ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: March 7, 2000
Author/Local: Grant Woff/7382
RTS No. 01342
CC File No. 5802

Council: March 28, 2000

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: Watson Street Local Improvement

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT By-law No. 8026 (Watson Street Local Improvement - Special Project from Broadway to 10th Avenue) be amended to provide specific additional relief for the property located at 222-32 East Broadway, allowing the actual cost for this property to be reduced at 15.17%, as was submitted at the December 1, 1998 Court of Revision.

B. THAT the Director of Legal Services be requested to bring forward for enactment the appropriate amending by-law.

COUNCIL POLICY

By-law No. 8026, a by-law to undertake the improvement of Watson Street, from Broadway to 10th Avenue, in the Mount Pleasant area as a local improvement project and to provide the procedure and basis of assessment therefor, was approved by Council May 4, 1999.

On September 29, 1998 Vancouver City Council approved a recommendation to advance a proposal for a project, submitted as an "initiative", to undertake certain beautification measures as improvements on Watson Street to a Court of Revision and, if approved authorized preparation of a by-law prescribing the undertaking of and the basis of assessment for such local improvement project.

On December 1, 1998 the Council, sitting as a Court of Revision, approved the construction of the Watson Street from Broadway to 10th Avenue Sidewalk and Street Work Special Project.

Policies governing the Local Improvement process are set out in the Vancouver Charter and Local Improvements Procedure by-law.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain a relief resolution for a property owner on the Watson Street Sidewalk and Street Work Special Project that had existing sidewalk in good condition adjacent his/her property prior to construction of the project.

BACKGROUND

Improvements to Watson Street were pursued due to requests from local residents, property owners, businesses and the Mount Pleasant BIA. The local improvement for Watson Street included adding a sidewalk along the entire east side of the street except adjacent 222-32 East Broadway where there was existing sidewalk. The property owner of 222-32 East Broadway was quoted a reduced rate from the other property owners along Watson, to compensate for the good sidewalk adjacent his property. At the Court of Revision on December 1, 1998 Council received Court Rates which included a reduced rate of 15.17% for this property (based on the calculated savings due to the existing sidewalk). This type of relief isn't available by the regular by-law procedure and the special By-law for the project, which was enacted on May 4, 1999, should therefore be amended to specifically provide it.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications beyond those set out in the current by-law dealing with this project.

CONCLUSIONS

The appropriate by-law amendments should be made to allow the property owner of 222-32 East Broadway to receive a reduced cost for the Watson Street Sidewalk and Street Work Special Project.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver