REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 12, 2015 A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at 9:37 am, in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall. PRESENT: ABSENT: CITY MANAGER S OFFICE: CITY CLERK S OFFICE: Mayor Gregor Robertson Councillor George Affleck Councillor Elizabeth Ball Councillor Adriane Carr Councillor Heather Deal Councillor Kerry Jang Councillor Raymond Louie Councillor Geoff Meggs Councillor Andrea Reimer Councillor Tim Stevenson Councillor Melissa De Genova (Sick Leave) Sadhu Johnston, Deputy City Manager Janice MacKenzie, City Clerk Terri Burke, Meeting Coordinator IN CAMERA MEETING MOVED by Councillor Deal THAT Council will go into meetings later this week which are closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2(1) of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraphs: (a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the city or another position appointed by the city; (e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the Council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city;
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 2 (k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city if they were held in public. ADOPTION OF MINUTES 1. Regular Council April 28, 2015 MOVED by Councillor Deal THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council meeting of April 28, 2015, be approved. 2. Public Hearing April 28, 2015 MOVED by Councillor Louie THAT the Minutes of the Public Hearing of April 28, 2015, be approved. 3. Regular Council (Planning, Transportation and Environment) April 29, 2015 MOVED by Councillor Deal THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council meeting immediately following the Standing Committee on Planning, Transportation and Environment meeting of April 29, 2015, be approved.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 3 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Councillor Louie THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Robertson in the Chair. MATTERS ADOPTED ON CONSENT THAT Council adopt Communication 1 and Administrative Report 1, on consent. 1. Transportation Monitoring REPORT REFERENCE Jerry Dobrovolny, Acting General Manager of Engineering Services, and Lon LaClaire, Acting Director of Transportation, provided a presentation on Transportation Monitoring, including an update on monitoring targets, data sources, sustainable mode trend analysis, and growth in cycling trips and ridership. Mr. Dobrovolny and Mr. LaClaire responded to questions. 2. Pedestrian and Cycling Safety Studies Jerry Dobrovolny, Acting General Manager of Engineering Services, and Lon LaClaire, Acting Director of Transportation, provided a presentation on Pedestrian and Cycling Safety Studies, including a progress update, high level findings from the Cycling Safety Study, the Cycling Safety Action Plan, and next steps. Mr. Dobrovolny and Mr. LaClaire, along with Paul Goodman, Road Safety Coordinator, ICBC, and John Carsley, Medical Health Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health, responded to questions. COMMUNICATIONS 1. Revision to 2015 Council Meetings Schedule THAT Council approve the cancellation of the Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at 6 pm. ADOPTED ON CONSENT
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 4 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS 1. Grant Application for Active Transportation Project May 1, 2015 THAT Council approve a grant application to the Bike BC Program for $175,000 toward the installation of a pedestrian-cyclist actuated traffic signal and associated street improvements at Renfrew Street along the Adanac Bikeway. ADOPTED ON CONSENT 2. Grant to Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS) for Vancouver Rent Bank 2015 to 2017 May 1, 2015 Abigail Bond, Director of Housing Policy and Projects, responded to questions. A. THAT Council approve a grant for $24,800 to the Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS) towards the July-December 2015 operating costs of the Vancouver Rent Bank: the source of funds is the 2015 Community Services Annual Operating Budget. B. THAT Council approve a grant for $49,600 to the Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS) towards the January-December 2016 operating costs of the Vancouver Rent Bank, subject to the approval of A above and good performance of the administration of the Vancouver Rent Bank; funding for 2016 to be brought forward as part of the 2016 operating budget process. C. THAT Council approve a grant for $24,800 to the Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS) towards the January-June 2017 operating costs of the Vancouver Rent Bank, subject to the approval of A and B above and good performance of the administration of the Vancouver Rent Bank; funding for 2017 to be brought forward as part of the 2017 operating budget process. AND BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 5 At noon, it was * * * * * MOVED by Councillor Louie THAT Council extend the length of the meeting in order to complete the agenda items. * * * * * 3. 2015 Property Taxation: Taxation By-laws and Averaging Resolutions May 1, 2015 MOVED by Councillor Meggs A. THAT Council adopt the 2015 rating by-laws that establish the municipal general purpose tax rate and the Greater Vancouver Regional District tax rate for each property class. B. THAT Council adopt the 2015 averaging resolutions that substitute the tax rates established by other taxing authorities to give effect to the land assessment averaging program, which resolutions are set out in Appendices C, D, E and F of the Administrative Report dated May 1, 2015, entitled 2015 Property Taxation: Taxation By-laws and Averaging Resolutions. RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Councillor Carr THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report. ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MOVED by Councillor Carr THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 6 MOVED by Councillor Stevenson SECONDED by Councillor Deal BY-LAWS THAT Council, except for those members ineligible to vote as noted below, enact the by-laws listed on the agenda for this meeting as numbers 1 to 15 inclusive, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign and seal the enacted by-laws. 1. A By-law to amend Subdivision By-law No. 5208 (508 West 28 th Avenue and 4439-4461 Cambie Street) (By-law No. 11205) 2. A By-law to amend Subdivision By-law No. 5208 (357, 375 and 391 West King Edward Avenue) (By-law No. 11206) 3. A By-law to Amend Sign By-law No. 6510 (2806 Cambie Street, 2850 Cambie Street, 454 West 12 th Avenue and 465 West 13 th Avenue) (By-law No. 11207) (Councillor Meggs ineligible to vote) 4. A By-law to amend Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 regarding housekeeping (By-law No. 11208) 5. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 to rezone an area to CD-1 (5430-5450 Oak Street) (By-law No. 11209) (Councillor Ball ineligible to vote) 6. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 to rezone an area to CD-1 (5508-5542 Oak Street) (By-law No. 11210) (Councillor Ball ineligible to vote) 7. A By-law to amend Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 to rezone an area to CD-1 (6070-6090 Oak Street) (By-law No. 11211) (Councillor Ball ineligible to vote) 8. A By-law to designate certain real property as protected heritage property (2546 West 3 rd Avenue Harrington House) (By-law No. 11212) 9. A By-law to authorize Council entering into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the Owner of Heritage Property (2546 West 3 rd Avenue Harrington House) (By-law No. 11213) 10. A By-law to designate certain real property as protected heritage property (1836 West 12th Avenue Fox Residence) (By-law No. 11214)
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 7 11. A By-law to authorize Council entering into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the Owner of Heritage Property (1836 West 12th Avenue Fox Residence) (By-law No. 11215) 12. A By-law to levy rates on all taxable real property in the city of Vancouver, to raise a sum which added to the estimated revenue of the City of Vancouver from other sources, will be sufficient to pay all debts and obligations of the City of Vancouver falling due within the year 2015 and not otherwise provided for (By-law No. 11216) 13. A By-law to levy a rate on property to raise monies required to be paid to the Greater Vancouver Regional District (By-law No. 11217) 14. A By-law to amend CD-1 By-law No. 10933 (2610 Victoria Drive) (By-law No. 11218) 15. A By-law to enact a Housing Agreement for 311 East 6 th Avenue (By-law No. 11219) A. Administrative Motions MOTIONS 1. Approval of Form of Development -1108 Pendrell Street - WITHDRAWN 2. 2015 Tax Levies for Provincial Schools SECONDED by Councillor Reimer WHEREAS: 1. Pursuant to Section 119(3) of the School Act, the Province of British Columbia in each year levies a tax on the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the City of Vancouver; 2. By Orders in Council No. 177 and 178 approved on April 30, 2015, the Administrator in Council levied the following tax rates on Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other: Class 1 Residential 1.31760 Class 5 Light Industry 5.80000 Class 6 Business & Other 5.80000 being dollars of tax for each one thousand dollars of taxable value, for the 2015 taxation year, which when applied to the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the respective Classes in the City of Vancouver would raise the following sums:
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 8 Class 1 Residential $266,793,551 Class 5 Light Industry $5,689,739 Class 6 Business & Other $230,548,398 3. Pursuant to provisions of the Vancouver Charter, on March 25, 2015, Council approved By-law No. 11187 which authorized adjustment of the net taxable value of land in Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other in the City of Vancouver; 4. Pursuant to By-law No. 11187, the net taxable value and the adjusted taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes subject to taxation under the School Act for the year 2015 are as follows: Net Taxable Value Adjusted Taxable Value Class 1 Residential $202,484,479,987 $200,584,946,838 Class 5 Light Industry $980,989,400 $914,143,453 Class 6 Business & Other $39,749,723,829 $38,539,955,670 5. Council is obliged to vary the tax rates set by the Administrator in Council to produce the same amount of revenue that would have been raised if the net taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes had not been adjusted. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in the case of Class 1 Residential, the rate of 1.33008 is hereby substituted for the rate of 1.31760; in the case of Class 5 Light Industry, the rate of 6.22412 is substituted for the rate of 5.80000; and in the case of Class 6 Business & Other, the rate of 5.98206 is substituted for the rate of 5.80000 for taxation pursuant to the School Act in the City of Vancouver for the 2015 taxation year. 3. 2015 Tax Levies for South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority ( Translink ) SECONDED by Councillor Reimer WHEREAS: 1. Pursuant to Section 25 of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act, the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority ( Translink ) in each year levies a tax on the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act);
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 9 2. By South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority 2015 Property Tax By-law No. 98-2015 and Replacement Tax By-law No. 99-2015, TransLink levied the following tax rates on Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other: Class 1 Residential 0.31730 Class 5 Light Industry 1.61660 Class 6 Business & Other 1.36690 being dollars of tax for each one thousand dollars of taxable value, for the 2015 taxation year, which when applied to the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the respective Classes in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act) would raise the following sums: Class 1 Residential $64,247,292 Class 5 Light Industry $1,585,867 Class 6 Business & Other $54,095,504 3. Pursuant to provisions of the Vancouver Charter, on March 25, 2015, Council approved By-law No. 11187 which authorized adjustment of the net taxable value of land in Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other, in the City of Vancouver; 4. Pursuant to By-law No. 11187, the net taxable value and the adjusted taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes subject to taxation under the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act for the year 2015 are as follows: Net Taxable Value Adjusted Taxable Value Class 1 Residential $202,481,221,987 $200,581,688,838 Class 5 Light Industry $980,989,400 $914,143,453 Class 6 Business & Other $39,575,319,129 $38,368,124,637 5. Council is obliged to vary the tax rates set by Translink in order to produce the same amount of revenue that would have been raised if the net taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes had not been adjusted. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in the case of Class 1 Residential, the rate of 0.32030 is hereby substituted for the rate of 0.31730; in the case of Class 5 Light Industry, the rate of 1.73481 is substituted for the rate of 1.61660; and in the case of Class 6 Business & Other, the rate of 1.40991 is substituted for the rate of 1.36690 for taxation pursuant to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act in the City of Vancouver for the 2015 taxation year.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 10 4. 2015 Tax Levies for British Columbia Assessment Authority SECONDED by Councillor Reimer WHEREAS: 1. Pursuant to Section 17(2) of the Assessment Authority Act, the British Columbia Assessment Authority ( BC Assessment ) in each year levies a tax on the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act); 2. By 2015 Assessment Authority By-law No. 58, BC Assessment levied the following tax rates on Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other: Class 1 Residential 0.05960 Class 5 Light Industry 0.16790 Class 6 Business & Other 0.16790 being dollars of tax for each one thousand dollars of taxable value, for the 2015 taxation year, which when applied to the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the respective Classes in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act) would raise the following sums: Class 1 Residential $12,067,881 Class 5 Light Industry $164,708 Class 6 Business & Other $6,644,696 3. Pursuant to provisions of the Vancouver Charter, on March 25, 2015, Council approved By-law No. 11187 which authorized adjustment of the net taxable value of land in Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other in the City of Vancouver; 4. Pursuant to By-law No. 11187, the net taxable value and the adjusted taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes subject to taxation under the Assessment Authority Act for the year 2015 are as follows: Net Taxable Value Adjusted Taxable Value Class 1 Residential $202,481,221,987 $200,581,688,838 Class 5 Light Industry $980,989,400 $914,143,453 Class 6 Business & Other $39,575,319,129 $38,368,124,637 5. Council is obliged to vary the tax rates set by BC Assessment in order to produce the same amount of revenue that would have been raised if the net taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes had not been adjusted.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 11 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in the case of Class 1 Residential, the rate of 0.06016 is hereby substituted for the rate of 0.05960; in the case of Class 5 Light industry, the rate of 0.18018 is substituted for the rate of 0.16790; and in the case of Class 6 Business & Other, the rate of 0.17318 is substituted for the rate of 0.16790 for taxation pursuant to the Assessment Authority Act in the City of Vancouver for the 2015 taxation year. 5. 2015 Tax Levies for Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia SECONDED by Councillor Reimer WHEREAS: 1. Pursuant to Sections 17, 18(2) and 19 of the Municipal Finance Authority Act, the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia ( MFABC ) in each year levies a tax on the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act); 2. By Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia Resolution No. 140, 2015, MFABC levied the following tax rates on Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other: Class 1 Residential 0.00020 Class 5 Light Industry 0.00070 Class 6 Business & Other 0.00050 being dollars of tax for each one thousand dollars of taxable value, for the 2015 taxation year, which when applied to the net taxable value of all land and improvements in the respective Classes in the City of Vancouver (excluding property taxable for school purposes only by special act) would raise the following sums: Class 1 Residential $40,496 Class 5 Light Industry $687 Class 6 Business & Other $19,788 3. Pursuant to provisions of the Vancouver Charter, on March 25, 2015, Council approved By-law No. 11187 which authorized adjustment of the net taxable value of land in Class 1 Residential, Class 5 Light Industry, and Class 6 Business & Other in the City of Vancouver;
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 12 4. Pursuant to By-law No. 11187, the net taxable value and the adjusted taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes subject to taxation under the Municipal Finance Authority Act for the year 2015 are as follows: Net Taxable Value Adjusted Taxable Value Class 1 Residential $202,481,221,987 $200,581,688,838 Class 5 Light Industry $980,989,400 $914,143,453 Class 6 Business & Other $39,575,319,129 $38,368,124,637 5. Council is obliged to vary the tax rates set by MFABC in order to produce the same amount of revenue that would have been raised if the net taxable value of land in the above-noted Classes had not been adjusted. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in the case of Class 1 Residential, the rate of 0.00020 is hereby substituted for the rate of 0.00020; in the case of Class 5 Light Industry, the rate of 0.00075 is substituted for the rate of 0.00070; and in the case of Class 6 Business & Other, the rate of 0.00052 is substituted for the rate of 0.00050 for taxation pursuant to the Municipal Finance Authority Act in the City of Vancouver for the 2015 taxation year. 6. Approval of Form of Development - 6074 Oak Street, formerly 6070-6090 Oak Street SECONDED by Councillor Reimer THAT the form of development for this portion of the site known as 6074 Oak Street, formerly 6070-6090 Oak Street, be approved generally as illustrated in the Development Application Number DE418478, prepared by Raymond Letkeman Architects Inc., and stamped Received, Community Services, Development Services, on March 10, 2015, provided that the Director of Planning may impose conditions and approve design changes which would not adversely affect either the development character of the site or adjacent properties.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 13 7. Approval of Form of Development - 5500 Oak Street, formerly 5508-5542 Oak Street SECONDED by Councillor Reimer THAT the form of development for this portion of the site known as 5500 Oak Street, formerly 5508-5542 Oak Street, be approved generally as illustrated in the Development Application Number DE418479, prepared by Raymond Letkeman Architects Inc., and stamped Received, Community Services, Development Services, on March 10, 2015, provided that the Director of Planning may impose conditions and approve design changes which would not adversely affect either the development character of the site or adjacent properties. 8. Approval of Form of Development - 5444 Oak Street, formerly 5430-5450 Oak Street SECONDED by Councillor Reimer THAT the form of development for this portion of the site known as 5444 Oak Street, formerly 5430-5450 Oak Steet, be approved generally as illustrated in the Development Application Number DE418477, prepared by Raymond Letkeman Architects Inc., and stamped Received, Community Services, Development Services, on March 10, 2015, provided that the Director of Planning may impose conditions and approve design changes which would not adversely affect either the development character of the site or adjacent properties. B. Motions on Notice 1. Protecting Vancouver s Recreational Water Quality The following motion contains additions to the original Motion on Notice, which were accepted by the Council. MOVED by Councillor Carr SECONDED by Councillor Ball WHEREAS 1. The City of Vancouver, through the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan, Healthy City Strategy and Metro Vancouver Regional Waste Management Plan, has a
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 14 strong and dedicated commitment to world class recreational water management, including reduction in sewage runoff; 2. Clean and safe recreational waters are important for Vancouver s tourism sector, its global reputation as a healthy green city, and local residents health and recreational enjoyment; 3. The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation unanimously passed a motion on April 27, 2015, to work with interested governmental agencies and departments, non-governmental organization and individuals to achieve a goal of zero beach and recreational water closures in the city of Vancouver. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council: Support and thank the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation for their recently established objective of achieving zero beach and recreational waters closures, in support of the City s Greenest City and Healthy City goals; Reiterate its support for the City s ongoing work of separating sewage and stormwater systems and direct staff to address the new Park Board objective in their ongoing work on the Integrated Stormwater Management Plan; Request the Federal Government to reinvest adequate resources in enforcing regulations, conducting scientific research on the sources of E. coli and coordinating between agencies to ensure that the federal government s constitutionally-mandated role to oversee the health of our waters is not downloaded onto local governments. 2. Request for Leave of Absence Councillor Stevenson SECONDED by Councillor Ball THAT Councillor Stevenson be granted Leave of Absence for Personal Reasons from meetings to be held on June 22, 2015.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 15 3. Increased Protection for Tenants and Vancouver's Rental Housing Stock The following motion contains an addition to the original Motion on Notice, which was accepted by the Council. MOVED by Councillor Meggs WHEREAS 1. About half of Vancouver residents live in rental housing, which provides a crucial element of affordability in the city's overall housing market; 2. City Council took action in 2007 to control the rate of change in rental housing and to protect some, but not all, of the city s rental housing by implementing a by-law that requires rental units to be replaced on a one-for-one basis for redevelopment projects involving six or more units; 3. This by-law and the associated official development plan also required the Development Permit Board to consider the views of tenants and to ensure tenants are offered relocation plans and the right to return to new buildings after replacement; 4. Conditions in the housing market as well as very low vacancy rates threaten to erode the existing stock of rental housing, increasing displacement of tenants, despite the existing by-law. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to report back with options to amend the rate of change guidelines to improve the protection offered to tenants and existing rental units, as well as the steps that would be necessary to maintain lower rents; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT staff consult with the Renters Advisory Committee as part of developing recommendations for Council.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 16 NEW BUSINESS 1. Request for Leave of Absence Councillor Jang MOVED by Councillor Louie SECONDED by Councillor Deal THAT Councillor Jang be granted Leave of Absence for Civic Business from meetings to be held on May 28 and June 2, 2015. 2. Request for Leave of Absence Councillor Reimer SECONDED by Councillor Louie THAT Councillor Reimer be granted Leave of Absence for Civic Business from meetings to be held on June 2, 2015. 3. Request for Leave of Absence Councillor Meggs SECONDED by Councillor Deal THAT Councillor Meggs be granted Leave of Absence for Personal Reasons from the Court of Revision (Engineering) to be held on June 2, 2015. 4. Request for Leave of Absence Councillor Louie MOVED by Councillor Deal THAT Councillor Louie be granted Leave of Absence for Civic Business from all meetings to be held on July 8, 2015.
Minutes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 17 1. Seismic Safety Standards ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS Councillor Carr noted the protection of buildings through the Building Code, in terms of responding to seismic threats, varies according to building types. She requested a report back on the seismic safety standards that are in the City s building code for various building types. 2. Downtown East Side Street Market Councillor Affleck requested an update on the potential move of the Downtown East Side Street Market. The Deputy City Manager agreed to report back once consultations with residents and organizations are completed. ADJOURNMENT MOVED by Councillor Deal THAT the meeting be adjourned. The Council adjourned at 12:55 pm. * * * * *