CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on
Thursday, July 20, 1995, at 11:05 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third
Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services
and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.
PRESENT: Mayor Owen
Councillors Chiavario, Clarke,
Hemer, Ip, Kennedy,
Kwan, Price, Puil
and Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Bellamy [Sick Leave]
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole,
Mayor Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of the Standing Committee
on City Services and Budgets
July 20, 1995
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: City of Vancouver Mandatory Retirement Policy
Cl. 2: Grant Request: Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation
Cl. 3: Theatre Rental Rates - September 1, 1995 to
August 31, 1996
Cl. 4: Contract Award for Design Services Related to
Water Storage and Transmission Capacity
Cl. 5: East Vancouver Farmers' Market -
3250 Commercial Drive
COMMITTEE REPORTS (CONTINUED)
Report of the Standing Committee
on City Services and Budgets
July 20, 1995 [Continued]
Clauses 1, 3, 4 and 5
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in
Clauses 1, 3, 4 and 5 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Grant Request -
Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation
Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
2 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Hemer,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at approximately 11:10 a.m.
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
JULY 20, 1995
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, July 20, 1995, at 9:30
a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Puil, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy (Clauses 3 to 5)
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Price
Councillor Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Bellamy (Sick Leave)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Tarja Tuominen
Recorded Vote
Unless otherwise indicated, votes of the Committee on all items
are unanimous.
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services & Budgets
meeting of June 29, 1995, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. City of Vancouver File: 1309
Mandatory Retirement Policy
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated June 16, 1995
(on file), in which the Manager of Compensation & Benefits, in
consultation with the Corporation Counsel, recommended the City
confirm its existing policy of requiring employees to retire at the
maximum retirement age as defined in the Pension (Municipal) Act: age
60 for uniformed Fire and Police personnel; age 65 for all others.
Clause No. 1 Continued
Ms. Eileen Stewart, General Manager of Human Resource Services,
and Ms. Marjorie Calibaba, Manager of Compensation & Benefits, were
present to answer questions.
The following motion by the Mayor was put and CARRIED. The Com-
mission, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT the City confirm its existing policy of requiring
employees to retire at the maximum retirement age as defined
in the Pension (Municipal) Act (age 60 for uniformed Fire
and Police personnel; age 65 for all others).
2. Grant Request - File: 2203/4004-2
Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June
29, 1995 (on file), in which the Director of Social Plan-ning
recommended approval of a grant of $6,000 to the Kinsmen
Rehabilitation Foundation to assist in the sorting and selec-tion of
resource materials to be transferred to Vancouver Public Library. The
Director also sought approval for the cancellation of the 1994 Capital
Grant of $7,950 to the Foundation and return of the funds to the
unallocated portion of the Capital Grants budget. In addition, the
Director recommended contracting with the Vancouver Public Library to
transport the donated Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation collec-tion,
select priority items and catalogue them, for a total cost of $6,000.
Source of funds for the grants to be the unallocated portion of the
Capital Grants budget.
Mr. Rick Gates, Social Planner, was present to answer questions.
Ms. Kathy Ellis and Mr. Ed Guy, representing the Kinsmen
Rehabilitation Foundation, were present to answer questions.
Clause No. 2 Continued
The following motions by Councillor Ip were put and CARRIED. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council approve the cancellation of the 1994
Capital Grant of $7,950 to the Kinsmen Rehabilitation
Foundation, and return of these funds to the
unallocated portion of the Capital Grants budget.
B. THAT Council approve a grant of $6,000 to the Kinsmen
Rehabilitation Foundation to assist in the sorting and
selection of resource materials to be transferred to
Vancouver Public Library; source of funds is the
unallocated portion of the Capital Grants budget.
C. THAT the City contract with Vancouver Public Library to
transport the donated Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation
collection, select priority items and catalogue them,
for a total cost of $6,000; source of funds is the
unallocated portion of the Capital Grants budget.
3. Theatre Rental Rates - File: 4251
September 1, 1995 to August 31, 1996
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated June 27, 1995
(on file), in which the Director of Civic Theatres sought approval for
a Schedule of Rental Rates and Conditions for Civic Theatres,
effective September 1, 1995. The Director also recommended an
increase in the rental rates for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre,
Vancouver Playhouse and Orpheum.
Mr. Rae Ackerman, Director of Civic Theatres, reviewed some of
the points which drive rental rates in civic theatres:
- the annual operating budget targets set by the Corporate
Management Team;
- rental rates are set effective from September 1 to the
following year; and
- the underlying philosophy since 1992 has been to ensure
fees charged for services are comparative to market
rates.
Clause No. 3 Continued
Civic Theatres completed its periodic review of rates of comparative
facilities. It is still behind, which is why it has been pushing
rental rates faster than the rate of infla-tion. In answer to a
question, Mr. Ackerman advised the closest comparison to Vancouver's
facilities were in Toronto, Portland and Seattle.
Mr. Howard Jang, representing the Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver
Opera, Vancouver Playhouse and Ballet British Columbia (brief on
file), outlined concerns with the proposed civic theatre rental
increases, some of which are: significant yearly increases in theatre
rental rates in the past five years of 26%; inhibit extra theatre uses
which extend and promote the artistic and economic health of user
companies; yearly increases do not encourage use by non-profit
organizations whose presentation activities are not currently covered
by the grant-equal to rent program; and civic theatres rental rates
are among the highest in the country. Mr. Jang requested the rental
rates be frozen at the 1994/95 level.
Responding to a question, Mr. Ackerman noted some of the other
theatres across the country are undergoing major manage-ment reviews,
and some will have serious problems at the bottom line.
The following motion by Councillor Clarke was put and CARRIED.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT Council approve the Schedule of Rental Rates and
Conditions for Civic Theatres, as detailed in Appendix A of
the Policy Report dated June 27, 1995, effective September
1, 1995.
4. Contract Award for Design Services File: 1801-4
Related to Water Storage and Trans-
mission Capacity
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June
30, 1995 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering
Services recommended awarding of the second phase of the contract for
design services for storage and trans-mission optimization to Dayton &
Knight Consulting Engineers Ltd., at a maximum cost of $250,000.
Funding to be provided by
Clause No. 4 Continued
an increase in the 1995 Waterworks Capital Budget by debenture
borrowing. Consultant contracts over $30,000 are to be awarded by
Council. Contracts are to be awarded on the basis of best value for
fee.
Mr. Tom Timm, Assistant City Engineer - Water, Sewer & Yards
Division, noted the second phase will include the identification and
development of feasible project options which will be presented to
Council in the fall. Optimizing planned storage and transmission
facilities within Vancouver would save approximately $22 million. Co-
operating with the GVRD on development of regional projects could save
additional money. In addition, potential partners, such as Vancouver
Hospital, may be included to further defray costs.
Mr. Timm and Mr. Jerry Dobrovolney, Assistant Waterworks
Engineer, answered questions on the first phase of the project, which
reviewed the cost effectiveness of, and the reasons for, developing
water storage within Vancouver, as well as on the second phase,
including the availability of other project partners, and
consideration of emergency water storage options.
The following motion by Councillor Clarke was put and CARRIED.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be
authorized to enter into contract, in consultation with the
Director of Legal Services, with Dayton & Knight Consulting
Engineers Ltd. for the second phase of the contract for
engineering services related to storage and transmission
optimization, at a maximum cost of $250,000 for this phase;
funding to be provided by an increase in the 1995 Waterworks
Capital Budget by debenture borrowing.
5. East Vancouver Farmers' Market File: 5101-2
3250 Commercial Drive
At the Vancouver City Council meeting on July 18, 1995, a motion
was submitted to withhold enforcement on a farmers' market operating
out of the Croatian Cultural Centre parking lot, located at 3250
Commercial Drive. Notice was called on the motion, and staff were
requested to provide further information.
Clause No. 5 Continued
Accordingly, circulated this day was a memorandum dated July 19,
1995, from the Associate Director of Planning - Land Use and Devel-
opment (on file).
Mr. Rick Scobie, Associate Director of Planning - Land Use and
Development, reviewed the memorandum and answered questions on the
zoning of the Croatian Cultural Centre and the approved uses under the
Centre's CD-1 zoning. Mr. Scobie reiterated that allowing the
farmers' market at this site will be a departure from the existing
policy, and may precipitate numerous requests for equitable treatment
from others who have long pushed for kiosks and other mobile vending
opportunities on private property.
Mr. Ken Dobell, City Manager, advised the possibility of a
roadway market site has been discussed with the proponents of the
Market. Closure of the street for the Market during the summer and
fall months is a legal option.
Mr. Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services, con-
firmed that under the provisions of the Street & Traffic By-law, a
street can be closed for a street festival. The Farmers' Market would
fit that definition, and the street could be closed on Saturday
mornings, on a limited basis. Engineering would provide barricades;
signage could be purchased at a one-time cost of $1,000. There would
be no need for policing costs; the market would be run like a block
party.
Mr. Franco Ferrari and Ms. Vicki Boere, representing the East
Vancouver Farmers' Market Society (brief on file), were present to
support the market proposal. Mr. Ferrari has canvassed the
neighbourhood; residents are generally in support of the proposal.
However, there is greater support for holding the market in the
Croatian Community Centre parking lot than on the street. The street
closure will be more disruptive, and will affect more residents than
if held on the Centre site. In addition, one third of the Centre's
parking lot would be reserved for the Market; the other two-thirds
would be avail-able for attenders of the market, thus relieving local
streets of traffic and noise. The neighbourhood see the market as an
opportunity for community revitalization around food. The market
would sell fresh produce and local area crafts, only; no meat or
fish, which would require refrigeration facilities.
Clause No. 5 Continued
During discussion, the Committee expressed support for the
proposal. Some concerns were raised about setting a precedent; there
are a number of CD-1 areas in the city, and other groups or
individuals may want to submit similar proposals. It was suggested
any amendments to the Centre's CD-1 zoning should be specific, and a
trial period for the market will identify potential problems which
will be reported back prior to the decision on an amendment to the CD-
1 zoning.
TheCityManagernoted
theamendmentwillcontainsite
specificinstructions.
The following motion by Councillor Kwan was put and CARRIED. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT Council instruct the Planning Department and Permits &
Licenses Department to withhold enforce-ment on a farmers'
market in the Croatian Cultural Centre parking lot for the
summer and fall seasons between July 29, 1995 to October 7,
1995, on a trial basis, pending a CD-1 text amendment
application by the Director of Planning.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:05 a.m.
* * * * *