(Updated Sept 18) The agenda for September 18, 2012, the first regular meeting of Vancouver City Council after the summer hiatus, is now online. Click here for the full agenda and download documents. http://former.vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20120918/regu20120918ag.htm
Contact the meeting coordinator to request to speak (with your chance likely to be in the morning the next day). You are also encouraged to write Council with your thoughts. Some prominent items listed below include referrals to public hearing, rezonings, and motions. We have provided some comments.
REPORTS
Kitsilano Coast Guard Station Closure
Payment by Phone for Parking Meters – Award of Contract
REPORTS
- CityHallWatch note: Some of these below are staff recommendations to refer major rezoning applications to the next step — a public hearing. The critical moment for public input on these is now.
CD-1 Text Amendment – 745 Thurlow Street
CD-1 Rezoning – 475 Howe Street and 819 West Pender Street and Heritage Designation and Heritage Revitalization Agreement at 475 Howe Street
- CityHallWatch note: This is a big project (21.5 floor space ratio, some heritage retention, 30 storeys, plus office & commercial retail)
CD-1 Text Amendment – 1695 Main Street
- CityHallWatch note: On this item, City staff are making a referral to add another two floors to an existing CD-1 zoned site at 1695 Main Street to make 15 floors total and to increase density from 3.5FSR to 4.08 FSR. Here’s how their ‘Public consultation’ was done (Appendix E in policy report): “Public Input: A notification letter was sent to property owners within the notification area on March 15, 2012 and a rezoning information sign was posted on the site on or near March 14, 2012. No comments were received.” CityHallWatch wonders if the reason that not one single comment was received was the lack of adequate and meaningful notification. This may be one example, among MANY, that public notification of rezoning and development applications in Vancouver is inadequate. ACTION: Write Mayor and Council asking for a formal review of notification guidelines for rezonings and developments, referring to best practices in Canada, and for a revamp of Vancouver policies for notification.
CD-1 Rezoning – 1041 SW Marine Drive
- CityHallWatch note: This one may be of interest to the Marpole community.
CD-1 Rezoning – 955 East Hastings Street
- CityHallWatch note: This items recommends that a controversial rezoning in the Downtown Eastside go ahead to public hearing. We have covered this project already here (Urban Design Panel review) and here (open house). The Carnegie Community Action Project has major concerns about gentrification’s negative impacts from this and other projects. Search for “955″ on their site to read more, for example this. This is Wall Financial’s mega-develop at Raymur. Note that the proponent is a major political campaign contributor. CityHallWatch believes that regulators (elected officials at City Hall) should never be funded by those they regulate (developers), and this conflict of interest in Vancouver politics is a major problem.
CD-1 Text Amendment – 100 West 49th Avenue (Langara College)
7. Implementation of a Public Bike Share program – By-law amendments
BY-LAWS
1. A By-law to amend Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (1695 Main Street)
2. A By-law to amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (1695 Main Street)
3. A By-law to amend Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (8018-8150 Cambie Street)
4. A By-law to amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (8018-8150 Cambie Street)
5. A By-law to amend Parking By-law No. 6059 with regard to CD-1 Districts Parking requirements and consequential housekeeping amendments (8018-8150 Cambie Street)
6. A By-law to amend Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (675-691 East Broadway)
7. A By-law to amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (675-691 East Broadway)
8. A By-law to designate certain real property as protected heritage property (3350 West 37th Avenue – W.S. Black House)
9. A By-law to amend Ticket Offences By-law No. 9360 regarding minor housekeeping matters
10. A By-law to enact a Housing Agreement for 1030 Denman Street
11. A By-law to enact a Housing Agreement for 1401 Comox Street
CityHallWatch note: West End Neighbours wrote Council seeking clarity on three points about this by-law before it is enacted. There was no response from City Hall.
12. A By-law to provide for the imposition of interest on delinquent property taxes for 2013
Subject to approval of Administrative Report A4
13. A By-law to amend CD-1 By-law No. 9600 (1700 Manitoba Street)
MOTIONS
Approval of Form of Development: 1700 Manitoba Street
Motions on Notice
1. Developing a Regional Ban on Shark Fin Products
MOVER: Councillor Kerry Jang
CityHallWatch carries a story on this topic, here.
2. Family Court/Youth Justice Committee – Call for 2013 Appointments
MOVER: Councillor Andrea Reimer
3. Expansion of Civic Event Status
MOVER: Councillor Tim Stevenson
4. Impacts of $1.1 Billion in Building Permits on City Costs and Community Plans (Download: CoV motion B4, Carr, Impacts of bldg permits on city costs comm plans, Reg Coun 18-Sep-2012)
MOVER: Councillor Adriane Carr
CityHallWatch has written to support this motion, stating that more transparency is needed on this information. The information requested by this Motion is important for the City of Vancouver to consider in current discussions about planning and development. Current processes need this information — for example, the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability, and the Community Plan processes in the West End, Marpole, Grandview-Woodland, and the Downtown Eastside. This information needs to be put on the table, and made more transparent. Without it how can Vancouver and Vancouverites plan and discuss development in a sound and responsible manner?
5. Renewing Support by the City of Vancouver for the Children’s Family House Society Development at BC Women’s and Children’s Hospital
MOVER: Councillor George Affleck
