SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 7
COURT OF REVISION
NOVEMBER 16, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 9, 1995
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager, Corporate Services
SUBJECT: BIA Renewals for Robson Street and Kerrisdale
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve in principle the designation of the
Robson Street BIA, as outlined on the attached schedule A,
with a 5 year funding ceiling of $1,292,500 for the term
1996-2001;
B. THAT Council approve in principle the designation of the
Kerrisdale BIA, as outlined on the attached schedule B, with
a 5 year funding ceiling of $669,000 for the term 1996-2001;
C. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to put
forward the appropriate BIA designation by-laws for the
Robson Street and Kerrisdale BIAs.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
After five years, if a BIA is to continue, its by-law must be
renewed. Council's policy for BIA renewal, approved July 30, 1992,
is illustrated in the attached appendix 1. That policy stipulates
that if 1/3 or more of the property owners or business tenants are
opposed to the 'council initiative' for BIA renewal, Council will
not re-establish the BIA.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to review the results of the Council
Initiatives for the renewal of the Robson Street and Kerrisdale BIAs and
to recommend approval in principle for both BIA designation by-laws.
This is basically step 4 in the renewal process described in appendix
1. - 2 -
BACKGROUND
In 1991, Council designated the Robson Street and Kerrisdale BIAs, after
both associations demonstrated support from the majority of property
owners and business tenants. Each fall, for five years, the two BIA
Boards have notified all property owners and tenants of its annual
general meetings and has received approval of its plans and budgets. At
their September 1995 AGMs both BIAs received unamimous support for
renewal, and approval of their boundaries and budgets (Step 1 in renewal
process -as noted in appendix 1).
On September 26, 1995, Council approved the commencement of a Council
Initiative to re-establish both BIAs (step 2). On October 2, 1995, the
Economic Development Office mailed notices to all the property owners
and tenants in the BIAs, requesting that anyone opposed to the renewal
file objections within 30 days (step 3). The results are as follows:
Objections to the Robson Street BIA Council Initiative (as of November
6, 1995)
Number
Property Votes 0 out of 42 or 0%
Tenant Votes 0 out of 215 or 0%
Objections to the Kerrisdale BIA Council Initiative (as of November 6,
1995)
Number % of Total Assessed Value
Property Votes 3 out of 86 or 3.5% 3.5%
Tenant Votes 1 out of 250 or 0.4% not available
STAFF COMMENTS
Based on the results of the Council Initiatives, staff support the
renewal and re-designation of both BIAs. Should Council approve in
principle the designation of the both BIAs (step 4), the Finance
Department will report back on the 1996-1997 budget and the Department
of Legal Services will put forward the appropriate BIA designation by-
laws. BIA funding for 1996 - 97 will not be released to the BIAs until
Council approves the annual budgets and enacts the required three by-
laws (5th and final step). A report summarizing all five BIA budgets
and requesting by-law enactment will be before Council in December 1995.
The 1996-7 budgets of the Robson and Kerrisdale BIAs are attached to
Schedules A and B respectively, for Council's information.
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