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REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 17, 2005 |
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment was held on Thursday, February 17, 2005, at 2:00 p.m., in Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: |
Councillor Anne Roberts, Chair
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ABSENT: |
Mayor Larry Campbell (Leave of Absence)
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CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Diane Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator |
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting of January 20, 2005, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. 7006 Victoria Drive - Private Liquor Store (File 2609)
Development Application Number DE408597
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated February 1, 2005, in which the Director of Current Planning sought Council advice on a development application to alter and add to the existing building on the site at 7006 Victoria Drive (previously used as a Self-Service Gasoline Station) and to change the use to a private Liquor Store (Type 1 - Beer only).
Bill Boons, Manager, Processing Centre - Development, reviewed the report and responded to questions relating to five applications received since adoption of the current policy and how these will be processed.
John Teti and Roger Gibson, 639485 BC Ltd. Applicants, spoke in support of their application. Their comments included:
· impacts on the proposed site relating to traffic, deliveries and parking;
· compared proposed site with the nearby government liquor store and applicant's criteria for determining the appropriate location;
· neighbourhood notification conducted by independent company in Mandarin and English; and
· application was submitted prior to guidelines relating to local shopping areas.
Mr. Boons responded to questions relating to zoning, the current policy as it relates to shopping areas, procedure for processing applications including neighbourhood notification, and the proposed site's proximity to other liquor stores.
The following spoke in opposition to the application:
Cheryl Davies, Parents' Committee, David Thompson Secondary School
Trisha Reimer, Children's Pastor, Harvest City Church
Kimberly Daum
Richard Nantel
Speakers' comments included:
· proposed location is inappropriate as it is too near schools, community centres, churches, and family-oriented institutions;
· potential customers coming off major arteries are targets-for this store and there is limited parking in the area;
· no need for more liquor stores as neighbourhood is well served;
· loitering, littering and security a concern;
· do not want to encourage at-risk students; alcohol already causing social problems and health risk;
· there should be community input strategy; each application would have its own concerns;
· location is outside boundaries of current policy;
· concern expressed regarding methodology for tracking crime-related calls to police;
· extra traffic would have negative impact on the area and create a safety hazard;
· Champlain Mall is the best replacement site for a liquor store; and
· more appropriate for liquor stores to be located in confined shopping mall.
Keith Olsen, ReMax Real Estate Services spoke in support of the application (material submitted - on file). His comments included:
· applicants are solid businessmen of good character;
· there would not be a great increase in neighbourhood traffic; and
· proposed site is best for private liquor store.
In response to questions, Mr. Boons clarified how the application relates to the current policy and the impact on the other applications that will come forward.
MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT the Director of Planning be advised that Council would not favour approval of Development Application Number DE408597 for a Private Liquor Store (Type 1 - Beer Only) at 7006 Victoria Drive.
carried unanimously
POSTPONEMENT MOVED by Councillor Ladner
THAT the decision regarding approval of Development Application Number DE408597 for a Private Liquor Store (Type 1 - Beer Only) at 7006 Victoria Drive be postponed to provide an opportunity to review all similar applications.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Louie, Louis, Roberts and Woodsworth opposed)
The motion to postpone having LOST, the motion was put and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Councillor Louie requested a memo back from staff clarifying the policy relating to private liquor stores in general and more specifically criteria relating to shopping areas.
2. Dangerous Dogs: Protection Strategy (File 3507)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated January 31, 2005, in which the Chief License Inspector presented a two-part strategy to Council addressing the issue of dangerous dogs in the City of Vancouver.
Alena Straka, Policy Analyst, along with Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, reviewed the report and responded to questions relating to success of legislation and strategies in other jurisdictions (Canada and world-wide), specifics of the communication plan including resource sharing with other organizations, enforcement recommendations, licensing, differentials in fees/insurance relating to specific breeds, how the proposed plan ties pitbulls and dangerous dogs into the overall Animal Control Services Strategic Plan, frequency of dog bites and tracking of statistics by the health care system.
The following spoke in general support of the recommendations, but not in favour of breed banning:
Danielle Cross, Co-Director, HugABull (material submitted - on file)
Marion Postgate, Canadian Kennel Club (material submitted - on file)
Shelagh Begg
Margaret Newton
Dr. Christiane Armstrong, Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital
Craig Naherniak, BC SPCA
Laura Crylser
Patrick O'Grady, BC Veterinarian Medical Association
Barb Adamski
Sam Kaplan
Helen Vasa
Pamela Boles
Speakers' comment included:
· Calgary's system relating to dangerous dogs is a good model of effective measures to reduce problems;
· breed ban doesn't work; pit bulls should not be discriminated against;
· breed ban doesn't protect and gives the public a false sense of security;
· pit bulls are not responsible for majority of bites;
· government should enact by-laws to protect public from dangerous dogs of all breeds;
· Council urged to avoid ill-informed, fear based legislation;
· dogs should be muzzled only if determined dangerous as an individual dog;
· perception of pit bull owners is negative and false;
· province-wide review needed before breed specific ban implemented;
· education of public/owners cannot be underestimated;
· City encouraged to be proactive by providing incentives for good owners, e.g. discount on licensing fees;
· mandatory veterinary reports could provide statistics on dogs bites;
· difficult to establish dog breed to degree that would withstand legal challenge;
· in countries where list of banned breeds has expanded, enforcement is very difficult;
· breed banning treads upon rights of responsible owners and would be unfair to economically disadvantaged owners;
· responsible breeding has made previously-considered dangerous dogs socially acceptable;
· long term solution must come from Provincial level;
· SPCA willing to work with stakeholders to develop strategy to deal with aggressive dogs;
· temperament testing is being used within SPCA facilities and should be used more;
· term "pit bull" is misused and tends to refer to any dog that bites;
· discriminatory language should be removed from current by-law; and
· media accountability should be encouraged.
Staff responded to questions relating to statistics of dog types, dog bites, and rationale regarding specifying pit bulls and not other large dogs.
MOVED by Councillor Stevenson
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council supports the objectives of the Animal Control Services Strategic Plan by implementing tighter vicious dog regulations, higher penalties and fines for the offending dog owners, more effective enforcement and a dog safety public education campaign as outlined in Administrative Report Dangerous Dogs: Protection Strategy dated January 31, 2005; and
FURTHER THAT Council instructs the Mayor to send a letter to the Solicitor General requesting the Province look at the feasibility of legislation to deal with vicious/dangerous dogs province-wide, including more effective and comprehensive enforcement powers for municipalities.
carried unanimously
AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT the words "but not to target specific breeds" be added to the end of the second paragraph.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Ladner, Louie, Roberts, Stevenson and Sullivan opposed
The amendment having lost, the main motion was put and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
3. 965 Granville Street - Luv-A-Fair Entertainment Inc.
Liquor Primary License (Neighbourhood Pub) (File 2611)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated May 4, 2004, in which the Chief License Inspector recommended Council not endorse the application by Luv-A-Fair Entertainment Inc. for a 65-seat with 20-seat patio Liquor Primary License (Neighbourhood Pub), in conjunction with the existing 333-seat Liquor Primary (Cabaret) at the Caprice, 965 Granville Street.
On behalf of the Applicant, Dennis Coates, Mair Jensen Blair, suggested an alternative to the recommendation in the report (submitted material- on file).
Mr. Teichroeb and Constable Peter Ryan, Vancouver Police Department, had no objection to this alternative.
MOVED by Councillor Louie
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council postpone the application from Luv-A-Fair Entertainment Inc.for a Liquor Primary license at 965 Granville Street until December 31st, 2005 as requested by the applicant; and
FURTHER THAT Council supports the Chief License Inspector giving favourable consideration to a temporary extension of hours up to December 31st, 2005 for the Food Primary License until 2:00 a.m. on the basis that this premise is within the Entertainment District, that most of the other Food Primary Licenses in the area have a closing time of 2:00 a.m. and that this premise acts as a holding area for the attached Cabaret which helps to alleviate the line-ups and street impacts on the block.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. Provincial Hate Crime Team (File 3502)
At its meeting on February 1, 2005, Council referred the motion relating to this issue to the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting on February 17, 2005, in order to hear speakers. Councillor Stevenson introduced the motion.
The following spoke in favour of the motion:
Tony DuMoulin, Canadian Jewish Congress (material submitted - on file)
Raymond Campeau
Jim Deva, Little Sister's Book and Art Emporium
Speakers' comments included:
· CJC combats criminal conduct based on bias and is committed to zero tolerance
· gay community is disproportionately a target of hate crimes;
· meaningful statistics can be determined based on reported hate "incidents", even if not officially designated as hate "crimes";
· establishing an effective hate crime team with adequate funding is investment in public safety and would result in cost-savings;
· effective hate crime team could identify problems and how to deal with them; may have been able to establish that Aaron Webster's death was a hate crime;
· homophobia is thriving and it is difficult to convey the impact on individuals;
· Council support of motion would give message that Vancouver accepts all communities;
· due to staff shortages on hate crime team, prosecution takes precedence over education which is essential; and
· Council should consider providing a start-up grant to initiate a Vancouver symposium on hate crime to include all stakeholders and advocacy groups.
MOVED by Councillor Stevenson
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
WHEREAS
1. The BC Supreme Court verdict in the death of Aaron Webster saw one man acquitted and another allowed home for Christmas to await sentencing; and
2. This decision has caused anger and outrage in Vancouver's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community; and
3. This crime was motivated by homophobia; and
4. It is a fundamental right of all Vancouver's citizens to live their lives in freedom and security, safe from violence and harm; and
5. Groups such as the Canadian Jewish Congress have warned that crimes like attack on Aaron Webster are not only directed against the individual but part of a larger pathology of group hatred tearing at the very fabric of our diverse society.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
1. That the City of Vancouver reiterate its commitment to oppose discrimination of any sort, including homophobia; and
2. The City of Vancouver endorse the call of the Canadian Jewish Congress for a well-funded provincial hate crime program with a strong educational component, the compilation of hate crime statistics and special sentencing provisions for hate crimes.
3. THAT this motion to be forwarded to the Lower Mainland Municipal Association, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Committee adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
FEBRUARY 17, 2005 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 17, 2005, at 6:15 p.m., in Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations and actions of the Committee.
PRESENT: |
Deputy Mayor Raymond Louie
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ABSENT: |
Mayor Larry Campbell (Leave of Absence)
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CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Diane Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator |
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Stevenson
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Deputy Mayor Louie in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
February 17, 2005
Council considered the report containing the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment. Its items of business included:
1. 7006 Victoria Drive - Private Liquor Store
Development Application Number DE408597
2. Dangerous Dogs: Protection Strategy
3. 965 Granville Street - Luv-A-Fair Entertainment Inc.
Liquor Primary License (Neighbourhood Pub)
4. Provincial Hate Crime Team
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment at its meeting of February 17, 2005, as contained in Items 1 - 4, be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
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 Stevenson
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
NEW BUSINESS
1. Vancouver City Crest (File 1009)
Councillor Woodsworth requested that staff provide a memo to Council on options to create a new Vancouver City crest, more in keeping with the times.
The Council adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
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