Page 1 Minutes of a Meeting of the Strategy Session held February 27, 2007

DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

Minutes of the Strategy Session Meeting held Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C

In Attendance: Mayor Ian Sutherland

Councillor Greg Gardner

Councillor Patricia Heintzman (arr. 10:26am)

Councillor Corinne Lonsdale

Councillor Jeff McKenzie

Councillor Mike Jenson (arr. 1:38pm)

Absent:Councillor Raj Kahlon

Also in Attendance:Brent Leigh, Deputy Administrator

Robin Arthurs, Director of Administrative Services

Michelle Jansson, Deputy Clerk

Cameron Chalmers, Director of Planning

Sabina FooFat, Planner

Heather Evans, Planner

Bob Kusch, Director of Recreation, Parks and Tourism

Ralph Hughes, Director of Financial Services

F. Langford, Environmental Coordinator

Garry Broeckling, Chief Technology Officer

Ray Saurette, Fire Chief

Mayor Sutherland called the meeting to order at 10:14 a.m.

1.ADOPTION OF AGENDA

It was moved by Councillor Lonsdale,

seconded by Councillor McKenzie,

THAT the Committee adopts the Strategy Session Agenda.

CARRIED

2.STAFF REPORTS

A.PLANNING

(i)Affordable Housing Policy – Backgrounder No. 1 – presentation to Council

Noah Sedky, City Spaces Consultant, presented on the Squamish Affordable Housing Strategy adopted by Council in October 2005, focusing primarily on low and moderate income households. The consultant identified ten strategic directions and elaborated on the following:

  • Population Factors
  • Housing Factors – Sales and Prices
  • Housing Factors – Rents
  • Income Factors
  • Estimates of Housing Need
  • Maximum Affordable Monthly Spending
  • Home Ownership
  • Income to Prices/Rents (houses, townhouses, apartments)
  • Residential Capacity
  • Proposed Development
  • Next Steps including a test model in May and Final policy document for June

Council discussed government subsidized housing, social housing and affordable housing, transit considerations and best practices. Council further discussed green buildings, growth management strategies, manufactured homes, long distance commuters and requested affordable housing statistics/core indicators.

The next report to be prepared for the District will include the following:

  • focus on policy options - looking at land use planning inclusionary requirements
  • setback requirements
  • cash-in-lieu options

Councillor Heintzman left the meeting at 11:30am

It wasmoved by Councillor Lonsdale,

seconded by Councillor McKenzie,

That Council receive Backgrounder No. 1 of the Squamish Affordable Housing Policy assignment for information.

CARRIED

(ii) Policy Direction re Strata Conversion of Multiple Unit Residential Buildings

Councillor Heintzman returned to the meeting at 12:24am

It wasmoved by Councillor Lonsdale,

seconded by Councillor McKenzie,

RECOMMENDATION THAT Council direct staff to draft a municipal policy regarding Strata Conversion of Multiple Unit Residential Buildings that includes the elements identified in the February 27, 2007 Planning Department Report.

CARRIED

  1. RECREATION, PARKS & TOURISM

(i)Management Plan for Completion of Windsport Work on Windspit

B. Kusch apprised Council on Windspit works and safety improvements by the Windsport Society and the District and advised that there have been delays in approvals from other organizations/levels of government, which have resulted in budget reallocation. Council agreed to consider the following recommendation at the March 6, 2007 Regular Business Meeting:

It wasmoved by Councillor Heintzman,

seconded by Councillor McKenzie,

RECOMMENDATION THAT Council reduce the proposed 2007 capital budget for Windsport Improvements from $115,245 to $20,000; AND FURTHER THAT, Council authorize the Mayor to issue a letter to the Ministry of Environment committing the District to the completion of a Management Plan for the Windspit in 2007 as proposed within this report.

OPPOSED: Councillor Lonsdale

CARRIED

Meeting recessed for lunch to resume at 1:00p.m.

Meeting resumed at 1:08 p.m. With all of Council, except Councillor Kahlon, as well as B. Leigh, D. McRae, S. FooFat, C. Chalmers, F. Langford, M. Jansson, R. Saurette

  1. PLANNING
  2. Target Setting Workshop – Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ted Shelton, Ministry of Environment, and Michael Wilson, Community Energy Association, were in attendance. Sebastian Moffat, The Sheltair Group, provided a presentation summary of the 2006 Energy and Emissions Audits, a detailed technical report of the 2006 Energy and Emissions Audits, information on the FCM Partners for Climate Protection program and introductory information on the Natural Step Program, including:

Milestone 1: New Directions for Energy System Design

  • Long-term pathways, stretching time horizons, increase support
  • Bridging to the future
  • Benefits to public interest, air quality, climate change protection, Smart Growth, community economic development, resiliency and security, business and resident attraction

Overview: New Directions

  1. Collaborative Approach

Next steps: Establish an internal Energy Management Task Force for the external District by:

  • Exploring financing for an energy manager and a regional secretariat
  • Drafting terms for a collaborative process within region
  • Involving the Sea to Sky Air Quality group
  • Becoming Partners in Climate Protection
  1. Rational Framework
  • Monitoring, implementing, exploring, envisioning, scoping, learning, realignment and adaptation.
  • Political Decision Making
  • Research potential energy sources such as micro-hydro sites, wind generation, sunlight, biomass, geothermal, etc.
  • Catalyst Projects

Choosing the right catalyst projects to get to the target by being inspirational, keeping it simple, and involving a lot of people.

  1. Smart Growth on a block
  2. R responsive local network for electricity – shared energy
  3. District Heating & Power
  4. Alternative Energy & Transportation Hub

M. Wilson advised that Treason Gas is actively looking to partner with government for these types of projects. Ted Shelton suggested a park and ride at the Adventure Centre where commuters can plug in electric cars to create a showcase demonstration project along the highway.

It wasmoved by Councillor Gardner,

seconded by Councillor Heintzman,

RECOMMENDATION THAT Council endorses all of the programs recommended during the February 27, 2007 target setting workshop as follows:

  1. One Tonne Total – total greenhouse gas emissions per capita for regional energy systems are reduced to less than one tonne by 2030.
  2. Stepping towards Net Positive Energy – Total renewable energy generation on-site exceeds the total energy consumption for buildings and transportation by 2015.
  3. Self-reliance & security for critical energy – on-site infrastructure can separately satisfy critical energy needs, including essential lighting, communications & space conditioning.
  4. Adaptable and diverse homes & businesses – At least 5 distinct energy sources each provide 5% or more of the total energy for buildings and total for transportation by 2015.

CARRIED

It wasmoved by Councillor Heintzman

seconded by Councillor Gardner

RECOMMENDATION THATCouncil endorses the following provincial targets:

Building Sector / Energy Efficiency Target
New single family and row house residential buildings / Achieve and EnerGuide for New Houses rating of 80 by 2010, reducing average energy consumption in new homes by 32%.
New multi-unit residential buildings / Achieve energy performance of 25% better than Model National Energy Code for Building by 2010, reducing average energy consumption by 37%.
Existing single family and row house residential buildings / Reduce the energy consumption in 12% of existing buildings by an average of 17% by 2010.
Existing multi-unit residential buildings / Reduce the energy consumption in 16% of existing buildings by an average of 9% by 2010.
New industrial, commercial and institutional buildings / Achieve energy performance 25% better than Model National Energy Code for Building by 2010 and reduce the average energy consumption by 20%.
Existing industrial, commercial and institutional buildings / Reduce the energy consumption in 20% of existing buildings by an average of 14% by 2010.

I

CARRIED

It wasmoved by Councillor Heintzman

seconded by Councillor Gardner

RECOMMENDATION THATthe District of Squamish join the Partners for Climate Protection program.

It wasmoved by Councillor Heintzman

seconded by Councillor Gardner

RECOMMENDATION THATCouncil directs staff to discuss the green house gas emission targets, research partnerships, and investigate and identify catalyst projects in order to bring back recommendations for a community stakeholder event.

CARRIED

Council called for a 20-minute recess at 3:10 p.m.

Meeting resumed at 3:35 p.m. With all of Council in attendance, except Councillor Kahlon, as well as B. Leigh, C. Chalmers, M. Gottardi, R. Arthurs

3.MOTION TO CLOSE

It wasmoved by Councillor McKenzie,

seconded by Councillor Heintzman,

THAT the meeting be closed to the public for the purposes of considering whether dealing in public with a matter relating to the acquisition and disposition of land or improvements might reasonably be expected to harm the interest of the municipality; and if Council determines that such harm might reasonably be expected, the meeting be closed to the public for the purpose of considering the disposition of land or improvements of land by the municipality.

CARRIED

Meeting closed to the public at 3:35p.m.

Meeting reopened to the public at 5:04 p.m. with all of Council in attendance, except Councillor Kahlon. Also: K. Anema, R. Arthurs, B. Leigh, C. Chalmers, M. Gottardi

Recess

It wasmoved by Councillor Jenson,

seconded by Councillor Gardner

THAT the meeting recess for to resume at 6:15 p.m.

CARRIED

Meeting resumed at 6:18p.m.

With all of Council, except Councillor Kahlon, as well as K. Anema, B. Leigh, R. Arthurs, M. Gottardi, D. French, C. Chalmers, H. Evans, S. FooFat, N. Plumb, M. Collier, SODC Board members, Mike Chin, SODC CEO

4.SQUAMISH OCEANFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Larry Beasley, former City of Vancouver Co-Planner, and Jim Lowden, City of Vancouver, attended to discuss the development opportunities and best practices around a master planning process for the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation lands. Comments included:

  • Develop broad perspective and break down into manageable pieces that fit in with the large picture – move to master planning process – OCP amendments – rezoning.
  • Goal is to obtain broad community consensus with ability to prevail through elections
  • Coordinate civic administrative engagement
  • High degree of community collaboration
  • Define roles of politicians, bureaucracy and roles of administration (through SODC)
  • Determine how much money the municipality wants to spend on the process and how much it wants to make on the end development
  • Determine how much control the District will maintain over the development process, rezoning, land use, urban design
  • Determine how much political consensus Council has with the community
  • District/Council has legislated powers and entrepreneurial powers via corporation – need to know which power is in play as the scenario moves forward
  • “You Plan It” Model: District as lead – entrepreneurial power and land use approver in place – can make most money, but wealth gets eaten up by public goods – risky, other developers may not need to get involved – good approach when popular site, consensus on council, popular project
  • “You Sell It Now” Model – sell to developer, they take through process, take the risks, pay flat fee – only now have regulatory powers of control - good approach when no political consensus or when there is no money to spend or invest
  • Collaborative Approach – work with community, engage developer, developer works with municipality and with the community at every step. Cost recovery from developers to move process forward – shared profits, less risk because of collaboration with developers and public
  • Development of the site will set the future image for Squamish
  • Council must establish a starting vision – what do we want for Squamish – what is downtown Squamish and what is the role it plays in peoples lives – what makes a vibrant, diverse community

The Consultants responded to the following questions from Council:

How does the District plan for the whole area, including the publicly owned land and the privately owned land, such as the former Interfor site? How do we draw all of the developers/developments into the process?

The City cannot stay to the boundaries of the Oceanfront lands, but need to have a more holistic view and include the surrounding property development sites and bring those owners together to collaborate – engage all of the groups covering all of the geography and decide where you expect people to live, work, services – how does it fit with the OCP?

What is experience in getting consensus of whole Council

Council is custodian of the public interest and people are going to invest in that interest. Council needs to try to find what that public interest is through a public engagement process, build on charrette process, Smart Growth process. Once determined, Council can move forward and should be motivated to find common ground – keep debate fresh and in the public arena. Council must have consistency in process and over time – keep beliefs together over time – command largest public good over time

Councillor Jenson left at 6:56p.m.

How has master planning process worked in other municipalities?

Each party must see a benefit to an overall coordinated effort - not stay individual

How does the District establish a gateway for the community – a way of melding new with old?

The Oceanfront Development into the Downtown needs to incorporate a seamless transition, as opposed to a pinch point. The new design plan needs to fit in with the overall community plan.

Should a Planner be hired to report to the District and not to the Corporation? Should we do some planning ourselves before looking at / for this other party?

The Corporation provides administrative function, but shouldn’t do the planning. Council needs to be aware of their agendas – do they work in the spirit of the community as Council would? Planning Department has a vision of the whole community, not this one development area and they can be augmented by that Planner to assist. The Corporation is an advisor on financial implications and advantages. City plans the city and are accountable to the public for the planning.

How much planning is necessary before developer is engaged?

Engage developers when the City is clear on substantive direction (not just vision) firm direction. Ensure civic values are clear on direction; consensus of Council on what the lands will develop into and the fit with the OCP vision for area is in a direct relationship with the community

Economic Evaluation – should this happen in conjunction with dream phase – 4 other major projects in the immediate area, do we look at entire area or look at just our piece of property?

Look at the whole picture, collaboration, broad interests, look at transitioning of economy –need to reinforce broad economic spectrum of the whole community. Don’t do linearly; cluster all interests together – diversity of jobs, etc.

What is estimate of timeline to do master planning – cost – share cost with several land owners?

Engage to develop a work program to determine each other’s needs – the faster either wants to move, the more expensive and everyone needs to understand the marketing aspects of the development.

What is the entrepreneurial power and opportunity?

Opportunity to engage SODC CEO to provide entrepreneurial basics, decide what public goods to go after, bargain for more park, less of something else.

How does the District avoid a conflict of interest in being both regulator and developer?

Maintain a separation between functions: Custodian of Planning and Regulator of Entrepreneurial interest, both reporting to Council. Ensure the public objective is in the forefront at all times.

What should District look for in commercial ventures? Are their milestones to determine when density is enough?

City of Vancouver owns enterprises at arms length through the Real Estate Dept. Parks Board is landlord on some enterprises provided by private interests – have a higher level of control in pricing, etc.

Diversity is necessary in urban planning, social relations, job economics, intensity and important, livability, humanism, Squamish inner City is not diverse but is healthy. Systematic development with planned phasing to meet the public need – public facilities might be early from City point of view, but later from developer point of view. The City may need to front end some of the public amenities to make the first residential developments desirable; as residential proceeds, save room for commercial to follow

Leasing v selling lands?

Putting in infrastructure, strata titling is not always desirable from a private sector point of view, but from a public amenity/goods point of view, can be good from public sector side. Ensure plan includes some lands be kept for public housing, or for lease to daycares, etc.,

One developer v multiple developers?

One developer yields more for the public, as the goods are spread equitably.

How do we reconcile density benefits with community perception of over-crowding?

Design well, plan well, not all density is tall, determine fit with public domain, what will environment be and what will it sustain, determine amenities.

Thoughts on removing lands from industrial land base?

The plan needs to determine what to remove, leave in, take out over time, how to configure and landscape, what do you need in this location or elsewhere. Don’t just look at as industry, but as jobs and what kind of jobs do you want and need. Perhaps this is the first step, in conjunction with public, to determine what is desired for the Oceanfront lands – money, development, what roles do these lands play in direction for overall community

Capilano College would like to establish a campus on the Oceanfront lands. How would this fit into the plan?

A college adds vibrancy to the core of city, intelligence sector becomes rooted and there is a resulting outflow needed to support this foundation. Intelligence sector is an excellent type of replacement industry v diminishing resource-based industry – a positive anchor.

Rene David, Westmana Development Corp., commented on a need for tools to develop, solidifying the good things that have happened in Squamish, and to not fear moving forward.

Larry Murray, SODC Board Chair, commented that the Consultants’ presentation fits with the Corporation’ vision for the development, that the SODC wants to bring forward vibrancy and there is a need for enabling foundations for the SODC to move forward and what has been said tonight does that and need for clear understanding of work at hand

5.ADJOURNMENT

It wasmoved by Councillor McKenzie,

seconded by Councillor Heintzman,

THAT the meeting be adjourned.

CARRIED

Meeting adjourned at 8:00p.m.

______

Ian Sutherland, Mayor

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

______

Robin Arthurs, Director of Administrative Services