With no public explanation, City Hall has quietly made radical changes to the scheduling of Public Hearings in March. Normally they have started meetings at 6 pm on weekdays, but suddenly, we discover some are scheduled to start at 12 noon and 2 pm and there is even a backup date at 9:30 am. This is another step in a slippery slide towards a municipal government that can be vulnerable to corruption. This is all connected to the nasty civic cycle of power in Vancouver today. These new hours create winners and losers — and the public is in the latter category. Read on for details.
In recent history, Public Hearings were generally scheduled on weekdays in the evening, starting at 7:30 pm, 7 pm or most recently, 6 pm. Even today, the City’s website clearly shows the practice: “There are 12 to 20 Public Hearings held each year at 6:00pm in the Council Chamber at City Hall.”
Evening meetings allow more citizens to participate than during regular working hours. Why has City Hall suddenly changed practice and set Public Hearings for 12 noon and 2 pm, and even 9:30 am? Who made the decision to change? Who authorized it? What was the justification?
It is only recently that the City issued notices that several Public Hearings in March are scheduled during the day on weekdays. In the post Our City of Disrespect on the blog Jak’s View of Vancouver, the move to daytime Public Hearings was seen as “a sign of the extraordinary disrespect“. Simply stated, this move is an affront to democracy. It’s a clear indication that the majority on Council do not want to hear from people affected by rezonings, as they have just raised another barrier to public engagement and participation in critical decisions.
The public and media have good reason to protest the changes, which make them more difficult to attend. Controversial rezonings, and possibly the biggest rezoning in Vancouver history, are set for March this year. The Oakridge Centre proposal alone is worth over $1.5 billion dollars and benefits some of the most connected players in the development industry, who also happen to be major financial supporters of Vision Vancouver. Who is benefiting from these changes of meeting times? Is City Hall violating the Code of Conduct, which requires elected officials and public servants to put the public interest first? One of the fundamental rights of residents is the ability to speak to Mayor and Council on matters of importance, at a Public Hearing. And elected officials have the obligation to hear them.
Several items are now scheduled for a 12 noon start at the Public Hearing on Thursday, March 13, 2014, including the items Casa Mia (1920 SW Marine) and 3323 East 4th Avenue:
On October 22, 2013, Council approved a memo by City Clerk Janice Mackenzie to set the 2014 Meetings Schedule, showing 6 pm start times for public hearings. A March 13, 2014 date with a 6 pm start time was listed as a tentative Public Hearing date (see table below). Does Ms. Mackenzie have the authority to change this 6 pm start time to a 12 noon start time? Also note that a Public Hearing was approved in the schedule for March 11 with a 6 pm start time:
The giant Oakridge Centre rezoning is scheduled to start at 2 pm on Monday, March 10th. Could this item have been set for a 6pm time on Tuesday March 11th instead? Should residents affected by this large mega-development have a right to speak at an accessible time? Is scheduling creating barriers to participation and democratic process?
On January 21, 2014, Council quietly passed by another memo by Janice MacKenzie that detailed changes to the 2014 Council Meeting schedule. This memo shows a 2pm Public Hearing for Monday, March 10th. But it was only a few days ago that the public discovered which applications would be on the agenda. Now the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
In the possible event that either Oakridge or Casa Mia hearings need to be reconvened, a 9:30am start time has been tentatively set for Friday March 14th.
A tentative Standing Committee time was also set for Saturday, March 15 at 10 am. This is likely a backup time for a major policy item such as the DTES Local Area Plan or the Marpole Plan. Weekend dates to hear from speakers are a rare event, as was the case for the Saturday, July 27, 2013 Point Grey Road closure meeting. The Casino expansion item also had weekend dates in April of 2011. Weekend dates for hearings are certainly preferable to daytime meetings during weekdays, as there’s still a reasonable chance that members of the public can participate.
Two other items are also scheduled for the meetings on March 10 and March 13th; these are 458 West 41st Avenue and 2405 Cornwall Avenue respectively:
The decision to hold a 12 noon Public Hearing on March 13th only appears to have been made recently. The City’s website for March 2014 meetings shows a 6pm start to this meeting (screenshot February 23, 2014):
On the other hand, the notice of for Casa Mia Public Hearing lists a 12 noon start to the meeting. Was the change in the schedule made recently? It does make one wonder if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing at City Hall.
When you think you’ve seen it all, the daytime public hearings on weekdays appear to be the latest sign the majority on City Council does not want to hear from you. City Hall has just made speaking at a Public Hearing much harder for many residents, in a process where it is already difficult to partake. It’s ironic that the majority on Council are dismantling democratic institutions, checks and balances while spinning an “Engaged City” message. It’s highly cynical.
Who benefits from Public Hearings during the working hours on weekdays? If fewer members of the public can partake in these meetings, do the developers behind the specific projects benefit with an expedited hearing? Daytime Public Hearings are convenient for for people who might be getting paid for their time while attending — for example, people associated or benefiting from rezoning approvals. But average citizens are at a disadvantage. Are some developers getting privileged treatment by City Hall by special Public Hearing times?
Janice MacKenzie, the City Clerk, may have put herself in the spotlight by making changes in the meeting schedule. MacKenzie is also responsible for recently presenting changes to the election bylaw, and for not investigating or reporting to Council about complaints, irregularities, and problems during the 2011 civic election.
We regret to say that democracy in Vancouver is dying a death by a thousand cuts. The latest move to hold Public Hearings during working hours on weekdays puts a serious gash in democratic structures. Denying working people reasonable opportunity to speak at a Public Hearing is indeed an affront to democracy. At the very least, we must document the process, but we hope that people will take action to turn the tide. Vancouver is making a slippery slide in the wrong direction — making incremental steps that facilitate corruption of municipal government.
Photos: Beach Towers Public Hearing session started at 6:30 pm on February 20, 2014
CityHallWatch: Tools to engage in Vancouver city decisions 