ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Date: February 17, 1997 CC File No. 3001-1/5559-1 TO: Vancouver City Council FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services, in consultation with the Director of City Plans SUBJECT: Vancouver Representative on the Broadway LRT Steering Committee RECOMMENDATION THAT Council select a City of Vancouver representative for the Broadway LRT Steering Committee. COUNCIL POLICY Council has many transportation policies which are Regional in nature, including support in principle of the GVRD Transport 2021 Plan. A Broadway/Lougheed LRT to Lougheed Mall and Coquitlam Town Centre via Port Moody be the first priority line for new Light Rapid Transit. PURPOSE An announcement is expected soon from the Province on a start on the Development Phase of the Broadway LRT. This is the initial planning and preliminary design phase of the project, leading to a decision to proceed or not proceed with detailed design and construction of LRT. A Steering Committee will oversee and give direction on this Development Phase. Vancouver will be represented on this Committee and it is time to now choose this representative. The purpose of this report is to provide the necessary background information for Council. BACKGROUND On November 5, 1996, City Council approved a Protocol Agreement on the development of Light Rail Trasit in Greater Vancouver and authorized the Mayor to sign on behalf of the City. A formal announcement on start of the planning of the LRT is expected soon and the first or Development Phase is the work that will be done over the next two years leading to a go/no-go decision on the Project. This work will include refining ridership and trip patterns, alignment and station locations, identifying impacts and mitigation options, developing complementary land use plans where necessary and undertaking public consultation. A somewhat separate, parallel consultation process will be undertaken on land use within the City of Vancouver with the City taking the lead role. Presumably, this will be the case in the other municipalities as well. The Development Phase will be administered by a Steering Committee co-chaired by a representative from the Province and one from the Region. Vancouver will have one member on the Committee as will the GVRD, the Vancouver Regional Transit Commission (VRTC), Burnaby, Port Moody, Coquitlam, and New Westminster. The Province will have three other members on the Committee, for a total of four. Each member will represent the interests of the body they represent, and membership will be contingent on the holding of the respective office or appointment. The Steering Committee will use a consensus-based approach to decision-making. The Protocol Agreement does not specify that Steering Committee members be elected officials. However, at this time, our understanding is that the Provincial representatives will be MLA s with one or more possibly at the Ministerial level. The Regional representatives selected so far have been local elected officials. The Steering Committee will approve and oversee the planning, design, preliminary engineering and public consultation for the Development Phase subject to the budget available. The Committee will be required to submit a final report to the Parties upon completion of its work. The report will include: 1. Options and recommendations pertaining to project scope/design, schedule and budget; 2. Options and recommendations pertaining to land-use plans, develpment processes and other commitments required for support of the project; 3. Description and outcome of public consultations; and 4. Recommendations as to how the LRT Implementation Phase should proceed. The Steering Committee will also be responsible for selecting a Project Director who will be accountable and report regularly to the Steering Committee and will be responsible for coordinating and completing the work program. In conclusion, it is recommended that Council select a representative to sit on the Steering Committee to oversee the first, or Development Phase of the Broadway LRT * * * * *