December 8, 2015 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Linda McPhail, Chair
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day

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 November 17, 2015, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

The Chair advised that the Planning Committee meeting scheduled for December 15, 2015 will be cancelled and that the next Planning Committee meeting will be scheduled for January 5, 2016 (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

The Chair advised that Tree Bylaw Review will be considered as Item No. 4A and that the order of the agenda would be varied to consider Item No. 4 before Item No. 3.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION

1.

Affordable Housing Strategy Update and Housing Action Plan
(File Ref. No. 08-4057-01) (REDMS No. 4715093 v. 14)

Dougal Forteath, Affordable Housing Coordinator and Joyce Rautenberg, Planner 1, gave a brief overview of the Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) and the Housing Action Plan (HAP) phases.

In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Rautenberg noted that staff will present the draft AHS to Metro Vancouver and will be seeking input on the matter.

Discussion ensued with regard to prioritizing access to affordable housing for Richmond residents.

Discussion then took place with regard to the household annual income thresholds used for affordable housing qualification and the varying housing costs throughout the province.

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Forteath noted that household annual income thresholds are established through BC Housing and that it is possible to review the thresholds. Cathryn Volkering Carlile, General Manager, Community Services, added that policy analysis will be done during the first phases of the AHS and HAP and that staff will keep Council updated on the matter.

Discussion ensued with regard to alternative development options that can be utilized for affordable housing.

In reply to queries from Committee, Joe Erceg, General Manager, Planning and Development, noted the City does not direct the type of developments built by developers and that recent examples of developments that provided lock-off suites and single-storey dwelling units within townhouse projects can be circulated to Council.

In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Rautenberg noted that the City has met or exceeded its annual affordable housing targets with the exception of the Affordable Entry Level Ownership type.

As a result of the discussion, staff were directed to provide Council with an updated list of the affordable housing inventory and achievements.

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Erceg commented on the City’s AHS and noted that over 1000 units have been secured for affordable housing through the development process and that staff can examine affordable housing models for new developments.

Deirdre Whalen, representing the Richmond Poverty Response Committee, spoke on the proposed Affordable Housing Strategy and Housing Action Plan, and read from her submission (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1).

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Erceg noted that (i) a housing agreement is registered on title of the property when the City secures affordable housing units, (ii) secondary suites are not required to register a housing agreement, (iii) secondary suites are a permitted use in residential zones, and (iv) some suites may need to be upgraded to meet the current building code.

As a result of the discussion, staff were directed to examine options to register housing agreements for secondary suites in phase two of the AHS update.

Discussion ensued with regard to (i) discussing with the Province to increase rental subsidies and income ceilings to qualify for assistance, (ii) the number of demolished single-family homes that could have been used for temporary housing, and (iii) the process to legitimize secondary suites in the city.

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Erceg noted that the City has simplified the process to legitimize secondary suites. He added that secondary suite applicants that may not meet current building codes are allowed to pursue BC Building Code equivalency options.

Discussion then ensued with respect to examining options to establish a local housing authority to oversee affordable housing in the city.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Affordable Housing Strategy Update and Housing Action Plan” dated November 2, 2015, from the General Manager, Community Services, be received for information.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

Alexandra Road Undergrounding Works Agreement
(File Ref. No. 10-6060-01) (REDMS No. 4815044 v. 3)

It was moved and seconded

That the Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager, Engineering and Public Works, be authorized on behalf of the City to enter into one or more agreements with each of Polygon Jayden Mews Homes Ltd. (or a related company), Am-Pri Developments (2012) Ltd., 0846930 BC Ltd., British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, Telus Communications Inc. and Shaw Cablesystems Limited, as required to facilitate the undergrounding of BC Hydro, Telus and Shaw infrastructure on Alexandra Road as described in the report from the Director, Engineering, dated November 19, 2015.

CARRIED

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

4.

Application by Kenneth Kevin McWilliam for Rezoning at 10631 Williams Road from Single Detached (RS1/E) to Compact Single Detached (RC2)
(File Ref. No. 12-8060-20-009508; RZ 15-690379) (REDMS No. 4825043)

It was moved and seconded

That Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 9508, for the rezoning of 10631 Williams Road from “Single Detached (RS1/E)” to “Compact Single Detached (RC2),” be introduced and given first reading.

CARRIED

3.

Agricultural Land Reserve Appeal Application by Arul Migu Thurkadevi Hindu Society of BC for Non-Farm Use at 8100 No. 5 Road 
(File Ref. No. 12-8060-20-009506; AG14-657892) (REDMS No. 4823402)

Wayne Craig, Director, Development, provided an overview of the staff response to the Committee referral made on the April 29, 2015 Planning Committee meeting regarding the No. 5 Road Backlands, and briefed Committee on the proposed application at 8100 No. 5 Road, noting that:

§   

the No. 5 Road Backlands Policy would allow for institutional uses on the front 110 metres, provided the remainder of the parcel is used for agricultural purposes;

§   

staff are recommending that (i) the No. 5 Road Backlands Policy be incorporated in the 2041 Official Community Plan (OCP), (ii) applicants for institutional use in Backland properties register a statutory right-of-way (SRW) in favour of the City for future farm road access, and (iii) should a property owner choose to not farm the Backlands, provisions have been added to the Policy which would allow the City to gain ownership of the land or enter into appropriate legal agreements to farm the Backlands;

§   

staff are recommending to secure land along the east portion of the Backlands for the future farm access road;

§   

all properties that have a requirement to farm the Backlands are actively farming;

§   

in-stream applicants have indicated to staff that they want to retain and actively farm the Backlands; and

§   

staff are recommending that property owners be given the option to dedicate the Backlands to the City once they have made improvements to agricultural production, or in cases where there is an inability to create a parcel, enter into a legal agreement to secure City access to the Backlands.

Mr. Craig then commented on the proposed application at 8100 No. 5 Road, advising that the applicant has provided (i) a farm plan, (ii) a monetary security as a condition of the rezoning, and (iii) a SRW for future farm road access. He added that staff are recommending that the application be endorsed by Council and be forwarded to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC).

In reply to queries from Committee regarding the future expansion of Highway 99, Mr. Craig noted that (i) preliminary designs of the highway expansion indicate that widening would occur along the west side of the highway, (ii) the City is working with the ALC and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on the future highway expansion, and (iii) the City will work with applicants to ensure that the future farm access road remains on private property and will not be affected by the future highway expansion.

In reply to queries regarding permissive tax e xemption, Ivy Wong, Manager, Revenue, noted that the City annually sends out a request for tax exemption applications and that inspectors are periodically dispatched to Backland properties to ensure farming compliance.

Discussion ensued with regard to the benefit of a farm road along the Backlands.

In reply to queries from Committee, Mr. Craig noted that as an alternative to a strict property transfer to the City, property owners may enter into in a legal agreement to secure City access to farm the Backlands.

In reply to queries from Committee, Terry Crowe, Manager, Policy Planning, advised that should the proposed OCP amendments proceed to Public Hearing, the public information meeting for the No. 5 Road Backlands Policy would be tentatively scheduled late in January 2016.

Anton Taddei, property owner of 8100 No. 5 Road, wished to indicate that the subject site is not directly adjacent to the area that will be affected by the future highway widening.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the application by Arul Migu Thurkadevi Hindu Society of BC for a non-farm use at 8100 No. 5 Road to develop a Hindu temple and off-street parking on the westerly 110 metres of the site be endorsed as presented to the Planning Committee on May 20, 2015 and forwarded to the Agricultural Land Commission;

(2)

That Richmond 2041 Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw 9000, Amendment Bylaw 9506 that adds No. 5 Road Backlands Policies in Section 7.0 of the OCP be introduced and given first reading and forwarded to the February 2016 Public Hearing meeting;

(3)

That Richmond 2041 Official Community Plan Bylaw 9000, Amendment Bylaw 9506, having been considered in conjunction with:

(a)

the City’s Financial Plan and Capital Program; and

(b)

the Greater Vancouver Regional District Solid Waste and Liquid Waste Management Plans;

is hereby found to be consistent with said program and plans, in accordance with Section 882(3) (a) of the Local Government Act;

(4)

That Richmond 2041 Official Community Plan Bylaw 9000, Amendment Bylaw 9506, having been considered in accordance with OCP Bylaw Preparation Consultation Policy 5043 and Section 882(3)(c) of the Local Government Act, will be forwarded to the Agricultural Land Commission for comment in advance of the Public Hearing;

(5)

That this report and Bylaw 9506, be forwarded to the Richmond Agricultural Advisory Committee for comments in advance of the Public Hearing;

(6)

That staff be directed to host a public information meeting with all affected property owners along the No. 5 Road corridor to explain the proposed OCP amendment (i.e., changes to the No. 5 Road Backlands Policy) in advance of the Public Hearing;

(7)

That Policy 5037 “No. 5 Road Backlands Policy” be rescinded once Richmond Official Community Plan Bylaw 9000, Amendment Bylaw 9506 is adopted; and

(8)

That staff be directed to continue to monitor the progress of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement project and report back when the impacts on the Backlands are better known.

CARRIED

4A.

Tree Bylaw Review
(File Ref. No.)

Discussion ensued with regard to aspects of the City’s Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057, and as a result the following referral was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff review the Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057, as it relates to replacement planting requirements and report back.

CARRIED

5.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:56 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, December 8, 2015.

_________________________________

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Councillor Linda McPhail
Chair

Evangel Biason
Legislative Services Coordinator