(Updated) Draft agendas are now online for the first meetings after the summer hiatus for City Council (Sept 20 Tues & 21 Wed) and Vancouver Park Board (Sept 19 Mon). There is also a Public Hearing (Sept 20 Tues), and Urban Design Panel meeting (Sept 21 Wed). Note that the Development Permit Board scheduled for Sept 19 (Mon) has been cancelled.
We copy the draft agendas here (as of Fri Sept 16) and encourage citizens to scan the agendas, then write or speak to Council or the Board on any items of your concern.
Some highlights…
Park Board – September 19 (Mon) 7 pm
1. REPORT: Public Bike Share Stations in Parks
MOTIONS ON NOTICE
1. Seniors’ Centre to Serve the Sunset Community in Southeast Vancouver
2. A Vancouver Park Board Youth Ranger Program
3. Serving Seniors in South Vancouver Sunset
Regular City Council Meeting – September 20 (Tue) 9:30 am
- See agenda contents copied further below.
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Public Hearing – September 20 (Tues) 6 pm
1. TEXT AMENDMENT: Miscellaneous Text Amendments for 4162 and 4188 Cambie Street, 2290 Main Street, 7299 Granville Street and 188 East 1st Avenue
2. TEXT AMENDMENT: 2016 Inflationary Rate Adjustments to Development Cost Levies (DCLs), Density Bonus Contributions and Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) Targets. CHW note – this appears to be an annual inflationary adjustment for the fees the City charges developers. Perhaps not a bad idea as there was no inflationary increase to the base rates before 2010. The rates were too low, and now the city is doing some catching up.
3. REZONING: Joyce-Collingwood Station Precinct Plan and Related Rezonings
CHW note: The first two items seem mostly administrative. The latter (Joyce-Collingwood Station Precinct Plan and Related Rezonings) is of crucial importance for many reasons. It is a final stage of a process – to approve rezonings of several blocks around this Skytrain station. It is an example of “transit-oriented development” with the stage set years ago and the outcomes probably predictable because of the Metro Vancouver region’s philosophy of building towers around transit stations. But the low-income, working-class, immigrant and largely English as a second language (ESL) community heard nearly nothing about concrete plans until suddenly developer Westbank proposed a 35-storey tower here, and then the City suddenly announced this “precinct” planning policy in November 2015. After newly-formed Joyce Area Residents Association organized quickly, the City gave more presentations, but the same basic plan moved ahead. Citizens had a chance to address Council directly during two daytime Council meetings (difficult for working people to attend) on June 14 and 15, 2016, and the Council approved the policy at a daytime meeting on June 28. This public hearing is the next step — to rezone the precinct to match the policy. Interestingly, of the letters of support posted online so far (Sept 19), one is from Colliers International’s vice president of investment, who claims as clients major developers (Wall Financial, Concord Pacific, Bosa, Anthem, Wesgroup, Intracorp, etc.), but does not mention his employer in the letter to Council. Another support letter is from a “YIMBY” lobby group that is organizing on social media to get people to support all new construction, everywhere. Local residents and businesses rightly fear speculation (already happening), evictions, loss of local character and local businesses, threat to seniors’ housing security, and dramatic change and loss of the community they knew. All due to the doctrine of “transit-oriented development.” Meanwhile, City Hall approved the policy in June without imposing limits on density and the number of storeys. That is like a license to print money. A number of towers are proposed, potentially up to 300 feet in height. To read JARA’s views, see “Strong Opposition: Joyce Residents Take City Hall June 15” and “City Plans for Joyce Collingwood Are Cause for Concern.” See also the statement of September 19, 2016, by Joyce Area Residents Association for the Public Hearing, asking Council to reject the rezoning and redo the process to address key concerns.
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Council Standing Committee on City Finance and Services – September 21 (Wed) 9:30 am
1. HEALTHY CITY
a) Presentation – Update Fentanyl Crisis
b) Youth Homelessness and Challenges for Vulnerable Youth: City Response to the B.C. Representative for Children and Youth Report recommendations for City of Vancouver “Paige’s Story: Abuse, Indifference and a Young Life Discarded”
c) Presentation – Be More Than A Bystander: Ending Violence Association of BC and BC Lions Partnership
d) Presentation – New Start: A Strategy for Immigrants & Refugees in Vancouver
e) Moving Towards a Healthy City for All – An update on enhancing access to food in schools
f) Seniors Centre in South Vancouver / Sunset Area
g) Make the City of Vancouver a Living Wage Employer
2. ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUTHORITIES – 2017
3. DEBENTURE PROGRAM 2016
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The Development Permit Board was scheduled to meet on Monday, September 19, but has been cancelled (we received confirmation of this from DPB secretariat on Sept 17).
Also, note that the Urban Design Panel meets September 21 (Wed). On the agenda:
- 6465 Vivian Street (2720 E 48th Avenue)
- 431-455 W King Edward Avenue
- 530 Drake Street (Covenant House)
- 575 Drake Street (1280 Seymour Street – Covenant House)
- Blood Alley Square
For convenience, below is the full agenda for Regular City Council on Tuesday Sept 20.
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http://council.vancouver.ca/20160920/regu20160920ag.htm
NOTICE OF MEETING
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA
DATE: Tuesday, September 20, 2016
TIME: 9:30 am
PLACE:
Council Chamber
Third Floor, City Hall
PLEASE NOTE:
Requests to speak must be received prior to 9:30 am the day of the meeting.
You can communicate your comments to City Council by emailing mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca.
Visit http://vancouver.ca/speaker-wait-times or @VanCityClerk on Twitter for real-time information on the progress of City Council meetings.
A live video stream of the meeting will be available at http://civic.neulion.com/cityofvancouver. An archive of the video stream will be available the day following the meeting.
For information please call Leslie Tuerlings, Meeting Coordinator, at 604.873.7015 or e mail leslie.tuerlings@vancouver.ca or Nicole Ludwig, Meeting Coordinator at 604.873.7191, e mail nicole.ludwig@vancouver.ca
ROLL CALL
IN CAMERA MEETING
THAT Council will go into meetings later this week which are closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2(1) of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraphs:
(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the Council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city;
(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the city;
(i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;
(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city if they were held in public.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
1. Regular Council – July 26, 2016PDF
2. Regular Council (Policy and Strategic Priorities) – July 27 and 28, 2016 PDF
MATTERS ADOPTED ON CONSENT
REPORT REFERENCE
1. Encouraging Homes for Renters: Emerging Approach on Empty Homes
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
1. Grant Request – Atira Women’s Resource Society – 420 Hawks Avenue
2. SRO Upgrade Grant to Community Builders Benevolence Foundation – 25 East Hastings Street
3. Grant to Catalyst Community Developments Society for Social Housing Development at 585 West 41st Avenue
4. 2017 Interest Rate on Property Tax Arrears
5. Waste Container Licence Program – 2017 Licence Agreement Fees and Amendments
6. Appointment of Three Non-profit Operators and Approval of General Lease Terms for the Occupation and Operation of the Social Services Centre Component of 1107 Seymour Street
POLICY REPORTS
1. CD-1 Rezoning: 512 West King Edward Avenue
2. CD-1 Rezoning: 2894 East Broadway
3. CD-1 Rezoning: 3595 Kingsway (Odd Fellows Manor)
4. CD-1 Rezoning: 2395-2469 Kingsway
5. CD-1 Rezoning: 725-747 Southeast Marine Drive
6. CD-1 Rezoning: 1672 West 1st Avenue
7. CD-1 Rezoning: 305 West 41st Avenue (Oakridge United Church)
8. CD-1 Rezoning: 920 East Hastings Street (Ray-Cam Co-operative Community Centre)
9. CD-1 Rezoning: 1550 Alberni Street
BY-LAWS
1. A By-law to amend Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (1575-1577 West Georgia Street and 620 Cardero Street)
2. A By-law to amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (1575-1577 West Georgia Street and 620 Cardero Street)
3. A By-law to amend Parking By-law No. 6059 with regard to CD-1 Districts Parking Requirements (3090 East 54th Avenue)
4. A By-law to amend Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (468 West 33rd Avenue, and
4956 and 4958 Cambie Street)
5. A By-law to amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (468 West 33rd Avenue, and 4956 and 4958 Cambie Street)
6. A By-law to amend Subdivision By-law No. 5208 (468 West 33rd Avenue, and 4956 and 4958 Cambie Street)
7. A By-law to amend Parking By-law No. 6059 with regard to CD-1 Districts Parking requirements (6729-6769 Cambie Street)
8. A By-law to amend Subdivision By-law No. 5208 (6729-6769 Cambie Street)
9. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 Regarding setbacks in East Fraser Lands
10. A By-law to amen East Fraser Lands Non-High Street By-law No. 9733
11. A By-law to amend East Fraser Lands Area 2 North By-law No. 10194
12. A By-law to amend East Fraser Lands Area 2 South By-law No. 10195
13. A By-law to amend East Fraser Lands Park Precinct By-law No. 10942
14. A By-law to amend East Fraser Lands Town Square Precinct By-law No. 10941 and repeal East Fraser Lands High-Street By-law No. 9732
15. A By-law to amend East Fraser Lands Waterfront Precinct By-law No. 10943 (Affordable Housing and Housekeeping)
16. A By-law to provide for the imposition of interest on delinquent property taxes for 2017
17. A By-law to amend By-law 11483 regarding deferred remuneration and housekeeping
18. A By-law to amend License By-law No. 4450 regarding 2017 fee increases
19. A By-law to amend Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 regarding 2017 fees
20. A By-law to enact a Housing Agreement for 1335 Howe Street
21. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 to rezone an area to CD-1 (3063-3091 West Broadway)
22. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 to rezone an area to CD-1 (5848-5678 Victoria Drive)
MOTIONS
A. Administrative Reports
1. Approval of Form of Development – 6915 Cambie Street
B. Motions on Notice
1. Request for a Provincial Review of the Homeowner Grant Program
2. Leave of Absence Requests
3. Standing Up for Vancouver’s Neighbourhood Schools
CityHallWatch: Tools to engage in Vancouver city decisions 
Nice to see Standing Up For Neighbourhood Schools on the agenda.