Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

Blueways -- 1999 Update and On-going Work Program

 

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve funding of $55,220, to be included in the Engineering Department budget, as outlined in Appendix E, to continue the Blueways work program for one year; the source of funds to be 2000 operating budget without offset.

B. THAT staff report back in one year on the status and future inclusion of a Blueways Program in the regular work programs of the involved departments.

GENERAL MANAGERS' COMMENTS

The General Managers of Engineering Services and Community Services RECOMMEND approval of A and B.

COUNCIL POLICY

On December 2, 1998 Council adopted the Blueways Policies and Guidelines and approved a one year work program.

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The Blueways Program has been in place since 1996, the Water Opportunities Advisory Group since 1995. Policies and guidelines for waterway and waterfront use have been adopted and staff are currently involved in their implementation. Most recently, Council extended Blueways by a year, and approved an extensive work program. This funding will end on March 1, 2000.

This report outlines the successes of the Blueways Program to date and recommends that the Program be extended a further year to continue with the current work program, and outlines a recommended work program for 2000.

BACKGROUND

The Blueways Program was initiated by Council and the Water Opportunities Advisory Group (Appendix A) in 1996 in response to concerns over the loss of diversity on Vancouver's waterfront, and the need to develop a vision to preserve and enhance Vancouver's waterfront environment. The draft Blueways Document, providing a vision, guiding principles and goals for Vancouver's waterways, was received by Council in October 1997. In addition, a comprehensive set of targets and recommendations were provided for each of Vancouver's key water bodies including Burrard Inlet, English Bay, False Creek and the Fraser River. The Blueways Policies and Guidelines, adopted by Council in December 1998, were based on these recommendations.

Since its inception, Blueways has evolved to become a successful program with strong ties to Vancouver's marine community. Staff have been involved with a broad range of marine-related issues and initiatives, and the program has provided an opportunity for the public to provide input to issues concerning the waterbodies and waterfront environment of Vancouver.

Staffing and a work program for Blueways are in place until March 2000. This report provides Council with the status of the Program, outlines remaining work to be done in the current work program, and proposes future directions for Blueways.

DISCUSSION

In December 1998, City Council extended the Blueways Program for a year, beginning in March 1999, and approved a number of recommendations to continue the work of the Blueways Program. The following is a discussion of the past work program and recommendations for next year's program, if Blueways funding is approved. The 1999 work items include:

· development of a greeting centre and a centralized moorage registration system for visiting boaters;
· "start-up" of the moorage buoys in Charleson Bay;

· clarification of jurisdictional responsibilities pertaining to anchoring in False Creek;
· review of future management options for False Creek;
· support of community initiated shoreline enhancement projects;
· coordination with other marine-related initiatives;
· development of a water use plan to assist in the resolution of conflicts between water users; and
· advise on waterfront plans and development proposals.

Boater Information Centre and Moorage Registration System
In the previous report to Council, staff identified the development of an information centre for boaters as a high priority work item. Through the development of partnerships with other organizations and support from the marine community, the Blueways Boater Information Centre opened its doors to the public in July this year. The Coast Guard has provided a temporary site at their Kitsilano base, as well as use of their Zodiak. Grants and private donations, totalling over $70,000 allowed for the staffing of the Centre and the purchase of some equipment. Details of funding and sponsorships are detailed in Appendix B.

The goal of the Blueways Boater Information Centre has been to make Vancouver a more appealing destination for visiting boaters, by providing local marine information and a moorage referral system. However, even in the short time that the Centre has been open, it has accomplished much more, including:

· a significant increase in the City's profile in the boating community;
· creation of strong partnerships, both in terms of pursuing specific goals and funding;
· creation of a strong network of support for the Program from the local marine community;
· management of the City-owned moorage buoys in Charleson Bay; and,
· creation of the "Blue Pages", a marine directory for boaters.

These accomplishments are outlined in more detail in Appendix C.

Figure 1:
Opening of the
Blueways Boater
Information
Centre at the
Kitsilano
Coast Guard
Station

Work Program 2000
For the Boater Information Centre to become a permanent service, a number of issues need to be addressed, namely identification of a permanent location, and on-going staffing and funding. Staff recommend that options for the on-going operation of the Boater Information Centre be reviewed and further grants and sponsorships be pursued during the 2000 work program.

Start-Up of Moorage Buoys in Charleson Bay
In recognition of a lack of moorage available for visiting boaters, Council approved the installation of moorage buoys in Charleson Bay, False Creek, for which a temporary development permit was issued in September 1998. A number of actions have been taken since that time:

· the Province issued a license of occupation for the Charleson Bay water lot to the City in June 1999;

· the Burrard Environmental Review Committee (BERC) provided final approval for the installation of 13 moorage buoys in July 1999;
· a contract to install the moorage buoys was awarded to Foreshore Technologies Inc with installation being completed by August 18,1999;
· the development permit for the moorage buoys has been extended for a further year.

An annual operating budget of $16,450 was approved for the moorage buoys; $15,000 of this was provided for management of the buoys. During 1999, the management responsibilities were taken on by the Boater Information Centre staff. Since they are paid through various grant programs, this has saved the City over $4000 to date. Management costs for 2000 will be dependent on the status of the Boater Information Centre and funding sources. Since the buoys have only been available for a partial boating season, the results, in regard to revenues and funding requirements are inconclusive. However, it is anticipated that with continued promotion and publicity, moorage buoy occupancy, and thus revenues, will increase substantially.

Figure 2:
Boat moored in
False Creek at
Charleson Bay
Moorage Buoys

Work Program 2000
The development permit for the moorage buoys has been approved for an additional year, expiring in November 2000. This will allow Planning to monitor their usage for a full boating season and to subsequently provide public notification prior to providing approval for an extended period of time. Staff will need to pursue this renewal during the 2000 work program.

Clarification of Jurisdictional Responsibilities & Anchoring in False Creek
Anchoring of vessels in False Creek has been an on-going problem, raising concernsregarding safety, environmental impacts and visual impacts. Jurisdictional powers of all agencies with authority in False Creek have been reviewed and staff continue to be involved in the development of an enforcement strategy.

As one step towards the implementation of such a strategy, on November 4, 1999, Council approved the following actions:

· that staff bring forward a by-law to regulate overnight anchoring on the City-controlled waterlots in False Creek; and,
· that staff aggressively pursue a collective enforcement agreement with all the authorities responsible for False Creek waters.

Work Program 2000
Staff will coordinate with Legal Services to bring forward this bylaw for enactment, and will continue to work with the Province and Pacific Place Holdings Ltd to establish a collective enforcement agreement.

Review of Management Options for False Creek
In addition to the above work which pertains to the regulation of City controlled waterlots, there are two other issues that need to be considered in regard to the management of False Creek:

a. Management of False Creek Waterbody

The Vancouver Port Authority has proposed to divest itself of its regulatory responsibilities in False Creek. The benefits and risks of the City taking future administrative responsibilities are being pursued. A companion report provides additional information and recommendations on this issue.

b. City Management of Crown Provincial Waterlots
The Province has suggested that the City enter into a head lease in favour of the City, thereby allowing the City to take over the management of all Crown Provincial water lots in False Creek.

Work Program 2000
As part of the 2000 work program staff will continue work on review of the City's potential administrative role in False Creek after Port divestiture. In addition, staff will liaise with the Province to determine the advantages and disadvantages, and alternatives, to the proposal of taking on a head lease from the Province.

Support of Water Quality & Shoreline Enhancement Projects.
In the 1999 work program, staff proposed to work with one or more community groups on habitat enhancement projects. City staff had previously met with Friends of False Creek, a local community-based group interested in the health and ecology of the Creek, and encouraged them to submit a proposal.

In July 1999, Friends of False Creek came in with a proposal for a shoreline revegetation pilot program, with initial test areas being in Alder Bay and at Rocky Point, in False Creek. The goal of this program is to explore the potential for shoreline restoration by determining the most successful combination of plant species, substrate, and environmental conditions.

Figure 3:
Alder Bay,
site of Friends
of False Creek's
shoreline
revegetation
pilot program.
To facilitate the Friends of False Creek project, Blueways played a liaising role with City departments and provided a letter of support to the Burrard Environmental Review Committee. All approvals have now gone through and shoreline planting is now complete.

Work Plan 2000
A number of proposals have been put forward that would allow us to pursue implementation of Blueways goals in cooperation with other organizations or community groups working on water quality and shoreline enhancement projects.

One such proposal is to add a marine component to Keep Vancouver Spectacular, the City's annual city-wide spring cleaning campaign. Keep Vancouver Spectacular is currently focussed primarily on clean-up of neighbourhood streets and lanes; staff propose that a marine component be added to this. This could range from publicizing the water more to an organized clean-up of debris on the shoreline, in the water and on the seabed.

Coordination with other marine-related initiatives
Staff have been involved with a number of marine-related organizations and initiatives to ensure that the City's interests are represented and to find ways to coordinate with other organizations to implement Blueways goals. The groups that Blueways has been involved with are outlined in Appendix D.

In addition, staff have participated in a number of events such as:

· Planning Institute of BC Tour of False Creek (guest speaker)
· BC Corp of Commissionaires Marine Safety & Security Day (guest speaker and display)
· Coast Guard Open House (display)

· North Fraser Port Authority Tour

· False Creek SpringFest Sustainability Festival
· Boat for Hope (script on English Bay/False Creek for boat skippers)

Development of a False Creek Water Use Plan
One of the work items in the previous report to Council included the development of a water use plan to assist in the resolution of conflicts between water users in False Creek. A draft of this plan is scheduled to be completed by March 2000.

Advising on Plans and Development Proposals
Blueways staff have continued to be involved in review of development proposals that are situated on Vancouver's waterfront, such as Quayside Marina and the Plaza of Nations ferry dock. Blueways staff also coordinate City comments for waterside development proposals along the Vancouver portion of the Fraser River. In addition, Blueways staff are the City liaison with the Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP).

Work Plan 2000
The above work would continue in 2000.

New Proposals for 2000

a. Ferry Dock in Charleson Bay, False Creek
Residents and water users in the Charleson Bay area in False Creek have proposed installation of a ferry dock in this area. This fits in with City goals to expand ferry service to strategic nodes around False Creek. Staff will be reviewing costs and requirements for the installation of a dock, and will be reporting back to Council.

b. Celebration of Vancouver's Marine Heritage
One of the Blueways goals adopted by Council is "to recognize and celebrate Vancouver's marine heritage". Staff will review the possibility of establishing a marine-oriented festival or dedicating a special day to mariners or the marine environment.

c. Waterfront Interpretive Signage
There has been significant interest displayed by a variety of community groups in the development of ecological, historical and cultural interpretive signage for marine areas. Staff will liaise with community groups to establish a program to install interpretive signage, where it is supported by such groups. This item would be a coordinated effort with Greenways.

Summary of the 2000 Work Program

On-going and future work program items have been identified under the previous sections. In summary, the work items recommended to continue the Blueways Program and to build upon the public support that has been established are outlined below.

Work Items to Complete the 1999 Work Program
· Develop a draft water use plan for False Creek.
· Bring forward a bylaw to regulate overnight anchoring on City waterlots in False Creek.
· Work with the Province to pursue the regulation of overnight anchoring on Provincial waterlots in False Creek.

On-going Work Items
· Participate on committees and with initiatives that further Blueways goals.
· Continue to provide advice on plans and development proposals, and act as City liaison with FREMP.

New Work Items to further implement Blueways goals
· Review options for the on-going operation of the Boater Information Centre.
· Review advantages and disadvantages, and alternatives to taking on a head lease for Crown Provincial water lots in False Creek.
· Review benefits and risks of City taking over some of the administrative responsibility from the Federal Government for False Creek.
· Review costs and requirements for the installation of a dock in the Charleson Bay area.
· Add a marine component to Keep Vancouver Spectacular.
· Establish a marine-related festival or designate a special day to celebrate Vancouver's marine heritage.
· Create ecological, historical and cultural interpretive signage for marine areas.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

For ease of administration, the program's activity is vested in and managed by the Engineering Department, in close liaison with other departments. It is recommended that the funding resources for staffing the Blueways Program in the amount of $55,720 come from the 2000 Operating Budget without offset (See Appendix E). Council has directed that any costs associated with the Blueways work program be funded within the normal budget from tax revenues

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

Council approval of the Blueways work program for 2000 will provide positive environmental implications for the City. Boater Information Centre staff will be providing information on clean boating to local and visiting boaters. Approval of the work program will allow for dedicated staff time to pursue water quality and habitat enhancement projects with community groups. In addition, it will also allow for continued liaising with other environmental initiatives.

CONCLUSION

This report provides an update on the Blueways Program and recommends that Council approve a work program and resources for a further one year period to allow for the continued implementation of Blueways goals. Most of the accomplishments of the Blueways Program have been made possible through the development of strong partnerships with other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community groups. This has resulted in a broad range of benefits, with only minimal costs to the City.

APPENDIX A
WATER OPPORTUNITIES ADVISORY GROUP

Council Representative:

Appointed Members:

City Staff Members:

APPENDIX B
BOATER INFORMATION CENTRE FUNDING

Funding Generated

Donations

Special Pricing/Discounts:

APPENDIX C
1999 SUMMARY: BOATER INFORMATION CENTRE
PAGE 1 OF 2

Successes

A significant increase in the City's profile in the boating community. For instance:
· Blueways Boater Information Centre staff developed the "Marine Blue Pages" and distributed over 500 to visiting boaters.
· Media coverage has included local newspapers as well as marine publications, such as Pacific Yachting and Shorelines Newsletter.
· The Boater Information Centre will be covered in a number of 2000 annual cruising guides, including Waggoner and N.W. Boating.

The creation of strong partnerships, both in terms of pursuing specific goals and funding. This includes:
· Canada Coast Guard
The Kitsilano Coast Guard station has provided their base as a temporary home for the Boater Information Centre, as well as the use of other resources such as their Zodiak for staff use on the water.

· Community Fisheries Development Centre
CFsDC, through government grants, has provided training and temporary employment for nine staff through the Blueways Program. This allowed the Centre to be staffed seven days a week, up to 12 hours a day.
· The program resulted in job placement for one staff person in a marine-related field.

The creation of a strong network of support for the Program from the local marine community.
· Local Marinas
Boater Information Centre staff liaised regularly with local marinas to establish availability of transient moorage and referred visiting boaters to appropriate moorage facilities.

· Local Businesses
Provided support through donations or pricing discounts on uniforms and equipment. Also, advertised in the Boater Information Centre Blue Pages.

· BC Marine Trades Association
Provided a generous donation for the purchase of portable VHF radios and other expenses such as safety equipment.

APPENDIX C
1999 SUMMARY: BOATER INFORMATION CENTRE
PAGE 2 OF 2

Survey Results

Staff of the Boater Information Centre surveyed over 140 boat owners/operators visiting False Creek.

Visitor Statistics
Visitors fell under the following categories:

BC Coast 36

Total Number of Adults 308
Total Number of Children 29
Average number of people per vessel 2.4
Pets 15

Average length of stay 3 nights

Comments
The opening of the Blueways Boater Information Centre was seen, both by local and visiting boaters, as an extremely positive first step in making the City more accessible to the boating community. Comments regarding the Boater Information Centre included:

- a wonderful service

APPENDIX D
BLUEWAYS INVOLVEMENT WITH
MARINE-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

Organization

Area of Interest

Burrard Inlet Environmental Action Program (BIEAP)

Coordinated decision making between government agencies regarding conservation and development in Burrard Inlet. Activities involve:

    · abatement & remediation measures
    · public involvement & education
    · inventories/surveys of habitat, wildlife, waterfowl
    · review of development proposals

CREEKS

False Creek watershed management umbrella organization working on:

    · creation of a shared resource centre
    · identification of stewardship opportunities

East Bay Boathouse Society

Promotion of facilities for non-power vessels including dragon boats, rowing skulls, kayaks, etc.

    · launching areas
    · storage areas
    · race courses

False Creek Heritage Trail Group

Development of historical and ecological interpretive signage in the False Creek area.

Fisheries Renewal

Review of proposals for the waterfront and streams in Vancouver involving:

    · information, inventory & monitoring
    · education & communications
    · habitat restoration & enhancement

Fraser River Environmental Management Program (FREMP)

Coordinated decision making between government agencies on conservation and development in the Fraser River Estuary . · monitoring of water quality & habitat enhancement

    · promoting public awareness & participation
    · development of a coordinated management program for the Lower Fraser basin

Friends of False Creek

Community-based group with interest in health and ecology of False Creek. Involved in:

    · public education
    · water quality (water sampling & testing)
    · shoreline revegetation pilot program

Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative (GBEI)

Solutions to boating impacts in the Georgia Basin, including Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River:

    · pump-out stations
    · designation under Pleasure Craft Sewage Regulations
    · awareness & outreach to boaters
    · enforcement for illegal discharges.

Greenways

Walkways along rivers and inlets including:

    · waterfront promenades
    · heritage walks
    · nature trails

Sanctuary Foundation

Environmental youth team program providing work experience. Projects include:

    · Marine clean-up along beaches and on the water
    · Recycling/garbage stations at marinas & fuel stations
    · Development of "Marineways" web site

APPENDIX E
STAFFING AND PROGRAM BUDGET

Planning Analyst1 - Engineering Services $51,820

Computer Support 500

Training/Seminars 500

Meeting Expenses

Publications & Advertising 1,500

TOTAL $55,720

* * * * *

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1 .Includes wage [step 3] and benefits cost [17.6%]