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CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON
CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS

MARCH 16, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, March 16, 2000, at 12:00 p.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, Chair Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Leave of Absence) Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Lori Isfeld, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. McCormick,

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
March 16, 2000

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

Cl.1: Phase 2 Rapid Transit - Commercial Drive West: Public Process
Cl.2: Vancouver Summer Festival Society Rental Grant Request
Cl.3: Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization: Economic Capacity Study
Cl.4: Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization:

Pilot Programs to Encourage Locally-Based Businesses

Clause 1
MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Sullivan,

THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY

Clauses 3 and 4

The Committee referred discussion and decision on Clauses 3 and 4 to the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting on the afternoon of March 16, 2000.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. McCormick,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

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

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 12:05 p.m.

- - - - -

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS

MARCH 16, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, March 16, 2000, at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Councillor George Puil, Chair *Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Vice-Chair Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick *Councillor Gordon Price Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Lori Isfeld, Meeting Coordinator

*Denotes presence during part of the meeting.

VARY AGENDA

The Committee agreed to vary the order of the agenda, in order to deal with Item 2 first. For ease of reference, the agenda items are minuted numerically.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of February 24, 2000, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Phase 2 Rapid Transit - Commercial Drive West: Public Process File: 5559

The Committee had before it a Policy Report, dated March 14, 2000, in which the Project Manager, Rapid Transit Office, in consultation with the General Manager of Engineering Services, the Director of CityPlans, and the Director of Current Planning recommended that Council receive the report and refer Recommendations B through E , regarding route options, to the Special Council Meeting on March 27, 2000 to hear delegations from the public. The City Manager supports the Recommendations.

Jane Bird, Project Manager, Rapid Transit Office, provided a brief overview of the report, and with Larry Beasley, Director of Current Planning, and Wayne Pledger, Strategic Transportation Planning Engineer, responded to questions. Ms. Bird pointed out that the results of public consultation process indicate there is strong support for the extension of SkyTrain to Granville Street with a rapid bus connection to UBC. Ms. Bird also noted that a complete presentation will be provided as a Report Reference at the March 28, 2000 Regular Council meeting, following the March 27, 2000 Special Meeting,.

David Rink and Lorraine Macdonald from MarkTrend Research, with the aid of a Power Point presentation, reviewed the qualitative and quantitative results of the public consultation process, and responded to questions.

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

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT Council receive the Policy Report dated March 14, 2000, and refer the following Recommendations B through E to the Special Council Meeting on March 27, 2000 to hear delegations from the public.

B. THAT Council recommend to the Province and TransLink that SkyTrain continue west from VCC, via the False Creek Flats (in a tunnel generally under Prince Edward Street and 10th Avenue), to Granville Street, as part of the present construction program, with a rapid bus connection to UBC.

Clause No. 1 (cont’d)

C. THAT assuming the Province and TransLink agree to extend SkyTrain to Granville in accordance with RECOMMENDATION B, staff be instructed to discuss with TransLink a further SkyTrain extension from Granville to Arbutus and report back to Council as to the outcome of those discussions.

D. THAT staff meet with the Province and TransLink to establish a process for the westerly extension and report back on a work program and budget to participate in the design of this extension, including a plan for public realm improvements on Broadway with a view to implementing those improvements concurrently with construction of the SkyTrain extension, thereby realizing any economies, with any additional improvements to be considered for the City Capital Plan Program.

E. THAT staff be instructed to meet with TransLink to discuss planning for a north-south rapid transit line between Richmond and downtown and, following these discussions, report back on a work program and budget.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Vancouver Summer Festival Society Rental Grant Request File: 2201

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated February 28, 2000, in which the Director of Cultural Affairs recommends a one-time grant of $63,875 in response to a special request from the Vancouver Summer Festival for a $77,015 grant, to offset the theatre rental costs of its uses of the Orpheum and Vancouver Playhouse Theatre this summer, source of funds to be the “Other” Grants category. The General Managers of Community and Corporate Services recommended approval.

George Laverock, Festival Director, distributed Festival Vancouver programmes, introduced festival board and staff members, provided an overview of the proposed festival activities and funding, and responded to questions.

During discussion, some Committee members suggested that in future regional funding should be sought.

Clause No. 2 (cont’d)

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

RECOMMENDED

THAT Council approve a $63,875 rental grant to the Vancouver Summer Festival Society for 3 performance uses of the Orpheum amounting to $22,800, and for 26 performance and technical day uses of the Vancouver Playhouse amounting to $41,075, source of funds to be the “Other” grants budget.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

(Mayor Owen not present for the vote)

3. Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization: File: 8104

Economic Capacity Study

4. Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization: File: 8104

Pilot Programs to Encourage Locally-Based Businesses

Items 3 and 4 were dealt with concurrently, and have been minuted together for ease of reference.

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated March 2, 2000, in which the Vancouver Economic Development Commission, in consultation with the Director of Current Planning and the Manager of Real Estate Services, sought Council’s approval of $80,000 as the City’s financial contribution to the Downtown Eastside Economic Capacity Study, which will be managed by the Vancouver Economic Development Commission. The City Manager recommended approval.

The Committee also had before it an Administrative Report, dated March 3, 2000, in which the Vancouver Economic Development Commission and Director of Current Planning, in consultation with the Manager of Real Estate Services, sought Council’s approval of two pilot programs designed to further Council’s plans for the economic revitalization of the Downtown Eastside by encouraging and facilitating new and expanding locally-based businesses to locate in the Downtown Eastside. The Vancouver Economic Development Commission and the City would coordinate the programs, in consultation with the community. The City Manager and General Manager of Community Services recommended approval.

Clauses No. 3 and 4 (cont’d)

Noting the time constraints, the Chair suggested the Committee hear delegations and refer discussion and decision on the reports to the March 16, 2000 afternoon meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment.

Nathan Edelson, Planner, Downtown Neighbourhoods Groups, with the aid of display panels, provided a brief overview of the two reports, highlighting the lease subsidy program, and the research needed to develop a Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization Strategy.

John Barr, Vancouver Economic Development Commission was available to respond to questions.

At this point Councillor Puil left the meeting on Civic Business, and Councillor Clarke resumed as Vice-Chair.

The following spoke in support of the recommendations regarding the pilot programs to encourage locally-based businesses and the economic capacity study and offered additional comments:

· Ruth Mehta, Common Concerns Association
· Robert Lemieux, Common Concerns Association
· Merlin Mah, Common Concerns Association (brief filed)
· Frank Gilbert, DERA
· Richard Page, Ray-cam Co-operative
· Marg Green, Community Directions

The speakers’ comments are summarized as follows:

· it is important that the City involve community residents, organizations, and businesses in the Economic Revitalization Strategy;
· to encourage entrepreneurial spirit, the City should minimize bureaucratic steps required in operating a business;
· subsidies should be paid up front to non-profit organizations who do not have revenue available; passion may be lost with time delay;
· Vancouver Charter should be changed to help small business;
· the community expects to have more responsibility in decision making, action initiation, and direction setting;

Clauses No. 3 and 4 (cont’d)

· community resident organizations, residents, resident associations, and community service organizations have been working together and have been looking at potential models such as the DTES Community Development Corporation;
· after Phase 1 of the Economic Capacity Study there should be a period of reflection and time for the community to digest the findings;
· the City should involve community residents, organizations, businesses, and the Vancouver Economic Development Commission during Phases 2 and 3, and the direction taken in the Economic Revitalization Strategy.

The Committee adjourned at 12:00 p.m.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver