MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

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

DELEGATION

3.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (Schedule 1) Johnny Carline, Chief Administrative Officer, Metro Vancouver (MV),  reviewed the proposed Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) and provided updates regarding Richmond’s cited concerns.

Councillor Steves entered the meeting (4:17 p.m.).

In speaking of Richmond’s concerns, Mr. Carline advised the following:

§         

the RGS requires unanimous municipal consent to be approved;

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once the RGS is approved, processes for (i) major RGS amendments require a 2/3 MV Board vote and a Public Hearing; (ii) minor RGS amendments require 50% + 1 vote at the MV Board and no Public Hearing; and (iii) municipal Official Community Plan (OCP) Regional Context Statements (RCS) can be accepted by the Board by simple majority vote without a Public Hearing;

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the Frequent Transit Development Corridors (FTDCs) will not be shown on RGS maps until the City agrees with TransLink as to what they mean where they may go, and the OCP RCS amendment is approved by a majority MV Board;

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the City still requests that the Garden City and Department of National Defence lands, which are in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), be shown as  RGS ‘Urban’, however, MV staff prefer that they be shown as ‘Urban’ and ‘Study Area’ as a ‘Study Area’ designation would indicate the possibility that the GCL and DND lands may remain in the ALR and become RGS Agriculture; and

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Employment dispersal is addressed by providing a RGS policy framework to direct Mixed Employment uses to appropriate transit related centres and corridors, thus protecting Industrial lands and minimizing traffic congestion.

In response to queries from Committee, Mr. Carline noted that (i) the proposed RGS should ideally recognize agricultural lands in the ALR, and also lands designated as Agricultural in OCPs; (ii) once consultations with other municipalities have concluded, other regional stakeholder groups will be approached to provide input; and (iii) if the GC and DND Lands were designated as a ‘Study Area’, that designation would be removed once their uses were determined.

Committee requested that Council receive copies of the City generated RGS maps shown during Mr. Carline’s presentation.

It was moved and seconded

That Metro Vancouver’s presentation on the proposed Regional Growth Strategy be referred back to staff for an analysis of:

(a)

the City’s and MV’s proposed Industrial and Mixed Employment Maps;

(b)

the City’s proposed RGS Urban designation and MV’s proposed RGS Urban and Study Area designations for the GC and DND Lands; and

(c)

the details of MV’s proposed RGS approval process and opportunities for municipal input during the proposed approval process and, after the RGS is approved MV’s proposed RGS amendment processes.

CARRIED

Mayor Brodie left the meeting (5:07 p.m.) and did not return.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

4.

APPLICATION BY PENTA HOMES LTD. FOR REZONING AT 6451 PRINCESS LANE FROM COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (CD/12) AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT (I2) TO COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (CD/115)

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8545, RZ 08-431606) (REDMS No. 2727687)

Brian J. Jackson, Director of Development, provided background information related to the proposed application and in reply to a query from Committee noted that the outdoor amenity space will be landscaped and the developer will maintain it.

The applicant, Dana Westermark, reviewed the site context and noted that the proposed rezoning project attempts to integrate with the surrounding developments.

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Westermark advised the following:

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affected businesses in the area were given the opportunity to relocate to a commercial building, however no agreements took place;

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building design is carefully considered when stacking residential units, in order to provide the best noise abatement; and

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to date, the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and  the Arts – Archaeology Branch has not indicated any archaeological potential.

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 8545, to amend “Comprehensive Development District (CD/115)” and to rezone 6451 Princess Lane from “Light Industrial District (I2)” and “Comprehensive Development District (CD/12)” to “Comprehensive Development District (CD/115)” as amended, be introduced and given first reading.

CARRIED

5.

PROPOSED NEW RICHMOND ZONING BYLAW 8500

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8500) (REDMS No. 2603451)
To view the Proposed New Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, click here.

Mr. Jackson advised that the City’s existing zoning bylaw was adopted in 1989 and the proposed new Zoning Bylaw 8500 is the first comprehensive review since that time.  He noted that its purpose is to improve zoning regulation and implement new Council initiated policies.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office) Holger Burke, Development Coordinator, reviewed key elements of the proposed new Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 and highlighted that:

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it addresses issues related to (i) Bed and Breakfasts, (ii) commercial vehicle parking in residential and agricultural areas; (iii) illegal secondary suites in accessory buildings in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR); telecommunication antenna and wind turbines; and (iv) religious assembly zoned lands; and

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it does not (i) rezone existing properties; (ii) change the size houses in ALR areas; and (iii) amend Single-Family Lot Size policies.

Mr. Burke then reviewed how the proposed new bylaw could affect single-family and multi-family residents, such as increased landscaping, screened travel trailers and boats, childcare in townhouse zones etc.  He then spoke of how the proposed new bylaw protects farmland by regulating the location of houses and their accessory buildings.

Discussion ensued and it was noted that:

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regulation of screened travel trailers and boats will be complaint driven;

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communication regarding the proposed new zoning bylaw’s screening regulations should be made available to those beyond the development community;

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screening such as fences are regulated, however landscaping is not; and

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the proposed new zoning bylaw should be available in electronic format.

Discussion further ensued regarding (i) limiting the size of houses in agricultural areas; (ii) the location and number of large homes in agricultural areas; (iii) the use of accessory buildings on agricultural land; (iv) coach house zone use to sites where the garage has lane access; and (v) commercial restaurant drive-thru windows.

Aileen Cormack, 6071 Barnard Drive, questioned if the proposed new zoning bylaw would allow the School Board to sell property to developers. 

In response to Ms. Cormack’s concern, Mr. Burke advised that any school property sold would maintain its zoning designation.

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 be introduced and given first reading.

CARRIED

In light of Committee discussion, the following referral was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff:

(1)

examine limiting the size of homes in agricultural areas and in doing so, update the City’s Agricultural profile to determine how many properties are left that could accommodate large homes; and

(2)

investigate the pros and cons of commercial drive-through windows; and

report back.

CARRIED

Joe Erceg, General Manager, Planning and Development, advised that detailed information related to the use of accessory buildings in agricultural zones for farm workers would be forthcoming.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

6.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AGREEMENT - PROPOSAL TO REMOVE THE OPTION TO PURCHASE CLAUSE

(File Ref. No.:  06-2270-01) (REDMS No. 2724324)

Scott Baldwin, Chair of the Richmond UDI Liaison Committee, Polygon homes Ltd., spoke in favour of staff’s recommendation and advised that financing for affordable housing units is currently very difficult attain.  However, this should not be the case if the current Option to Purchase clause is removed.

Cameron Thorn, Ledingham McAllister Communities Limited, echoed Mr. Baldwin’s comments and advised the Option to Purchase clause causes financial hurdles, therefore, Council should adopt staff’s recommendation to remove it.

Beau Jarvis, ONNI Group, echoed both previous speakers comments, and noted that with the Option to Purchase clause, it is not economically viable for developers to take advantage of density bonuses.

Mr. Westermark spoke in favour of staff’s recommendation and encouraged Committee to support it.

In response to a query from Committee, Mr. Westermark advised that the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation is conducting a review on affordable housing, with focus on how these units are to be operated once in place.

It was moved and seconded

That removal of the Option to Purchase clause in the City’s Housing Agreement used to secure affordable housing units, as outlined in the staff report dated September 18, 2009 from the General Manager, Community Services, be approved as general direction for Housing Agreements and that Council receive for information BC Housing’s comments on Richmond’s affordable rents.

CARRIED

7.

PROVINCE OF B.C. “SENIORS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: A HEALTHY LIVING FRAMEWORK”

(File Ref. No.:  10-0100-20-SADV1-01) (REDMS No. 2696606)

Councillor Barnes left the meeting (6:19 p.m.).

Aileen Cormack, Chair of the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee, was concerned that many issues contained in ‘Aging Well in BC’ are not dealt with in the ‘Seniors in BC: A Healthy Living Framework’.  Ms. Cormack was in support of staff’s recommendation to send a letter to the Premier, however believed that the content of the letter should be general.

Councillor Barnes returned to the meeting (6:21 p.m.).

In reply to a query from Committee, Ms. Cormack advised that there are too many outstanding issues, therefore she prefers the letter not be specific.

Discussion ensued regarding Ms. Cormack’s concerns and it was noted that the proposed letter include a copy of the staff report, excerpts of the March 2009 Minutes of the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee, and that it be copied to Richmond MLAs and other appropriate ministries.

Mohinder Grewal, 8631 Boyd Court, member of the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee, thanked staff for their report and spoke of four key concerns: (i) affordable housing; (ii) home support; (iii) volunteerism; and (iv) cultural diversity.  Mr. Grewal was of the opinion that the letter to the Premier be specific, use strong language, and seek response from the Premier.

Councillor Barnes left the meeting (6:33 p.m.) and did not return.

It was moved and seconded

That a letter be sent to the Premier requesting that the Provincial Government better address certain seniors’ issues, as proposed by the Richmond Seniors’ Advisory Committee, regarding the B.C. Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport’s “Seniors in British Columbia: A Healthy Living Framework” (September 2008).

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued and it was noted that the proposed letter include the Richmond Seniors Advisory Committee’s concerns as listed on their letter to Council dated June 2, 2009.  The language of the letter should be firm and indicate that it is expected that the Premier follow through with commitments.  Also, copies of the letter should be forwarded to Richmond MLAs and other appropriate bodies.

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

Councillor McNulty left the meeting (6:37 p.m.) and did not return.

CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT

8.

ABANDONMENT OF UNADOPTED ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAWS

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8322/7844/7743/7721/7601/7498/7367/7293/7185/7041) (REDMS No. 2729542)

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning and Development Bylaw 5300, Amendment Bylaw Nos. 8322, 7844, 7743, 7721, 7601, 7498, 7367, 7293, 7185, and 7041 be abandoned.

CARRIED

9.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (6:38 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, October 20, 2009.

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Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Chair

Hanieh Floujeh

Acting Executive Assistant

City Clerk’s Office