November 30, 2020 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, November 30, 2020

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Alexa Loo (by teleconference)
Councillor Bill McNulty (by teleconference)
Councillor Linda McPhail (by teleconference)
Councillor Harold Steves (by teleconference)
Councillor Michael Wolfe (by teleconference)

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 November 16, 2020, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION

1.

City Events Program 2021
(File Ref. No. 11-7400-01) (REDMS No. 6540914 v. 10)

Committee made reference to correspondence received regarding the 2021 Cherry Blossom Festival from the Organizing and Coordinating Committee (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office.)

In response to queries from Committee, Lisa Fedoruk, Program Manager 1, by teleconference, advised that if the 2021 program is approved, there would be a virtual event component to allow flexibility in case of further health regulation restrictions.

Linda Barnes, 4551 Garry Street, Chairperson, Richmond Arts Coalition, spoke in support of the staff report and read from her submission (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1.)

Ms. Barnes, in replies to questions from Committee, noted that other opportunities for festivals should include more cultural events similar to the World Festival as an event that celebrates culture in Richmond is necessary.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the City Events Program 2021 as outlined in Table 1 of the staff report titled “City Events Program 2021”, dated November 4, 2020, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services be approved for the following events:

(a)

Children’s Arts Festival;

(b)

Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival;

(c)

Neighbourhood Celebration Grants;

(d)

Doors Open Richmond;

(e)

Steveston Salmon Festival;

(f)

Richmond Maritime Festival;

(g)

Farmers’ Markets; and

(h)

Richmond Has Heart; and

(2)

That expenditures totaling $258,000 for the City Events Program 2021 with funding of $151,000 unused from the approved Major Events and Programs in 2020 and an additional $107,000 from the Rate Stabilization Account be considered in the 2021 budget process.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

Environment and Climate Change Canada Discussion Paper on Plastics Action:  City of Richmond Response
(File Ref. No. 10-6370-01) (REDMS No. 6558365 v. 4)

It was moved and seconded

That the City of Richmond response to the discussion paper titled “A Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution,” as outlined in Attachment 4 of the staff report titled, “Environment and Climate Change Canada Discussion Paper on Plastics Action: City of Richmond Response,” dated November 5, 2020 from the Acting Director, Public Works Operations be approved and forwarded to the Director of the Plastics and Marine Litter Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The question on the motion was not called as, in response to questions from Committee, Suzanne Bycraft, Manager, Fleet and Environmental Programs, by teleconference, clarified that (i) staffs’ response to question five includes directives by other areas due to the technical aspects of the question and were included to provide more detailed information, (ii) car seats are currently not recyclable unless dismantled and staff are working with an organization to be able to support dismantling and recycling , and (iii) there is no program currently to provide recycling services for fishing gear as it is not within the City’s traditional mandate however the Steveston Harbour Authority potentially already has a program in place.

Direction was given to staff to communicate with Steveston Harbour Authority in relation to the extent of their fishing gear recycling program.

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

NOTICE OF MOTION

3.

inclusion of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the City of Richmond’s Annual Report or other annual report
(File Ref. No.)

In response to questions from Committee, Peter Russell, Director, Sustainability and District Energy, by teleconference, remarked that the majority of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are not within City’s jurisdiction.

It was moved and seconded

For staff to provide analysis on inclusion of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the City of Richmond’s Annual Report or other annual report basis.

The question on the referral motion was not called as discussion ensued in regards to (i) applicability of the goals at the municipal level, (ii) inclusion within the Annual Report or Council Term Goals, and (iii) reporting on strategic ways that are meaningful to Richmond citizens.

The question on the referral motion was then called and it was DEFEATED ON A TIE VOTE with Mayor Brodie and Cllrs. Loo, McPhail, and McNulty opposed.

4.

SIDEWALK WIDTH standards for arterial and minor arterial roads
(File Ref. No.)

Lloyd Bie, Director, Transportation, by teleconference, in response to questions from Committee, commented that sidewalk width standards can be reviewed at Council’s direction.  

It was moved and seconded

Staff to evaluate sidewalk width standards and report back with recommendations.

The question on the referral motion was not called as, in replies to queries from Committee, Mr. Bie, by teleconference, advised that (i) sidewalk widths were last increased through the standards around 2008, (ii) there is no difference between arterial roads and residential roads however City Centre has a wider sidewalk standard than the rest of the city, and (iii) the outstanding referral on bike lanes is expected to come to Committee in the second quarter of 2021 and staff will take all transportation infrastructure into consideration.  

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

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:51 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, November 30, 2020.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Amanda Welby
Legislative Services Associate