Report on the August 10, 2010 Anmore Regular Council Meeting
Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at precisely 7:00 pm. All members of Council were present, as were engineering consultant, Max Coupland, and planning consultant, Michael Rosen, the Village Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Howard Carley and Manager of Public Works, Tim Harris. Approximately, fifteen residents were also there.
Minutes for the June 29th Special Council Meeting, revised Minutes for the July 13th Regular Council Meeting, and Minutes for the Special Council Meeting on July 20th were all approved.
In Business arising from the Minutes, Councillor Sedergreen asked about the contract with Lori Ludlow re: the Clean-up of SpiritPark. Tim Harris indicated that Village staff was currently maintaining the park and that Ms Ludlow would be called in closer to Ma Murray Day, Sept. 19th. Councillor Piamonte reminded Council that a trellis had been proposed to hide the exhaust on the pump house in the Isaak-Hallat subdivision across from the Butterton residence on Uplands Drive. Tim Harris supported this proposal.
Under delegations, Mr. Glenn Graham of 3295 Sunnyside appealed to Council to insure that ‘as a renter’ in CountrysideVillage his home would not be sold. He had received a letter from Peter Hertzig of Countryside Village Ventures Ltd. on July 26, 2010, indicating that they were planning to sell Mr. Graham’s rented log home.
Mayor Anderson explained to Mr. Graham that as a renter of a fixed building rather than a mobile home on a rented space, he may not be part of the original agreement to protect the people renting in Countryside. Councillors Sedergreen and Piamonte confirmed the intent to protect the people renting their homes from eviction in CountrysideVillage strata. Council decided to ask staff to report back to Council on the details and context of this particular situation before further addressing it.
Mayor Anderson reported on the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Meeting held on July 30th. She hopes to persuade Vancouver to include Anmore as a voting member. She also indicated that she will be meeting with Coquitlam RCMP on Wednesday, August 11th. Councillor Palmer-Isaak indicated that plans are being made to have a Terry Fox Run in the Village concomitant with Ma Murray Day.
The Chief Administrative Officer, Howard Carley, reported that East Road will be paved for the winter. The Mossom Creek culvert will have to wait until next year. The Request for Proposals response dollar amounts from the contractors were twice the amounts available.
Under correspondence, the letter from Mr. David Butterton on Planning application and procedures (linked below this Report) received a good deal of attention. Mayor Anderson explained that Mr. Butterton’s concerns were all part of a steep slope development learning curve for the Village. She also indicated that Village of Anmore philosophy is to give owners minimum interference on private property.
Councillor Sedergreen pointed out that Mr. Butterton had a much more fundamental concern about processes. Mr. Butterton then spoke very eloquently about “developers running rough-shod over the Village and its residents, and taking advantage” of a perceived laissez-faire attitude of the Village for their own pecuniary interests. He called for the enforcement of regulations and by-laws, and asked that the developers be held to account. Mr. Butterton said that better management doesn’t mean ‘control’. It means doing the job right and ethically following the rules.
Council decided to send Mr. Butterton’s letter to the Advisory Planning Committee for advice back to Council. Councillor Piamonte indicated that Council is planning an October 21stSpecial Council Meeting on improved By-law Enforcement.
On another piece of correspondence from Greg and Debbie Wharry, staff will work with them to resolve a concern about use of an emergency vehicle access road.
Under Unfinished Business, staff was authorized to install a Spinner Bowl and Super Nova (playground equipment) behind the gazebo in SpiritPark. As well, a bear proof garbage can will be set up.
Developer Mr. Lock and Engineering consultant Mr. Beesley, gave a revised proposal to Council relative to the parkland dedication for the Lock Subdivision. Mayor Anderson recused herself based on conflict of interest and Councillor Piamonte took over the Chair.
Planning consultant, Michael Rosen, explained that Council determines the parkland dedication. The approving officer, CAO Howard Carley, approves the road access through the property. Council agreed in principle to accept Mr. Locke’s revised proposal of 16% of the land, largely steep slope and riparian, 5% of the purchase price of land in the Subdivision, $80,000, and an additional amount of $50,000 or more (to be determined based on10 vs 9 lots in the Subdivision). This option #2 moves the road allowance an additional lot away from the Henfry property. The dedicated parkland will be passive and the cash donations can be used for pressing projects for which funds are not available, like the culvert on East Road.
Councillor Sedergreen did not support this approval and expressed concerns about the ability of the Village to police and maintain the passive parkland. Anmore resident, Tracy Green, indicated that in order to avoid zip-lines and bike trails on this environmentally sensitive land, perhaps a long-term covenant could be put in place. Mayor Anderson returned to the Chair.
Under new business, Mayor Anderson re-structured two Working Groups. Parks will be co-chaired by Councillors Palmer-Isaak and McEwen. Public Works and Transportation will be co-chaired by Councillors Piamonte and Sedergreen. An Environmental Working Group on Environmental Policy will be set up and chaired by Councillor Palmer-Isaak.
Former Mayor Weinberg did not appoint a liason to the Advisory Planning Committee when Councillors were concerned about his development interests on Fern Drive. Councillor Piamonte had been informally serving as liason to the Advisory Planning Committee. Mayor Anderson has indicated that she would like to play this role but will first check with APC.
The Village has received two quotes in response to the RFP to construct a Daycare facility in Anmore. Britco Structures quote was for $983,000 plus HST (12% = 117,900) Total:$1,100,960.00. Avion-Multiplex Construction Inc. gave a quote of $699,517 plus HST (12% = $83,942) Total: $783,459.00. The maximum amount of money available for the project in the RFP was shown as $600,000. See link below this report.
Anmore Council is under a time pressure to get back to the Ministry of Children and Family Development very quickly. In a letter sent on April 22, 2010 (stamped received in the Village Hall on May 12th) to Acting Mayor Palmer-Isaak from Nanci Davies, Program Coordinator, Capital Funding Program, Ms Davies indicated that the Village must “submit a decision within 90 days to inform the Ministry as to whether or not the project will be moving forward or whether the project will be cancelled and all money returned.” She also stated “As soon as the revised project budget, schedule, plans and specifications are received, we will review to ensure they are consistent with the capital program under which they were funded.”
Mayor Anderson indicated that because of the time pressures, she had asked Karen Ann Cobb to seek an extension of the deadline. She would like to have the members of the Sub-group of the Daycare Working Group revise the RFP to eliminate “any bells and whistles” Co-chair of the Daycare Working Group, Tracy Green said she will try to schedule a meeting of this group for August 23rd to review the findings of a new needs assessment conducted by another sub-group of the Daycare and to review the revised RFP.
In question period, Anmore resident, Bill Morrison, asked if there is a not-for-profit society to operate the daycare facility and wants to ensure that the Village is not financially compromised. Mayor Anderson indicated that she is a Director of an inactive non-profit Society for Anmore Youth which might operate the Daycare, or possibly it could be done in cooperation with the non-profit FriendlyForestPre-School. Another resident, Andrew Robertson, stated that it would be a mistake to move forward with a daycare facility since it is against the wishes of the majority as shown in the Referendum and he called for a cancellation of the project.
The meeting was adjourned.