CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON
CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
JULY 10, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held
on Thursday, July 10, 1997 at 11:20 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 Philip Owen
Councillor Don Bellamy
Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
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
COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Herbert,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor
Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
July 10, 1997
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl.1: "St. Roch" - Vancouver Maritime Museum
Cl.2: Report Back on Amendments to the Private Property Tree
By-law and Associated Programs
"St. Roch" - Vancouver Maritime Museum
(Clause 1)
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1
of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
Report Back on Amendments to the Private Property Tree
By-law and Associated Programs
(Clause 2)
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2
of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council recessed at 11:22 to reconvene "In-Camera".
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
JULY 10, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, July 10, 1997 at 9:30 a.m.,
in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor George Puil, Chair
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
Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business)
CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE
COMMITTEE: Tarja Tuominen
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
meeting of June 19, 1997, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. "St. Roch" - Vancouver Maritime Museum File: 4002
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated July 3, 1997 (on
file) in which the General Managers of Community and Corporate Services
recommended approval of a supplementary grant of $41,000 to the
Vancouver Maritime Museum for the period of July through December, 1997.
The grant is for a six-month extension of transition funding for the
"St. Roch" to enable the Vancouver Maritime Museum Society to complete
plans for a major fund raising campaign. The General Managers also
recommended staff report back within six months on the Museum's private
sector fund raising plan and options for the future disposition of the
"St. Roch".
Robyn Woodward, Vancouver Maritime Museum Society, provided
information on the Museum's fund raising plans. Long term financial
viability for the Museum and the "St. Roch" requires a stable funding
base which can only come from a large endowment fund. Establishment of
such a fund cannot be done overnight and requires a lot of planning and
groundwork. The Museum has developed new exhibits, added new
volunteers, developed a new school program and has built a partnership
with the R.C.M.P. The groundwork is in place and the Museum can move
forward on a national program to create an endowment fund.
Cliff Mawson, volunteer with the Vancouver Maritime Museum,
expanded on the Museum's school program. The "St. Roch" was designed
and built locally. The ship deserves the very best. It is important to
pass on the stories and accomplishments of the "St. Roch" and those who
served on her.
During discussion, it was suggested the Museum consider that a
relocation to another site, such as the HMCS Discovery and Versatile
Shipyards, would be more advantageous for its expansion plans.
The following motion by Councillor Don Lee was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council provide a supplementary grant of $41,000 to the
Vancouver Maritime Museum for the period July through
December, 1997 to provide a six-month extension to federal
transitional funding to enable the Vancouver Maritime Museum
to conclude plans for a private sector fund raising campaign
to secure sufficient funds to assume full responsibility for
the ongoing operations of the "St. Roch", source of funds to
be 1997 Contingency Reserve; and
B. THAT staff report back within four months with a review of the
Vancouver Maritime Museum s private sector fund raising plan
and options for the future disposition of the "St. Roch".
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Report Back on Amendments to the Private Property
File: 113/5301
Tree By-law and Associated Programs
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated May 23, 1997 (on
file) in which the Director of Land Use and Development, in consultation
with the Directors of Permits and Licenses and Legal Services, and the
General Managers of the Board of Parks and Recreation and Engineering
Services, recommended amendments to the Private Property Tree By-law to
protect more trees that do not need to be removed during redevelopment.
The Director also recommended that staff investigate developing a Tree
Trust and support a Tree Preservation Awards Program to further
encourage the retention of significant trees.
In addition, the Director submitted for consideration a suggested
increase in permit fees and an option to prevent property owners from
removing trees in prescribed front and rear yard areas close to the
property line.
The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval of
the recommended amendments and the development of a Tree Trust and the
Tree preservation Awards Program. He also recommended approval of the
suggested increase in permit fees, noting, however, the risk of
non-compliance with higher fees. The General Manager did not recommend
approval of the option to prevent property owners from removing trees in
prescribed front and rear yard areas close to the property line,
advising he does not believe the public benefits justify the public and
private costs of implementing the option. Further, he is concerned any
serious consideration of additional limitations will trigger a rash of
tree removals.
Michael van Hausen, Planner, with the aid of slides, presented a
progress report on:
the Private Property Tree By-law;
strategies to retain more trees, especially in development
situations;
an update on associated programs; and
responded to questions.
Dick Meerkerk advised the current By-law gave little room for
options, and requested more flexibility in allowing property owners to
remove trees on their property. Mr. Meerkerk did not support increasing
the permit fees or the option to prevent property owners from removing
trees in prescribed front and rear yards close to the property line.
Johanna Albrecht, Chair, West Kerrisdale Tree and Landscape
Committee, requested removal of the option to allow property owners to
remove one tree per year. After the implementation of the Tree By-law,
the city has lost 1820 trees and the trees that are being replaced are
not guaranteed of growth.
In response to a question, Mr. von Hausen advised a property owner
may appeal to the Board of Variance on hardship issues related to
removal of trees.
The following motion by Councillor Sullivan was put and lost.
THAT the Private Property Tree By-law be amended to allow property
owners who have over 20 trees on their property to remove two
trees per year.
- LOST
(Councillors Bellamy, Chiavario, Clarke, Herbert, Don Lee,
Price, Puil and the Mayor opposed)
The following motion by Councillor Don Lee was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT the Private Property Tree By-law be amended so that
property owners are required to locate a proposed garage or
other accessory building to retain a tree where it is
appropriate to do so;
B. THAT Engineering Services, the Board of Parks and Recreation,
and public utilities be exempted from the requirements of the
Private Property Tree By-law;
C. THAT the minimum fine be reduced from $5,000 to $500, while
retaining the maximum fine of $20,000, for an offense against
the Private Property Tree By-law;
D. THAT the other amendments to the existing Private Property
Tree By-law that clarify enforcement provisions, as
summarized in Appendix A of the Policy Report dated May 23,
1997, and the housekeeping amendments in Appendix B of the
report, be approved;
E. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to bring
forward the necessary By-law amendments; and
F. THAT staff proceed with the investigation of developing a Tree
Trust and actively supporting a Tree Preservation Awards
Program, in consultation with the City s existing Heritage
Foundation and the City s Heritage staff, to further encourage
the retention of significant trees.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The following motion by Councillor Clarke was put and carried. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
G. THAT the permit fees be increased for:
1. Single tree removal from $10 to $25;
2. For multiple tree removals, $50 for the first tree and
$25 for every tree removed thereafter.
- CARRIED
(Councillors Bellamy, Puil and Sullivan opposed)
The following motion by Councillor Chiavario was put and lost.
THAT Option 3, as described in the Policy Report dated May 23,
1997, which permits property owners within the Private Property
Tree By-law to remove one tree per twelve month period, except in
the prescribed front and rear yard areas close to the property
line.
- LOST
(Councillor Bellamy, Clarke, Herbert, Daniel Lee, Don Lee,
Price, Puil, Sullivan and the Mayor opposed)
The Committee adjourned at 11:20 a.m.
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