CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT

OCTOBER 9, 1997

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, October 9, 1997, at 3:55 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning & Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT: Deputy Mayor Alan Herbert

Councillor Don Bellamy

Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario

Councillor Jennifer Clarke

Councillor Lynne Kennedy

Councillor Daniel Lee

Councillor George Puil

Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT: Mayor Philip Owen (Civic Business)

Councillor Don Lee (Leave of Absence)

Councillor Gordon Price (Sick Leave)

CITY MANAGER'S

OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager

CLERK TO THE

COUNCIL: Nancy Largent

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,

SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Deputy Mayor Herbert in the chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on Planning & Environment

October 9, 1997

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

Cl. 1: Water Opportunities Advisory Group - Draft Blueways

Document and Recommendations for Further Work

Water Opportunities Advisory Group - Draft Blueways

Document and Recommendations for Further Work

(Clause 1)

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

SECONDED by Cllr. Clarke,

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS

1. FCM Resolution - Treaty Negotiation Process File: 3253

Councillor Chiavario submitted for consideration a resolution calling for a truly open treaty negotiation process in British Columbia. The Councillor proposed that this resolution be submitted to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) National Board of Directors meeting to be held in December.

Council agreed the resolution should be submitted, but felt it may require amendment to make it clear that it deals with a nation-wide, rather than a provincial, issue, since FCM will not support resolutions dealing with strictly local issues. It was suggested that the Director of Operations support could provide additional clarification on this point.

MOVED by Cllr. Chiavario,

SECONDED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT Council approve a resolution along the following lines for submission to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities:

WHEREAS tripartite treaty negotiations under the British Columbia Treaty Commission process are underway in British Columbia;

WHEREAS the resulting treaty settlements will have the potential to alter the existing social, political and economic fabric of the province;

WHEREAS a significant number of Aboriginal Bands in British Columbia have been declared ready to negotiate;

WHEREAS treaty negotiations have reached the Agreement-in-Principle stage of the treaty process at several Main Tables;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities request the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to continue to commit to a truly open negotiation process in British Columbia, including the public disclosure of federal negotiating mandates; all matters concerning Land Management agreements being negotiated outside the treaty process; and any contemplation by the Federal Government of additions to reserve lands in British Columbia separate from the treaty process.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 4:05 p.m.

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

ON PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT

OCTOBER 9, 1997

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning & Environment was held on Thursday, October 9, 1997, at 2:00 p.m. in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT: Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Chair

Mayor Philip Owen

Councillor Don Bellamy

Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario

Councillor Alan Herbert

Councillor Lynne Kennedy

Councillor Daniel Lee

Councillor George Puil

Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT: Councillor Don Lee (Leave of Absence)

Councillor Gordon Price (Sick Leave)

CITY MANAGER'S

OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager

CLERK TO THE

COMMITTEE: Nancy Largent

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Planning & Environment meetings of July 24 and 31, 1997, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Water Opportunities Advisory Group - Draft Blueways File: 3138

Document and Recommendations for Further Work

The Committee had before it a draft Blueways document, dated September 1997, in which the Water Opportunities Advisory Group commented on the future use and preservation of Vancouver's waterfront and waterways and put forward draft recommendations. The Committee also had before it a Policy Report dated September 24, 1997 (on file), in which the Water Opportunities Advisory Group, in consultation with the Directors of Planning, General Manager of Engineering Services and Director of Planning, Parks and Recreation, recommended

·that the Blueways document be received for information and distributed to the public for comment, with delegations to be heard at a future Council meeting (in approximately six months);

·that further work be approved leading to a report back on staffing and funding implications of implementing a Blueways program within the City (this work would including exploring options for organizational structures and funding sources for Blueways, as well as initial action on four work items outlined in the Policy Report);

·that funding be approved for Planning staff support to undertake this work over a six month period.

Commenting on the foregoing report, the City Manager discussed funding sources and recommended that the Blueways document be circulated with the following statement:

"In considering the recommendations of this report, members of the public and interested parties should assume that any Blueways work will be funded within the normal budget from tax revenues."

Cont'd

Clause No. 1 cont'd

The Committee heard presentations by the following members of the Water Opportunities Advisory Group:

Wayne Hartrick, Chair

Leanne Sexsmith

Corporal Bob Hunter, Vancouver Police Marine Squad

Jim Lowden, Director of Park Planning and Development

Don Brynildsen, Assistant City Engineer - Streets

Richard Johnson, Planner.

Mr. Hartrick discussed the importance Vancouverites place on access to the water, which is a cherished resource for many. It was explained that the purpose of today's meeting was to provide an overview of the Blueways document and request funding to proceed with finalization.

Ms. Sexsmith reviewed the public process to date, and explained the document's focus on four major water bodies: False Creek, English Bay, Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River.. It is hoped that Blueways will ultimately provide direction for future initiatives.

Corporal Hunter noted there are increasing numbers of vessels illegally moored in False Creek for extended periods, with associated problems such as disposal of garbage and human waste, noise complaints, unsafe vessels. In effect, many live as squatters, using services but not paying municipal taxes. No agency has taken responsibility to deal with this problem because three jurisdictions are involved; now the Blueways process offers an opportunity to coordinate efforts and permit False Creek to be policed.

Mr. Lowden indicated that Vancouver needs to provide a friendlier reception to visiting boaters, and described services and coordination which could be provided by a marine visitors' centre such as that proposed in Blueways. Mr. Lowden also commented on the need to determine highest and best use of water bodies from the water's perspective.

Mr. Brynildsen discussed tie-ins to the draft Fraser River Estuary Management Plan which was endorsed by City Council in 1994. The final plan is expected to be before Council for consideration in the near future.

Cont'd

Clause No. 1 cont'd

Mr. Johnson referenced important planning initiatives underway for lands bordering False Creek and other water bodies, and felt the Blueways group can provide valuable input. Mr. Johnson also reviewed the recommendations and their rationale, noting that while much has been accomplished with quite limited resources, Blueways has now reached a point where it is important to begin capitalizing on the opportunities available.

The Committee then heard from the following speakers, who generally supported continuation of the Blueways public process, with some caveats or references to items requiring further review:

Max Whitecomb, Shrine Yacht Clubs

Leslie Beckman, Fraser River Estuary Management Program

Dave Harris, Marine Trades Association (brief filed)

Gord Mullin, Blue Water Cruising Association

Lynn Kent, Kits Point Residents Association

Norton Youngs, Vancouver Floating Homes Co-op

Terry Slack, Fraser River Coalition

June Binkert, West Southlands Ratepayers' Association (brief filed)

Jeff Morris, False Greek Yacht Club

Jan Pierce, Pt. Gray Foreshore Waterfront Sanctuary Society

Beverly Mann

Nancy Carlman, Vancouver Wooden Boats Society.

Following is a summary of points raised by the speakers, under the general headings of General Comments, Recreation, Environment (including fish and wildlife habitat), Moorage (including illegal moorage), and Neighbourhood Concerns. Some comments may feasibly be classified under more than one heading, but have not been reiterated.

General Comments

·Environmental concerns, quality of life, and water recreational opportunities are very important; therefore, the Blueways process should continue in order to properly address those areas.

·Blueways has provided good opportunities for inter-agency long-tem planning which will have long-term beneficial effects for the region.

Cont'd

Clause No. 1 cont'd

·The needs of small, unaffiliated, family boaters are not well served. Facilities have eroded and numerous small boat berths have been lost to waterfront development.

·Waterfront stewardship is needed, and any profits earned should be returned to the waterfront rather than general revenues.

·Public involvement needs to be widened.

·It was hoped implementation would be flexible to permit events such as the Wooden Boat Show held in False Creek each year to continue to take place. Most vessels in the show are too narrow-beamed to accommodate holding tanks at the present stage of technology.

Recreation

·In addition to active recreational opportunities, there should also be improved opportunities for passive recreational uses (i.e. sites to contemplate nature in peace).

·Personal jet craft must be regulated (one speaker endorsed outright elimination from the north arm of the Fraser River), and the Blueways group should coordinate with the provincial government to achieve this.

Environment

·While Blueways document references to environmental issues were welcomed, several speakers felt Blueways is too concerned with recreational water use and not sufficiently concerned with preservation of wildlife habitat.

·

Blueways needs to examine how much habitat there is and how much will be needed to support viable fish and wildlife populations.

·Toxic discharge into water bodies must be totally eliminated, not merely phased out.

·Blueways seems to encourage more built structures and more motorized activities, which is not an environmentally sound approach.

Cont'd

Clause No. 1 cont'd

·Water quality in False Creek is improving, with fish and even oysters returning, and efforts to improve water quality further should be supported.

·Competition for the waterfront is getting worse, and more must be done to protect wildlife habitat.

Moorage

·There is no shortage of marina space in the Vancouver area, and the City should not be competing with the private sector, or providing subsidized spaces.

·The proposal that heritage vessels be moored at Heritage Harbour is impractical, since most such vessels are relatively delicate and require covered, sheltered moorage which cannot be provided there.

·False Creek should be organized for legitimate, environmentally sound visitors' moorage, and the squatters removed.

Neighbourhood Concerns

·Blueways proposes expanded moorage at Heritage Harbour, location there of a visitors' centre, and general support for expansion of the Maritime Museum. These are all long-standing contentious issues for Kits Point, and there should be no such endorsement of specific sites in the Blueways document pending full public consultation.

·The covenant terms for the gift of Haddon Park to the City specified that the land be used for a public park and bathing beach for all time, and not for any other purpose whatsoever. This trust has already been violated by the construction of the Maritime Museum. Proposals for the expansion of Heritage Harbour would be a further violation, and should not be contemplated but removed from the Blueways proposals with no further time wasted on them.

·Blueways refers to refurbishment of the Celtic Shipyards, which does not fall within the parameters of the Southlands Plan.

Cont'd

Clause No. 1 cont'd

Responding to a query, the City Manager advised that Council is at liberty to delete specific items from the Blueways document at this point, if it wishes to do so. However, since no implementation is implied, it would make sense to put the whole package out for public comment.

Mr. Lowden confirmed that riparian rights pertaining to Haddon Park were violated by the building of the Maritime Museum. However, the water lot which would be involved if Heritage Harbour were expanded is outside the terms of the bequest.

It was noted no more delegations remained to be heard, and that several Committee members would be required to leave shortly to meet other commitments. Therefore, it was agreed further consideration should be postponed.

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

RECOMMENDED

A.THAT a decision on the recommendations for future work on the Draft Blueways Document be referred to the next meeting of City Council.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

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

RECOMMENDED

B.THAT Councillor Sam Sullivan and the Water Opportunities Advisory Group be thanked for a job well done.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

(Mayor Owen was not present for the foregoing votes)

The Committee adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

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(c) 1997 City of Vancouver