MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on December 16, 2008, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

3.

APPLICATION BY KNS ENTERPRISES FOR REZONING AT 10660 WILLIAMS ROAD FROM SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING DISTRICT, SUBDIVISION AREA E (R1/E) TO SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING DISTRICT, SUBDIVISION AREA (R1-0.6)

(RZ 08-439125 - Report:  December 11, 2008, File No.: 12-8060-20-8447) (REDMS No. 2513483, 1791415, 2544106)

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 8447, for the rezoning of 10660 Williams Road from “Single-Family Housing District, Subdivision Area E (R1/E)” to “Single-Family Housing District, Subdivision Area (R1-0.6)”, be introduced and given first reading.

CARRIED

4.

2008 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2009 WORK PROGRAM: CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(Report:  January 5, 2009, File No.: 01-0100-20-CCDE1-01) (REDMS No. 2547857, 2547461, 2547153, 2537082)

Linda Shirley, Chair of the Child Care Development Advisory Committee, accompanied Lesley Sherlock, Social Planner. Discussion ensued regarding:

the potential impact on the child care community of the pending move into the school system of children 3 to 5 years of age; the Child Care Development Advisory Committee will monitor the outcome of a Provincial feasibility study currently underway regarding the pending move and will keep Council appraised of the situation;

the benefit to the Child Care Development Advisory Committee of the increase in its membership;

that the child care grant program is independent from the City’s grant program;

the role of the Child Care Development Advisory Committee is to provide Council with advice regarding the development of quality, affordable and accessible child care in the City; when the Committee draws attention to issues, Council could choose to advocate;

the Committee receives an annual operating grant that is included in the approved 2009 base budget; if the Committee requests additional funding for a specific project, the request would be considered within the existing overall 2009 Policy Planning Advisory Committee budget, where some flexibility exists.

It was moved and seconded

That the Child Care Development Advisory Committee 2009 Work Program (Attachment 1 to the report dated December 17, 2008) be approved.

CARRIED

5.

2008 ANNUAL REPORT, 2009 WORK PROGRAM RICHMOND COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(Report:  January 5, 2009, File No.: 01-0100-20-RCSA1-01) (REDMS No. 2547857)

Belinda Boyd and Kim Winchell accompanied Ms. Sherlock. Discussion ensued regarding:

the Richmond Community Services Advisory Committee (RCSAC)’s ‘Community Services Space Needs Survey’ was conducted to determine the immediate and long-term needs for facility space for community service organizations in Richmond; the Survey provided an overview of the current state of space needs, and an exploration of how agencies could pool space resources if necessary;

the RCSAC has shared the Survey results with the City’s Real Estate Services staff; RCSAC representatives will meet with City staff to discuss the next steps;

the RCSAC has prioritized exploring the establishment of a youth service hub for 2009;

both the RCSAC and the Poverty Response Committee discuss affordable housing issues; Joan D’Angola, the City’s Affordable Housing Coordinator, provides quarterly updates on the issue; the RCSAC has recently struck a sub-committee to focus on the subject;

the RCSAC does not have an advocacy role; it is not a City committee, but provides Council with advice regarding changes in the social services sector, made by the Federal and Provincial governments; individual agencies may choose to advocate on their own behalf.

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

the Richmond Community Services Advisory Committee 2009 Work Program (Attachment 1 to the report dated January 5, 2009) be approved;

(2)

the RCSAC Charter (Attachment 3 to the report dated January 5, 2009) be endorsed; and

(3)

City staff be directed to assist the RCSAC in further studying community space needs.

CARRIED

6.

2008 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2009 WORK PROGRAM RICHMOND SENIORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(Report:  December 16, 2008, File No.: 01-0100-20-SADV1-01) (REDMS No. 2543147, 2533465)

Doug Symons, Co-Chair of the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee accompanied Ms. Sherlock. 

Mr. Symons advised that the Committee focuses is on three issues: (i) housing, (ii) health, and (iii) transportation. With regard to housing, he observed that seniors could experience financial difficulties, due to the effects of the global economic crisis, thereby impacting their ability to afford housing.  

Discussion ensued regarding:

the importance of security measures, such as turnstiles, on the Canada Line to provide personal safety to riders (i) on the trains, (ii) while on the platforms, and (iii) in the vicinity of stations;

50 seniors benefited from funding received from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, under its ‘Decreasing Barriers, Increasing Wellness’ program.

It was moved and seconded

That the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee 2009 Work Program (Attachment 1 to the report dated December 16, 2008) be approved.

CARRIED

6A.

A brief discussion took place with regard to the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee’s concern that: (i) Taxi-Saver Coupons are no longer available in Richmond; (ii) the coupons must be ordered from TransLink in Burnaby; and (iii) those in need of the coupons must await their arrival by mail.

As a result of the discussion the following motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the City write to the office of Accessible Transit, at TransLink in Burnaby, B.C. to: 

(1)

express concern regarding the necessity for Richmond residents to order Taxi-Saver Coupons from the central office located in Burnaby and await the arrival of the coupons in the mail; and

(2)

encourage the office of Accessible Transit to issue Taxi-Saver Coupons in Richmond.

CARRIED

7.

2008 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2009 WORK PROGRAM RICHMOND INTERCULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(Report:  December 15, 2008, File No.: 01-0100-20-RIAD1-01) (REDMS No. 25424382528379)

Ms. Sherlock was accompanied by Daphne McMillan and Lawrence Lim. Discussion ensued regarding:

congratulations were offered to the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee in recognition of the publication of ‘A Guide for Newcomers’;

the term ‘newcomer’ is broad, and applies to people who are newly arrived in the community as well as to people who have immigrated some time ago and who have lived in the community for some time;

On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 the Committee will co-host a citizenship ceremony at the Minoru Cultural Centre during which new citizens can: (i) gather for discussion, and (ii) renew their citizenship vows.

In response to a query regarding the cost of the production of ‘A Guide for Newcomers’, Mr. Lim advised that future printings, including the potential to print the guide in languages other than English, would be done only if a sponsor undertook the cost of printing.

It was moved and seconded

That the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee 2009 Work Program (Attachment 1 to the report dated December 15, 2008) be approved.

CARRIED

PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

8.

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF RICHMOND - A GUIDE FOR NEWCOMERS

(Report:  December 18, 2008, File No.:  07-3300-02) (REDMS No. 2446983)

Vern Jacques, Acting Director, Recreation and Cultural Services, and Alan Hill, Cultural Diversity Coordinator joined Mr. Lim and advised Committee that:

the cost of the initial printing of ‘A Guide for Newcomers’ was included in the City’s operating budget;

the Guide is meant to be self-sustaining and self-supporting; and

a sponsor will be sought before further printing of the Guide is undertaken.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the publication entitled Welcome to the City of Richmond - A Guide for Newcomers (Attachment 1 to the report dated December 4, 2008 from the Acting Director, Recreation and Culture) be endorsed; and

(2)

That the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee (RIAC) seek funding from senior government and other sources (including corporate sponsorship) for the translation of this publication into other commonly-spoken languages in Richmond, and for the subsequent production and distribution of the Guide.

CARRIED

9.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(1)

Steveston Study

Terry Crowe, Manager, Policy Planning advised that a staff report regarding the Heritage Building located at 4091 Chatham Street will be prepared for the February 16, 2009 meeting of the General Purposes Committee.

(2)

Official Community Plan (OCP)

None.

(3)

Regional Growth Strategy

None.

(4)

Social Planning Strategy

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:50 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, January 20, 2009.

_________________________________

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Councillor Bill McNulty

Vice-Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk