MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Public Works & Transportation Committee held on Wednesday, October 23^rd, 2002, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

STREET SWEEPING
(Report:  Nov. 12/02, File No.:  6455-04) (REDMS No. 901920)

A brief discussion took place among Committee members and staff on this matter.  In response to questions, advice was given by the Manager, Roads & Construction Services, Tony Hillan, that the No Parking signs would include the dates to indicate when temporary parking restrictions would be in effect.  The request was made that a letter of appreciation be sent to the staff member who had initiated the proposal, and Mr. Hillan stated that he would prepare such a letter with copies to the Committee.

It was moved and seconded

That the installation of permanent Temporary No Parking signs at the following locations be endorsed:

(1)

7000 block Minoru Boulevard;

(2)

7000 block Moffatt Road;

(3)

7000 block Bennett Road;

(4)

7000 block Jones Road;

(5)

7000 block General Currie Road;

(6)

7000 block St. Albans Road;

(7)

7000 block Arcadia Road; and

(8)

the north side of Ackroyd Road, between Cooney Road and Arcadia Road.

CARRIED

3.

PROPOSED CANADA/BRITISH COLUMBIA INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM SUBMISSIONS FOR NOVEMBER, 2002
(Report:  Nov. 6/02, File No.:  0130-01) (REDMS No. 858924)

The Director, Engineering, Steve Ono, accompanied by John Irving, Project Engineer, indicated that they were available to respond to questions on this matter.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on the rationale for including the Steveston Tram project for submission to the grants program.  Comments were made that the Steveston Tram was a project for the future and should only be funded once the costs were known and a decision made on the selection of a route.  The opinion was expressed during the discussion that other projects, such as affordable housing, had a higher priority within the community and should be included ahead, or instead, of the Steveston Tram.  Advice was given in response to questions, that the Steveston Tram project had been included as a result of the direction of Council that staff find other sources of funding for the project.

Discussion also centred around the criteria with which each project had to comply; the number of projects which had been submitted by the City previously; the timing of completion of those projects approved as part of the grant program and the ramifications if the Steveston Tram project was not completed on time; whether inclusion of the Steveston Tram project would preclude the City from seeking funding from other interested parties; and whether affordable housing would meet the grant program criteria.

Also addressed during the discussion was the rationale for including the Water Metering Program in the list of projects and the responsibility of developers in installing the appropriate equipment.

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

It was moved and seconded

That the list of projects (shown on Page 2 of the report dated November 6^th, 2002, from the Director, Engineering), be amended to (i) insert affordable housing at Municipal Priority No. 8, and (ii) re-order the Steveston Tram project to Municipal Priority No. 13.
 

The question on the motion was not called, as concern was expressed about re-ordering the ranking of the Steveston Tram project to No. 13.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was DEFEATED ON A TIED VOTE with Cllrs. Barnes and Kumagai opposed.

It was moved and seconded

That the list of projects (shown on Page 2 of the report dated November 6^th, 2002, from the Director, Engineering), be amended to (i) insert affordable housing at Municipal Priority No. 8, and (ii) re-number the remaining projects accordingly.

Prior to the question on the motion being called, staff were requested to provide, prior to the November 25^th, 2002 Council Meeting, a list of three other projects which could be considered as a project for the grant infrastructure program rather than the Steveston Tram.

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

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the project grant applications from the original submission in 2000 that have not received grants from the Canada/British Columbia Infrastructure Grant Program be withdrawn from the program, with the exception of the Minoru Aquatic Centre Solar Heating Panel System Project and the Watermania Solar Heating Panel System Project; and
 

(2)

That the municipal priorities, as amended to include affordable housing with the five new capital projects (identified in the report dated November 6^th, 2002, from the Director, Engineering), be submitted to the Canada/British Columbia Infrastructure Grant Program for funding consideration.

CARRIED

4.

ENGINEERING FEES
(Report:  Oct. 24/02, File No.:  1070-02-02) (REDMS No. 888133)

The Manager, Engineering Design & Construction, Robert Gonzales, circulated additional material to the Committee to further explain the proposed engineering fees in relation to those charged by Delta, Surrey and Burnaby.  Information was provided by Mr. Gonzales that these fees were cost recovery only and in response to a request made earlier this year that new ways of generating additional revenue for the City be found.

Discussion ensued among Committee members and staff on the proposed fees, during which information was provided on the purpose of a number of services provided by the City to the public, including benchmark surveys, base legal map books, private utility permits, water flow tests, and sign encroachments. 

Also discussed was the question of whether staff had initiated a consultative process prior to submitting the proposed rates to Committee.

The Chair referred to the proposed charge of $350 for Right of Way encroachment variances when other municipalities did not charge for this service.  She voiced concern about the proposed fees and questioned whether the City, by implementing these fees, would be increasing the cost of doing business with the City. 

Concern was expressed about the proposed charges for the base legal map books and private utility permits, and questions were raised about whether the Urban Development Institute (UDI) would have an interest in reviewing the proposed rates.  Advice was given however that UDI would most likely not comment on a majority of the proposed charges. 

It was moved and seconded

That the engineering fee schedule (as outlined in Appendix A to the report dated October 24^th, 2002, from the Director, Engineering), be endorsed.
 

The question on the motion was not called, as Cllr. Kumagai expressed his opposition to a majority of the proposed charges, and suggested that the Committee required an in-depth report on the services provided, based on the property taxes paid by an individual to the City.  However, the comment was also made that the implementation of cost recovery fees would be one way to keep property taxes from increasing.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was DEFEATED ON A TIED VOTE with Cllr. Barnes and Kumagai opposed.

It was moved and seconded

That the report (dated October 24^th, 2002, from the Director, Engineering), regarding Engineering Fees, be referred to staff for further review.
 

The question on the motion was not called, as staff were requested to provide:

(1)

information on those services which affect residents;

(2)

indication of the fees being charged by the private sector for the provision of similar services; and

(3)

the impact to the City if the City did not provide these services and individuals had to go elsewhere.
 

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

URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

5.

AMENDMENT TO TRAFFIC BYLAW NO. 5870 AUTHORIZATION OF ANNUAL PARADES
(Report:  Oct. 29/02, File No.:  8060-20-7548) (REDMS No. 892225, 892047)
 

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 7548, which amends Traffic Bylaw No. 5870 to (i) add Schedule K which lists the annual parades that do not require Council approval, and (ii) delegate to the Director of Transportation the authority to approve those annual parades as listed in Schedule K, be given first, second and third reading.

CARRIED

6.

ICBC/CITY OF RICHMOND ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR 2003
(Report:  Nov. 1/02, File No.:  0150-20-ICBC1-01) (REDMS No. 895684)

The Manager, Transportation Planning, Victor Wei, advised of an error in the staff report, stating that for the Westminster Highway Bike Route No. 7 Road to No. 8 Road the amount shown of $277,500 should have been in the 2002 MCWP (Approved) column and not the 2003 MCWP (Pending) column.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and Mr. Wei on the proposed projects.  In response to questions, advice was given that the Westminster Highway Bike Route No. 7 Road to No. 8 Road project would be completed whether or not funding was obtained from ICBC.  Mr. Wei further advised that the objective of the project was to link East Richmond with the City Centres cycling routes.

Reference was made to the request of the India Cultural Centre of Canada for a mid-block controlled crosswalk on No. 5 Road in front of their facility.  In response to questions about the status of the request, Mr. Wei advised that the proposal was currently being reviewed with respect to pedestrian and traffic volumes in the area.  He further advised that staff would be approaching the India Cultural Centre about participating in a cost-share for the completion of the project.

Reference was also made to the request for a walkway on Pacemore Avenue, from No. 1 Road to Elsmore Road, and advice was given that the proposed $75,000 cost would allow the upgrading and construction of a separate pathway on the south side of Pacemore Avenue.

It was moved and seconded

That the list of proposed road safety improvement projects potentially eligible for funding contributions from the ICBC 2003 Road Safety Improvement Program, (as described in the report dated November 1^st, 2002, from the Director, Transportation), be endorsed.

CARRIED

7.

MANAGERS REPORT

The General Manager, Engineering & Construction, Jeff Day, on behalf of his Division, thanked Councillor Greenhill for her hard work and dedication during her time as a member of Council and especially as Chair of the Public Works & Transportation Committee.

In response, Councillor Greenhill thanked Mr. Day for his remarks, stating that she had enjoyed being Chair of the Committee.  She expressed appreciation for the fact that staff always ensured that the Committee understood what was being proposed, and she asked Mr. Day to pass on her thanks to the remainder of the Division.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:20 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Public Works & Transportation Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, November 20^th, 2002.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Lyn Greenhill
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant