas were given appropriate notifications as required by the Vancouver Charter, and business tenants also received notification according to City Policy.

Circulated at the meeting was a memorandum, dated February 8, 2005, from the BIA Coordinator, which provided information on the objections received for the BIA applications, updated to 5:00 p.m., February 8, 2005.

Peter Vaisbord, BIA Coordinator, reviewed the agenda and process with Council, and with the aid of area maps, reviewed the objections received for each application. Prior to considering the applications, the following speakers were heard:

Strathcona BIA Renewal

There were no speakers on this BIA renewal.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT the application of the Strathcona Area Merchants Society, as described in Appendix A of the memorandum dated February 4, 2005, from the Director of City Plans, be approved and that the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with the Director of City Plans, prepare by-laws: to re-establish the Strathcona BIA and establish a new funding ceiling, and to remit monies for a business promotion scheme.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Marpole BIA Renewal

There were no speakers on this BIA renewal.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT the application of the Marpole Business Association, as described in Appendix B of the memorandum dated February 4, 2005, from the Director of City Plans, be approved and that the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with the Director of City Plans, prepare by-laws: to re-establish the Marpole BIA and establish a new funding ceiling, and to remit monies for a business promotion scheme.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Chinatown BIA Renewal

The following spoke in support of the BIA renewal, noting the benefits to the area and the city, and the positive steps renewal of the BIA would continue to provide in welcoming tourists to the area, and overcoming some of the area's economic problems:

· Syrus Lee, Vice President, Vancouver Chinatown BIA Society
· Rick Lam, Chair, Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee
· Michael Chang, shop owner
· Joseph Wong, representing shop owner
· Tony Lam, Chair, Vancouver Chinatown BIA
· Albert Fok, Chair, Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association and Director BIA and Revitalization Committee

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT the application of the Vancouver Chinatown BIA Society, as described in Appendix C of the memorandum dated February 4, 2005, from the Director of City Plans, be approved and that the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with the Director of City Plans, prepare by-laws: to re-establish the Chinatown BIA and establish a new funding ceiling, and to remit monies for a business promotion scheme.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Commercial Drive BIA Renewal

The following spoke in support of the BIA renewal, noting past benefits to the area and the positive steps renewal of the BIA would provide in addressing services that the membership has indicated it wants:

· Janna Sylvest, member of the BIA Board
· Rob Forrest, business owner

Sam Buonassisi spoke in general support of the BIA but expressed concern with lack of notification of BIA Society meetings, the amount he must pay, and the City's method of calculating a property's share of the BIA levy.

Staff responded to a Council member's enquiry on the method used by the City to calculate a property's share of a BIA levy, and potential alternatives for these assessments.

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

THAT the application of the Commercial Drive Business Society, as described in Appendix D of the memorandum dated February 4, 2005, from the Director of City Plans, be approved and that the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with the Director of City Plans, prepare by-laws: to re-establish the Commercial Drive BIA and establish a new funding ceiling, and to remit monies for a business promotion scheme.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 9:02 p.m.

* * * * *

PRESENT:	Deputy Mayor Raymond Louie Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jim Green *Councillor Peter Ladner Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Anne Roberts Councillor Sam Sullivan Councillor Ellen Woodsworth

ABSENT:	Mayor Larry Campbell (Civic Business) Councillor David Cadman (Leave of Absence - Civic Business) Councillor Tim Stevenson

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator