CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held
on Thursday, March 14, 1996, at 5:50 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1,
Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and
Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.
PRESENT: Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy, Chiavario, Clarke, Hemer, Ip,
Kennedy, Kwan, Price, Puil and Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Nancy Largent
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Hemer,
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 Planning and Environment
March 14, 1996
The Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl.1 Automated Voting Equipment Upgrade
Cl.2 Proposed Amendments to By-laws
Regulating Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers
Cl.3 Regulations to Limit the Location
of Pawnshops and Second Hand Stores
(excluding books, furniture and clothing stores)
Cl.4 Vancouver Fire/Rescue Services
Application For B.C. 21 Grant
COMMITTEE REPORTS CONT'D
Clauses 1 through 4
MOVED by Cllr. Price,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as set out in clauses 1,
2, 3 and 4 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
GVRD - Alternate Director
Councillor Chiavario advised that neither Councillor Kennedy nor
her alternate would be able to attend the GVRD Board Meeting on March
29th. Therefore, Councillor Chiavario recommended she be appointed as
the alternate.
MOVED by Cllr. Chiavario,
SECONDED by Cllr. Kennedy,
THAT Councillor Chiavario be appointed as the alternate to
represent Councillor Kennedy at the GVRD Board Meeting on March 29,
1996.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
Council adjourned at approximately 3:50 p.m.
* * * * *REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
MARCH 14, 1996
A meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and
Environment was held on Thursday, March 14, 1996, at 2:00 p.m., in
Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Price, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Puil
Councillor Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S REPRESENTATIVE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Nancy Largent
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
meeting of February 22, 1996 were adopted as circulated.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Automated Voting Equipment Upgrade File: 131-3
The Committee had before it an Administrative report dated February
7, 1996 (on file), in which the City Clerk sought Council approval to
upgrade the City's automated voting equipment for use in the 1996 and
future General Local Elections. The upgrade of the existing Optech III-
P optical scan system was recommended to address concerns about
reliability of the existing equipment.
The City Manager recommended approval, as reflected in
Recommendations A and B of this report.
Clause No. 1 Continued
Mr. Gil Mervyn, Deputy City Clerk, reviewed the concerns with
respect to the existing equipment and rationale for recommending it be
upgraded. Bids will be sought from two vendors which offer optical scan
systems and reported back to Council for final approval.
The following motions by Councillor Puil were put and carried,
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council approve the upgrade of the Optech III-P automated
voting system for use in the 1996 General Local Elections.
B. THAT the City Clerk and General Manager of Corporate Services
report back to Council to seek final approval of the proposed
vendor, acquisition costs and financing of the recommended
upgrade.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Proposed Amendments to By-laws Regulating
Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers File: 2501-3
3. Regulations to Limit the Location
of Pawnshops and Second-hand Stores
(excluding books, furniture and clothing stores)
Items 2 and 3 were dealt with concurrently, and have been minuted
together for ease of reference.
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated February
27, 1996 (on file), in which the Chief Constable, in consultation with
the Director of Permits and Licenses, recommended amendments to the
Second-hand Dealers and the License By-laws. The proposed amendments
would clarify the by-laws and make it more difficult to sell stolen
property in such establishments, thereby reducing the numbers of related
break-and-enters and thefts from autos.
Clauses No. 2 & 3 Continued
The Committee also had before it a Policy Report dated March 5,
1996 (on file), in which the Directors of Central Area Planning and
Legal Services, in consultation with the Chief Constable and Director of
Permits and Licenses, proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development
By-law and relevant Official Development Plans to limit the
concentration of pawnshops and second-hand stores, and to limit the time
period for which new development permits for these uses are issued.
Because of the potential impact of the proposed amendments, it was
recommended they be received for information only at this time, for
discussion with the public and report back. The HA-2 District will be
dealt with in the context of the Gastown Land Use Plan currently in
preparation.
The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval, as
reflected in Recommendations A through D of this report.
Staff Sergeant Moe Coll, Vancouver Police, and Mr. Paul Teichroeb,
Deputy Chief License Inspector, reviewed the increasing number of
pawnshops and second-hand stores in Vancouver and related criminal
activities which rely on the availability of such outlets to dispose of
stolen goods. The proposed amendments are intended to clarify the
regulations and, through more stringent identification and reporting
requirements, make sale of stolen property more difficult and
enforcement more effective.
Mr. Peter Vaisbord, Planner, reviewed the concentration of existing
pawnshops and second-hand stores city-wide, and noted the locations of
problem establishments in the Downtown Eastside, with reference to maps
(on file). The proposed amendments are intended to prevent further
concentration and, through attrition, to reduce the existing
concentrations. There will be a report back following discussion with
the community.
Mr. Michael Isman, B.C. Pawnbrokers Association, confirmed the
present by-law is a poor enforcement tool, and endorsed the majority of
recommendations. However, Mr. Isman was concerned the new requirement
for photo identification may not be feasible since many legitimate low-
income clients lack such identification, and it may be subject to
challenge under the Charter of Rights. Also, an existing by-law section
requiring proprietors to record make, model and license number of the
seller's vehicle is highly impractical and should be deleted.
Clauses No. 2 & 3 Continued
Staff Sergeant Coll indicated the requirement to show photo
identification should not prove a deterrent to legitimate clientele
since government-issued i.d. other than driver's licenses is available.
Although there may be a Charter challenge, the requirement would be a
valuable enforcement tool and the Police consider it worthwhile to
pursue it. It was also clarified that the requirement to record
vehicle license numbers etc. applies only to scrap metal dealers.
The Committee expressed general support for the proposed
initiatives. However, it was noted more successful enforcement may lead
to displacement of this problem to adjacent communities, which the
Committee decided should be advised of the possibility. A member
suggested that acceptable photo i.d. include the citizenship card in
addition to those listed.
The Committee also expressed readiness to pursue repeat offenders
through the Show Cause Hearing mechanism, where this is warranted.
The following motions by Councillor Bellamy were put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council approve in principle the proposed amendments to
the Second-hand Dealers and the License By-laws, as outlined
in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated February 27,
1996.
B. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to bring
forward the appropriate by-law amendments.
C. THAT the Policy Report dated March 5, 1996, be received for
information;
AND FURTHER THAT the Director of Central Area Planning, in
consultation with the Chief Constable and the Directors of
Legal Services and Permits and Licenses, review this report
with interested members of the public and report back.
D. THAT the Director of Central Area Planning report back on the
conditions under which second hand stores and pawnshops should
be permitted in the HA-2 district as part of the Gastown Land
Use Plan.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Clauses No. 2 & 3 Continued
The following motion by Councillor Kwan was put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
E. THAT the Police report back in six months on the success of
these initiatives.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The following motion by Councillor Puil was put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
F. THAT adjacent municipalities be advised of these initiatives.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. Vancouver Fire/Rescue Services
Application for B.C. 21 Grant File: 3651-5
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated March 6,
1986 (on file), in which the General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services
sought Council approval to apply for a $1 million grant from the B.C. 21
Community Projects Grant Program toward construction of the Vancouver
Fire and Rescue Services Training Site. In order for this application
to go forward, additional City funding of $770,000 must be approved in
advance of the 1997 - 1999 Capital Plan, conditional upon receipt of the
grant.
The City Manager recommended approval as reflected in
Recommendations A through E of this report.
Mr. Glen Maddess, General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services,
briefly discussed the new training facility as well as the rationale
for seeking a grant.
Clause No. 4 Continued
The following motions by Mayor Owen were put and carried.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council authorize additional funding of $770,000 for the
development of the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Training
Centre, for a total budget of $3 million assuming receipt of a
grant for $1 million for the B.C. 21 Community Projects
Program; source of funds to be an advance from Revenue
Surplus, to be repaid from the Fire Protection section of the
1997-1999 Capital Plan.
B. THAT Council approve the 1996 allocation of $160,000 from the
1993-1996 Capital Plan for the training site, in advance of
the 1996 Basic Capital Budget.
C. THAT Council authorize application for a grant of $1,000,000
under the Provincial B.C. 21 Community Projects Program to
assist in development of the Vancouver Fire and Rescue
Services Training Centre at the revised budget of $3,000,000.
D. THAT Council authorize the General Manager of Fire and Rescue
Services and the Director of Legal Services to execute all
necessary and ancillary documents and agreements in connection
with making application for, and if successful, taking receipt
of the grant funds.
E. THAT expenditure of the additional funds authorized in this
report be conditional upon receipt of $1 million from the B.C.
21 program.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
The Committee adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
* * * * *