September 21, 2015 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, September 21, 2015

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Derek Dang
Councillor Ken Johnston
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Linda McPhail
Councillor Harold Steves

Absent:

Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Alexa Loo

Call to Order:

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

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on September 8, 2015, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

1.

December 2015 Council and Committee Meeting Schedule
(File Ref. No. 01-0100-01) (REDMS No. 4727959)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Public Hearing scheduled for Monday, December 21, 2015 be re-scheduled to Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall;

(2)

That the Committee meetings scheduled for the week of December 21, 2015 be re-scheduled, if needed, to the week of December 14, 2015, as shown on Attachment 1 to the staff report dated September 14, 2015 from the Director, City Clerk’s Office; and

(3)

That a Special Council meeting be called, as per standard practice, in conjunction with the last Committee meeting(s) before the holiday break, in order to ratify any Committee recommendations that are time-sensitive.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

Richmond’s Ecological Network Management Strategy
(File Ref. No. 10-6125-11-01) (REDMS No. 4541922 v. 4)

Peter Russell, Senior Manager, Sustainability and Direct Energy, accompanied by Lesley Douglas, Manager, Environmental Sustainability, provided background information.  In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Douglas commented on the Bath Slough Revitalization Initiative which was endorsed by Council in April 2014 as a Pilot Project under the Ecological Network that includes working with the Community Centre, residents, and local businesses.  She further commented that Bridgeport Industrial Park is located along the slough where staff are planting a pollinator pasture in partnership with Emily Carr University of Art and Design and collaboration with the Bath Slough community.  Also, Ms. Douglas advised that the proposed Strategy would be made available on the website and to associated partners.

Jim Wright, 8300 Osgoode Drive, representing the Garden City Conservation Society, spoke in support of the proposed Strategy and to the shared commitment to implement the Strategy.  He urged Council to implement the Strategy and to protect existing vegetation and trees throughout Richmond.

Judy Williams, Vice-Chair, Fraser River Coalition, and President, Shore Spawners Alliance of British Columbia, was in support of the proposed Strategy.  She queried how the City is working with the Vancouver Airport Authority on potential development and environmental considerations as it relates to the current runway extension project, which could potentially impact the foreshore (Sturgeon Banks) ecological area.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Ecological Network Management Strategy, as described in the staff report titled “Richmond’s Ecological Network Management Strategy,” dated August 21, 2015, from the Director, Engineering, be adopted; and

(2)

That staff investigate the Vancouver Airport Authority’s runway expansion plans.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued regarding the ecological elements related to the Garden City Lands development.  It was noted that a press release is anticipated to be issued following Council’s approval of the proposed Strategy.

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

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:18 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 September 21, 2015.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Heather Howey
Legislative Services Coordinator