February 18, 2026 - Minutes
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Public Works and Transportation Committee
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Date: |
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Councillor Carol Day, Chair |
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Also Present: |
Councillor Andy Hobbs Councillor Bill McNulty |
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. |
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MINUTES |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the Public Works and Transportation Committee held on December 17, 2025, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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AGENDA ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That the Northwest Corner Of No. 4 Road and Alderbridge Way And Channelized Right Turn Lanes be added as Item 4A; |
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(2) |
That Pedestrian Safety along Minler Road be added as Item 4B; |
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(3) |
That Permit Parking in Residential Areas be added as Item 4C; and |
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(4) |
That Bus Shelter Glass be added as Item 4D. |
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CARRIED |
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ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION |
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1. |
Artificial Turf in City Boulevards (File Ref. No. 10-6000-01) (REDMS No. 8227890) |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) through some development projects in the City Centre, alternative planting concepts such as rain gardens are being used and through some capital projects staff are working with the Parks department to develop more resistant plantings options, (ii) Current City bylaws, including the Boulevard Maintenance Bylaw 7174 and Regulation of Material on Highways Bylaw 10226, do not permit the installation of artificial turf in City boulevards, (iii) the City has a chafer beetle program, with details available on the City’s website about the program and how to address infestations, and (iv) staff follow a progressive bylaw enforcement approach for unauthorized installation of artificial turf in City boulevards involving education, voluntary compliance, and, if needed, formal enforcement actions. |
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Discussion ensued with respect to bark mulch as a substitute for natural planting on City boulevards. |
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Staff advised that they will provide Council with a memorandum outlining what is permitted on City boulevards, including the use of bark mulch as planting. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the report titled “Artificial Turf in City Boulevards” dated January 26, 2026, from the Director, Engineering, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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2. |
Review of Requirement for Bike Bells (File Ref. No. 10-6500-01) (REDMS No. 8168009) |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the BC Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) governs regulations for cyclists, including e-bikes and e-scooters, and (ii) HUB members on the Active Transportation Committee have endorsed the bylaw amendments requiring bicycles to be equipped with bells. |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) bicycle safety, (ii) enhancing safety and courtesy on roads and multi-use pathways with the requirement of a bell, (iii) enforcement and education when mandating bike bells, (iv) writing to the Provincial government regarding consistent rules throughout the Province mandating bike bells, and (v) consideration of offering bike bells as a giveaway at the City Public Works Open House. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That Option 3 as described in the report titled “Review of Requirement for Bike Bells” dated January 19, 2026, from the Director, Transportation be approved; and |
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(2) |
That the Traffic Bylaw No. 5870, Amendment Bylaw No. 10718, to include the provision of bicycle bells, be introduced and given first, second and third readings; and |
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(3) |
That a letter be sent to the Minister of Transportation and Transit, the Minister of Public Safety and Richmond Members of the Legislative Assembly, seeking changes to the Motor Vehicle Act to mandate bike bells throughout the Province. |
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CARRIED |
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3. |
Steveston Island Dike Preliminary Design – Public and Stakeholder Engagement Review (File Ref. No. 10-6000-01) (REDMS No. 8129342) |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) staff have discussed Steveston Island tenure with senior levels of government, including the implications of multiple fee simple lots owned by different government agencies, (ii) the general concept of the Steveston Island dyke alignment has not met with any major objections from seniors levels of government thus far, (iii) staff have consulted affected residents, and have developed alternative options and will be meet with them in early March 2026 for their input and feedback on these alternatives, (iv) staff will perform a cost analysis for the Steveston Island dyke alignment and will bring it forward to Council, (v) even with the Steveston Island Dyke becoming the primary dyke, sections of the secondary and perimeter dykes will still need to be raised. Staff will provide Council with further information regarding this, and (vi) as the project progresses, staff will reassess feasibility, compare costs with the existing alignment, and evaluate impacts, particularly through Steveston Village and Bayview Street. |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) public amenities and access to Steveston Island, (ii) habitat enhancement, (iii) project design and cost analysis for the project, (iv) destratification of homes along the dyke, (v) flood protection management strategy, (v) the impacts on the properties between Gilbert Road and London Landing, and (vi) exploring dyke alignment options along the eastern section of London Farm. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the Steveston Island Dike Preliminary Design engagement campaign results, as outlined in the report titled “Steveston Island Dike Preliminary Design – Public and Stakeholder Engagement Review”, dated January 13, 2026, from the Director, Engineering, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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4. |
MANAGER’S REPORT |
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(i) |
Commercial Truck Parking Pilot program |
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Staff advised Committee that the Commercial Truck Parking Pilot program began on January 27, 2026, providing up to 65 on-street spaces for Richmond operated trucks in four industrial areas. To date, six parking permits have been issued, 15 bylaw tickets have been issued for non-compliance, and enforcement is ongoing. Signage at all four locations guides registration, and concerns from businesses about parking impacts are being addressed. |
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Staff were directed to provide a memorandum on how bylaw ticketing is being used to encourage operators to purchase parking permits. |
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4A. |
NORTHWEST CORNER OF NO. 4 ROAD AND ALDERBRIDGE WAY AND CHANELLIZED RIGHT TURN LANES |
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Discussion ensued with respect to public accessibility. Staff advised that the connection to the Multi-Use Pathway (MUP) to the west is incomplete due to private ownership. Staff are exploring acquiring the property to complete the MUP. |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) concerns regarding the removal of channelized right-turns at Alderbridge and No. 4 Road, and (ii) collision rates at channelized turn lanes compared to non channelized. |
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Staff will provide Committee with a memorandum comparing collision types at channelized right turn intersections with similar non channelized intersections. |
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4B. |
Pedestrian safety along Minler Road |
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Discussion ensued with respect to road width of Minler Road, and improving pedestrian safety on Minler Road. Staff will conduct a traffic study on Minler Road to assess possible changes. |
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4C. |
PERMIT PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) piloting residential permit street parking in a careful and measured capacity, (ii) the new Provincial housing regulations increasing demand on street parking, and |
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Staff noted that permit parking is available on a small Azure Road cul-de-sac, and in the Spires neighborhood where one person has obtained a permit. |
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As a result of the discussion the following referral motion was introduced: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That staff look at the matter of permit parking in residential areas in Richmond, conduct a full analysis and report back. |
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CARRIED Opposed: Cllr. Loo |
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4D. |
BUS SHELTER GLASS |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) four newly constructed Hamilton area bus shelters in the that were shattered and not yet cleaned up, and |
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Discussion ensued with respect to an analysis on the Community Leisure fleet, including if it is fully utilized, what the main user groups are, and if more vehicles are needed. Staff advised that the fleet is managed by Community Services for their programs. Staff will discuss with them to determine the level of usage. |
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Discussion ensued with respect to (i) solar powered traffic signal at the end of River Road, (ii) consideration of spun polyester bags being included in the single-use plastic ban, Staff will look further into this. (iii) shareware partner for the Cherry Blossom festival, (iv) Homes for Hooves Farm Sanctuary, is the first Canadian accredited farm sanctuary that accepts rabbits, and |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (5:31 p.m.). |
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CARRIED |
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Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Public Works and Transportation Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. |
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Councillor Carol Day |
Raman Grewal |