May 5, 2025 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, May 5, 2025

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au (by teleconference)
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:25 p.m.

It was moved and seconded

That Councillor Au be permitted to join the meeting electronically.

CARRIED

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on April 22, 2025, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

DELEGATION

1.

Gregg Loo, Operations Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use Services, Richmond Infant, Child and Youth Mental Health at Foundry Richmond and Vancouver Coastal Health, provided an update on Foundry Richmond, referencing his PowerPoint presentation (Copy on File, City Clerk’s Office).

Discussion ensued regarding (i) providing resources and contact information regarding services related to recovery, mental health, and/or substance use concerns, and (ii) Foundry Richmond’s social media platforms.

DEPUTY CAO’S OFFICE

2.

Referral Response: Charging Fees for Parking Allocated to Low-End Market Rental Units

(File Ref. No. 08-4057-05) (REDMS No. 8020921)

Discussion ensued regarding (i) the new requirement for local governments to exempt residential uses within each Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) from the mandate to provide off-street vehicle parking, with the exception of any accessible parking supply requirements, (ii)  the feasibility of having a charge for parking for Low-End Market Rental (LEMR) units in TOAs, (iii) the City's use of housing agreements to regulate maximum rents, define tenant eligibility, and establish conditions such as parking charges, with changes requiring a Council-approved bylaw amendment, (iv) cost of parking in terms of income versus unit entitlement, and (v) the ratio of parking stalls in TOAs.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the recommendation would allow owners of LEMR units in TOAs to charge for parking at the market rate, and outside of these areas, the owners of LEMR units would only be permitted to charge LEMR tenants 50% of the current market rate, with the recommendation that this below-market rate be initially set at $75 per month, with annual increases at the rate of any increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), (ii) the statutory declaration process to ensure that the parking charge limitations are upheld is considered to be sufficiently stringent, and (iii) through discussions with members of the development community and based on responses to a recent statutory declaration process, it is understood that market charges for parking in Richmond fall between $100 and $150 per month and the $75 per month rate represents roughly half of the upper range of monthly market rents.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Referral Response: Charging Fees for Parking Allocated to Low-End Market Rental Units” dated April 9, 2025, from the Director, Housing be referred back to staff to recommend parking rates for Low-End Market Rental units based on various factors.

CARRIED

3.

Housing Agreement Amendment Applications to Update Low-End Market Rental Rents in Three Developments

 (File Ref. No. 08-4057-05) (REDMS No. 8013584)

Discussion ensued regarding non-profit operators.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that a referral response regarding establishing a Housing Authority, including structure options and a financing model, is forthcoming.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Housing Agreement (Affordable Housing) (8671, 8731, 8771, 8831/8851 Cambie Road, 8791 Cambie Road and 3600 Sexsmith Road) Bylaw No. 10437, Amendment Bylaw No. 10633 be introduced and given first, second, and third readings;

(2)

That Housing Agreement (23200 Gilley Road) Bylaw No.9955, Amendment Bylaw No. 10646 be introduced and given first, second, and third readings; and

(3)

That Housing Agreement (5591, 5631, 5651 and 5671 No. 3 Road) Bylaw No. 10057, Amendment Bylaw No. 10654 be introduced and given first, second, and third readings.

CARRIED

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURE DIVISION

4.

Kaiwo Maru – King of the Sea 2026 Event Options Referral Response

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-01) (REDMS No. 8036149)

Discussion ensued regarding (i) the potential additional revenue based on boarding tickets priced at $10 per person, (ii) details and cost of the base program, including ship boarding, viewing, and sail drill(s), as well as the additional program option of a two-day festival that would include stage performances showcasing local talent, (iii) costs associated with enhanced hosting, (iv) availability of community facilities, (v) maintaining the current format of the 2026 Richmond Maritime Festival, (vi) expenses related to event volunteers, (vii) temporarily relocating the existing floats and gangways at Imperial Landing to Garry Point Park, (viii) one-time funding coming from the Rate Stabilization Account, with the pursuit of grants and sponsorships to help offset event costs, with any funding received beyond that anticipated in the proposed budgets being returned to the Rate Stabilization Account, and (ix) the cultural and community significance of hosting the Kaiwo Maru with an event program, as well as the potential economic impact.

Discussion ensued regarding costs of the program options. As a result of the discussion, an amendment motion to remove any additional program options from Part 1 was introduced, but failed to receive a seconder.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the following program options for the proposed Kaiwo Maru – King of the Sea 2026 Event as outlined in the staff report titled “Kaiwo Maru – King of the Sea 2026 Event Options Referral Response”, dated April 28, 2025, from the Director Arts, Culture and Heritage Services be approved:

(a)

Option 1 – Base Program – Ship Visit and Educational Program;

(b)

Additional Program Option 1 – Addition of a two day Festival;

(c)

Additional Program Option 4 – Community Initiatives, amended to read “Funding for additional initiatives that may be recommended by the Community Advisory Committee (such as additional programming, a legacy project, or other initiative)”;

(d)

Additional Program Option 5 – Enhanced Hosting; and

(e)

Additional Program Option 6 – Increase boarding ticket prices, with boarding ticket prices amended to $10 per person; and

(2)

That one-time funding of $1,537,070 from the Rate Stabilization Account be approved for the preferred options for the Kaiwo Maru King of the Sea 2026 Event and the Consolidated 5-Year Financial Plan (2025–2029) be amended accordingly.

CARRIED

Opposed: Cllr. Heed

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:39 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, May 5, 2025.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Shannon Unrau
Legislative Services Associate