REPORT TO COUNCIL

                   GASTOWN HISTORIC AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

                                 July 17, 1996


   RECOMMENDATION

   1.   Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee Quorum

        The Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee consists of ten
   members appointed by City Council.  Section II.(e) of the Terms of
   Reference states that six members shall constitute a quorum.

        Since the recent resignation of Jon Ellis, Community Heritage
   Representative, the Committee has experienced some difficulty in
   obtaining a quorum for meetings.  This would be alleviated if Council
   appointed a new member in Mr. Ellis' place.  However, this process takes
   time due to the need to solicit nominations, obtain responses, and
   afford Council adequate time for perusal prior to making an appointment. 
   With only a few months remaining before Mr. Ellis' term concludes, it
   seems inefficient to solicit nominations at this time.

        Rather, the Committee requests that its Terms of Reference be
   amended to specify that a majority of appointed members shall constitute
   a quorum.  This is consistent with the quorum requirement for committees
   set out in the City's Procedure By-law.  This change would reduce the
   quorum requirement, following a member's resignation, to five members.

        Because the Committee's Terms of Reference were originally
   established by City Council, they can only be amended by Council. 
   Therefore, the Committee

   RECOMMENDS

        THAT Section II.(e) of the Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee
   Terms of Reference be amended to specify that a majority of appointed
   members shall constitute a quorum.




                                                                     
                                           Jim Lehto, Chair
                                           Gastown Historic Area 
                                             Planning Committee


   CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS:

        The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the
   foregoing.