CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES STANDING COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT APRIL 24, 1997 A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, April 24, 1997, at approximately 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee. PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price ABSENT: Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business) Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Gil Mervyn COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy SECONDED by Cllr. Price, THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the Chair. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY COMMITTEE REPORTS Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment April 24, 1997 Council considered the recommendations of the Committee as contained in the following clauses of the attached report: Cl. 1: Waterfront Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design - Bayshore Development Cl. 2: Southeast Shore of False Creek: Planning/Rezoning of City-owned Lands for a Residential Community Cl. 3: Award of Contract No. 9701: Processing and Marketing of Residential Recyclable Material Waterfront Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design - Bayshore Development (Clause 1) MOVED by Cllr. Clarke, THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 of the attached report, be approved. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Southeast Shore of False Creek: Planning/Rezoning of City-owned Lands for a Residential Community (Clause 2) The Standing Committee heard 21 of 32 registered speakers with regard to this matter. The hearing of speakers and consideration of the Policy Report dated April 2, 1997, will be resumed during the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee on May 8, 1997. Award of Contract No. 9701: Processing and Marketing of Residential Recyclable Material (Clause 3) MOVED by Cllr. Clarke, THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 3 of the attached report, be approved. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy, THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy, SECONDED by Cllr. Price, THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Council adjourned at 6:05 p.m. * * * * * REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT APRIL 24, 1997 A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment was held on Thursday, April 24, 1997 at approximately 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber , Third Floor, City Hall. PRESENT: Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Chair Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario (Item 3) Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan ABSENT: Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business) CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE: Gil Mervyn ADOPTION OF MINUTES The minutes of the meeting of March 27 , 1997 were adopted as circulated. RECOMMENDATION 1. Waterfront Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design - Bayshore Development File No.: 5553-1 The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 8, 1997 (on file), in which the Manager of Engineering Services, in consultation with the Director of Central Area Planning and the Manager of Parks and Recreation, recommended approval of the design of the shoreline protection works and the pedestrian/bicycle system for the Bayshore Site and the design and location of handrails. Council had requested a report back on the detailed design of shoreline protection works only if the design differs significantly from approved proposals and principles. In this instance, the design of the shoreline protection works along Cardero Park is generally in accordance with the design concepts approved by Council. The design in the Marina and Charter Boat sections, however, have changed to accommodate staff and Fisheries concerns. Precast panels originally approved by Council have been replaced with simpler, more elegant fascia panels and the slopes above low water level have been treated with a specially placed rock finish. To meet Fisheries requirements, the slope in the Charter Boat section has been revised, with a resulting increase in the vertical drop from the deck level and the rock slope from 3m to 4m. The report also recommended the approval of the design of handrails along the entire length of the walkway/bicycle path. The design and location of the handrail address the issue of balancing aesthetic objectives against safety concerns and potential liability for the City. Although Council had approved in the conceptual Shoreline Designs report in October, 1991, that shoreline handrails be kept to a minimum, so views are not obstructed, the Building By-law requires all drops over 600 mm (2 feet) to have guards. Planning and Park Board staff are concerned that a handrail along the Charter Boat section of the walkway, north of the Bayshore Hotel, will have a significant impact on enjoyment of the northward views and will not meet Council s intent of minimizing handrails. Planning and Park Board staff prefer the use of a planter barrier along the edge of the deck. Engineering staff are concerned the planter edge will not provide an adequate barrier for preventing people, especially children, from potentially falling over the edge. Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Engineer, reviewed the variances of the proposed design from the approved principles, with specific reference to the design and location of the handrails. Sherri Plewes, Project Engineer, using display panels, provided a description of the proposed design, including the handrail, as recommended by Engineering staff and the option for a planter edge as preferred by Planning and Park Board staff. Norm Shearing, Aoki Corporation, referring to the Administrative report, clarified the developer supported the installation of planters, as preferred by the Planning and Park Board staff, rather than the installation of handrails along the entire walkway, as recommended by the report. Ken Dobell, City Manager, provided clarification of the liability implications of not providing the handrail throughout the entire length of the walkway, noting that although Council had the right to apply political judgement, it would not be except from liability in the event of a claim against the City. While some members expressed concern regarding the loss of views resulting from the installation of handrails, the Committee noted the handrails would only obstruct the views for persons sitting at benches, and not those standing or walking along the walkway. The following motions by Councillor Puil were put and carried. Therefore the Committee RECOMMENDED A. THAT Council approve the revised design of the shoreline protection works for the Bayshore development as shown in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated April 8, 1997. B. THAT Council approve the design of the waterfront pedestrian/bicycle route for the Bayshore development as shown in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated April 8, 1997. D. THAT Council authorize staff to obtain a right-of-way to the satisfaction of the City Engineer, on the west side of the Bayshore Gardens project in order to connect the walkway/bicycle path with Stanley Park. E. THAT Council authorize staff to obtain a 1.5m right-of-way on the east side of the Bayshore Hotel for the bicycle path/walkway when a development permit application is made for the hotel. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY The following motion by Councillor Puil was put and carried. Therefore, the Committee RECOMMENDED C. THAT Council approve the design of handrails as shown in Appendix B of the Administrative Report dated April 8, 1997, along the entire length of the walkway/bicycle path. - CARRIED (Councillors Herbert, Price and Sullivan opposed) VARY ORDER OF AGENDA The order of the agenda was varied to deal with item 2 last. 3. Award of Contract No. 9701: Processing and Marketing of Residential Recyclable Materials Files: 1801-1/3758-1 The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 18, 1997 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering Services recommended acceptance of the bid from Browning-Ferris Industries Ltd. for the processing and marketing of residential recyclable materials, collected by the City through three recycling programs: the Blue Box program; the Apartment Recycling Pilot Program and the Mini-Depot drop-off program. Three bids were submitted. Two of the three tenders - one submitted by Browning-Ferris Industries Ltd. (BFI) and the other submitted by International Paper Industries Ltd. (IPI) - were short-listed for further examination. Both bids had certain advantages and disadvantages over the other. While the IPI bid is expected to provide the City with roughly $8,600 higher annual recycling revenues over the two year term of the contract than the BFI bid, the BFI bid is operationally superior since BFI s proposed receiving facility is a more favourable site than IPI s. Further, there is considerable risk that the IPI site may not be suitable for use under the processing and marketing contract due to the size and proportions of the site, its use by other recycling operations and excessive noise levels emanating from the operations on the site. Also before the Committee was a letter from Jill Pelletier, Northmark Mechanical Systems Inc., dated April 23, 1997, (on file) expressing concern regarding the infractions of the Noise By-law occurring at the IPI Receiving Facility and requesting the operation of the IPI Receiving Facility not be permitted to continue. Brian Davies, Assistant City Engineer, reviewed the process used by staff for the analysis of the tenders and the rationale for the recommendation. Richard Bergen, International Paper Industries Ltd., questioned the accuracy of the financial analysis carried out by City staff, as the data upon which it had been based had been obtained from unreliable sources. Mr Bergen circulated letters obtained from Jefferson Smurfit Corporation and Newstech Recycling Ltd. (on file), which supported his position. Mr. Bergen also advised his company had obtained a permit for the operation of its receiving facility and it would be fully operational by May 1, 1997, as required by the tender document. Mr. Bergen asked that the tenders be reviewed. The following motion by Mayor Owen was put and carried. Therefore the Committee RECOMMENDED THAT Council authorize acceptance of the bid from Browning-Ferris Industries Ltd. at an approximate minimum annual tender value of $7,380 (annualized net revenue to the City based on December 1996 market prices) and an approximate upper annual tender value of $143,500 (annualized net revenue to the City based on December 1996 market prices) to process and market the City s residential recyclable materials for a two-year term, with options for three one-year extensions by mutual agreement, subject to a contract satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services. - CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 2. Southeast Shore of False Creek: Planning/Rezoning of City-owned Lands for a Residential Community File: 8206 The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated April 2, 1997 (on file) in which the City Manager, in consultation with the Manager of Real Estate Services, on behalf of the Property Endowment Fund Board, recommended that the next phase of the proposed rezoning of the Southeast Shore of False Creek commence. The report also provided the results of an economic analysis of the redevelopment of the site, completed by Stanley Kwok Consultants Inc. Copies of the Consultant s report, Creekside Landing Southeast False Creek, had been previously distributed to Council members and is on file in the City Clerk s Office. The Consultant considered a number of development concepts based on existing Council Objectives. Several concepts were evaluated, including an industrial park, a mixed industrial/ residential concept and a number of residential scenarios. The most viable alternative was a residential development which assumed a density in excess of 3.0 FSR and a built form including towers. The proposed residential density is higher than that approved for False Creek North (2.8 FSR) but lower than that approved for City Gate (3.76 FSR). The Consultant found it impossible to meet a number of existing City policies fully. A relatively high density and high rise form of development would challenge Council s objectives for family oriented housing and a conventional view of sustainable development. While the development of the area provides the potential of bringing a significant number of benefits to the City, these levels can not be provided at the levels required by present City policy without a very major City subsidy. The report suggested it is an appropriate time to confront the conflicting objectives for cost recovery and very high levels of amenity, before confirming expectations based on existing City policies and objectives. The Manager of Real Estate Services noted that based on real estate investment return considerations, a reasonable return would not be achieved by the Consultant s preliminary concept. Alternate strategies, based only on return considerations, would include selling the lands or pursuing interim holding uses and redeveloping in a more favourable environmental or economic time. The City Manager recommended approval of the following: A. THAT Council receive for information a report called "Creekside Landing, Southeast False Creek" dated January 1997 and prepared by Stanley Kwok Consultants Inc., representing completion of Phase I of the Southeast Shore of False Creek development contract. B. THAT the City Manager be instructed to proceed with Phase II of the development contract awarded to Stanley Kwok Consultants Inc. and report back on the terms of reference, reporting channel, fees, and budget for this planning/rezoning phase. C. The Director of Central Area Planning be instructed to proceed with the Council-approved planning process for the Southeast Shore of False Creek. D. The Director of Central Area Planning be instructed to report back on the Council-approved Sustainable Development Consultancy for the Southeast Shore of False Creek by July, 1997. E. THAT Council instruct staff that the existing policies and objectives for development in South East False Creek be considered only as a starting point for area specific development guidelines, and that in the development of area specific guidelines, Council is prepared to consider deviation from existing policy to ensure development is both economic and sensitive to other concerns which arise in the planning process; FURTHER THAT Council instruct staff that the analysis of sustainability of the development reflect its urban context. The City Manager noted Council could pass B, C and D, requiring that the redevelopment proposal comply with existing guidelines, likely at the expense of full cost recovery to the City, and flexibility to achieve a development which meets multiple objectives. However, should Council not wish to approve E, the City Manager recommended Council approve F and G below in replacement for B, C & D. F. THAT Council not proceed further with planning for redevelopment at this time. G. THAT Council instruct the Manager of Real Estate Services to investigate the sale or lease of the False Creek Lands and report back to the Property Endowment Fund for instruction relative to a further report to Council. Ken Dobell, City Manager, clarified the intent of the report was to recommend to Council the commencement of the planning process for the Southeast shore of False Creek. The Consultant s report was to be seen only as a starting point in the process. The report also recognized the need for Council to re-examine its existing policies to permit development of the lands to proceed, while balancing economic considerations against the City s objectives of providing amenities in general and a model sustainable community and housing for families and children in this site. The intent of Recommendation E is to facilitate the achievement of Council s goal to establish such a community. Bruce Maitland, Manager of Real Estate Services, outlined the role and objectives of the Property Endowment Fund Board. Mr Maitland stressed the report prepared by the consultant was not intended as a recommendation for design, rather an economic feasibility study of the site. The cost implications from sustainable development were not included in the Consultant s analysis, as the concept of sustainable development remains undefined. Larry Beasley, Director of Central Area Planning, provided an overview of the three part process for the planning and rezoning of the site. In October, 1995 Council approved the planning boundaries, management structure, process, timing and funding for the preparation of an Overall Policy Statement (Part 1) and Official Development Plan (Part 2) and Zoning (Part 3). The process is consistent with other major developments handled by the City. The actual commencement of the planning process is pending Council s decision, following consideration of the Consultants Phase I feasibility study report. In response to a request from a member of the Committee, Mr. Beasley agreed to provide a memo outlining the previously approved planning process proposed for the site, including the role of participants. The Chair noted there were 31 speakers registered to speak to this report and explained the Committee would not have sufficient time to hear all registered speakers at this meeting. It was agreed the hearing of speakers and the consideration of the report will be resumed at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee, on May 8, 1997. The following speakers supported redevelopment of the site, but felt insufficient analysis of the feasibility of sustainable development had been considered in the consultants report. The planning process should proceed but only after a broader consideration of the issues and opportunities related to the development of a sustainable community for the site: Chris Phillips, Vancouver City Planning Commission (brief filed) Ronald Bain, Ecodesign Resource Society (brief filed) Don Alexander, SFU School of Resource & Environmental Management (brief filed) Linda Mix, Tenants Rights Coalition Eva Riccius, S.E. False Creek Working Group Gaching Kong, Environmental Youth Alliance Tana Worcester Odete Tinho Tom Laviolette, Carnegie Community Association Denise Taschereau, S.E. False Creek working Group Blair Petrie Angela Smails, Eco-City Network Heather Warnell Mike Overholt, Murphy Stationery (brief filed) Sean McEwen, Lower Mainland Network for Affordable Housing Ray Straatsma Barbara Pettit, Designers for Social Responsibility (brief filed) Andrea Harris Gavin Davidson Steven Chan Graham McGava, Baker McGava Hart The foregoing speakers made one or more of the following points in support of the positions taken: the planning process for the site must be more comprehensive and look at both the short and long term benefits associated with the development of the site; undertake a thorough examination of the social profile of the existing and proposed communities (both for the site and adjoining areas); sustainability should be treated as an integral part of the planning process, not just an add-on ; need to develop a Vancouver Understanding of sustainability principles that would apply to the redevelopment of the site; the costs of soil remediation should not be used as an argument against sustainability; there are many benefits to developing a model sustainable community that other parts of the City (and region) can emulate; resources and time allocated to a sustainable development consultancy is inadequate; planning process should involve extensive public consultation; be broad based, both in terms of people and their backgrounds, as well as surrounding residents and owners; City should draw upon the expertise and talents of the many groups and individuals available in the community; do not support relaxing Council policies if important public amenities are to be jeopardized (e.g. Social Housing); affordable housing needs to be an integral part of the development; should look at other models of providing social housing. Many of the foregoing speakers, either on their own or on behalf of the group represented, offered to work with the City in developing a greater understanding of sustainable development and developing a concept for the redevelopment of the site. Vicki Gibson, Musicians Association for Cooperative Housing (MACH) supported redevelopment of the site as a sustainable community and asked consideration be given to the provision of an Artist Live Work Residence and Arts Resource Centre as part of the development. The Committee heard 21 of 32 registered speakers. The hearing of speakers and consideration of the Policy Report dated April 2, 1997, will be resumed during the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee on May 8, 1997. The Committee adjourned at 6:00 p.m. * * * * *