ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 1, 1999
Author/Local: J. Griffin/7928
RTS No. 635

CC File No. 5802

Council: April 27, 1999

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Local Improvements by Initiative - June 22, 1999 First and Second Step Report

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT the projects listed in Appendix I be advanced as Local Improvements on the Initiative and brought before a Court of Revision on June 22, 1999.

B. THAT the reports of the City Engineer and Director of Finance be adopted together with details of the Second Step Report as summarized in Appendix II, and Council declare it is desirable that the projects set out in Appendix I of this report be undertaken and deems that each will specially benefit the real property abutting it. (Requires two-thirds approval of those present).

C. THAT pavement and curb project numbered 6, as described in Appendix I, be designated as a thoroughfare for the purposes of Part I of the Local Improvements Procedure By-law, so that abutting residential property owners’ rates are reduced by the required 25%.

D. THAT sidewalk projects numbered 17-33 inclusive, as described in Appendix I, be designated as “pedestrian collector routes” so that the abutting residential property owners’ rates are reduced by the required 25%.

E. THAT the City-owned parcels on the list attached to the Detailed Second Step Report be declared “assessable for the local improvements projects”.

COUNCIL POLICY

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

PURPOSE

A Court of Revision is scheduled for June 22, 1999, at 7:30 p.m. to review a number of petition and initiative projects. The report for petition projects will be advanced to Council separately at a later date to allow as much time as possible for residents to circulate their petitions. The purpose of this report is to begin the formal Local Improvement process by advancing the initiative projects to the Court of Revision and reporting on the financial arrangements for the projects. Approval of this report does not commit Council to undertake the projects.

First Step

As required by the Local Improvement Procedure By-law, projects for:

Court #591

I. Lane Lighting
II. Pavement and Curbs, Higher Zoned
III. Pavement and Curbs, Local Residential
IV. Lane Pavement, Local Residential
V. Speed Humps
VI. Pedestrian Collector Sidewalks

shown on the attached schedule (Appendix I), are advanced to Council by Initiative for review at a Court of Revision, which will be held at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 22, 1999.

Drainage Prior to Paving

In addition to construction of the initiative paving projects, advanced drainage work involving installation of catch basins and storm drains must first be carried out. Based on past experience, the estimated cost of this work is in the order of $15,000.

This drainage work is not necessarily related to the street and lane construction. However, it should be done now in order not to delay the construction and so that the newly paved streets and lanes will not have to be dug up to accommodate the drainage works in the future. The work involves installation or permanent facilities to replace temporary drains and should be done whether or not the paving proceeds.

The location and individual costs of this work will be approved through a subsequent General Manager of Engineering Services Authorization.

Capital Funds

Funds for the City's share of the projects are subject to approval of the 1999 Streets Basic Capital Budget.

Second Step

The Director of Finance reports as follows:

In accordance with the Local Improvements Procedure By-law, I am submitting the attached City Engineer's report. The estimated cost of these projects is $ 837,828. The property owners’ share of the projects is $ 384,569. The City’s share is $ 453,259. I have to report that the necessary financial arrangements can be made to carry out this work, subject to approval of the 1999 Streets Basic Capital Budget.

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Appendix I

COURT OF REVISION - JUNE 22, 1999

INITIATIVE PROJECTS - SCHEDULE #591

I. LANE LIGHTING

1. L/S of 1st Avenue from Nootka Street to Lillooet Street

The petition for this project required 18 out of 26 owners to sign. Signatures of 11 owners were accepted and 7 were signed incorrectly. The deficiencies are generally related to variations on the registered owner names and only one of two joint owners signing. Residents have expressed concerns about several recent break-ins in the area and believe that lighting will improve the security of the area. Given the crime concerns and the current indication of support from owners, staff recommend that this lane lighting project be initiated.

II. PAVEMENT & CURBS - HIGHER ZONED

The following higher-zoned streets being initiated have strip pavements and are all in poor condition. Higher-zoned streets that are in poor condition are often difficult to improve by the petition process due to the large number of absentee land owners on the block. These streets therefore deteriorate, causing numerous resident complaints and maintenance concerns. The initiative process is an effective way of improving these situations. In addition some of these projects are initiated due to Local Area Plan Recommendations or for other specific reasons which are noted below where appropriate.

2. Brunswick Street - W/S - 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

E/S - L/S 2nd Avenue to 6th Avenue

This project complements the recommendation of the Mount Pleasant Community Development Policy Plan that:
"The City Engineer initiates a few Local Improvements each year for pavement, curbs and sidewalks in Mount Pleasant."

3. Graveley Street from Woodland Drive to Cotton Drive
4. McLean Drive from Hasting Street to Pender Street
5. McLean Drive from Pender Street to Frances Street
6. Ontario Street from 11th Avenue to 12th Avenue

This project is being initiated in an effort to curb streets on the various bicycle corridors. The adjacent residential owners are also provided with a 25% reduction in local improvement charges in recognition of the broader citywide benefit of the bike route.

III. PAVEMENT & CURBS , LOCAL RESIDENTIAL

The following residentially zoned flankage street is being initiated because of the poor condition of the existing strip pavement. Generally, flankage streets are difficult to improve because only 4 owners are involved and it is difficult to acquire a majority. However, in this case the adjacent owners have been balloted and a majority supports the proposed improvement.

7. Ash Street from 28th Avenue to 29th Avenue

IV. LANE PAVEMENT, LOCAL RESIDENTIAL

The following residential lane is being initiated to assist the petitioner who acquired signatures of at least two-thirds of the adjacent owners. Unfortunately, the petition was not successful because the combined value of those owners that signed did not exceed the value of one commercial property whose owner did not sign the original petition.

8. L/E of Fraser Street from 63rd Avenue to the L/S of 63rd Avenue and the L/S of 63rd Avenue from the L/E of Fraser Street to Chester Street

V. SPEED HUMPS

The following speed hump projects are being initiated as a result of complaints about safety due to speeding vehicles using the lanes as an alternate route in order to avoid signalized intersections or as a short cut to their destinations. Circulating a petition would be difficult because of the number of owners involved of which some are absentee owners.

9. L/S of Burnaby Street from Broughton Street to Jervis Street
10. L/S of Burnaby Street from Thurlow Street to Burrard Street
11. L/S of Davie Street from Bidwell Street to Cardero Street
12. L/S of Davie Street from Cardero Street to Nicola Street
13. L/E of Granville Street from 62nd Avenue to 64th Avenue
14. L/S of 8th Avenue from Spruce Street to Oak Street
15. L/N of 41st Avenue from Yew Street to Balsam Street
16. L/S of 63rd Avenue from Prince Albert Street to Windsor Street

VI. PEDESTRIAN COLLECTOR SIDEWALKS

On February 9, 1982, Council reaffirmed its policy objectives of providing sidewalks:
- on both sides of arterial streets;
- on both sides (as needed) of pedestrian collector routes;
- on both sides of higher-zoned streets; and
- on local residential streets, where property owners petitioned for them.

The construction of new pedestrian collector sidewalks responds to Council's top two priorities for transportation improvements; pedestrians and transit. Of the 17 new sidewalk projects initiated, 1 project is along the Ontario Street Greenway and 10 projects are providing access to bus routes.

17. N/S Church Street from Stamford Street to the L/W of Stamford Street

Infill

18. S/S Church Street from Stamford Street to the L/W of Stamford Street except 16 ft. fronting Lot 11

Infill

19. E/S Ontario Street from 63rd Avenue to S.E. Marine Drive

Infill, provides access to bus route on S.E. Marine Drive, Ontario Street Greenway

20. S/S Price Street from Ruby Street to Boundary Road

Infill, access to Price Park

21. E/S Ross Street from 59th Avenue to 61st Avenue

Infill, completes sidewalk on east side Ross Street to temple, access to Walter Moberly Elementary School

22. W/S Sasamat Street from N.W. Marine Drive to Langara Avenue

Infill, assess to bus route on N.W. Marine Drive and beach area

23. W/S Stamford Street from Archimedes Street to Cherry Street

Infill

24. S/S Vanness Avenue from Rupert Street to EPL of Lot 7, Blk 149-153, DL 37, Pln 2196

Infill, access to SkyTrain station at Joyce & Vanness

25. N/S Venables Street from 182 ft. east of Glen Dr. to 122.38 feet west of Vernon Street except 12 ft. fronting Lots 9&10 of 21A, Blk A, DL 182, Pln 355

Infill, connects existing concrete sidewalk at either end of the block

VI. PEDESTRIAN COLLECTOR SIDEWALKS (cont’d)

26. N/S William Street from Kootenay Street to Boundary Road

Infill, access to bus route on Boundary Rd.

27. N/S William Street from Skeena Street to Kootenay Street

Infill, access to bus route on Boundary Rd.

28. S/S 4th Avenue from Clark Drive to McLean Drive except 37 ft. fronting Lot 3, 20 ft. fronting Lot 2 & 24 ft. fronting Lot 1

Infill, access to bus route on Clark Dr. and Grandview Elementary School

29. N/S 13th Avenue from Arbutus Street eastward to CPR ROW

Infill, access to bus route on Arbutus Street

30. N/S 14th Avenue from Arbutus Street eastward to CPR ROW

Infill, access to bus route on Arbutus Street

31. S/S 14th Avenue from Arbutus Street eastward to CPR ROW

Infill, access to bus route on Arbutus Street

32. S/S 15th Avenue from Arbutus Street eastward to CPR ROW

Infill, access to bus route on Arbutus Street

33. N/S 54th Avenue from Oak Street to L/E Oak Street except 24 ft. fronting Lot 24

Infill, access to bus route on Oak Street, adjacent to church

APPENDIX II

CITY OF VANCOUVER - LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS DETAILED SECOND STEP REPORT

Summary of Estimated Costs and Certificates to the Attached Local Improvement Estimates
Advanced on the Initiative Principle for a Court of Revision June 22, 1999

Court #591

CATEGORY	ITEM NUMBE R	TYPE OF PROJECT	P.O. SHARE	CITY'S SHARE	TOTAL COST	EXISTING FUNDS	SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF THE 1999 CAPITAL BUDGET
I	1	Lane Lighting	$ 3,600	0	$ 3,600
II	2-6	Pavement & Curbs, Higher Zoned	$ 261,600	$ 233,086	$ 494,686		$ 233,086
III	7	Pavement & Curbs, Local Residential	$ 5,914	$ 66,674	$ 72,588		$ 66,674
IV	8	Lane Pavement, Local Residential	$ 25,999	$ 25,342	$ 51,341		$ 25,342
V	9-16	Speed Humps	$ 20,560	0	$ 20,560
VI	17-33	Pedestrian Collector Sidewalks	$ 66,896	$ 128,157	$ 195,053		$128,157
		TOTAL	$ 384,569	$ 453,259	$ 837,828		$ 453,259

The estimated costs provide for necessary incidental work. The cost of the property owner’s share of the above noted projects, and interest, is repayable over 15 years except for lane lighting which is repayable over five years.

Certified correct as to measurements.

_____________________________ ________________________________ ______________________________
Collector of Taxes Director of Finance City Engineer

Certified adopted by the City Council on ___________________________ ___________________________________City Clerk

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver