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Government Relations Update #251
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Mark Sakai, Director of Government Relations
Twitter: @Mark_GVHBA
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METRO WEST
- Those Zoning Bylaw Text Amendments that were considered at Burnaby's Planning & Development Committee on 27 March (see GRU#249) have now made their way to the Regular Council meeting (pages 46 - 53) of 09 April, and are expected to be advanced to the 24 April Public Hearing.
- At the 10 April meeting of Burnaby's Sustainable City Advisory Committee, a report on EV Charging Requirements for New Residential Development is on the agenda (pages 89 - 101).
- Here are the display boards from Vancouver's Open House on the Plaza of Nations development proposal. Those of us of a certain age will recall with fondness the good times during Expo 86, and less so with the recent desolation (in relative terms) of the site. It will be good to see more activity there with this new plan.
- More on the "who will run for Mayor in Vancouver" front, from Jen St. Denis in Metro News Vancouver. Could Shauna Sylvester and Patrick Condon go head to head to capture(or split) the centre-left vote?
- Gordon Price's blog is a good place to keep current on news on declared candidates for Vancouver Council.
- Want to avoid frustration (or at least, minimize it) when driving on Vancouver's roads this summer? Check out this map of planned road work projects from The Courier.
- At Richmond's Regular Council meeting of 09 April, the Annual DCC Bylaw Amendment is on the agenda (pages 231 - 237).
- At New Westminster's Regular Council meeting of 09 April, a staff report titled: "Construction Noise Bylaw: Consideration of Changes to Permitted Hours and Update on Pile Driving Methodology Research - Bylaw for Three Readings" is on the agenda. (pages 117 - 139). Also on the agenda is the "Queen's Park Heritage Conservation Area: Special Limited Category Expanded Study Update" (pages 513 - 532), and the "Proposed BC Energy Step Code Requirements for New Part 9 Residential Buildings" (pages 700 - 796).
NORTHEAST SECTOR
For Your Information
- At Port Coquitlam's Regular Council meeting of 10 April, the "Amendment of OCP Policies and Zoning Bylaw Regulations for Small Lot Residential and Duplex Developments" is on the agenda (pages 9 - 27) for both Public Hearing and third reading.
- At Port Moody's Regular Council meeting of 10 April, the Updated Working Draft of the new Zoning Bylaw is on the agenda (pages 273 - 484). According to the staff report, an Open House on the draft Zoning Bylaw will be held on 12 May at City Hall (save the date). On the same agenda, a report recommends holding an Affordable Housing Policy Workshop with the Citizen Advisory Group on Saturday 28 April at the Kyle Centre (pages 489 - 492).
- At Coquitlam's Council-in-Committee meeting of 09 April, this staff report outlines proposals for updated requirements for Development Proposal signage. Also on the agenda under "Other Business" is the topic of "EV Charging Stations for New Construction - Single Family and Multi-Family" (no report).
- A reminder that Coquitlam's next Town Hall meeting is taking place on Thursday 12 April. Everything you need to know is on the webpage.
- Here's an excellent editorial on the need for more housing density from the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.
- At Pitt Meadows' Regular Council meeting of 10 April, the OCP Public Consultation Strategy report is on the agenda.
SOUTH OF FRASER
For Your Information
- At Langley Township's Regular Afternoon meeting of 09 April, a letter from the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association, the Victoria Electric Vehicle Club, and Plug In Richmond, requesting EV stations in all new construction in the Township, is on the agenda (Item G.1 under Correspondence).
- At Langley Township's Regular Evening meeting of 09 April, the Williams Neighbourhood Plan is on the agenda for first and second reading (see the link at the bottom of Item F.1). As well, there are two Notices of Motion from Cllr. Arnason on the Interim Tree Protection Bylaw (Item M.1) and 208th Street Widening (Item M.2).
- A reminder that if you were unable to attend the Langley Township Open House on their proposed CAC Program, you can still contribute your feedback on the list of proposed amenity projects by using the on-line Feedback Survey. We would strongly urge you to participate, given our concern over the appropriateness of some of the proposed projects, and whether or not they qualify as projects that should be funded by a CAC fee (like a works yard, airport improvements, conference centre, or agri-plex). These are certainly important civic infrastructure projects, but should be more properly funded via municipal financing or hotel taxes.
- On the agenda of Surrey's Council-in-Committee meeting of 09 April, there is an update of the Affordable Housing Strategy, that would require a Contribution of $1,000 per unit where there is an increase in density above the minimum specified in any zone, and a summary of the Rosemary Heights Central Neighbourhood Context Plan Review. Here's an article from the Now-Leader on the Affordable Housing Strategy.
- At Surrey's Regular Council meeting/Public Hearing of 09 April, the "Hazardous Lands Update" (previously noted in GRU#247) is on the agenda under "Delegations". In another revisit of an item from GRU#247, a staff comment provides Council with an opportunity to re-poll the residents of Cloverdale Slope. Also on the agenda is this staff report providing an update on School District #36 Capital Planning, and this report on Integration of the LRT Vision into Land Use Plans and the OCP. As well, the amendments to the Affordable Housing Strategy cited in the bullet above, and the bylaw amendments related to the LRT Vision, are scheduled to receive first and second readings, with a Public Hearing date set for 23 April.
- In an interesting move, Washington state is seeking 200 Surrey drivers to participate in a road pricing pilot project. I'm sure the Independent Mobility Pricing Commission is watching this one closely.
- At White Rock's Regular Council meeting of 09 April, a report recommending Building Bylaw amendments to correct minor oversights from the December 2017 amendment is on the agenda (pages 48 - 49, and 110 - 111).
NORTH SHORE
For Your Information
- At North Vancouver District's Regular Council meeting of 09 April, the regular staff report of Upcoming Developments for 2018 is on the agenda (pages 49 - 56).
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REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL
For Your Information
- In a bit of sober second thought, the Metro Vancouver Board will be considering a motion to revisit their raise + retirement payment motion at their next meeting. I suspect that the amount and intensity of the public outcry played a major role in this decision. It certainly didn't help that the motion was a last-minute addition to the agenda, and that the Board opted to discuss the matter in camera rather than in public session (in camera discussion was not necessary in this case). Here is the staff report on the raise/retirement payment motion. And of course, this presents a perfect opportunity to soap-box on the fact that Metro Vancouver Directors are not elected to serve in their positions, but are instead appointed by their own municipality's Mayors. If we don't like the decisions made by the Board (and remember, this is an organization with a budget of almost $800 million), there isn't a whole lot that we can do about it, and that lack of accountability should be concerning to everyone. If you'd like a deeper dive into the financial situation at Metro Vancouver, check out the agenda of the 11 April Performance and Audit Committee, which includes the 2017 Financial Statements and Report (pages 9 - 151), and the Semi-Annual DCC Report (pages 157-158).
- It sounds as if the Federal Government has come up with their full share of the funding necessary to complete Phase 2 of the TransLink 10-Year Vision, but articles like this one still use the word "could" instead of something more definitive.
- Here is the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade's analysis of Mobility Pricing. A good primer for people still at the "what's all this about" stage.
- According to this article, the Provincial Government is proposing changes to provide further protection to residents of mobile home parks in the event of redevelopment.
- For what it's worth, here's SFU Professor Josh Turner's op-ed on the "Speculation Tax" (I'll keep using the quotes until it's actually a speculation tax). He seems to think that applying this tax to development lands owned by local companies is the same as applying it to apartments purchased by wealthy foreigners and left empty for 50 weeks per year.
- BC Housing is presenting the next session on Building Smart with the BC Energy Step Code - Lower Steps - Climate Zone 4; on Tuesday 24 April, 5:30 - 8:30pm, at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel. Check out the website for full details and registration link.
- The Energy Step Code Council, through BC Housing, is releasing the "BC Energy Step Code Design Guide" for Part 3 Buildings. Download your free copy via the web page.
- Here's a piece from UrbanYVR on the redevelopment plans for Richmond Centre mall, but also a summary of the other major shopping centre-adds-residential projects planned and underway in Metro Van.
- Despite tighter mortgage lending regulations, more Canadians are looking to enter the home ownership market, according to a recent RBC survey.
- Edmonton experiences some significant challenges in the development of an on-line permitting system, according to this story from the Edmonton Journal.
- Here's a story from CityLab about Vaughan and Markham, Toronto's "boomburbs".
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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
For Your Information
- Here's an interview from TVO's website with Jennifer Keesmaat, CEO of the Creative Housing Society, on their plan to develop large numbers of purpose-built rental units in Vancouver and Toronto.
- Seattle's Mayor Jenny Durkan proposes a toll-based congestion pricing plan to reduce congestion and GHG emissions.
- Here's an academic paper from NYU on addressing 'supply-skeptics".
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EVERYTHING ELSE
- One of my favourite local bloggers, Nathan Lauster, has produced an interesting historical record of neighbourhood succession from old fire insurance maps of Vancouver.
- Here's a story from BIV on how new taxes have put the brakes on house sales in Metro Vancouver. And here are the March sales reports from the REBGV and the FVREB.
- Here's a glossary of housing policy terminology, generally from an American point-of-view, but also mainly applicable here.
- Ah, the Sedins. I think the best compliment that has been stated about them is that, despite their near telepathic abilities on the ice, they were better people off it. But in case you need to see just how good they were, check out this video clip of "the shift", that Alain Vigneault considers their tour de force.
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Please feel free to distribute this email to others in your office, if you think that they would benefit from the information. If you are reading this as a forwarded message from a colleague, you can get your own version, delivered directly to your mailbox. Just let me know, and I will be more than happy to add you to my list. And don't forget, the most recent issue of GRU is always posted on the Government Relations Page of gvhba.org.
As always, comments are welcome. If there is an issue or a website that you would like me to follow, please contact me at 778-373-9784, or via [email protected]
Mark Sakai
Director of Government Relations
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