CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON
TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JUNE 16, 1998

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, June 16, 1998, at approximately 10:15 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Lynne Kennedy
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Denise Salmon

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of the Standing Committee
on Transportation and Traffic
June 16, 1998

Council agreed to vary the agenda to consider Recommendation 'A' of the Committee, as contained in the following clause of the attached report:

Cl. 2: Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066

Shared Ride Van Service (Recommendation A)

Clause 2 (Recommendation A)

Moved by Cllr. Clarke,
Seconded by Cllr. Price,

THAT Recommendation 'A' of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

BY-LAWS

1. A By-law to Amend By-law No. 6066,

being the Vehicles for Hire By-law
(Shared Ride Van Service)

MOVED by Cllr. Price,
SECONDED by Cllr. Puil,

THAT the By-law be introduced and read a first time.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY

The By-law was read a first time and the Presiding Officer declared the By-law open for discussion and amendment.

There being no amendments, it was

MOVED by Cllr. Price,
SECONDED by Cllr. Puil,

THAT the By-law be given second and third readings and the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to sign and seal the By-law.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY

* * *

The Council adjourned at 10:18 a.m., and reconvened at 10:20 a.m., all members present, to consider the remainder of the recommendations of the Committee.

* * *

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on
Transportation and Traffic
June 16, 1998

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report:

Cl.1: Annual Traffic Signal Program
Cl. 2: Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066

Shared Ride Van Service (Recommendation B)

Cl.3: Proposed Changes to the Vehicles for Hire By-law

Clause 1

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clause 2 (Recommendation B)

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT Recommendation 'B' of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY

Clause 3

This clause was withdrawn from the agenda.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Herbert,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 10:22 a.m.

* * * * *

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JUNE 16, 1998

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, June 16, 1998, at approximately 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE:	Denise Salmon

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting of May 12, 1998, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Annual Traffic Signal Program File: 5761-1

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated June 4, 1998 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering Services recommended signal installations and modifications as follows:

A) Pedestrian-Actuated Signals $395,000

A1) Fraser & 51st Avenue $80,000
A2) Maple & Cornwall $84,000
A3) Nanaimo & Pandora $83,000
A4) Glen Drive & 12 Avenue $70,000
A5) St. George & 41st Avenue $78,000
A6) MacKenzie & 41st Avenue $0,000
A7) Larch & 41st Avenue $0,000

B) Full Signals $312,000

B1) Princess & Prior (add vehicle detection) $40,000
B2) Ash & 6th Avenue $77,000
B3) Burrard & Alberni $83,000
B4) Hemlock & 4th Avenue $79,000
B5) Cambie & 59th Avenue $20,000
B6) West Boulevard & 37th Avenue (add vehicle detection) $13,000
B7) Oak Street & 71st Avenue (funded by BC Transit) ($90,000)

C) Signal Modifications $293,000

TOTAL 1998 PROGRAM $ 1,000,000

With the aid of overheads, Scott Edwards, Engineering Services, provided an overview of the report and outlined the proposed traffic signal modification/installation locations.

The following points were noted during discussion:

· the full signal at Burrard and Alberni is intended primarily to assist with local traffic and tourist destination access; it is anticipated the light will also help reduce congestion on Burrard and aid pedestrians (a left turn arrow is proposed for Alberni)

· in reference to the choice of location for the pedestrian-actuated signal at St. George and 41st Avenue, staff advised this was to assist with access to a bus stop; discussions are currently underway with the community in terms of access onto 41st Avenue from Prince Edward

Constable Bill Manhas, Fraser Street Community
Crime Prevention Office (petition filed)

· provided background on the traffic situation at Fraser and 51st Avenue, with note his office looks out directly on this location, and urged Council support the recommended pedestrian-actuated signal

The following motion by Councillor Don Lee was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

THAT Council approve the 1998 Traffic Signal Program, and that the General Manager of Engineering Services be authorized to install and modify pedestrian and traffic signals, as described in this report; and

FURTHER THAT additional annual costs of $25,000 related to ongoing maintenance be reflected in future Operating Budgets.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066

Shared Ride Van Service File: 2801

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated May 27, 1998 (on file), in which the Chief License Inspector recommends a change to the Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 to clearly identify a Shared Ride Van service operation, and further recommends that Council resolve not to issue any licenses for such an operation until appropriate standards are established for such an operation.

Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, provided Council with an overview of the report, and advised the companion Policy Report dated June 2, 1998, had been withdrawn from today's agenda.

Graham Johnsen, Solicitor, Law Department, advised the By-law currently before Council would be voted on between Recommendations 'A' and 'B' of the forementioned Administrative Report.

* * *

At this point in the meeting, the Chair reminded all speakers no comments would be entertained on any particular application, but rather the recommendations contained in theAdministration Report pertaining to the amendment to the Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 to define Shared Ride Van.

* * *

Jazz Siekham and Alec Caruth, Super Shuttle Ltd. (brief filed)

· Advised they understood both the Administrative and Policy Reports were to have been postponed, and, as the issue has been outstanding for over a year, requested Council wait three more weeks to discuss both reports in tandem; this would allow Council to consider conceptual issues contained in the June 16, 1998 Policy Report before decision is made on the regulatory mechanisms that best suit it.

Tobin Robbins, Owen, Bird, Barristers and Solicitors

· advised he was representing four Vancouver Taxi Companies currently licensed under the Vehicles for Hire By-law: Yellow Cab, Black Top Cabs, Maclures Cabs and Vancouver Taxi, all of whom supported, in principle, the proposed amendment to the Vehicles for Hire By-law
· the shared ride van service concept is one the taxi companies believe should be considered as an addition to the City's transportation services, but only after in-depth consideration of the concept, and with appropriate regulations in place
· suggested the need for size restrictions and reference to distinct passenger fares in the proposed By-law

In response to questions from Council, Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector, advised issues contained in the Reports had been under discussion for the last few months, and the sequence of Reports had been discussed with the Applicants. Mr. Teichroeb also advised the wording of the proposed By-law amendment had been set up to be broad to encompass all types of services.

Mark Tatchell, Acting Director, Employment Standards, Ministry of Labour

· addressed minimum standards for employees of the Super Shuttle Service, with note in December 1995, Cabinet passed a regulation which excluded taxicab drivers from certain sections of the Employment Standards Act; the regulation has been renewed on several occasions and is currently in place until September 30, 1998

· stated his Ministry would be pleased to work with any new employer in the industry, with note new entrants into the market may affect current employers ability to pay drivers minimum wages, due to current tight margins

The following motion by Cllr. Puil was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to bring forward an amendment to Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 to define Shared Ride Van as an interim measure.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

* * *

The Committee adjourned at 10:15 a.m. to convene as Regular Council to approve Recommendation A of the Committee, and vote on the accompanying By-law, and reconvened at 10:18 a.m.

* * *

The following motion by Councillor Puil was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

B. THAT Council instruct the Chief License Inspector not to process any applications or issue any licenses for Shared Ride Van (as that term is defined in the proposed by-law amendment referred to in Recommendation A) services in the City of Vancouver until Council considers new regulations to govern such operations, which will be the subject of a future report to Council.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY

3. Possible Changes to the Vehicles for Hire By-law File: 2801

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

The Committee adjourned at 10:20 a.m.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver