GVRD Board Meeting Agenda Package - May 23, 2014 · 2015. 1. 5. · Date: May 15, 2014 Meeting...

To: GVRD Board of Directors From: Allan Neilson, General Manager, Planning, Policy and Environment Department

Elisa Campbell, Director of Regional and Strategic Planning Planning, Policy and Environment Department Date: May 15, 2014 Meeting Date: May 23, 2014 Subject: Corporation of Delta Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping

our Future for Southlands RECOMMENDATION That the GVRD Board decline the Corporation of Delta’s request to amend Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future. PURPOSE To provide the Metro Vancouver Board with the opportunity to consider the Corporation of Delta’s request to amend Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future (Metro 2040) to accommodate a development proposal for the Southlands properties. BACKGROUND On January 14, 2014 the Corporation of Delta (Delta) submitted a request to amend Metro 2040, the regional growth strategy, in order to accommodate a development proposal commonly known as Southlands. Delta requested the amendment after Council held a local public hearing and gave third reading to Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments to accommodate the Southlands development application. As per “Regional Growth Strategy Procedures Bylaw No. 1148”, the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) reviewed a draft staff analysis report at its February 21, 2014 meeting. RPAC received the staff report for information. The Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee considered the staff analysis report on March 7, 2014, at which time Delta staff were also in attendance to give a presentation on the municipal staff report and process. At its March 28, 2014 meeting, the Metro Vancouver Board initiated the Corporation of Delta’s amendment request, gave 1st and 2nd readings to “Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014” (Attachment 1) and directed staff to notify all affected local governments of the proposed amendment. A public hearing was held on May 1, 2014, with written submissions received until May 9, 2014. The Board is now being given the opportunity to consider giving third reading to the amendment bylaw. The Corporation of Delta has requested that should the Board be willing to approve the proposed Metro 2040 amendment, that the Board not adopt the amendment Bylaw until such time that the Corporation of Delta has secured all of the requirements of the phased development agreement that it is proposing to enter into with the landowner. Therefore, no option to adopt the Bylaw is provided at this time. At such time that Delta adopts its OCP amendment, the municipality would

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notify Metro Vancouver and submit an updated Regional Context Statement (RCS) for the Metro Vancouver Board to consider adoption of the amendment bylaw along with RCS acceptance. DISCUSSION Summary of the Amendment Request The Southlands site is a 217.5 hectare site made up of seven properties located in the Corporation of Delta. The site is bounded on the south by the US border, the north by the community of Beach Grove, the northeast by Boundary Bay Regional Park, and the west by the community of Tsawwassen. The site is designated Agricultural in the Corporation of Delta’s Official Community Plan (OCP), designated Agricultural in Metro 2040, is not in the Agricultural Land Reserve, and is within the Fraser Sewerage Area. The requested amendment is a Type 2 amendment, and consists of re-designating 59.7 hectares from Agricultural to General Urban, extending the Urban Containment Boundary to include the new General Urban areas, and re-designating 42.2 hectares from Agricultural to Conservation and Recreation. The owner of the Southlands properties has proposed a comprehensive, mixed-use development that includes 950 residential units in various forms and densities, and approximately 80,000 square feet of ground-oriented commercial space. The parts of the site proposed to be re-designated to Metro 2040 General Urban are situated in two locations: one on the Boundary Bay side of the site, called “Southlands Village”, and one on a smaller area on the western side of the site off of 56th Street called “Southlands Gateway”. The owner also proposes to construct a new connector road through the site extending from 56th Street and 4th Avenue to Boundary Bay Road and 3rd Avenue. The owner proposes to transfer 172 hectares of land to the Corporation of Delta to be held in public ownership. This land, which constitutes about 80 percent of the site, would be used for agriculture, natural habitat, public open space and greenways. The owner also proposes to provide $9 million to the Corporation of Delta to improve agricultural drainage and irrigation on site – infrastructure that Delta has identified as essential to improving the existing Southlands soil quality and increasing the agricultural capacity of the land. Delta Council has indicated its intent, if the proposed amendment is approved, to discuss with the Agricultural Land Commission which portions of the land acquired by the Corporation of Delta would be appropriate for inclusion in the Agricultural Land Reserve. External Agency Comments and Public Input Input to Metro Vancouver has been received through various means on an ongoing basis since Delta’s amendment request was received in January 2014: written submissions in advance of opening to receive public hearing materials; delegations to the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee; municipal and other agency comment; and a public hearing (oral and written submissions). Written submissions in advance of opening to receive public hearing materials Metro Vancouver received 170 submissions prior to the opening of receiving public hearing materials (up to April 24, 2014). Of these written submissions, 38 (22%) were in favour of the proposed amendment, and 130 (78%) were against (Reference 1). Delegations to the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee Nine delegations appeared at the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee meeting on March 7 and two appeared at the Board meeting on March 28th, 2014. Of the delegations, 1 (9%) spoke in favour of the proposed amendment and 10 (91%) spoke against it.


Affected local governments and agencies Through the notification process, Metro Vancouver received correspondence on the proposed amendment from five municipalities as well as TransLink. Correspondence was received from: the City of Burnaby, the City of North Vancouver, the City of Coquitlam, the Corporation of Delta, the City of Pitt Meadows, and TransLink (Attachment 2).

• The City of Burnaby passed a resolution to receive the City of Burnaby staff report for information and submit the report to Metro Vancouver. The City of Burnaby staff report recommended that the proposed amendment for Southlands be declined.

• The City of North Vancouver passed a resolution that there were no direct impacts identified and supporting the referral to a regional public hearing.

• The City of Coquitlam Council passed a motion supporting the proposed amendment for Southlands.

• The Corporation of Delta staff advised Metro Vancouver that Council would consider the issue at its on April 7, 2014 meeting.

• The City of Pitt Meadows Council is not opposed to the application but requests that “Metro Vancouver consider any precedents that may exist in the creation of a residential community with few alternatives to personal vehicle use, given the limited access to the frequent transit network.”

• The comments received from TransLink state that the development, as proposed, will not further the goals of the Regional Transportation Strategy in regards to shifting transportation modes and fostering sustainable transportation choices.

Public hearing The oral portion of a regional public hearing was held on May 1, 2014; written comments were received from April 24 - May 9, 2014. Seventy-two speakers were heard on May 1, and 863 submissions were received as part of the public hearing materials. Minutes of the oral portion of the public hearing are attached (Attachment 3), and all of the written submissions are available electronically (Reference 2). Of the 72 speakers heard, 41 (57%) spoke in favour of the proposed amendment, and 31 (43%) spoke against it. Of the public hearing written submissions, 186 (22%) were in favour of the proposed amendment, and 672 (78%) were against. The input received through the course of the public hearing reflects issues raised in both the Delta and Metro Vancouver staff reports. Those who expressed support for the amendment request suggested that the development proposal would:

• increase housing diversity and promote housing affordability, particularly for younger people wishing to live in Tsawwassen as well as the older generation wanting to downsize;

• contribute to Tsawwassen becoming a more complete community through increased amenities and commercial opportunities, and by acting as a catalyst to revitalize the Boundary Bay and Tsawwassen communities;

• provide an opportunity to link urban/suburban/rural lifestyles; • not contribute to “sprawl” as the site is surrounded by urban development; • promote viability of local food production through an infrastructure investment of $9

million aimed at improving drainage on the site;


• be an innovative pilot project for small-scale farming in urban settings, contributing to food security and potentially attracting young farmers to the land; and

• represent a well thought out compromise to an issue that has divided the community for decades.

Those who opposed the development proposal expressed concerns related to:

• the approximately 2500 residential units already approved for development in the area (over 1800 units of approved housing at the Tsawwassen First Nation development and nearly 500 units approved through Tsawwassen Springs) that on their own provide more than enough capacity to accommodate the Tsawwassen Area Plan’s projections for growth;

• the site’s flood risk, including deficiencies in meeting provincial guidelines for adapting to sea level rise, the implications of transporting and adding a significant amount of fill to the site, and uncertainty over who would bear the future costs of addressing flooding issues given the covenants proposed that would absolve the Corporation of Delta from liability;

• the required 60,000 truckloads of fill required; • the net loss of farmland that would result; • the effectiveness of the community farming model; • the potential impact on an important stop on the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds; • the distance of the site from the centre of Tsawwassen, which would likely require residents

to drive for employment and for their day-to-day needs; • the lack of viability for public transit services; and • the risk to agricultural lands throughout the region from increased speculation that could

arise if Metro Vancouver supports a model in which a large part of a development site is given to the local government in return for the right to develop a smaller portion of the site.

Clarification of Issues Two issues requiring clarification arose during the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee meeting and the public hearing: the ability to secure protection, in perpetuity, for agricultural and conservation uses on the lands identified for transfer to Delta; and the actual amount of land, as a percentage of the entire site, to be designated for agriculture. Protection in perpetuity of publicly owned lands - covenants At its March 7, 2014 meeting, the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee expressed concern that the 20-year phased development agreement proposed between the Corporation of Delta and the landowner may not adequately secure protection in perpetuity for agricultural and conservation uses on the lands to be conveyed to Delta. The Committee asked if covenants were being provided for these areas. The Corporation of Delta confirmed its intent to place covenants on the publicly-owned Agricultural, Conservation and Recreation lands, and on the open space within the General Urban area. Delta provided sample covenants as part of its submission to the public hearing (Attachment 5). In the correspondence conveying the covenants, Delta has offered that it would grant restrictive covenants in Metro Vancouver’s favour in an effort to ensure greater protection for these lands in perpetuity. The provision of covenants to secure amenities is common practice during municipal rezoning processes. Covenants are normally prepared between third and final readings of the rezoning bylaw and are executed upon adoption of the bylaw. The circumstances in this case are somewhat


different; Metro Vancouver is responding to an application from the Corporation of Delta to amend Metro 2040, but, the Corporation of Delta is not the current owner or developer of the lands. Although there is no legal impediment to Metro Vancouver being a party to covenants, it has not been Metro Vancouver’s practice to secure amenities and/or covenants when considering a Metro 2040 amendment. Doing so could be perceived as establishing a precedent, and from staff’s perspective is unnecessary. In addition, while Metro 2040 was being developed, questions were raised by the Urban Development Institute, developers, and some municipalities regarding the future possibility of Metro Vancouver securing amenities when amending the plan. At the time, Metro Vancouver staff indicated that was not the intention. Staff does not recommend that covenants in Metro Vancouver’s name or other amenities be sought as part of this or future Metro 2040 amendment processes. Allocation of land uses At the public hearing, there seemed to be confusion as to the percentage of land committed to agriculture as a part of the proposal. Several speakers referenced the ‘80/20 split’. As a point of clarification, and as was expressed in both the initial Metro Vancouver staff report and Delta’s staff report, while the land owner proposes to turn 80% of the land over to public ownership, not all of that land would be reserved for agriculture. The allocation of land uses proposed is as follows:

• Currently, all of the land (217.5 ha) is privately owned and is protected from urban development through local and regional agricultural land use designations. It is designated Agricultural in Delta’s OCP, is zoned for agriculture, and is designated Agricultural in Metro 2040.

• Through the proposal, 80% (172 ha) of the land would be conveyed to Delta (i.e., transferred to public ownership) and 20% (45.5 ha) of the land would remain in private ownership.

• Of the 80%, 42.2 ha would be designated Conservation and Recreation. This amount constitutes 19.4% of the entire site.

• The development proposal calls for 59.7 ha (27% of the entire site) to be designated as General Urban. This portion would include the publicly-owned Market Square area.

• 115.6 ha (53% of the entire site) would remain designated Metro 2040 Agricultural, the majority of which would be publicly-owned and eligible for consideration to be placed back into the ALR. One parcel, which currently contains a heritage home, would remain Agricultural and in private ownership.

In sum, the publicly owned land comprising 80% of the site would be a mix of General Urban, Agricultural, and Conservation and Recreation. Metro Vancouver Staff Analysis A Metro Vancouver staff report titled “Corporation of Delta Proposed Regional Growth Strategy Amendment for Southlands” was provided to the Board at its March 28, 2014 meeting (Attachment 4). The report evaluates the proposed amendment through the lens of each of the goals of Metro 2040 and can be referred to for detailed analysis that will not be replicated herein. Based on the initial staff report, input received from affected local governments and agencies, and submissions from the public, staff offers the following points for the Board’s consideration.


The Regional Role Metro Vancouver has an important role as the steward of a broad set of values which must be considered from a regional perspective. This role means that the amendment request must be considered in terms of the long-term implications for the whole region, and in particular in the context of the broader intent of Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future, which is to guide the development of the region in an affordable, healthy and livable manner that supports the efficient provision of transportation, regional infrastructure and community services. Municipal Benefits While staff analysis has focused on regional implications, much of the input received has highlighted the municipal benefits of the proposal, which are worth acknowledging as they reflect the innovations inherent in the development proposal. It is clear that the Southlands development as proposed would offer significant benefits to the community, not the least of which is the resolution of a long-standing, divisive issue with a solution that sees the innovative development of only 20% of the site, and the remaining 80% turned over to the municipality for primarily conservation, recreation and agricultural uses. The proponent’s thoughtfulness, consideration of community values, and commitment to providing an innovative proposal is commended. Delta is highly committed to the protection of agricultural land and has a strong policy base and track record of working hard to enhance the viability of agriculture. The provision of $9 million toward activating just over 50% of the site through improved irrigation and drainage would rectify drainage insufficiencies that have developed over time, thereby benefitting agriculture in Delta. It is clear that a number of local residents feel strongly that the proposal would help revitalize the Boundary Bay community as well as act as a catalyst for growth and amenities in the Tsawwassen area. Urban Containment and a Compact Region The commitment to a compact region is a fundamental tenet of Metro 2040. The importance of the urban containment boundary in supporting the efficient use of land and provision of urban infrastructure, including transportation, cannot be understated, particularly when the boundary has been charted carefully, with the municipality’s full agreement, to protect farmland.

The proposed amendment represents a significant breach of the Urban Containment Boundary onto agricultural land, placing 2,500 residents at the very edge of the region with limited transportation options beyond private vehicles. There is capacity within the existing urban footprint to accommodate all anticipated growth in Delta to 2040, which was confirmed in Delta’s recently accepted Regional Context Statement. Consistent with the RCS, Delta’s current Tsawwassen Area Plan contains policy to ‘concentrate medium density housing in and around the Town Centre to eliminate the necessity of consuming farmland for residential use.’ As a result, the proposal, despite its innovative design and benefits to the local community, does not support the regional goal of directing growth to existing centres and developed areas. Complete Communities and Sustainable Transportation Options The proposed development is designed as a comprehensive development that supports numerous aspects of building complete communities, including a diversity of housing types, a mix of uses including residential, commercial and institutional uses, public open space and access to greenways and natural habitat. As well, when considered in the broader municipal context of the Tsawwassen First Nation development and Tsawwassen Springs development, the notion of a more diverse and


complete community for Tsawwassen as a whole clearly begins to emerge. The proposal increases housing choice for an area predominantly made up of single family residences, offering more diverse and affordable housing types appropriate for a range of age groups. It also provides more population to support commercial uses and employment in the Tsawwassen local centre. However, the location of the proposed development is far enough away from both the local centre and other centres in the region that, in the absence of transit options, access to most amenities and employment will need to be by private vehicle. This reliance on car travel would make it more difficult to meet regional greenhouse gas emission targets. The reliance on automobiles also stands in contrast to the Metro 2040 goal related to sustainable transportation choices. Protecting Agricultural Land to Support Food Production The current proposal for the Southlands development incorporates numerous provisions for protecting agricultural land and improving the viability of that land for food production. 53% (115.6 ha) of the total site would remain designated Metro 2040 Agricultural, the majority of which is proposed to be conveyed to Delta for public ownership, strengthening the ability to fulfill a commitment to long-term agricultural use of the land. Delta has directed its staff, should the proposal proceed, to approach the Agricultural Land Commission about considering which of the lands being conveyed to Delta would be appropriate for inclusion in the Agricultural Land Reserve. In addition, the landowner has committed $9 million for improving agricultural drainage on site. Delta has noted that 91 hectares of agricultural land (in public ownership) would be leased to farmers for larger scale, soil-based farming on improved land. And finally, substantial effort and innovation have gone into the proposal’s efforts to integrate small-scale agriculture into the community design. Consistent with this approach, the landowner plans to lease back 18.7 hectares of agricultural land for small-scale farming and to develop and operate the “Market Square” area. Despite these features, the proposal would result in a net loss of agricultural land, with 20% of the entire site being converted to General Urban, and another 30% converted to Conservation and Recreation land uses. The Southlands site has been consistently designated and zoned for agriculture in municipal and regional plans for over 30 years, and currently 100% of the site is protected from urban development. The loss of agricultural land should the proposed amendment be accepted would be significant. Metro 2040 is clear about the importance of agricultural lands as vital regional assets, and is clear in outlining the need for protecting them for future use. Over the coming decades, the importance of agricultural lands to the region will only increase in the face of significant population growth and development. Agricultural lands, such as those at the centre of the proposed Southlands development, that are presently under-utilized for farming may very well be improved through future investments as their need and value for food production increase. The proposed development, however, would remove a substantial portion of the lands from the agricultural land inventory, and in so doing would eliminate their future farming potential. Other challenges in terms of Metro 2040’s agricultural policies include: the increase in the length of the Urban / Agricultural interface under the proposal; the concern about the economic viability of the community based agriculture; and, the proposed road through the site, which would fragment the remaining agricultural area.


The Natural Environment The proposed amendment protects environmental values on 42.2 hectares of land and would add these publicly owned lands to the regional Conservation and Recreation designation. This initiative would result in the protection of habitat for the 29.3 hectares of sloped, forested lands on the southwestern corner of the site, and for 12.9 hectares adjacent to Boundary Bay Regional Park. There has been an expressed interest in exploring the potential to add the latter lands to the regional park. Delta has also indicated the potential for changing the designation of a portion of the land given to public ownership to Environmentally Sensitive Area 3 within the Official Community Plan. On balance, the proposed amendment is consistent with Metro 2040 goal of protecting the environment, through enhancing environmental and recreation areas, and incorporating natural features and connectivity. Climate Change and Natural Hazard Risks Metro 2040 includes strategies that focus on preparing for, and mitigating risks from, climate change impacts and associated regional natural hazards. The proposed amendment is for a development that is located in an area with significant risks of natural hazards including anticipated sea level rise and the increased risk for flooding that will result. The current proposal does not follow best practices for climate change adaptation, which is a cause for concern. While the proposed flood construction level of 4.2 m does exceed current municipal requirements (2.9m based on a fifty year time horizon), provincial guidelines recommend flood construction levels be based on projected sea level rise by 2100, which for this location would be 6.2 m. Delta has stated that a proposed berm enhances the flood protection level. It is able to be built up over time if sea level rise warrants it. The challenge with this approach is twofold: first, Delta is using only a 50 year projection rather than to 2100 as recommended by the Province; and second, although the berm could be built up in the future, there is no funding allocated in the proposal to do this potentially expensive work. Precedent for Development Pressure on Agricultural Land A key concern is that approving the proposal may lead to greater development pressure on agricultural land across the region. The vast majority of agricultural land in the region is privately owned. The Agricultural Land Commission, Metro Vancouver, and municipalities protect this land through regulation (ALR, Metro 2040 land use designations, OCP designations and zoning). While the Southlands property was removed from the ALR in the early 1980s, both the Corporation of Delta and Metro Vancouver have continued to protect the property from urban development through land use designations and zoning. Approving this proposal and accepting Agricultural land into public ownership as an amenity is based on the premise that greater protection is offered by ownership than through regulation alone. As a result, approval of this development could signal to private agricultural land owners that the strategy of dense development on one portion in exchange for public ownership of the rest is a desirable amenity. In turn, this message may lead to greater speculation on agricultural land and a proliferation of these types of applications across the region. ALTERNATIVES

1. That the GVRD Board decline the Corporation of Delta’s request to amend Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future.

2. That the GVRD Board give 3rd reading to “Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014” and notify the Corporation of Delta.


FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS There are no further financial implications anticipated for either alternative. The cost of the public hearing for this Type 2 amendment was approximately $22,500. REGIONAL PLANNING IMPLICATIONS If the Board chooses Alternative 1, the Board determines that the proposed amendment is not consistent with the fundamental tenets of Metro 2040. The decision would end the amendment process. Choosing Alternative 1 would indicate that there are not a sufficiently compelling reasons to support the proposed amendment as it is not consistent with Metro 2040 and the desire to develop the region in an affordable, healthy and livable manner that supports the efficient provision of transportation, regional infrastructure and community services. If the Board chooses Alternative 2, the Board determines that the requested amendment is an acceptable outcome. It would signal approval of the amendment. The Southlands site has key characteristics that collectively distinguish it from other land in the region and potentially isolate this request from setting a precedent: it is the sole, large piece of agriculturally-designated land in the region not in the ALR and it is within the regional sewerage area. If the Board chooses Alternative 2, supporting the amendment as an acceptable outcome given its unique context, the Board may choose to consider passing one or more resolutions to partially mitigate some of the risks and inconsistencies with Metro 2040 identified in this report. The Corporation of Delta has requested that should the Board be willing to approve the proposed Metro 2040 amendment, that the Board not adopt the amendment Bylaw until such time that the Corporation of Delta has secured all of the requirements of the phased development agreement that it is proposing to enter into with the landowner. The Corporation of Delta and landowner would complete the requirements of the phased development agreement and adopt the associated OCP and local Zoning Bylaw amendments. The Metro Vancouver Board could then give final reading to Bylaw 1203, thus amending Metro 2040. If the Board chooses to adopt the amendment bylaw at this time, the risk is that the Corporation of Delta may not end up passing its OCP and zoning bylaw amendments due to non-completion of the phased development agreement. Metro 2040 and the OCP would then have different designations for the Southlands site. SUMMARY / CONCLUSION Metro Vancouver, through implementing the collective vision for growth in the region signed on to by all member municipalities, has an important role as the steward of a broad set of issues which must be considered from a comprehensive and integrated perspective, and most importantly, from a regional perspective. As a result, it is important to emphasize that the regional role is to consider Delta’s request not in the context of the benefits for the municipality, but in terms of the implications the proposed amendment might have over the long-term for the whole region. Specifically, Metro Vancouver’s role is to comment on the consistency of the proposed amendment with Metro 2040, and with the broader intent of guiding the development of the region in an affordable, healthy and livable manner that supports the efficient provision of transportation, regional infrastructure and community services.


There are a number of elements of the proposed amendment that support Metro 2040 objectives: • supports aspects of building complete communities; • incorporates numerous provisions for protecting agricultural land and improving the

viability of that land for food production; and • protects environmental values and natural habitat.

The elements of the proposed amendment that challenge or compromise Metro 2040 objectives are:

• breach of the Urban Containment Boundary; • loss of agricultural land; • lack of support for sustainable transportation choices; • located in an area with significant risks of natural hazards and does not follow best practices

for climate change adaptation; and • potential to result in increased development pressure on agricultural land across the region.

When considered through the regional lens, staff’s professional opinion is that on balance, despite the fact that Delta’s amendment request is to accommodate an innovative development application with many community benefits, there is not a sufficiently compelling reason to support the proposed amendment. Staff recommends, therefore, Alternative 1, to decline the Corporation of Delta’s request to amend Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future. Attachments: (Doc. #9457223)

1. “Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014”

2. Comments received from affected local governments (City of Burnaby, City of North Vancouver, City of Coquitlam, Corporation of Delta, City of Pitt Meadows and TransLink)

3. Summary of Public Hearing 4. Metro Vancouver staff report titled ”Corporation of Delta Proposed Regional Growth

Strategy Amendment for Southlands” dated February 21, 2014 5. Draft covenants submitted by the Corporation of Delta

References

1. Public_comments_on Southlands received by Metro_Vancouver_prior to public hearing (up_to_April 24, 2014)

2. Public hearing written submissions received between April 24 and May 9, 2014


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supportsthe

referralto

aregional

publichearing.”

Please

findenclosed

acopy

ofthe

Staff

Report

datedA

pril1,

2014,for

yourreference.

Yours

truly,

ML

kL

—

Karla

Graham

,M

MC

Cfty

Clerk

End.

(Electronic

versionof

reportposted

onw

ww

cnv.org/cityhall/council

meetings/council

meeting

agenda)

ccE

.A

din,D

eputyD

irectorof

com

mu

nity

Dev

elop

men

t

Docum

ent:1165732-vl


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Mussatto

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embers

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Em

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munity

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PU

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tothe

reportof

theD

eputyD

irector,C

omm

unityD

evelopment,

datedA

pril15,

2014entitled,

“Proposed

Am

endment

tothe

Metro

Vancouver

Regional

Grow

thS

trategyL

andU

seD

esignationM

apand

theU

rbanC

ontainment

Boundary

bythe

Corporation

ofD

elta”;

TH

AT

theC

ityof

North

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does

notidentify

anydirect

impacts

fromthe

proposedam

endment

andsupports

referralto

regionalpublic

hearing.

AT

TA

CH

ME

NT

S:

1.C

orrespondencefrom

Metro

Vancouver

datedM

arch28,

2014,inclusive

ofattachm

ents2.

Excerpt

fromthe

Regional

Grow

thS

trategyon

Type

2and

Type

3A

mendm

ents

PU

RP

OS

E:

The

purposeof

thisreport

isto

provideinform

ationto

Council

with

regardto

theC

orporationof

Delta’s

requ

estto

theM

etroV

ancouverB

oardto

amend

theR

egionalG

rowth

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(RG

S)

Land

Use

Designation

Map

andthe

Urban

Containm

entB

oundaryfor

sevenproperties

comm

onlyreferred

toas

“Southlands”.

.1

RE

PO

RT

:P

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oundaryby

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oratio

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Delta

Pag

e1

of4

Date:

April

22,2014

Docum

ent:1162722-v1


BA

CK

GR

OU

ND

Ina

letterto

Metro

Vancouver

Board

Chair

Moore,

datedJan

uary

14,2014,

theC

orporationof

Delta’s

Mayor

Lois

Jacksonnotified

Metro

Vancouver

ofa

Public

Hearing

andsu

bseq

uen

t3

’reading

ofa

number

ofbylaw

sto

enablea

phased

development

ofthe

Southlands,

At

itsJanuary

14,2014

meeting,

theM

etroV

ancouverB

oardinitiated

aR

egionalG

rowth

Strategy

Am

endment

pro

cedu

refor

thesubject

properties.N

otificationto

affectedlocal

governments

was

sent

onM

arch28,

2014(A

ttachment

#1).T

hedeadline

toprovide

comm

ent,in

theform

ofa

Council

resolution,is

April

29,2014.

The

regionalpublic

hearingis

anticipatedto

occurthe

finalw

eekof

April,

anda

finaldecision

onthe

RG

Sam

endment

bylawis

anticipatedin

May

2014.

DIS

CU

SS

ION

:

Site

Contex

t

The

So

uth

iand

ssite

isa

217.5hectare

(527acre)

sitem

ade

upof

seven

propertiesin

Delta,

boundedby

theU

Sborder,

the

Boundary

Bay

Regional

Park,

andth

ecom

munity

ofT

saww

assen.

The

siteis

desig

nated

Agricultural

inthe

Metro

Vancouver

Regional

Grow

thS

trategy.

Dev

elop

men

tP

roposal

The

So

uth

land

sproposal

isto

createa

comprehensive

mixed-use

dev

elop

men

tthat

includes950

residentialunits

andapproxim

ately80,000

sqft

ofground-oriented

comm

ercialsp

aceon

approximately

20%of

thesite.

Com

munity-based

andconventional

agriculture,natural

habitatarea,

publicopen

spaces

andgreen

way

sare

pro

po

sedfor

approximately

80%of

thesite;

these

172hectares

ofland

areto

betran

sferredto

theC

orporationof

Delta

forpublic

ownership.

So

me

portionof

theland

(tobe

determined)

would

beco

nsid

eredfor

inclusionin

theA

griculturalL

andR

eserve.

Corp

oratio

nof

Delta’s

Pro

po

sedA

men

dm

ent

toth

eR

egio

nal

Gro

wth

Strateg

y

Delta

pro

poses

tored

esign

ate59.7

hectares

(27%of

thesite)

from“A

gricultural”to

“General

Urban,”

thusam

endingthe

Urban

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entB

oundaryto

includeth

eselands.

Delta

alsopro

poses

tored

esignate

42.2hectares

(19%of

the

site)from

“Agricultural”

to“C

onservationand

Recreation.”

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ofth

eseam

endm

ents

areT

ype2

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end

men

ts,n

ecessitating

atw

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weighted

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regionalpublic

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:P

roposed

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end

men

tto

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etroV

anco

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apan

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ontain

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nd

aryby

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eltaP

age

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ate:A

pril22,

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ocument:

1162722-vi


gatio

nof

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sR

ationale

forS

up

po

rtof

the

Pro

po

sal

The

rationalefor

theam

endm

ent,

asprovided

byth

eC

orporationof

Delta,

includesthe

following:

1.T

hesite’s

proximity

toth

eT

saww

assenT

own

Centre;

2.P

rop

osed

drain

age

improvem

entsand

aso

il-based

agriculturalstrategy

will

improve

theviability

ofagricultural

activityon

these

lands,C

omm

unity-based

agriculturew

illtak

ep

lacealo

ng

side

conventionalagriculture.

3,T

hetransfer

of172

hectares

ofland

forpublic

man

agem

ent

fora

number

ofpublic

uses,

such

ashabitat

enhan

cemen

tand

con

servatio

n,

publicopen

space,

andgreenw

ays,w

illprovide

aconsiderable

publicbenefit.

Staff

An

alysis

While

staffhave

ag

eneral

concernabout

extendingth

eregion’s

Urban

Containm

ent

Boundary,

itis

clearth

atth

eC

ityof

North

Vancouver

do

esnot

exp

erience

anydirect

impact

fromthe

dev

elop

men

tproposal.

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aT

ype3

RG

Sam

endm

ent

requiresa

50%+1

voteof

theM

etroV

ancouver

Board,

without

regionalpublic

hearing,a

Type

2R

GS

amen

dm

ent

requiresa

weighted

two-thirds

voteof

theB

oardfollow

inga

regionalpublic

hearing(see

Attachm

ent#2).

Inthe

caseof

aT

ype2

RG

Sam

endm

ent,

where

there

isno

directim

pactto

theC

ity,staff

recomm

endthe

City

support

referralto

theregional

publichearing

ratherthan

signallingto

theM

etroV

ancouverB

oardw

hetherthe

City

supports

ord

oes

notsupport

theproposed

amendm

ent.

At

theregional

hearing,to

besch

eduled

duringth

elast

week

ofA

pril2014,

fullinform

ationon

theproposal

anda

fullairing

ofco

mm

ents

andco

ncern

sw

illbe

possible.T

hehearing

will

allowth

epublic

andinterested

stakeh

old

ersth

eopportunity

tom

ake

represen

tation

sto

theM

etroV

ancouverB

oardm

emb

ersw

hoare

thenequipped

tom

akea

fullyinform

eddecision

onthis

application.

FINA

NC

IAL

IMP

LIC

AT

ION

S:

None.

INT

ER

-DE

PA

RT

ME

NT

AL

IMP

LIC

AT

ION

S:

The

Civic

Projects

Team

has

sup

po

rtedthe

recom

men

datio

ns

inthis

report.

RE

PO

RT

:P

rop

osed

Am

endm

ent

toth

eM

etroV

anco

uver

Reg

ional

Grow

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trategy

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Use

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natio

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Urban

Co

ntain

men

tB

ou

nd

aryby

the

Co

rpo

ration

ofD

eltaP

age

3of

4

Date:

April

22,2014

Docum

ent:1162722-vi


CO

RP

OR

AT

EP

LA

NA

ND

/OR

PO

LIC

YIM

PL

ICA

TIO

NS

:

No

policyim

plicationsw

ithregard

toC

itypolicy

areanticipated.

Policyim

plicationsw

ithregard

tothe

Regional

Grow

thS

trategyw

illbe

exploredat

theregional

publichearing.

/

j—-

/fl/

/7

RE

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LY

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TE

D:

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_

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.A

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eputyD

irector,C

omm

unityD

evelopment

Attachm

ents

EK

AIskj

RE

PO

RT

:P

roposed

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endm

ent

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anco

uv

erR

egionalG

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yL

andU

seD

esign

ation

Map

and

the

Urban

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men

tB

ou

nd

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the

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rpo

ration

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ate:A

pril22,

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ocument:

1162722-vi


Couitlam

April

30,2014

Our

File:0

10

20

02

0/1

13

6/1

Doc

fl:1

68

49

15

vi

Pau

letteV

etleson,C

orporateS

ecretary/M

anag

erB

oardS

ecretariatand

Corporate

Information

Dep

artmen

tM

etroV

ancouver4330

Kin

gsw

ayB

urnabyBC

VSH

4C8

Dear

Ms.

Vetleson:

Re:

Regional

Grow

thS

trategy

(RG

S)—

Am

endm

ent

Bylaw

No.

12

03,

20

14

Please

beadvised

that

atth

eA

pril28,

2014

Reg

ular

Meetin

gof

Council

for

the

City

ofC

oquitlam,

Council

passedth

efollow

ingresolution:

‘That

Council

informM

etroV

ancouverth

atth

eyhave

noobjection

toth

epro

posed

Regional

Grow

thS

trategy

Am

end

men

tB

ylawN

o.1203,

2014

for

“Southlands”

inth

eC

orporationof

Delta,”

Should

youhave

anyquestio

ns

orrequire

anyfu

rther

info

rmatio

nw

ithresp

ectto

thism

atter,please

contact

JimM

cIntyre,G

eneralM

anagerP

lanningand

Dev

elop

men

tat

6o4927-3

401.

c-C

ouncilH

eather

McN

eIl,D

ivisionM

anager,R

egionalP

lanningP

eterS

teblin,C

ityM

anagerJim

Mclntyle,

General

Man

ager

Planning

andD

evelopment

Carl

Johan

nsen

,M

anagerC

omm

unityP

lanning

Doc

if1684915vl

(u

id.rd.

Uii

UflU

P.U

N

Metro

Vvicouver

bard

and

information

Services

Coo

rteServices

Dep

rtmen

t

RE

CE

IVE

D

Yours

truly,

AM

/lmc


KiHoRectangle

CoQuitlam For Council

April 22, 2014 Our File: 01-0200-20/1136/1 Doc#: 1673246.V2

To: City Manager From: General Manager Planning and Development

Subject: Proposed Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014 for "Southlands" in the Corporation of Delta

For: Council

Recommendation: That Council inform Metro Vancouver that they have no objection to the proposed Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014 for "Southlands" in the Corporation of Delta.

Report Purpose: This report provides an overview of a proposed Type 2 Amendment to the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS), for the Southlands area in the Corporation of Delta, in response to a request for comment from Metro Vancouver.

Strategic Goal: The content of this report relates to the City's strategic goal of achieving excellence in City governance.

Background: On January 14, 2014 Metro Vancouver received a resolution from Delta for a Type 2 amendment to the RGS for the "Southlands" area. Delta submitted this request after they had given their local OCP amendment bylaw third reading and held a local public hearing.

On March 28, 2014, the GVRD Board ('Metro Board' or the Board') initiated a Type 2 Amendment to the RGS by giving first and second readings to Bylaw No. 1203, 2014 (letter - Attachment l ) . Specifically this amendment proposes: • Urban Containment Boundary (UCB) adjustments; and • Regional land use designation changes from "Agricultural" to "General Urban"

and "Conservation and Recreation".

A Type 2 amendment to the RGS requires a two-thirds weighted majority vote of the Board at each reading ofthe proposed bylaw, and a regional public hearing. Metro Vancouver has referred this proposed RGS amendment to member municipalities for comnient, and has requested feedback by April 29, 2014. The regional public hearing is scheduled for May l , 2014 in the Metro Vancouver Boardroom at 11:00 a.m.

The remainder of this report highlights the major features ofthe proposed Southlands amendment and Metro Vancouver's staff analysis, as well as Coquitlam staff commentary and a recommendation regarding this proposed amendment.


KiHoRectangle

KiHoRectangle

April 22, 2014

Discussion/Analysis: Proposed Southlands Amendment Delta's requested RGS amendment covers a 217.5 ha (537.4 acre) site, commonly known as Southlands, in the southeast corner of Tsawwassen. The Southlands site is currently designated "Agricultural" in the RGS and the Delta Official Community Plan (OCP), but it is not within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The Southlands site was removed from the ALR in 1981, through a Provincial Order-in-Council. See Pages 28-29 ofthe attached Metro staff report for site maps (Attachment 2).

The proposed development includes 950 residential units, and approximately 7,432 sq. m (80,000 sq. ft.) of commercial space. In order to accommodate this, 27 percent (59.7 ha) ofthe Southlands site needs to be redesignated from "Agricultural" to "General Urban" in the RGS, and a UCB adjustment is necessary to include this new "General Urban" area within the existing RGS UCB.

The owner also proposes to transfer the balance ofthe Southlands site (73 percent, 157.8 ha) to Delta, to be used for agriculture, natural habitat and recreation. This involves 53% (115.6 ha) ofthe site being left as "Agricultural" (which may be put back into the ALR in the future), and another 42.2 ha that needs to be redesignated from "Agricultural" to "Conservation and Recreation" in the RGS. When neighbourhood parks in the proposed "General Urban" area are factored in, nearly 80% ofthe total Southlands site is proposed to be transferred to public ownership.

Metro Vancouver Staff Analysis From a regional perspective, Metro Vancouver staff question if there is a compelling benefit to allowing significant residential development outside ofthe current UCB, particularly when Delta has sufficient space to accommodate new population and employment growth within its existing urban area. However, Metro staff acknowledge that the proposal could provide benefits, specifically through the donation of 79 percent ofthe site to public ownership (and securing it for agricultural and park use in perpetuity), and resolving a long-standing and divisive issue in Delta.

With this being said, Metro staff also caution that this proposal could act as a precedent that proposals to develop agricultural properties (the vast majority of which are in the ALR), with the caveat of placing some ofthe property into public ownership and developing the rest, are acceptable, which in turn could lead to broader speculation of agricultural land and undermine the RGS vision.

Once feedback is received from municipalities, other agencies and the public, Metro staff will assess this proposed amendment relative to RGS objectives and provide a recommendation to the Board.

Coquitlam Staff Commentary Similar to the recent case in the Township of Langley (TOL), involving urban development on agricultural land already excluded from the ALR, the Delta Southlands proposal does not require an ALR exclusion (in both cases that determination had already been made by the Province). Based on this, Metro's assertion that this proposal could be precedent-setting (as a rationale for future ALR exclusions by others) does not necessarily apply, as the Southlands site has been out ofthe ALR for 33 years. Furthermore, from this perspective, it is also

File #: 01-0200-20/1136/1 Doc #: I673246.v2


^ Page 3

April 22, 2014

Discussion/Analysis: cont'd/ debatable if this this is a regionally significant issue, given the proposal involves preserving well over three-quarters o f the site as public agricultural land and green space.

It should also be noted that Coquitlam, as indicated in the recently-approved Regional Context Statement (RCS), has signaled the potential for a future UCB amendment to help meet Coquitlam's future urban growth needs and keep pace wi th community changes. Coquitlam staff also recognize Delta's approach to develop a practical response to the Southlands issue, in a way that also helps Delta meet their local planning goals.

Based on the above analysis, staff does not recommend that Coquitlam respond negatively to this Type 2 amendment referral, on the basis that it is unnecessary and inappropriate for the City to intervene and interfere wi th Delta's local planning aspirations, and recommend that Council pass a resolution that informs the Board that the City of Coquitlam has no objection to this proposed Type 2 Amendment.

Next Steps: Following a 30-day comment period, which closes on April 29, 2014, and a regional public hearing, the Metro Board wil l consider comments received on the proposed Amendment and public hearingfeedback and then consider third reading and final adoption of the amendment bylaw.

Financial Implications: There are no direct financial implications associated wi th this report.

Conclusion: On March 28, 2014, the Metro Vancouver Board initiated a Type 2 Amendment to the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) for the Southlands area in the Corporation of Delta. This proposed amendment includes an UCB adjustment, regional land use changes from "Agricultural" to "General Urban" and "Conservation and Recreation" and transferring the majority o f the site to Delta for agricultural, habitat and open space uses.

Staff note that the Southlands site is already out o f the ALR, and that Coquitlam may also consider amending its UCB in the future. Based on this, staff does not feel it is necessary to intervene and recommend that Council informs the Board that the City of Coquitlam has no objection to this proposed Type 2 Amendment.

J.L Mcljityre, MClP, RPP

File #: 01-0200-20/1136/1 Doc#: 1673246.V2 Greater Vancouver Regional District - 300

File No: 01250-20/GVRD/RGSAT. No.: 121144

Paulette Vetleson, DirectorBoard and Information Services/Corporate OfficerMetro Vancouver4330 KingswayBurnaby, BC V5H 4G8

Dear Ms. Vetleson:

Notification of a Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver 2040: ShapingOur Future (Metro 2040), the Regional Growth Strategy — Type 2 Amendment(Southiands)

I would like to confirm receipt of your correspondence dated March 28, 2014regarding the above noted subject.

Your communication has been circulated to the Mayor, Council, and the ChiefAdministrative Officer for information; as well as the Director of CommunityPlanning and Development for consideration and response as appropriate.

Council will receive your correspondence as part of its Regular Meeting Agenda onApril 7, 2014. The agenda, including your correspondence and relevantcomments and/or response, will be available for viewing on Delta’s website at:wwwdeltaca.

Thank you for your time and consideration regarding this matter.

Yours truly,

\/‘7 (- ThfD\

RobynAndersonA/Municipal Clerk

March 31, 2014

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KiHoRectangle

City

of

Pitt

Meadow

sA

pril30,

2014File:

6410-01114

Ms.

Paulette

Vetleson,

Director!

Corporate

Officer,

Board

andInform

ationS

ervicesM

etroV

ancouver4330

Kingsw

ayB

urnaby,B

CV

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Dear

Ms.

Vetleson:

Re:

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ofaP

roposedA

mendm

enttoM

etroV

ancouver2040:

Shaping

Our

Future

(Metro

2040),therecionalgrow

thstrategy

Type

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mendm

ent(S

outhiands)

At

aS

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ouncilM

eetingheld

onA

pril2

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consideredM

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requestto

amend

theM

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ancouver2040:

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regionalgrow

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Council

isnot

opposed

tothe

applicationas

presen

tedand

recog

nizes

that

theapplication

providessev

eralbenefits

toth

eC

orporationof

Delta.

As

the

areaw

asn

ever

identifiedas

aspecial

studyarea

Council

wish

esto

ensu

reth

atM

etroV

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nsid

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with

fewalternatives

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vehicleuse,

giventhe

limited

accessto

thefreq

uen

ttransit

network.

On

behalfof

Council,

thank-youfor

thisopportunity

tocom

ment

onthe

proposedam

end

men

tsto

theregional

growth

strategy.

Sincerely,

Kelly

Kenney

Manager

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#119195v12v

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Phone:

604.465.5454Fax:

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KiHoRectangle

CITY OF PITT MEADOWS

To: Chief Administrative Officer File No: 6410-01

From: Acting Director of Bylaw/Policy No:Operations andDevelopment Services

Date: April 16, 2014

RECOMMENDATIONS:

THAT Council:

A. Receive into the record the Notification of Proposed Amendment to MetroVancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future (Metro 2040), the regional growthstrategy - Type 2 Amendment (Southlands, Delta), dated March 28, 2014;AND

B. Forward a letter to Metro Vancouver stating that Pitt Meadows has nocomments; OR

C. Other.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

PURPOSE:

To inform Council of a request from the Corporation of Delta to amend theRegional Growth Strategy (RGS) to accommodate a proposed development in anarea commonly referred to as the Southlands, near Burns Bog and BoundaryBay.

BACKGROUND:

The Corporation of Delta has submitted a request to Metro Vancouver to amendthe RGS. Their request is considered a Type 2 amendment under the regionalgrowth strategy requiring a two-thirds weighted vote of the Board and a regional

COUNCIL IN COMMITTEE REPORT

Subject: Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver 2040:Shaping Our Future (Metro 2040), the regionalgrowth strategy - Type 2 Amendment (Southlands,Delta)

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- 18 -Greater Vancouver Regional District - 303

Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future (Metro 2040),the regional growth strategy - Type 2 Amendment (Southiands, Delta) 2

public hearing. Their proposal includes changes to the regional land usedesignations and urban containment boundary adjustments to accommodate aproposed development.

Proposal

The Southland site is a 217.5 hectare site consisting of seven properties in Delta.This large site is located immediately north of the border with the U.S., west ofBurns Bog and east of Tsawwassen. Boundary Bay Regional Park is located tothe northeast of the subject site.

The land owner has submitted an application to Delta to develop portions of thissite as a comprehensive mixed-use development that includes 950 residentialunits, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments as well as80,000 square feet of ground-oriented commercial space.

Two portions of the site, totaling 59.7 hectares, are proposed to be redesignatedto “General Urban”. One portion is on the Boundary Bay side of the site and theother, smaller, area on the western side of the site off of 56th Street. Theremainder of the lands, nearly 80 percent of the site area, will be transferred tothe Corporation of Delta to be held in public ownership. This land will be used foragriculture, natural habitat, public open space and greenways.

The owner is also proposing to donate $9 million to the Corporation of Delta toimprove agricultural drainage and irrigation for the agricultural land on the site.

Delta is requesting an amendment to the RGS to redesignate 59.7 hectares fromRGS Agricultural to RGS General Urban (27% of the site) and 42.2 hecatres ofthe site from Agricultural to Conservation and Recreation. The remainder of thesite (115.6 hectares, or 54%) will retain its Agricultural designation. The proposalincludes a proposed expansion of the region’s urban containment boundary. Theentire site was removed from the ALR in 1981.

DISCUSSION:

Delta’s proposal is considered a Type 2 amendment under the RGS, requiring atwo-thirds weighted vote of the Board and a regional public hearing.

The Metro Vancouver staff report to the Regional Planning and AgricultureCommittee has outlined the regional considerations regarding this application.These considerations are:

• Expansion of the urban containment boundary. Generally, the urbancontainment boundary was assessed to have the capacity to contain allurban development and growth of the region within the RGS’s time frame.The development of the Southlands area could potentially absorb some of

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Delta’s future growth, resulting in a more dispersed rather than compactgrowth model.

Permitting higher-density residential and mixed use developmentoutside of the Urban Centres. RGS policies focus growth within thecontainment boundary within Urban Centres, which are effectively servedby transit. The proposed residential I mixed use development would belocated well outside of Urban Centres or Local Centres identified by theDelta Regional Context Statement (RCS).

Protecting the supply of agricultural land and promoting agriculturalviability. This proposal will lead to the loss of 60 hectares of agriculturalland to urban development, and an additional 42 hectares to conservationand recreation land uses. Further, a proposed new road through the sitewill bisect several large existing agricultural parcels, leading to agriculturalland fragmentation. The Southlands development proposes to integratecommunity-based farming into the community, facilitate public ownershipof the remaining agricultural lands and provide $9 million forimprovements to agricultural infrastructure and drainage. It should benoted that the Corporation of Delta owns other farmland and hasconsiderable experience in leasing farmland, and that Delta will beinvestigating which lands will be appropriate for re-inclusion into the ALR.

• Environmental and climate impacts. The RGS encourages land useand transportation policies that reduce energy consumption andgreenhouse gas emissions. Given the location of the developmentoutside of Urban and Local Centres where regular transit service isavailable, it is likely that the future residents will use private vehicles formost trips, leading to more greenhouse gas emissions. According to thetraffic study submitted by the applicant, the number of trips per dwellingunit would be 12 to 16 percent higher during the morning and afternoonpeaks compared to a development located in Tsawwassen Town Centre.

• Connectivity. The proposed development will provide trail networks,community space, connections to nearby recreational opportunities andaccess to some new neighbourhood commercial services and retail.However, limited commercial services and retail and the lack ofinstitutions in the development areas, would mean that the new residentswould need to drive for most of their daily needs.

• Possibility of setting a precedent. Metro Vancouver staff hasexpressed concerns that this amendment, if successful, could result inother proposed amendments to the RGS. However, Metro Vancouverstaff conclude that certain aspects of this application will make it unique,including its proposals to retain much of the site as agricultural Irecreation and conservation and the transfer of lands to the public trust.

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SUMMARYICONCLUSION:

The compelling benefit of allowing significant residential and commercialdevelopment outside of the regional urban containment boundary in thisparticular case is the donation of 80% of the site to public ownership with the aimof securing its use for agriculture and recreation/conservation in perpetuity andpossible reinstatement within the ALR.

There is a possibility that this could set a precedent that could encourage otherprivate agricultural land owners to come forward with similar developmentproposals, and lead to greater speculation of agricultural land, therebyundermining the goals of the RGS. City of Pitt Meadows staff believe that such aproposal would be unlikely in this municipality, because nearly all of ouragricultural land is within the ALR, giving the municipality a level of provincialsupport unavailable to Delta in this instance.

Metro Vancouver staff remains unresolved regarding this proposed amendmentat this time, but recommends that it proceed though the regional growth strategyamendment process in order to allow for additional information to emerge and toinitiate a broader dialogue involving the public, municipalities and other agencies.

Given that City staff is of the opinion that this proposal from Delta will not result insimilar applications within the City of Pitt Meadows, and that it may result insignificant benefits for Delta, including the preservation of land in perpetuity foragricultural and conservation I recreation purposes, we recommend that Councilreply to the Notification of a Proposed Amendment from Metro Vancouver with nocomments or concerns.

Respectfully submitted,

Dana K. Parr

Planner

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Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future (Metro 2040),the regional growth strategy - Type 2 Amendment (Southlands, Delta) 5

Reviewed by: Approved by:

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Letter from Metro Vancouver, dated March 7,2014.

Manager of Development Services r of Operations and

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April 25, 2014

Paulette A. Vetleson Director, Board and Information Services/Corporate Officer Metro Vancouver 4330 Klngsway Burnaby, BC VSH 4GB

Dear Ms. Vetleson,

TransLink 400· 287 Nelson's Court New Westminster. BC V3L OE7 Canada Tel nS·37S·7S00 www.transllnk.ca

South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority

Metro File: CR-12-01

Re: Notification of a Proposed Amendment to Metro Vancouver Z04O: Shaping OUf Future (Metro Z04O}, the Regional Growth Strategy - Type 2 Amendment (Southlands)

The following constitutes the response from the Translink Board of Directors to the above-described notification from Metro Vancouver, dated March 28, 2014.

TransLink Is providing these comments pursuant to our legislative mandate in the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Act to H • • .review, and advise the Greater Vancouver Regional District... regarding the implications to the regional transportation system of.. the regional growth strategy and any amendments to if" . As per this mandate, the comments provided in this response pertain only to the proposed amendment's implications on the regional transportation system.

As discussed in the "Partner" strategy of TransLink's Regional Transportation Strategy: Strategic Framework (RTS), it is critical for Translink to work with Metro Vancouver as well as the municipalities to ensure that the region's jobs and housing are located so as to support the goals of the RTS.

These goals, written to correspond with the goals set out in the Regional Growth Strategy, include making "transportation decisions that:

1. Provide sustainable transportation chOices Z. Support a compact urban area 3. Foster safe, healthy, and complete communities 4. Enable a sustainable economy S. Protect the environment"

The RTS also states that HAs a region, we can best achieve these goals by designing our communities and transportation system in a way that:

• makes it possible to make half of all trips by walking, cycling and transit; and


• makes it possible to make half of all trips by walking, cydlng and transit; and • makes it possible to reduce the distances people drive by one-third»

Based on the RTS, as well as TransLink's commitment to upholding the regional land use goals of Metro 2040, and lastly our own Transit-Qriented Communities Design Guidelines, Translink supports developments which:

• are located on the Frequent Transit Network and In deSignated centres; • create compact and complete communities; and • make most trips possible by walking, cydlng and transit.

In examining the implications of the proposed Southlands development on the regional transportation system, TransLink finds that the development is not consistent with the type of development that will advance our regional transportation goals, given that:

• the site Is not located on (or near) the Frequent Transit Network, nor In a designated centre;

• most trips would be made by private automobile; and • the site has limited transit service with some of the region's lowest ridership, and

service is expected to remain limited into the future.

This summary of the proposal's transportation impacts is conSistent with points raised In the Metro Vancouver staff report, which consIdered the amendment appllcation against the goals of Metro 2040.

In assessing the proposed development's Impacts on the region's transportation system, it appears likely that Southlands would move the region farther away from the goals and targets set out in the RTS, ultimately making those goals and targets more challenging to achieve in the long term.

If you have any questions regarding the above comments, please contact Bob Paddon, Executive Vice President Strategic Planning and Public Affairs, at 778-375-7720, or [email protected].

Regards, ~' ----;

/

~. Marcella"Szel Chair, T1ansLink Board of Directors


Minutes of the Public Hearing of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Board of Directors held on Thursday, May 1, 2014 Page 1 of 19

GREATER VANCOUVER REGIONAL DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING

Minutes of the Public Hearing of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Board of Directors1

held at 11:07 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2014 in the 2nd Floor Boardroom, 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia to consider Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair, Director Greg Moore, Port Coquitlam (arrived at 11:08 a.m; departed at 12:09 p.m.) Vice Chair, Director Raymond Louie, Vancouver (arrived at 11:10 a.m.) Director Malcolm Brodie, Richmond Director Brenda Broughton, Lions Bay Director Mike Clay, Port Moody Chair Derek Corrigan, Burnaby Director Ernie Daykin, Maple Ridge Director Heather Deal, Vancouver Director Ralph Drew, Belcarra (arrived at 11:32 a.m.) Director Steve Ferguson, Langley Township Director Linda Hepner, Surrey (departed at 2:41 p.m.) Director Lois Jackson, Delta (arrived at 11:18 a.m.) Director Kerry Jang, Vancouver Director Colleen Jordan, Burnaby Director Geoff Meggs, Vancouver (arrived at 1:33 p.m.) Director Darrell Mussatto, North Vancouver City Director Barinder Rasode, Surrey (arrived at 11:09 a.m; departed at 2:41 p.m.) Director Mae Reid, Coquitlam (arrived at 11:08 a.m.) Director Andrea Reimer, Vancouver (arrived at 11:13 a.m.) Director Barbara Steele, Surrey (departed at 1:55 p.m.) Director Tim Stevenson, Vancouver (arrived at 11:46 a.m.) Director Harold Steves, Richmond Director Richard Stewart, Coquitlam (arrived at 11:12 a.m.) Director Deb Walters, Pitt Meadows (departed at 2:50 p.m.) MEMBERS ABSENT: Director Heather Anderson, Anmore Director Wayne Baldwin, White Rock Director Sav Dhaliwal, Burnaby Director Jack Froese, Langley Township Director Maria Harris, Electoral Area A Director Gayle Martin, Langley City Director Gregor Robertson, Vancouver Director Michael Smith, West Vancouver 1 On March 28, 2014, pursuant to Section 891 of the Local Government Act, the GVRD Board established quorum at 10 Directors of the Board in relation to this Public Hearing.





MEMBERS ABSENT (Continued): Director Andrew Stone, Bowen Island Director Judy Villeneuve, Surrey Director Richard Walton, North Vancouver District Director Dianne Watts, Surrey Director Bryce Williams, Tsawwassen Director Wayne Wright, New Westminster STAFF PRESENT: Carol Mason, Commissioner/Chief Administrative Officer Janis Knaupp, Assistant to Regional Committees, Board and Information Services,

Legal and Legislative Services Chris Plagnol, Acting Director, Board and Information Services, Legal and Legislative Services/

Acting Corporate Officer Pursuant to the GVRD Board resolution, adopted at its meeting of March 28, 2014, the Chair of the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee was appointed to preside as Chair at this Public Hearing. 1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Corrigan called the Public Hearing to order. Chair Corrigan informed the Public Hearing that the regional growth strategy (RGS), known as Metro Vancouver 2040, sets out requirements for amending its provisions and that Bylaw 1203, 2014, is a bylaw to amend the regional land use designation for portions of a proposed development site in Delta, referred to as the Southlands Properties, from Agricultural to General Urban and Conservation and Recreation, and extend the Urban Containment Boundary to encompass the new General Urban area.

11:08 a.m. Directors Moore and Reid arrived at the meeting. 11:09 a.m. Director Rasode arrived at the meeting. 11:10 a.m. Director Louie arrived at the meeting.

Chair Corrigan informed those present that: • the regional Public Hearing was convened pursuant to the terms of the regional

growth strategy and that the Local Government Act neither required the hearing nor set out the terms and requirements of the hearing

• the purpose of the hearing was to provide persons who believe their interest in property is affected by the proposal a reasonable opportunity to be heard, or to present written submissions, respecting matters contained in the bylaw that is subject to the hearing

The Chair of the Public Hearing established procedural rules for conduct of the Public Hearing as follows: • Speakers must register their name at the registration desk in numerical order



• Speakers must state their name and address prior to making remarks • Speakers are limited to a maximum of 3 minutes to make remarks (unless otherwise

determined by leave of the Chair) • Written submissions must be made prior to close of the Public Hearing; all written

submissions would become part of the public record

2. REFERENCE MATERIALS

2.1. Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014 “Greater Vancouver Regional District Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 1203, 2014” would amend the regional growth strategy (RGS) by re-designating parts of the subject site from Agricultural to General Urban, extending the Urban Containment Boundary to encompass the General Urban area and re-designating other parts from Agricultural to Conservation and Recreation.

2.2 Corporation of Delta Proposed Regional Growth Strategy Amendment for Southlands

2.3 Delta - Draft Covenants Related to Southlands Regional Growth Strategy

Amendment Application 2.4 Notice of Public Hearing

3. WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED Note: Written submissions received from the following persons commencing at 12:00 a.m. April 24, 2014. Submissions will be added to the agenda package as processed. 3.1 Submissions Received up to Monday, April 28, 2014 at 8:00 a.m.

1. James Ronback – April 24, 2014 – Oppose 2. Siegfried Puetz – April 24, 2014 – Oppose 3. Jim Kneesch – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 4. Greg Margharitis – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 5. Susan Davidson – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 6. Ian Connell – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 7. Syd and Gloria Hinds – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 8. Pamela Hockin – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 9. Mark Offley – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 10. Duane Bates – April 25, 2014 – Oppose 11. Guy Pi

GVRD Board Meeting Agenda Package - May 23, 2014 · 2015. 1. 5. · Date: May 15, 2014 Meeting...

Documents

Transcript of GVRD Board Meeting Agenda Package - May 23, 2014 · 2015. 1. 5. · Date: May 15, 2014 Meeting...