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CITY OF VANCOUVER

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

NOVEMBER 16, 1998

A Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Monday, November 16, 1998, at approximately 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall for the purpose of hearing delegations on Major Roads - GVTA, and Air Quality Impacts of the Network.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Don Bellamy (Civic Business) Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario (Civic Business) Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Denise Salmon

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,
SECONDED by Cllr. Herbert,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the Chair, to consider two Policy Reports on Major Roads - GVTA, and Air Quality Impacts of the Network.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

1. Major Roads - Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority File: 5562

2. Air Quality Impacts of Major Road Network File: 5562

- - -

Items 1 and 2 were dealt with concurrently, and have been minuted together for ease of reference.

- - -

Council had before it a Policy Report dated November 10, 1998 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering Services, in consultation with the General Manager of Community Services presented the results of the public consultation on the Major Road Network (MRN) and examined implications, risks and benefits of consenting to designation by the GVTA of certain City streets as part of the MRN. The report also recommends Council consent to certain streets being designated as part of the MRN.

Council also had before it a Policy Report dated October 20, 1998 (on file), in which the Director of Environmental Health responds to Council's request for clarification of the issues related to air pollution from vehicles using major arterials.

Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer - Transportation, and Ted Sebastian, Planner, City-Wide Plans, with the aid of overheads, provided Council with an overview of the Major Roads - GVTA report, including details of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) working structure, and criteria for selection of the City's major roads. Staff highlighted three areas of concern relative to GVTA legislation and designation of the Road Network:

· as presently drafted, "limit" in section 21(1) of the legislation would appear to restrict any action by a municipality which might reduce future capacity of the MRN;
· the GVTA has the power to establish standards for the management, operation, construction and maintenance for the MRN and funding is contingent on meeting these standards;
· all existing truck routes will be grandfathered as of April 1, 1999; under the legislation municipalities must obtain approval of the GVTA prior to imposing any new restrictions on truck traffic; this will impact proposals to limit the time of truck travel on certain streets as proposed in the Transportation Plan.

Dominic Losito, Director of Environment Health, provided Council with an overview of the Air Quality Impacts report, with a focus on impact of diesel exhaust on Vancouver's neighbourhoods. With the aid of an overhead, Mr. Losito demonstrated the deposition of various sized particulates in the human body. He highlighted the need for risk reduction strategies, and recommended the need for a scientific panel to review diesel exhaust health concerns to provide for a better understanding of the risks and trade-offs involved.

Clauses 1 and 2 Cont'd

Council expressed the need for details on people carrying capacity of roads included in the Major Roads Network in order to establish a fixed level of person-carrying capacity per street against which future levels could be measured. Engineering staff advised this information could be supplied. Mr. Adam also advised a report would be before Council prior to April 1, 1999, addressing the truck route designation issue. Council also questioned the need for a legal opinion on whether, if a portion of a MRN road is not designated, funding would be lost on just those kilometres, or for the entire road.

Summary of points raised by:

Alec Caruth
Arthur Orsini

· arterial thoroughfares are an essential defacto part of the city, and provide accessibility to the city core
· the proposed MRN introduces measurable criteria and formula by which roads can fall into and out of the system
· proceed with MRN, then review in context of the Downtown Transportation Plan when completed
· major transit corridors shown in Appendix B6 of Policy Report dated November 10, 1998, closely align with the MRN; these routes should be considered as future rapid transit corridors for bus, rail, underground and/or other transit alternatives

The following delegations raised issues of concern with the proposed Major Roads Network:

David Masuhara
Charlotte Kramer
Diane King, S.W. Marine Drive Ratepayers Association
Liz Haan, S.W. Marine Drive Ratepayers Association (brief filed)
Tom Lewis, S.W. Marine Drive Ratepayers Association
Bill Jones, S.W. Marine Drive Ratepayers Association
Mel Rowles, S.W. Marine Drive Ratepayers Association
George Reilly
Barbara Wright, Broadway Station Crime Prevention Office

and Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Association (CECONA) (brief filed)

Shirley Klassen

Clauses 1 and 2 Cont'd

Summary of issues raised:

· concern with the number of questions that remain outstanding relative to the broad complex piece of legislation proposed; legal/financial uncertainties need to be resolved before designation
· opposition to MRN; however if Council proceeds, both McGill and Nanaimo should be relieved of their truck route designation, and removed from the MRN
· if McGill and Nanaimo are included in the MRN this would counter recommendations in the City's Transportation Plan to reduce truck traffic along the McGill/Nanaimo corridor, and restrict night hours on selected truck routes
· Appendix C of the Policy Report dated November 10, 1998, should be revised to indicate the MRN on Granville Street runs from 4th Avenue to 73rd Avenue
· late distribution of report hampers the public's ability to respond
· SW Marine Drive qualifies under only one criteria for the definition of a Major Road -- Regional or Long Trips, with long trips defined as those greater than 10km
· using 10km as the definition of an inter-municipal trip is not a suitable criteria for Vancouver; on SW Marine Drive the 10km mark is the intersection of 57th and Yew for commuters travelling to UBC
· to use current UBC car volumes to permanently designate any street as a Major Road would be inappropriate, considering UBC's commitment to reduce SOV's by 20% and to reduce truck traffic
· remove the road segment, SW Marine Drive from 41st Avenue to Granville, from the MRN
· The First Nations Musqueam Band do not appear to have been consulted regarding their opinion on MRN designation in respect to their lands which border SW Marine Drive
· concern with wording of Section 20A of the legislation, which appears to mandate full payment to a municipality if a number of requirements are met; however a provision is included to limit funding if there is not full compliance to the satisfaction of the GVTA
· concern that if SW Marine is added to the MRN, and traffic demand increases, the logical outcome would be to widen the road to four lanes; the seventeen feet of land required for widening would impact residents' gardens, front walls, and mature greenery
· the SW Marine Drive building line project needs to be resolved prior to any decision on designation to the network
· clarification required on the City's ability to withdraw a road from the MRN once designated
· if standards are not met the GVTA could step in , withhold funds and use those funds to impose standards, which could include widening of a street

Clauses 1 and 2 Cont'd

· concern truck route designation on Grandview Highway North, east of Clark and Commercial Drive/Victoria, south of 8th Avenue would have a serious impact on Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Association's plans for a safe, vibrant, pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood centre
· remove Granville Street from truck route status prior to grandfathering on April 1, 1999

The following delegations spoke in support of the recommendations contained in the Director of Environmental Health's Air Quality Impacts report:

David Briggs, Granville Community Association (material filed)
George Reilly

Summary of issues raised in support of the Air Quality Impacts report:

· support for all recommendations of the Director of Environmental Health contained in the Air Quality Impacts report
· the need to also consider other environmental and public health issues, including noise, safety, and gasoline pollutants
· a study, using latest technology, is required within the City adjacent MRN routes to determine air quality effects on communities situated on these busy traffic corridors

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

RECOMMENDED

THAT decision on this matter be deferred to a future meeting of Council.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

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. Herbert,

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

NOTE FROM CLERK: The Mayor advised a Report Reference on this matter will be heard at the Regular Council Meeting of November 17, 1998.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver