April 15, 2019 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Monday, April 15, 2019 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair |
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
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MINUTES |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on April 1, 2019, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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DELEGATION |
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1. |
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Nancy Small, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Richmond and Eda Koot, Chair, Tourism Richmond Board, provided an update on Tourism Richmond’s activities and highlighted that the brand “Pacific. Authentic.” was launched in February 2018 and was awarded the Marketing Campaign of the Year by the National Tourism Awards. |
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Ms. Small remarked that five strategic pillars guide Tourism Richmond’s focus to (i) capitalize on a strong destination brand, (ii) transform into a next-generation destination marketing organization, (iii) accelerate destination development, (iv) refine best-in-class sales and business development, and (v) optimize operational intelligence and efficiency. |
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Ms. Small and Ms. Koot then commented on areas of focus including highlighting Richmond’s unique food scene, launching new visitor experiences in Steveston Village, maximizing Richmond’s flat landscape by promoting cycling in Richmond, and promoting bird watching. Also, Ms. Small and Ms. Koot spoke on other areas of focus such as enhancing partnerships and examining sustainable tourism. |
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In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Small and Ms. Koot advised that (i) initiatives such as Richmond’s Dumpling Trail assists in bridging any ethnic gaps for visitors, (ii) Tourism Richmond would gladly partner with the City to explore branding opportunities for signage similar to what is done in Vancouver for Little India, and (iii) hotel accommodations are a competitive market and the Lower Mainland’s popularity as a whole directly affects costs of hotel rooms. |
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PRESENTATION |
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2. |
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Norman Kotze, Manager, Emergency Programs, spoke to Council’s role during an emergency and the following information was noted: |
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under provincial regulation, each local government is responsible for creating local emergency plans and guidelines that set out the priorities and means by which it will restore essential local government services following an emergency; |
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an emergency is defined as a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate coordinated action; |
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an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) provides support to incident sites through policy direction and resource coordination; |
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an EOC has various levels of activation: Level I (small, one site event), Level II (more intense event but still manageable under a unified command), and Level III (major event i.e., multiple sites, often regional in nature with multiple agencies involved); |
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during a Level III event, Council would play a role as the Policy Group and would be required to meet in the Anderson Room at Richmond City Hall; |
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Council’s specific roles are to (i) declare a State of Local Emergency, (ii) provide clear policy direction in the use of the extraordinary provincial powers and guidelines, (iii) empower the EOC to implement policies, (iv) follow and adjust previously established expenditure limits, (v) represent the City before media and the public, and (vi) support the development and funding for short and long-term recovery plans; |
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a key task of Council during a Level III activation is to request for extraordinary emergency powers of the Emergency Program Act for responding to an emergency; and |
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if Council quorum is un-achievable, the Mayor by order may enact a Declaration of Local Emergency. |
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In reply to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) during a Level III event, Council is required to meet in the Anderson Room at Richmond City Hall, (ii) fire halls are built to post-disaster regulations, (iii) within the EOC, a role is dedicated to liaising with other levels of government and agencies, and (iv) Council is welcome to attend the next Emergency Program’s exercise scheduled for May 8, 2019. |
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The Chair directed to staff to provide (i) a prioritized list of actions for Council during an emergency, including information such as where Council is to meet, if Council members cannot meet at the designated spot, a prioritized list of alternate locations, (ii) information on how Council may communicate and whether formal Council communication is permitted electronically, and (iii) a list of potential emergencies in order of probability. |
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COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION |
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3. |
Non-Farm Use Fill Application - 21800 River Road (Yee) |
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In reply to queries from Committee, Carli Williams, Manager, Community Bylaws and Licencing, and Mike Morin, Soil Bylaw Officer, provided the following information |
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the Applicant wishes to place soil on the property to improve the site’s agricultural capability to grow vegetables; |
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the Applicant has retained a Professional Agrologist, who would be responsible for the integrity of the soil to be deposited; and |
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once fill activity has commenced, the City’s Soil Bylaw Officer would conduct weekly site visits; the Agrologist inspects soil to be deposited from the source site and a contractor transports the soil to the subject site. |
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Discussion took place and Committee queried the conditions of the proposed soil deposit application and the need to apply restrictions consistently. Also, Committee expressed concern with regard to the quality of soil to be deposited, noting that there is no safeguard to guarantee that the soil inspected by the Agrologist at the originating site is indeed the same soil deposited on the subject site. |
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In reply to further queries from Committee, staff advised that the Applicant will collect tipping fees for the approximate 965 truckloads of soil received and tipping fees vary by season and by material, however tipping fees typically average $100 to $165 per load. |
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Discussion then took place on the merits of the proposed application and in reply to a query from Committee, Ms. Williams advised that the Applicant has met the City’s requirements. |
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In response to Committee comments, Dr. John Paul, Professional Agrologist, and Peter Jarvenpaa, Professional Engineer, provided the following information: |
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a new application has been developed whereby GPS technology tracks soil from an originating soil site to a final site; the application takes photographs and keeps records of each load, which provides a level of comfort on the integrity of the soil being deposited; |
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vegetables can be grown on the site using its existing soil, however not without challenges due to drainage; |
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during the winter and spring seasons, the water table can be close to the native ground elevation and therefore it would not be possible to naturally drain the site to achieve the distance required between the growing medium and the water table; |
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the proposed plan is to increase the depth of the soil and to rectify illegal fill previously deposited on the subject site; and |
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alternative measures could be examined to address drainage concerns however, these measures would significantly affect the site’s landscape particularly as it relates to the site’s Riparian Management Area. |
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Discussion further took place and Councillor Steves commented on ways in which drainage concerns could be addressed on the subject site and distributed materials (attached to and forming part of these Minutes as Schedule 1). |
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As a result of the discussion, the following referral motion was made: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the Non-Farm Use Fill Application proposed for the purpose of developing a vegetable farm and the corresponding staff report titled “Non-Farm Use Fill Application for the Property Located at 21800 River Road (Yee)”, dated November 14, 2018 (Attachment 1), be referred back to staff for: |
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(1) |
more information on alternative uses of the land without the need for soil deposits; and |
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(2) |
more information on the City’s inspection regime including precedent from a previous application along Westminster Highway. |
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The question on the referral motion was not called as discussion further took place on (i) the merits of the proposed application and whether it meets the City’s requirements, (ii) the Agricultural Land Commission’s role (ALC), and (iii) an instance where the ALC denied an application following the City’s recommendation for its consideration by the ALC. |
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The question on the referral motion was then called and it was DEFEATED with Cllrs. Day, Greene, Loo, McNulty, McPhail, Steves, and Wolfe opposed. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the Non-Farm Use Fill Application proposed for the purpose of developing a vegetable farm and the corresponding staff report titled “Non-Farm Use Fill Application for the Property Located at 21800 River Road (Yee)”, dated November 14, 2018 (Attachment 1), be referred to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) for the ALC’s review and decision as all reporting requirements specified by the City have been satisfied by the proponent. |
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DEFEATED |
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4. |
Application for a New Food Primary Liquor Licence with Patron Participation Entertainment Endorsement for Karaoke and Extended Hours From 1091919 BC Ltd., at 3300 - 4000 No. 3 Road |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That the application from 1091919 BC Ltd, operating at 3300 – 4000 No. 3 Road, requesting a Food-Primary Liquor Licence with Entertainment Endorsement for Patron Participation to enable karaoke at the establishment, be supported; |
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(2) |
That a letter be sent to Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch advising that: |
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(a) |
Council supports the application for a Food Primary Liquor Licence with: |
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(i) |
Patron Participation Entertainment Endorsement which ends at Midnight; |
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(ii) |
hours of liquor service, Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 AM; |
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(b) |
person capacity will be set at 120 seats and 20 staff for total capacity of 140 persons; |
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(3) |
Council’s comments on the prescribed criteria (Section 71 of the Liquor Control and Licensing Regulations) are as follows: |
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(a) |
the potential for additional noise and traffic in the area was considered; |
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the impact on the community was assessed through a community consultation process; |
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given that this business is new, there is no history of non-compliance with the operation, the addition to permit patron participation entertainment endorsement under the Food Primary Liquor Licence should not change the establishment such that it is operated contrary to its primary purpose; |
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(d) |
as the operation of a licenced establishment may affect nearby residents, businesses and property owners, the impact assessment was conducted through the City’s community consultation process as follows: |
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residents, businesses and property owners within a 50 meter radius of the subject property were notified by letter. The letter provided information on the application with instructions on how to submit comments or concerns; and |
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(ii) |
signage was posted at the subject property and three public notices were published in a local newspaper. The signage and public notice provided information on the application with instructions on how comments or concerns could be submitted; |
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(e) |
Council’s comments and recommendations respecting the view of the residents, businesses and property owners are as follows: |
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the community consultation process was completed as part of the application process; and |
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that based on the number of letters sent and the few opposed responses received and significant supporting responses received from all public notifications, Council considers that the approval of this application is acceptable to the majority of the residents, businesses and property owners in the area and the community; |
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Council recommends the approval of the Food Primary Liquor Licence with patron participation entertainment for the reasons that the application is acceptable to the majority of the residents, businesses and property owners in the area and the community. |
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CARRIED |
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ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION |
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5. |
Single-Use Plastic Items – Proposed Consultation |
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Suzanne Bycraft, Manager, Fleet and Environmental Programs, advised that the implementation of actions in Vancouver is anticipated to be delayed as a result of feedback from the business sector in relation to challenges in meeting the proposed deadline. |
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In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Bycraft provided the following information: |
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the use of plastic and paper shopping bags and disposable cups in the City of Vancouver will likely be addressed through the creation of a reduction plan bylaw, whereby business licence holders that use disposable cups and plastic and paper bags will be required to significantly reduce the amount of these items they distribute; |
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an outright ban on the use of plastic bags may not have been selected by the City of Vancouver possibly due to challenges for businesses to meet such a target; |
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as per Option 2, it is anticipated that a discussion paper be prepared over the next two to three months, and following that, a four-month long community and engagement process; and |
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the City of Victoria was sued by the Canadian Plastic Bag Association for its bylaw prohibiting businesses from providing plastic bags to customers; the Court ruled in the City of Victoria’s favour finding that its bylaw was exercised under its authority for business regulation under the Community Charter. |
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Discussion ensued and the following Committee comments were noted: |
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a ban on plastic bags would be notable; |
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the scope of materials should be expanded; |
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it would be valuable to commit to a deadline to implement any proposed bans; |
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a ban on plastic bags is not a cure-all as there are also environmental impacts with the use of paper bags; |
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a ban on single-use plastics at City events should be considered; and |
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the issue of plastic packaging including single-use plastics and polystyrene foams is not new and therefore the City should take immediate action by way of a policy. |
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In reply to further queries from Committee, Ms. Bycraft advised that Option 2 is recommended as this approach involves scoping the issues more broadly to clearly identify the types of items to be targeted and methods in which to reduce use, regulate, or ban. Moreover, she noted that it would be challenging for business and industry to change practices in a short period of time and thus, Option 2 allows for community input and provides a more well-rounded approach to ensure impactful change over the longer term. Ms. Bycraft added that Option 2 would also allow staff to review the City’s corporate practices to ensure these are reflective of the direction being pursued. |
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Discussion then took place on the potential for a hybrid of Option 1 and the following motion was introduced: |
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That staff: |
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be directed to draft bylaws compatible to Vancouver and Victoria on the restriction of plastic drinking straws, single-use plastic bags, and Styrofoam food containers for implementation on July 1, 2020; and |
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prepare a consultation plan for the consideration of further reductions of single-use plastic items and Styrofoam in Richmond. |
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The question on the motion was not called as discussion took place and the following Committee comments were noted: |
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the need to clearly identify what it is that Council wishes to see implemented in regard to the scope of materials is important; |
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a similar approach to that of the City of Vancouver’s would have inherent benefits; |
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public consultation may not be valuable in this instance as the problem is well-known and existing; |
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the proposed motion does not allow for a phased-in approach(i.e., providing bags or straws on-request basis only); and |
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the need to act now is important. |
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As a result of the discussion, the following referral motion was made: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the matter be referred back to staff to outline suggested options for potential changes similar to those found in the City of Vancouver’s bylaw regarding single-use plastics items such as bags, straws, and polystyrene food containers including exceptions, timeline, education, enforcement and consultation and report back at the next General Purposes Committee meeting. |
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The question on the referral motion was not called as it was noted that it is important to liaise with Vancouver Coastal Health regarding this matter as it relates to the use of straws for patients. |
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Also, the Chair directed staff to consider the City’s practices at City events regarding single-use plastics. |
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The question on the referral motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION |
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6. |
Rabbits in Richmond |
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In reply to queries from Committee, Paul Brar, Manager, Parks Programs, and Ted de Crom, Manager, Parks Operations, advised that rabbits in the city cause approximately $10,000 to $15,000 in damages annually, and staff will continue to work with external agencies, namely the Richmond Animal Protection Society, the Rabbitats Rescue Society, and the BC SPCA on rabbits in Richmond. |
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Sorrelle Saidman, Rabbitats Rescue Society, spoke to Project One – Feral Rabbit Control Services ($45,000 plus $100 per rabbit), noting that $45,000 is requested to initiate a pilot project to clear a geographical area of rabbits; the additional $100 per rabbit would be for costs associated for sterilization and vaccination. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Rabbits in Richmond,” dated March 28, 2019, from the Director, Parks Services, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (6:23 p.m.). |
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CARRIED |
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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, April 15, 2019. |
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Hanieh Berg |