September 5, 2023 - Minutes

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Evangel Biason, Acting Corporate Officer

Call to Order:

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

1.

RICHMOND ZONING BYLAW 8500, AMENDMENT BYLAW 10424
(RZ 21-941597)

(Location:  12120 No. 5 Road; Applicant: 1243059 BC Ltd)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

None.

Submissions from the floor:

None.

PH23/8-1

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10424 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

2.

RICHMOND ZONING BYLAW 8500, AMENDMENT BYLAW 10478 (RZ 23-018081)

(Location:  4831 Steveston Highway; Applicant:  Anthony Boni (Boni Maddison Architects))

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

Anne Wicks (Schedule 1)

Bob King (Schedule 2)

Gilmore Park United Church (Schedule 3)

Submissions from the floor:

Linda Barnes, 4551 Garry Street, expressed support for the proposed development, noting that the location is ideal as it is close to public transportation and amenities in Steveston. 

Anne Wicks, 10171 Hollymount Drive, spoke in favour of the proposed affordable housing development, noting that stable and affordable housing allows women and children of limited financial means to access essential supports, find education and employment and to build meaningful lives for them and their children.

Ainslie Cook, 4800 Trimaran Drive, spoke in favour of the proposed development, noting that this affordable housing complex is greatly needed in Richmond and would help people in the community thrive.

Sarah Stern, Richmond resident, shared her own experience, emphasizing the support her and her family received as a result of being able to secure affordable housing. 

Vinny, Richmond resident, expressed support for the proposed development, noting that there is a need for more subsidized affordable housing.

Heidi Peterson, Richmond resident, noted that she would have liked more transparency of details earlier in the project and more public consultation.   

Marian Smith, 6580 Mayflower Drive, expressed her support for the proposed development.

Evan Dunfee, 6655 Lynas Lane, expressed support for the proposed development, and suggested that a direct connection to the Railway Greenway and a redesign of the bike room at the Development Permit stage would be beneficial to the project.

PH23/8-2

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10478 be given second and third readings.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with respect to the need for more affordable housing to address the housing crisis, and the project’s compliance with the Official Community Plan.

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

3.

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW 9000, AMENDMENT BYLAW 10479 AND RICHMOND ZONING BYLAW 8500, AMENDMENT BYLAW 10480 (RZ 21-936046)

(Location:  8520, 8540 & 8560 Railway Avenue; Applicant:  Winston Chong Architect Inc.)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Cindy Chen, Applicant representing SD Railways homes and Doug Johnson, Architect, noted that:   

§   

the proposed development is for 58 seniors affordable rental housing units, which would be managed by the non-profit organization Richmond Kiwanis Seniors Citizens Housing society;

§   

the height of the building is minimally higher then that of the neighboring townhouse complex;

§   

the density ratio will be about 1.35 persons per unit which will work out to be approximately 80-85, independent, aged sixty plus seniors, residing in the proposed 58 units.

§   

a traffic study completed for the proposal states there will be about the same number of vehicle traffic as the neighboring townhouse complex, and that this location is very accessible to transit for seniors;

§   

interior lighting will be LED and carefully maintained and monitored;

§   

the project will be adhering to the City’s Noise bylaw, and

§   

addition of privacy screens along the east side of the development can be developed during the Development Permit process.

Written Submissions:

Anson Liang, (Schedule 4)

Jiawei Wu (Schedule 5)

Rodney Noreiega, (Schedule 6)

Daphne Wong (Schedule 7)

Ken Lui (Schedule 8)

Irene Chang (Schedule 9)

Carlo Tong (Schedule 10)

Stella Tsui (Schedule 11)

Sandy Leung (Schedule 12)

Abdulrehman Premji (Schedule 13)

Submissions from the floor:

Deidre Whalen, representing the Richmond Poverty Reduction Coalition, spoke in favour of the proposed development and read from her submission (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 14 )

Kenny Sims, expressed his support for the proposed development, noting that the site was a good location for such a development.

Carol Morale, Richmond resident, noted that she lives in Richmond Kiwanis Senior Citizens Housing Society, and expressed her support for the proposed development as there is a need for affordable seniors housing.

Melissa Li, 8551 Calder Road, spoke in opposition of the proposed development expressing concerns with (i) traffic, (ii) parking, (iii) shadowing and (iv) loss of privacy.

Daphne Wong, Richmond resident, spoke in opposition to the proposed development, expressing concerns about (i) increase in density, (ii) street parking, (iii) loss of privacy, and (iv) traffic.

Suzanne Woods, noted that she is a resident of Richmond Kiwanis Senior Citizens Housing Society, and expressed her support for the proposed development noting that they have no concerns with parking and that her complex is quiet and the building is well managed.

Irene Chang, 8491 Calder Road, spoke in opposition of the project stating that she had submitted a 40 signature petition against the proposed development. She expressed her concerns regarding the (iv) change in the proposed application from 2021, (ii) increase in density, (iii) loss of sunlight and privacy, and (iv) parking.

Evan Dunfee, 6655 Lynas Lane, spoke in support of the proposed development, noting that he was very happy with the 50 percent low end market rental in the proposal and felt that wouldn’t be possible without reduction of parking.  He hoped to see more projects such as this in the City.

Hanif Kotadia, 8471 Calder Road, spoke in opposition of the proposed development, noting his concerns about the (i) height of the development, (ii) shadowing, (iii) noncompliance to the Official Community plan, and (iv) more transparency regarding details of the project.

Tyler Johnson, representative of the property management company managing Richmond Kiwanis Senior Citizens Housing Society, Kiwanis Towers spoke in support of the project and noted that senior’s affordable housing is much needed in the city, and that a shadowing study has been done for the project and shadowing should not significantly impact neighboring homes.

Rosa Shaieh, 8531 Calder Road, spoke in opposition to the rezoning and expressed her concerns about (i) parking, (ii) the shadow study, (iii) and loss of privacy.

Stella Tsui, 8571 Calder Road, expressed her opposition to the proposed development, noting concerns regarding (i) design of development, (ii) lack of privacy and (iii) the proposed higher density.

Vinny, Richmond resident, spoke in support of the proposed development and the need for affordable housing for seniors.

Resident, 8500 Railway Avenue, supported the proposed development and inquired about a geotechnical report to see how it will effect the stability of the home beside and behind the development, and questioned what the future plans are for Railway Avenue.

In response to the resident’s queries, staff advised that a geotechnical report will be required should the rezoning proceed as part of the Building Permit application and the current OCP designation is for townhouse development on Railway Avenue, but there are provisions in the OCP that do allow increased density upon consideration from Council for purpose built rental projects.

PH23/8-3

It was moved and seconded

That Official Community Plan Bylaw 9000, Amendment Bylaw 10479 be given second and third readings.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with regard to (i) development signage on the subject property, (ii) construction noise,
(iii) provision of privacy screens on the balconies, (iv) proposed balconies measuring 80 feet from neighboring properties, (v) height of proposed project, and (vi) further refinement of design details at the Development Permit Panel stage.

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

PH23/8-4

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10480 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

4.

RICHMOND ZONING BYLAW 8500, AMENDMENT BYLAW 10463 (ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE)

(Location:  City-Wide; Applicant:  City of Richmond)

Applicant’s Comments:

The applicant was available to respond to queries.

Written Submissions:

None.

Submissions from the floor:

None.

PH23/8-5

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10463 be given second and third readings.

CARRIED

PH23/8-6

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10463 be adopted.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

PH23/8-7

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (9:18 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 Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

Mayor (Malcolm D. Brodie)

Acting Corporate Officer (Evangel Biason)