General Purposes Committee Meeting Minutes - February 5, 2001

Date:

Monday, February 5^th, 2001

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt, Chair
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Malcolm Brodie
Councillor Derek Dang (entered at 4:02 p.m.)
Councillor Lyn Greenhill
Councillor Kiichi Kumagai
Councillor Ken Johnston
Councillor Bill McNulty (entered at 4:47 p.m.)
Councillor Harold Steves

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, January 15^th, 2001, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

APPLICATION BY GUJARATI SOCIETY FOR AN ADDITIONAL LATE NIGHT EVENT (RAVE) LOCATION
(Report: Nov. 30/00, File No.: 8060-20-7179) (REDMS No. 239070, 202263) (Referred from the January 15^th, 2001 Committee meeting.)

City Solicitor Paul Kendrick reported that the owners of 11460 Horseshoe Way were not in attendance at todays meeting, that the owners were endeavouring to find a buyer for the building; and that the required public information had not yet been held with adjacent property owners. He advised that as a result, staff were recommending that the application to have 11460 Horseshoe Way approved as a location to hold late night (rave) events be denied.

In response to questions, Mr. Kendrick stated that the owners were aware of the proceedings now taking place.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on the problems being experienced by adjacent property owners and lessors as a result of events currently being held at 11460 Horseshoe Way, and whether there were options available to deal with the situation. Information was provided during the discussion that the City could require non-profit societies to obtain business licences; and that in the event the property was rezoned, the existing use could continue as being legally non-conforming and would only cease if the use stopped for a period of six months.

It was moved and seconded

That the application by the Gujarati Society of BC to have 11460 Horseshoe Way identified as an approved location to hold late night dance (rave) events, BE DENIED.

The question on the motion was not called, as discussion continued on the ramifications of requiring specific non-profit societies to obtain business licences. Advice was given that in the event that the current use continued at 11460 Horseshoe Way, a business licence would be required.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was CARRIED.

2001 GRANTS PROGRAM
(Report: Dec. 17/00, File No.: 1085-01) (REDMS Nos. 251726)(REDMS No. 251726, 160199, 172910, 244469, 244547, 244482, 244544, 244550, 244553, 248898, 244558, 244560, 251716, 244563, 244567, 244569, 244572, 244574, 244578, 244580, 244611, 244638, 244642, 244657, 244659, 244643, 237840, 238086, 238315, 238788, 238814, 238816, 238817, 238972, 239063, 239351, 239451, 239631, 239636, 248076, 248213, 248246, 248253, 248274, 248309, 248344, 248366, 248402, 248405, 248406, 248408, 248409, 248410)

The Manager, Customer Services, Anne Stevens, accompanied by Social & Community Planner Kari Huhtala, reviewed the report with Committee members. During her review, Ms. Stevens advised that the amount of $3,500 (recommended for the Richmond Mother & Child Society) was now available for distribution because that Society was no longer in existence.

During the discussion which ensued, Ms. Stevens provided information on such issues as:

the amount of funding provided to community associations, both through grant applications and within the City's operating budget

the Category 2 designation and how organizations within this category were impacted by the designation.

Ms. Frances Clark, of 8160 Railway Avenue, spoke about the grant applications which had been submitted by the Richmond Committee on Disability and the Richmond Therapeutic Equestrian Society, and about her belief that the City was not providing sufficient support to the disabled community. A copy of Ms. Clarks submission is attached as Schedule A and forms part of these minutes.

In response to questions from Committee members on how she thought the City might assist the disabled, Ms. Clark made the following comments:

the City could hold workshops to bring community groups together to examine what action should be taken as well as providing information on how to hold successful fund-raising and other revenue generating events

the City should contribute more within its budget system to Richmond's disabled population

the General Manager, Urban Development David McLellan had included a line item in the proposed operating budget for costs related to the operation of the Independent Living Centre

During the discussion staff responded to questions from Committee members on such issues as:

why the City would be paying for costs in a centre which was not a City facility and which was not staffed by City employees

the timing of applications submitted for casino funding and the impact which this would have on those organizations to which the suggestion had been made that they apply for casino funding (if qualified).

It was moved and seconded

That the grants (identified in the report dated December 17^th, 2000, from the Manager, Customer Services):

for Health and Social Services applicants be awarded and the cheques disbursed for a total of $248,200; and

for Cultural, Community Promotions and Summer Programs applicants be awarded and the cheques disbursed for a total of $68,300.

The question on the motion was not called, as the following amendment was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the Health, Socials Services & Others and the Cultural, Community Promotions and Summer Programs components of the 2001 Grant Applications be amended to redistribute the $3,500 grant to the Richmond Mother and Child Care Society to:

the Richmond Committee on Disability and the Richmond Therapeutic Equestrian Society in the amount of $1,500 each; and:

the Sea Island Community Association in the amount of $500.

CARRIED

The question on the motion, as amended, was then called, and it was CARRIED.

It was moved and seconded

That staff examine and report on the costs of facilitating a workshop for non-profit societies to deal with fund-raising and other constructive revenue generating proposals.

Prior to the question being called, staff were asked to review the financial contributions made by the Ministry for Children & Families and other ministries giving money to non-profit societies, to determine the amount of funding provided to these organizations over the past few years.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was CARRIED.

COMMUNITY POLICING COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
(Report: Feb. 5/01, File No.: 5355-01) (REDMS No. 263479)

The Manager, Communication & Public Affairs, Ted Townsend, accompanied by the General Manager, Community Safety, Chuck Gale, reviewed his report with the Committee.

Mr. Gale, in commenting on the report and its recommendations, advised that if the proposed recommendations were adopted by Council, he would like the opportunity to report to Committee in the future on how these recommendations would be implemented.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on such issues as:

the community police stations and whether these stations were functioning as initially intended

the purpose of the community consultative groups, why these groups became dysfunctional; and the need to review the goals and objectives of the community consultative groups and the community police stations to ensure that the needs of the community were being met

the role of local community centres in distributing information and providing rooms for holding forums on specific issues, as part of the public awareness campaign.

(Councillor McNulty entered the meeting at 4:47 p.m., during the discussion on the above matter.)

It was moved and seconded

That the Community Policing Communications Strategy be endorsed in principle with the strategy to be reviewed and updated once the Community Safety Division is implemented.

That a public awareness campaign be undertaken to better inform Richmond residents of the implications of the creation of the new Community Safety Division and of proposed initiatives arising from the BC Policing Study.

That the public awareness campaign include public information/consultation meetings designed to introduce the new Community Safety Division and seek input in developing the overall vision for delivery of public safety services.

That the RCMP be encouraged to re-establish community consultative groups at each of the Community Police Stations with a mandate to improve communications to neighbourhoods regarding specific safety matters happening in their area; further, the RCMP be encouraged to co-ordinate its own ongoing public awareness campaign on community policing with City initiatives and to involve auxiliary constables in these efforts.

That the City websites section on Police/RCMP Services be expanded to provide more detailed information on community policing programs and in particular the roles and functions of the Community Police Stations.

That the Manager, Communication and Public Affairs take action specified in the Community Policing Communications Strategy to raise public awareness of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Policing in order to increase its effectiveness as an advocate for community policing and as a forum for public input on issues surrounding the delivery of policing services.

That the Community Safety Division co-ordinate its communications strategy to reflect all community policing-related initiatives, including the Task Force on Drugs and Crime.

CARRIED

PROVINCIAL COURT FACILITY, 7577 ELMBRIDGE WAY - APPOINTMENT OF ARCHITECTS
(Report: Jan. 12/01, File No.: 2050-20-CHT) (REDMS No. 247947)

The Manager, Facilities Planning & Construction, David Naysmith, reviewed the report with the Committee.

In response to questions from Committee members, Mr. Naysmith advised that:

the fees proposed were for the entire project; if the required lease was not successfully negotiated within the next short while, the financial impact would be minimal because the design consultant would be instructed not to proceed with the preparation of the plans until the lease arrangements were completed

staff were confident that the firm was qualified to undertake the work as the company had undertaken large projects which involved police and correctional facilities and had the expertise to interpret the needs related to this type of renovation project.

It was moved and seconded

That the appointment of Kasian Kennedy be approved as the prime consultants for the refurbishment of the Interim City Hall building as the Provincial Courts facility at a fee of $264,500 plus GST.

CARRIED

ABANDONED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
(Report: January 17/01, File No.: 8080-01) (REDMS No. 215570, 263030, 264921)

The Manager, Community Bylaws, Sandra Tokarczyk, accompanied by the Manager, Building Approvals, Rick Bortolussi, and Bylaw Enforcement Office Larry Wilson, reviewed the report with the Committee.

In response to questions, information was provided on the status of those buildings listed in Attachment 1 to the staff report.

Ms. Carolyn Racich, of 3591 Sexsmith Road, advised that there were a number of abandoned homes in her neighbourhood which had not been included in the list provided in Attachment 1. In reply to questions from the Chair, Ms. Racich indicated that she had provided this information to the City sometime ago.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on the procedures which would be followed and the time frame required to review complaints received about damaged and abandoned buildings. In response to questions from the Chair, Ms. Tokarczyk advised that a response to the addresses identified by Ms. Racich should be completed in one month's time.

It was moved and seconded

That the report (dated January 17^th, 2001, from the Manager, Community Bylaws and the Manager, Building Approvals) regarding abandoned residential buildings, be received for information.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:31 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, February 5^th, 2001.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant