March 19, 2018 - Minutes
|
General Purposes Committee
|
Date: |
Monday, March 19, 2018 |
|
Place: |
Anderson Room |
|
Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair |
|
Absent: |
Councillor Derek Dang |
|
Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. |
|
|
|
MINUTES |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on March 5, 2018, be adopted as circulated. |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
|
DELEGATIONS |
|
|
1. |
Dr. Rebecca Harbut, Chair, Department of Sustainable Agriculture and Dr. Kent Mullinix, Director, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), expressed their appreciation to the City and provided an update regarding the KPU research and teaching farm at Garden City Lands and highlighted the following: |
|
|
|
|
§ |
KPU is eager to demonstrate using Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land for the production of food and enabling young people to farm in the community; |
|
|
|
§ |
the partnership with the City is a one of a kind opportunity which will allow the University to partner with others including industry, farmers, other scientists, and the community; |
|
|
|
§ |
this year will be focused on soil building including cover cropping to build organic matter; |
|
|
|
§ |
three moveable high tunnels will also be constructed and KPU will work with the City permit department to look at this as an innovative production system; |
|
|
|
§ |
they will also be developing permanent raised beds for annual vegetable crops; |
|
|
|
§ |
high tunnels, agricultural equipment that is put overtop of ground production, are a way to extend the growing season and KPU would like them to be moveable to give flexibility in rotating crops; |
|
|
|
§ |
the vegetable processing station is an example of a feature to be established at the Garden City Lands KPU farm and is a way to do primary processing on vegetables on-site; and |
|
|
|
§ |
as soon as the soil amendments are completed, planting can commence. |
|
|
|
In response to questions from Committee, Dr. Harbut and Dr. Mullinix further noted that: |
|
|
|
|
§ |
the mobile unit, which would function as an office and lab, and the moveable high tunnels will be temporary structures, as federal and provincial funding received for the program would not allow for permanent buildings on leased land; |
|
|
|
§ |
KPU has been working closely with City staff to bring in organics for the site; |
|
|
|
§ |
community outreach activities are being planned as a part of the agreement with the City, including twilight walks, workshops, and interpretive signage; |
|
|
|
§ |
studying the process of growing in adverse conditions will be a large part of the program, and they hope to demonstrate that agriculture can function to improve soil capacity; |
|
|
|
§ |
there will be research to look at carbon sequestration capacity of that farm, how the site is managed, and what types of management practices facilitate farm being a benefit to the ecology; |
|
|
|
§ |
the soil that was brought in to fill the site did have rocks in it, however, rock removal is not unusual in farming practices; |
|
|
|
§ |
this program is seen as a flagship program of the University and they will continue to be involved in the future; |
|
|
|
§ |
the Garden City Lands site is critical for the degree program as it is closer to the KPU campus, easier to access, and serves complimentary functions to the farm program at Gilbert Road; |
|
|
|
§ |
they are partnering with the KPU physics department and design school to develop technologies, including a weeding robot and biodegradable sensors, that would be accessible to small farmers; and |
|
|
|
§ |
one of their objectives is to engage the community in food production and agriculture and welcome any mechanisms to accomplish this, including participation in a future Harvest Festival. |
|
|
|
The meeting was recessed at 4:22 p.m. |
*********************
|
|
|
The meeting reconvened at 4:24 p.m. following the recessed Special (Closed) Council meeting with all members of Committee present, except Councillor Dang. |
|
|
|
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
|
|
2. |
2017 Report from City Citizen Representatives to the Vancouver International Airport Aeronautical Noise Management Committee (YVR ANMC) |
|
|
|
Victor Wei, Director, Transportation, introduced Gary Abrams, City Citizen Representative to the YVR Aeronautical Noise Management Committee (YVR ANMC), to Committee. Mr. Abrams commented that encouraging individuals with complaints to deliver more information when submitting a concern would allow Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA) staff and members of the YVR ANMC to follow up and address the issues, which may lead to a reduction in registered concerns. |
|
|
|
In response to queries from Committee, Mr. Abrams noted that (i) the number of float plane complaints was down in 2017, which could be because one flight operator moved operations to downtown Vancouver, (ii) complaints regarding float planes could be about the closeness of the aircrafts to buildings and not necessarily the noise of the aircrafts and further information collected when an individual lodges a complaint would be useful, (iii) the main role for the Richmond Citizen representatives on the YVR AMNC is to listen and report to Council on Committee activities and make recommendations where appropriate, and (iv) it is his understanding that the north runway at YVR is used for arrivals and the south runway at YVR for departures, except when not possible, to allow for efficiency. |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the report from the City citizen representatives appointed to the Vancouver International Airport Aeronautical Noise Management Committee (YVR ANMC) regarding the Committee’s 2017 activities be received for information. |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
|
ADJOURNMENT |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the meeting adjourn (4:33 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 19, 2018. |
|
_________________________________ |
_________________________________ |
|
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Amanda Welby |