Date:

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Bill McNulty, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Harold Steves

Absent:

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Also Present:

Councillor Linda McPhail

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, June 18, 2013, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

Tuesday, July 16, 2013, (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

1.

Housing Agreement Bylaw No. 9039 to Permit the City of Richmond to Secure Affordable Housing Units located at 5640 Hollybridge Way (Cressey (Gilbert) Development Holdings Ltd.)

(File Ref. No. 12-8060-20-9039; RZ 12-602449) (REDMS No. 3872810)

In response to a query John Foster, Manager, Community Social Development, and Mark McMullen, Senior Coordinator-Major Projects, advised that the potential additional rent of up to $187.00 per month in the Housing Agreement was included in the staff report on the rezoning received at the January 22, 2013 Planning Committee meeting.  The additional rent was a special development circumstance and specific to this development.

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 9039 be introduced and given first, second, and third readings to permit the City, once Bylaw No. 9039 has been adopted, to enter into a Housing Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto, in accordance with the requirements of s. 905 of the Local Government Act, to secure the Affordable Housing Units required by the Rezoning Application 12-602449.

CARRIED

2.

west cambie – alexandra neighbourhood business / office area review

(File Ref. No.) (REDMS No. 3897598)

Terry Crowe, Manager, Policy Planning, provided a brief overview of the West Cambie – Alexandra Neighbourhood Business/Office Area Review, noting that the Area Plan designation should be retained in order to (i) meet the City’s long term employment land and job needs, (ii) maintain the City’s working relationship with YVR, (iii) avoid setting a precedent, and (iv) enhance the City’s ability to relocate existing Richmond businesses currently being displaced from the Brighouse and Oval area of the City Centre.

In reply to queries Mr. Crowe advised that two major studies were undertaken that assisted in projecting future land requirements (i) the 2041 Employment Lands Strategy, and (ii) the 2041 OCP Population, Housing and Employment Projections Study.  The businesses being displaced from the Oval area could be relocated within the City Centre or other areas (e.g. Duck Island, Casino, Aberdeen, and West Cambie), and staff continue to work with TransLink to improve services to these areas.

Blaire Chisholm, Brook Pooni Associates Inc. and David Bell, Colliers International, provided a brief overview of the Westmark Development Group proposal highlighting the following:

§ 

the proposal does not include stand alone residential, but high quality mixed use residential with first floor commercial (retail/office) uses along Garden City Road;

§ 

there are approximately 100 live/work units proposed;

§ 

the Developer’s intent was to be creative in their approach and desired to reflect current employment and business trends;

§ 

the business analysis includes a range of employment with an upper limit of 1,000 jobs being created meeting the employment objectives of the OCP Area Plan; and

§ 

the development proposal is for a market viable work/live/play area promoting a high quality retail village.

Discussion ensued and staff were requested to provide statistics with respect to the skewed office space vacancy rate data due to outlaying business parks.

It was moved and seconded

That, as per the report from the General Manager, Planning and Development, dated June 24, 2013, titled:  West Cambie - Alexandra Neighbourhood Business / Office Area Review, there be no change to the West Cambie Area Plan.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued regarding the Business/Office designation.  After discussion the question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED, with Councillor McNulty opposed.

3.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(a)

Planning and Development Department Updates

Mr. Craig provided an update on the Lingyen Mountain Temple open house for the potential rezoning.  Staff have not received a formal report but understand that approximately 200 people attended and 215-230 comment forms were completed.  No application has been filed with the City.

Mr. Craig advised that ONNI will be conducting public consultation meetings on July 11^th and July 13^th at the Bayview Street site with respect to their rezoning application. Staff was directed to provide a memo to Council, prior to the public consultation meetings, detailing the rezoning information provided in the application.

(b)

Hamilton Area Plan Public Open House

Mr. Crowe provided an update on the results of the Hamilton Area Plan public open house with approximately 175 residents attending.  Generally there were no negative comments with respect to the area plan; however, concerns were raised with respect to safety along Westminster Highway and the proposed park.

A Richmond resident, 23171 Westminster Highway, expressed concern that residents had not received advance notice of the lands to be converted to park.  Staff was requested to take the matter under advisement.

(c)

Port Metro Vancouver

Joe Erceg, General Manager, Planning and Development, stated that a report would be coming to the Committee on July 16, 2013 with regard to Port Metro Vancouver’s land use planning process and the City’s request for a commitment to protect agricultural lands from Port Metro related uses.  The issue has yet to be addressed in the Port Metro’s planning process.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:53 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 Wednesday, July 3, 2013.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Bill McNulty
Chair

Heather Howey
Committee Clerk