Date:

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Derek Dang, Chair

Councillor Ken Johnston, Vice-Chair

Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Bill McNulty

Absent:

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Also Present:

Councillor Linda Barnes

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Harold Steves

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:58 p.m.

MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009, (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

DELEGATION

3.

Arzeena Hamir, Coordinator, Richmond Food Security Society, regarding keeping chickens in the City of Richmond.

Arzeena Hamir, Coordinator, Richmond Food Security Society, requested that the Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932 be amended in order to allow for hens to be kept in residential backyards smaller than half an acre.  Ms. Hamir advised that eggs are a great source of protein and the keeping of hens for egg production would alleviate Richmond’s protein scarcity.

Ms. Hamir also commented on avian flu, chicken welfare, smell, and noise concerns and was of the opinion that many of these issues could be addressed through education.  She spoke of (i) a past workshop held to educate local residents interested in keeping chickens; (ii) the space requirement set out in Bylaw 7932 being in excess of what is needed to keep chickens safe and healthy; and (iii) other municipalities allowing or in the process of allowing the keeping of chickens in backyards.

Bruno Vernier, Richmond resident, spoke in favour of amending Bylaw 7932 to allow for the keeping of hens in lots smaller than half an acre.

Discussion ensued and in reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Hamir provided the following information:

§      

if Bylaw 7932 were amended, it should stipulate standards for the keeping of chickens in safe and healthy manner as it currently does for chickens on half acre lots;

§      

a chicken coup is necessary in order to protect chickens from predators;

§      

on average, a hen could lay approximately two eggs every three days, therefore, two to three chickens would be sufficient for a family of four;

§      

there is currently a waiting list for a future Backyard Chickens workshop;

§      

Richmond is food insecure as it does not produce half of the food the community requires;

§      

keeping chickens is not a cheap endeavour, however amending Bylaw 7932 is a measure for maintaining a healthy community;

§      

the majority of residents interested in keeping backyard chickens is for their eggs; and

§      

depending on the breed, on average chickens can only lay eggs for three to five years.

Discussion further ensued and Wayne Mercer, Manager, Community Bylaws, advised that (i) Richmond is the only municipality that specifically deals with poultry through a bylaw; (ii) many areas that allow for the keeping of chickens in backyards is by default as the issue has not been addressed; and (iii) Animal, Bird and Beekeeping Regulation Bylaw 7137 has been repealed.

LAW & COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT

4.

Electrical & Fire Safety Inspection Program

(Report:  March 27, 2009, File No.:  09-5140-01/2009-Vol 01) (REDMS No. 2581146)

Kim Howell, Deputy Chief – Administration, provided background information and highlighted changes in the program and bylaw.  In reply to a query from Committee, Ms. Howell advised that the decline in inspections is caused by factors such as stolen hydro and the increase use of generators.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Electrical & Fire Safety Inspection Program become an established program for the City of Richmond; and

(2)

That the Property Maintenance and Repair (Grow-Op) Bylaw No. 7897, Amendment Bylaw No. 8485 be introduced and given first, second and third readings.

CARRIED

5.

2008 RCMP Year End Crime Statistics

(Report:  March 23, 2009, File No.:  09-5350-00/Vol 01) (REDMS No. 2581453)

Renny Nesset, Officer in Charge, Richmond RCMP provided background information and in reply to a query from Committee advised that the numbers provided reflect the number of incidents reported, and not necessarily those charged.

It was moved and seconded

That the RCMP report dated March 23, 2009 from the Officer in Charge, entitled ‘2008 RCMP’s Year End Crime Statistics’ be received for information.

CARRIED

6.

RCMP’s Monthly Activity Report for March 2009

(Report:  March 23, 2009, File No.:  09-5350-00/Vol 01) (REDMS No. 2587965)

In reply to queries from Committee, OIC Nesset spoke of the number of suspensions for 24 hour driving prohibition for alcohol or drug use and the recruitment of approximately twenty additional Auxiliary Constables.

OIC Nesset also spoke three homicides and mentioned that two have been solved.

It was moved and seconded

That the RCMP report dated March 23, 2009 from the Officer in Charge, entitled ‘RCMP’s Monthly Activity Report for March 2009’ be received for information.

CARRIED

7.

Touchstone Family Association Performance Outcome Restorative Justice Evaluation Report 2008

(Report:  March 16, 2009, File No.:) (REDMS No. 2587663)

Shawn Issel, Manager, Community Safety Policy and Programs, provided background information and introduced Michael McCoy, Executive Director and Judy Valsonis, Director of Operations for Touchstone Family Association (Touchstone).

Discussion ensued and in reply to queries from Committee, Mr. McCoy and Ms. Valsonis advised the following:

§      

in order to maintain the partnership between the RCMP and Touchstone, regular meetings have been established, and less formal meetings occur more frequently;

§      

many schools already participate in the Restorative Justice Program, however, Touchstone staff are seeking to formalize its relationship with School District No. 38;

§      

each local high school has an RCMP member to act as a liaison, but the schools can directly contact Touchstone if they wish to do so;

§      

alternate funding sources have not been strongly pursued, however the program is very active and has a clear direction; and

§      

forums typically last 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the group.

During the discussion it was noted that it would be valuable to track cases specific to Richmond and that the arrangement between Touchstone and the City of Richmond is a continuing agreement.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report dated March 16, 2009 from General Manager, Law & Community Safety, entitled  ‘Touchstone Family Association Performance Outcome Restorative Justice Evaluation Report 2008’ be received for information.

CARRIED

8.

FIRE Chief Briefing

(Oral Report) 

Item for discussion:

Habitat for Humanity

The above matter was deferred to the next Community Safety Committee meeting.

9.

RCMP/OIC Briefing

(Oral Report) 

Items for discussion:

(i)

Suspicious Males

OIC Nesset advised that of the two attempted sexual assaults, one was during the lunch hour near the young woman’s high school.

(ii)

YVR Field Exercises

OIC Nesset provided background information regarding YVR Field Exercises and highlighted that an upcoming exercise is extensive and includes civil disobedience and bomb threat components.

(iii)

Managerial Review

OIC Nesset spoke of an upcoming managerial review.

(iv)

Homicide

OIC Nesset mentioned that early this morning, a female was found dead in her vehicle on Shell Road and that she was known to police.

10.

OTHER ITEMS

None.

11.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (6:28 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Derek Dang

Chair

Hanieh Floujeh

Committee Clerk