Date:

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Bill McNulty, Chair

Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt, Vice-Chair

Councillor Linda Barnes

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt

Absent:

Councillor Harold Steves

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 Planning Committee held on Tuesday, October 5, 2010, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

Tuesday, November 2, 2010, (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room

It was agreed to add RICHMOND AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE to the Agenda as Item 4A.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

1.

APPLICATION BY AJIT THALIWAL & AMARJIT GILL FOR REZONING AT 6431 BLUNDELL ROAD FROM SINGLE DETACHED (RS1/E) TO COACH HOUSE (RCH)

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8655, RZ 10-529746) (REDMS No. 2974974)

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 8655, for the rezoning of 6431 Blundell Road from “Single Detached (RS1/E)” to “Coach House (RCH)”, be introduced and given First Reading.

CARRIED

2.

APPLICATION BY MATTHEW CHENG ARCHITECT INC. FOR REZONING AT 8471 WILLIAMS ROAD FROM SINGLE DETACHED (RS1/E) TO MEDIUM DENSITY TOWNHOUSES (RTM1)

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8661, RZ 08-434086) (REDMS No. 2850510)

Brian J. Jackson, Director of Development, advised that future permanent access to Pigott Road would be through a cross access easement through a future development to the west of the subject site, leading to Pigott Road.

A brief discussion took place between Committee and Mr. Jackson regarding:

·          

the lot and the corner of Pigott and Williams Road is not included in the application before Committee; and

·          

a restrictive covenant is put in place to prevent conversion of parking spaces into extra habitable rooms.

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 8661, for the rezoning of 8471 Williams Road from “Single Detached (RS1/E)” to “Medium Density Townhouses (RTM1)”, be introduced and given First Reading.

CARRIED

3.

APPLICATION BY BC HOUSING PROVINCIAL RENTAL HOUSING CORPORATION FOR ZONING AMENDMENTS TO THE LOW RISE APARTMENT (ZLR22) – ALEXANDRA NEIGHBOURHOOD (WEST CAMBIE) ZONE TO AMEND THE DENSITY BONUS PROVISIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8664, ZT 10-537681) (REDMS No. 3014844)

Mr. Jackson advised that the Zoning Text Amendment replaces a requirement for a City Agreement with a Provincial Agreement that has already been agreed to in principle by Council. 

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 8664, for a Zoning Text Amendment to “Low Rise Apartment (ZLR22) – Alexandra Neighbourhood (West Cambie)” zone to amend the affordable housing density bonus provisions related to the provision of a Housing Agreement with the City, be introduced and given First Reading.

CARRIED

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

4.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY: 2010 ANNUAL REVIEW OF INCOME THRESHOLDS AND AFFORDABLE RENT RATES

(File Ref. No.:  )(REDMS No. 2955380)

Dena Kae Beno, Affordable Housing Coordinator, provided background information. A brief discussion ensued between Committee, Ms. Beno and John Foster, Manager, Community Social Development regarding:

·          

the staff recommendation applies to future Housing Agreements, not the current agreements that have been executed with the City;

·          

the Housing Agreement specifies the rental rates and occupant income by unit type; it is the responsibility of the property owner or designated property manager to monitor income levels of residents occupying affordable housing units to ensure they meet the values specified in the Housing Agreement;

·          

a property owner may apply to the City for a rate adjustment to their existing Housing Agreement if executed prior to the proposed rates being approved; however, any adjustment would be at the discretion of Council, and would require a Bylaw, a Public Hearing process, and the consent of the property owner to amend a Housing Agreement; this cannot be completed with a blanket policy as it would limit the ability to enforce each Agreement;

·          

each City Housing Agreement is specific to a particular development, and a rate adjustment would apply to all of the affordable housing units secured in the development through the Housing Agreement; and

·          

to date the number of affordable housing units secured through the Affordable Housing Strategy is 244.

It was moved and seconded

That amendments to the Richmond Affordable Housing Strategy as outlined in Attachment 3 of the staff report dated September 15, 2010 from the General Manager of Community Services entitled “Affordable Housing Strategy: 2010 Annual Review of Income Thresholds and Affordable Rent Rates”, be approved as an Addendum to the current Richmond Affordable Housing Strategy. 

CARRIED

4A.

Richmond AgriculturAL Advisory Committee

(File Ref. No.: 01-0100-20-AADV1-01)

Arzeena Hamir, Member, Richmond Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) stated that at the October 13, 2010 meeting of the AAC, Bill Zylmans updated AAC members on the hardships and losses that vegetable and potato producers are experiencing across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley due to the heavy rains throughout September, which is limiting harvest and spoiling product.

Ms. Hamir distributed information regarding a preliminary drop loss estimate, as well as information specific to the 2010 potato crop (on file in the Clerk’s Office).

The AAC requests that Council send a letter to the B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands requesting that the Province provide growers with financial assistance.

A brief discussion took place between Committee, staff and Ms. Hamir, and the following points were made:

·          

other municipalities, such as Delta, are preparing to send letters to the Province on behalf of their growers, making similar requests for financial assistance;

·          

the Province has funds for growers facing financial difficulty;

·          

some growers have crop insurance, but crop insurance totals are decades out of date; and

·          

a letter from Council could be directed to more recipients than just the Provincial Minister of Agriculture and Lands.

Committee directed staff to explore the details regarding both Provincial and Federal programmes that address financial assistance to struggling growers.

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

It was moved and seconded

That Council send a letter to:

(1)

the B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands;

(2)

the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;

(3)

the B.C. Premier;

(4)

MLAs Linda Reid, Rob Howard, John Yap;

(5)

NDP leader Carole James; and

(6)

the NDP critic for Agriculture and Lands issues

asking that financial support, and other resources, be provided to assist agricultural commodity groups and producers that are currently facing hardship due to heavy rains and difficult harvest conditions.

CARRIED

Committee requested that the Minutes of the October 13, 2010 meeting of the ACC be made available to Council members.

5.

MANAGER’S REPORT

Official Community Plan Update

Mr. Crowe reported that the second round of consultation to update the current Official Community Plan is underway. October Public Open Houses are located at: City Hall, the Thompson Community Centre, the Hamilton Community Centre, the Cambie Community Centre and the South Arm Community Centre.

Mr. Crowe advised that: (i) approximately 40 residents have attended each of the two Public Open Houses that took place earlier in the month; and (ii) comments range from ensuring that new developments are properly serviced, and that the City becomes more walkable, bicycle-friendly, and transit-oriented.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:29 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 19, 2010.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Bill McNulty

Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk