March 27, 2017 - Minutes (Special)
 |
|
Date: |
Monday, March 27, 2017 |
|
Place: |
Anderson Room |
|
Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair |
|
Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
|
|
|
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
|
|
1. |
Update on Agriculturally Zoned Land Housing Regulations, Consultation and Building Permit Activity |
|
|
|
|
Correspondence from Leeanna Jalbert, 2960 Steveston Highway, was distributed (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1). |
|
|
|
|
Wayne Craig, Director, Development spoke on the proposed moratorium on building permits for residential buildings on agriculturally zoned land, noting the following: |
|
|
|
|
§ |
a bylaw to address house size regulations on agriculturally zoned land is being prepared; |
|
|
|
§ |
in-stream applications and applications received within seven days of Council’s adoption of the moratorium resolution will be assessed under the existing bylaw; |
|
|
|
§ |
applications received after the seven days following the resolution’s adoption would be brought to Council for consideration, in which Council may decide to issue the permit or withhold the permit for 30 days to address potential conflicts with the new bylaw under preparation; |
|
|
|
§ |
after the first 30-day withholding period, staff will bring forward the application to Council and Council may consider to issue the permit or withhold the application for an additional 60 days; |
|
|
|
§ |
a potential moratorium would not require setting a limit on house size; |
|
|
|
§ |
staff will bring forward recommendations on new house size regulations within agricultural land at the upcoming Planning Committee meeting on April 19, 2017; and |
|
|
|
§ |
staff will provide information on options to introduce farming requirements for developments on agricultural sites. |
|
|
|
Discussion ensued with regard to (i) the number of building permit applications submitted in 2017 compared to previous years, (ii) the floor area of the proposed residential buildings, (iii) the number of agriculturally zoned lots that could potentially develop a residential dwelling, (iv) restricting the number and size of accessory buildings in agriculturally zoned lots, and (v) the potential increase in the number of submitted applications during the moratorium, if approved. |
|
|
|
|
In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Craig noted that residential portions of an agricultural site are taxed under the City’s residential property tax rates. Staff added the subdivision of properties under the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is not supported by the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP). |
|
|
|
|
Kush Panatch, Richmond resident, expressed concerns with regard to the potential moratorium on building applications on agricultural land and was of the opinion that the City proceed with further community consultation. |
|
|
|
|
Todd May, representing the Richmond Farmer’s Institute and the Agricultural Advisory Committee commented on housing regulations on agriculturally zoned lots and expressed concerns with regard to regulations that may impact the viability of agricultural land. |
|
|
|
|
Bhupinder Dhiman, representing Richmond Farmland Association, noted that Farmland Association members are willing to work with the City on house size regulations within agricultural land. |
|
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
|
Whereas Section 463 of the Local Government Act allows the withholding of building permits that conflict with bylaws in preparation; and |
|
|
|
|
Whereas Council directed staff to conduct public consultation regarding house size, farm home plate and setbacks, including residential accessory buildings, |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
That staff be directed to prepare for Council’s consideration a bylaw to limit house size, farm home plate and setbacks, including residential accessory buildings in the Agriculture (AG) zones; and |
|
|
|
(2) |
That staff bring all building permit applications for residential development, including residential accessory buildings, in the Agriculture (AG) zones received more than 7 days after the passage of resolution #1 to Council, to determine whether such applications are in conflict with the proposed bylaw to limit house size, farm home plate and setbacks, including residential accessory buildings in the Agriculture (AG) zones. |
|
|
|
The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with regard to the increase in building permit activity and the application process under the potential moratorium. |
|
|
|
|
Newspaper articles from the March 10, 2017 edition of the Richmond News, titled “City flooded with building permits” and “Lot size matters”, and a real estate advertisement from the March 8, 2017 edition of the Real Estate Weekly was distributed (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 2). |
|
|
|
|
It was suggested that staff provide additional data on previously approved residential applications within the ALR from 2010 to the present. |
|
|
|
|
In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Craig noted that Council is able to lift the moratorium prior to the adoption of a new bylaw. |
|
|
|
|
The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED with |
|
|
|
|
ADJOURNMENT |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the meeting adjourn (4:52 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, March 27, 2017. |
|
_________________________________ |
_________________________________ |
|
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Evangel Biason |