Place:

Council Chambers

Richmond City Hall

6911 No. 3 Road

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie

Councillor Linda Barnes

Councillor Derek Dang

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Ken Johnston

Councillor Bill McNulty

Gail Johnson, Acting Corporate Officer

Absent:

Councillor Harold Steves

Call to Order:

Mayor Brodie opened the proceedings at 7:00 p.m.

1.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8609

(Agriculture (AG) Zoned Properties Throughout Richmond; Applicant:  City of Richmond)

Applicant’s Comments:

Staff was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Roland Hoegler, 6560 No. 4 Road, Richmond (Schedule 1)

(b)

Gabrielle Grun, 10551 No. 6 Road (Schedule 2)

(c)

De Whelan, 13631 Blundell Road (Schedule 3)

Submissions from the floor:

De Whelan, 13631 Blundell Road, stated her opposition to the proposed amendment and remarked that if the 50 metre setback is eliminated, the City will see the construction of more and larger mansions, as well as coach houses and accessory residential structures on farm land.

Ms. Whelan was concerned with the amount of pavement that would cover farmland if the City does not establish setbacks, noting that places of worship on No. 5 Road have covered agriculture land with paved parking lots.

Ms. Whelan remarked that if farmland is used for pavement, residential structures and ancillary buildings, then land for trees that provide oxygen, plants that provide food, and acres that provide for livestock will be eliminated.

Phil Borovsky, 6191 No. 6 Road, expressed support for the proposed amendment, and stated that his parcel of land is too small to accommodate farming activity. He encouraged the City to look at the issue on a parcel-to-parcel basis, and to take into consideration that not all parcels in the Agriculture Zone are large ones.

Roland Hoegler, 6560 No. 4 Road, stated support for the proposed amendment and encouraged all Council members to vote in support as well.

Dale Badh, 7251 Ash Street, spoke in support of the proposed amendment, and commented that the City would not lose any agriculture land by putting this amendment in place. Mr. Badh noted that owners of agriculture parcels are responsible, but it is non-owners, who use agriculture parcels for such activities as dumping fill, who do not abide by the setback provisions outlined in the Zoning Bylaw.

PH10/9-1

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8609 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

OPPOSED: Cllr. S. Halsey-Brandt

PH10/9-2

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8609 be adopted.

CARRIED

OPPOSED: Cllr. S. Halsey-Brandt

2.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8649 (RZ 10-516627)

(7491, 7531 and 7551 No. 2 Rd; Applicant: Yamamoto Architecture Inc.)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Korotchenko Anatoli, 7557 No. 2 Road (Schedule 4)

(b)

Nirmal Dhaliwal, 7480 Langton Road (Schedule 5)

(c)

Petition, 12 signatures, No. 2 Road neighbours (Schedule 6)

Submissions from the floor:

Grant Berezan, 7475 No. 2 Road, was concerned with the height of the proposed development and stated that the shadow of the development would shade the front lawn of his single-family home. He was concerned that the proposed development would increase densification in his neighbourhood and would lead to a drop in the property value of his home.

Mr. Berezan inquired about the distance from his home to the proposed townhouse unit that would be closest to his home.

Discussion ensued during which staff was requested to consider the following during the development permit process: (i) overlook of windows in the proposed development to the windows in Mr. Berezan’s home; (ii) the shadowing created by the proposed development; (iii) the height of the townhouse unit next to Mr. Berezan’s house, i.e. 2 storys versus 2.5 storeys; and (iv) if landscaping elements can mitigate light from vehicles traveling on the drive aisle in the setback area.

Staff was further directed to provide Mr. Berezan with information regarding the date, time and place of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel when the application to develop 7491, 7531 and 7551 No. 2 Rd. is to be discussed.

PH10/9-3

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8649 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

OPPOSED: Cllr. G. Halsey-Brandt

3.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8655 (RZ 10-529746)

(6431 Blundell Road; Applicant: Ajit Thaliwal and Amarjit Gill)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Brian & Susanne Galloway, 6500 Chelmsford Street (Schedule 7)

Submissions from the floor:

In response to a question from Council, Ajit Thaliwal, Applicant, advised that steps have been taken to prevent damage to trees and a hedge on a property adjacent to the subject site. In addition, a Certified Arborist has been contracted to supervise the effect of lane construction, and a final assessment report will be submitted to the City for review.

Staff confirmed that the lane design respects the neighbour’s landscape elements, and it is expected that during the construction phase the landscape elements will survive. 

There was agreement that staff would work with the applicant after the lane construction phase to address appropriate replacement measures, should any trees in the hedge not survive.

PH10/9-4

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8655 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

4.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8656 (RZ 08-423193)

(9131 and 9151 Williams Road; Applicant: Thomas Chalissery)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Terry and Leona Friesen, 9291 Pinewell Crescent (Schedule 8)

(b)

Tom Cork (agent for owner William Go), 9171 Williams Road (Schedule 9)

(c)

Anna Pietraszek, 9111 Williams Road (Schedule 10)

Submissions from the floor:

None.

PH10/9-5

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8656 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

5.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8661 (RZ 08-434086)

(8471 Williams Road; Applicant: Matthew Cheng Architect Inc.)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Scott Beley, 8460 Pigott Road (Schedule 11)

(b)

Plan #8, ZT 10-542950, Matthew Cheng, Architect (Schedule 12)

Submissions from the floor:

David Chang, 8520 Pigott Road, stated that the proposed residential units would prevent sunshine from reaching his backyard, and commented that the landscaping design for the proposal would not help with this situation.

He also cited concerns with the height of the proposed development and how it would tower over other homes in the neighbourhood. Mr. Chang was concerned that an additional 15 residential units in the neighbourhood would increase traffic along Williams Road, and especially near the neighbourhood elementary school. 

Staff was directed to maintain the 3.0 metre setback on the west side and review the location of the garbage and recycle room, during the development permit process.

In response to a question about the requested variance for the west side yard setback, Matthew Cheng, Architect, provided his rationale for this request, referring to Plan #8 (Schedule 12). He acknowledged that if Council wished, the plans could be revised to accommodate a 3.0 metre setback.

PH10/9-6

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8661 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

In accordance with Section 100 of the Community Charter, Councillor Derek Dang declared himself to be in a potential conflict of interest as he owns property on Cambie Road, and left the meeting at 8:35 p.m.

6.

Zoning Text Amendment Bylaw 8664 (ZT 10-542950)

(9388 Cambie Road (formerly 9340-9400 Cambie Road); Applicant: BC Housing, Provincial Rental Housing Corporation

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

(a)

Kelly, 9391 Cambie Road (Schedule 13)

(b)

George Wang, 9391 Cambie Road (Schedule 14)

Submissions from the floor:

Mike Wang, 9391 Cambie Road, was concerned that the construction work on the subject site starts at 7:00 a.m., and commented that it impacts the rest required by his father, George Wang, who suffers from illness.

Mr. Wang was concerned with the anticipated loss of privacy, when new residents move in and overlook the backyard of his family’s property, and with the loss of property value that would follow the construction of an apartment building across the street from his home.

Mr. Wang inquired about crosswalks for parents and children who walk to the neighbourhood school.

Staff confirmed that on weekdays construction on the subject site begins at 7 a.m., and that a servicing agreement with the applicant includes improvements to the existing intersections in the area.

In addition, staff noted the development permit has already been issued for this site and this Public Hearing is in relation to a text amendment for ownership and operation of 33 affordable housing units by B.C. Housing.

Mr. Wang was advised to contact City staff for further information regarding his concerns.

PH10/9-7

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning Amendment Bylaw 8664 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

Councillor Derek Dang returned to the meeting at 8:39 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

PH10/9-8

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (8:40 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting for Public Hearings of the City of Richmond held on Monday, November 15, 2010.

Mayor (Malcolm D. Brodie)

Acting Corporate Officer

City Clerk’s Office (Gail Johnson)