General Meeting Minutes
June 18, 2008 12 noon
Parksville Community Centre
In Attendance: Michelle Jones, Chair Shirley Wright
Helen Sims Dave Bryan
Kim Burden Maureen Pilcher
Egon Kuhn Dave Scott
Bud Shelly Bruce Cownden
Marjorie Picard Denise Sakai
Bon Thorburn
Guest Speakers: Sean DePol, RDN Manager of Liquid Waste
Paul Thompson, RDN Manager of Long Range Planning
John Finnie, RDN GM Environmental Services
Nancy Avery, RDN GM Finance & Info Services
Marilyn Hayden, Recording Secretary
Michelle Jones called the meeting to order at 12 noon, welcomed the RDN guests and turned the meeting over to them.
Sean DePol spoke to draft bylaw Bylaw No. 1442.02 to amend DCCs within the Northern Community Sewer Service and responded to questions posed at the May 21st meeting.
· The presentation is a follow up to the ODCA May 21st presentation and the May 27th ODCA delegation to the RDN Board of Directors.
· As a result of ODCA input, the proposed change to Multi Family DCC rates have been changed to $79.54 per m² from the proposed $105 per m². This caps out at 1,464 sq. ft. or 136 m².
Questions posed at the May 21st General Meeting
· Why not base DCCs on the number of fixtures? The rates are based on the average number of people per family unit. Egon Kuhn reported that he based this question on small affordable housing.
· Can an assist factor be applied to affordable housing? No, staff are developing a policy to work with Bill 27.
· How will the calculation of DCCs on multi family promote affordable housing? Again, staff are developing a policy to work with Bill 27.
· For multi family is the DCC rate calculated on gross area or unit area? “Gross floor area” means the total of horizontal areas of all floors as a building including basement, measured to outside of the exterior walls of the building. The RDN bylaw stands on its own so that all jurisdictions have a commonality. The definition is the same in Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
· Nancy Avery reported that there are 2 separate definitions. One for bylaw 500 and one for Water & Sewer DCCs.
· Michelle Jones reported that Parksville does not require payment for DCCs on basements.
· Helen Sims reported that Qualicum Beach require DCC payments on a per unit basis.
· Nancy Avery reported that she has worked closely with Parksville and they use the same spreadsheet model to hit the same sort of caps and sq. footage.
· Michelle Jones reported that Parksville & RDN currently calculates DCCs on per unit. The break even point is essential.
· Why was a Public Hearing not held? There was an open house held on May 14th with elected officials present.
· Dave Scott reported that the intent of today’s meeting was to have the elected officials attend as well as staff. John Finnie reported that the Board of Directors were all invited to the meeting today. Joe Stanhope was planning to attend before a last minute First Nations issue came up that took priority.
· Did you consider several different rates for multi family? To a certain degree it is irrelevant because basic m rate would have had to have been increased.
· Dave Scott suggested that tier developments are being penalized as underground parking will pay DCCs.
· Helen Sims suggested that townhouse units have more people living in them compared to condo units and under these calculations townhouses will become more expensive. These calculations do not support the affordable housing initiative.
· Sean DePol reported that affordable housing will be addressed under Bill 27.
· Nancy Avery agreed that the DCCs will not address affordable housing. Sustainable housing will be addressed in Bill 27. Multi family was on a per unit basis and the 67% ratio is still the same. Nancy Avery reported that she will confer with Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
· Dave Scott reported that everybody is being pushed to build affordable housing, but bylaws are sending mixed messages.
· Egon Kuhn suggested that the numbers don’t work to build affordable housing.
· Nancy Avery reported that it is political. Right now Best Practices are in a transitional period for affordable housing. It will be legislated and must be changed based on methodology not social policy.
· John Finnie applauded the ODCA for writing a letter to Minister Rich Coleman supporting changes in legislation to promote affordable housing.
· Do secondary suites pay DCCs? The building code puts restrictions on units and they have been discussing to reflect on including secondary suites.
· Nancy Avery reported that the Regional District does not acknowledge secondary suites.
· Michelle Jones reported that Parksville is considering detached or over a garage secondary suites if under 90 m².
· Dave Bryan reported that Qualicum Beach carriage house suites paid full DCCs on 650 sq. ft. units.
· Will multi family pay more? There will be a capped rate.
· Implementation
o Public consultation
o 3rd reading in July/08
o The bylaw will need approval from the Inspector of Municipalities
o Final adoption by the Board when returned from the Inspector
· Egon Kuhn suggested that it is going to cost the builder $7,000 to $25,000 more and this will eventually be passed on to the consumer.
· Nancy Avery reported that the bylaw will not apply until it is adopted by the Board.
Michelle Jones thanked RDN staff for taking ODCA comments on the draft bylaw into consideration and thanked them for the good dialogue.
· Sean DePol stated that he will inform the ODCA when the bylaw is ready to go to the Board for approval.
Marilyn Hayden, recording secretary departed the meeting at this time. The following are notes from the power point presentation.
Paul Thompson spoke to the Growth Strategy Review 2008 (RGS)
· www.ShapingOurFuture.ca – survey on line
· The goals of the RGS are to:
o Limit sprawl and encourage growth in urban areas
o Increase service efficiency
o Protect the environment
o Retain resource and rural areas
o Promote high quality of life
o Increase mobility options
· Purpose of the review – “What, if any, changes should be made to the RGS to better support the Regional District’s goals, policies and actions regarding its vision for a sustainable region?”
· What role does the RGS play?
o Clean air to breathe
o Prosperous economy
o Safe drinking water
o Open space for recreation
o Walk able communities
o Locally produced food
o Functioning ecosystems
o Productive resource lands
· Phase I Background reports
o State of Sustainability Report
o Recommendations for a sustainable region
o Population and housing change in the Nanaimo region
o Land inventory and residential capacity analysis
o Implications of the State of Sustainability for the RGS
o Previously identified issues and opportunities
· Phase II Discussion Paper 1
o Identifies 17 sustainability challenges
o Asks how much direction should RGS provide?
o Provides range of options for improving the RGS
Discussion Paper II
o Present and consider public input
o Recommend RGS amendments
o Leads into drafting of new RGS
Phase III Public Consultation and Outreach
Phase IV RGS Amendment
· Key challenges arising from background reports
o Greenhouse gases, energy use
o Affordable housing, range of types
o Water consumption and supply
o Location of new development
o Rural integrity
o Density, mixed use in urban areas
· Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
o Provincial GHG reduction targets of 33% by 2020
o RGS must include targets and show how it will meet those targets
o Land use patterns biggest factor
o Transportation emissions largest source – over 65%
o Buildings is the second largest source – nearly 25%
· Affordable Housing
o Many RDN residents paying > 30% of their income
o Vacancy rate for Nanaimo – 1% in 2007
o The RGS only contains one general policy on affordable housing
· Sustainable water use
o Water consumption has grown faster than population from 2001 to 2004, water use +8%, population +3.8%
o Insufficient water resource for residents and wildlife
o Decentralized services or better growth/service linkages?
· Location of new development – agreement on urban growth areas, The purpose of designating urban growth areas is to:
o Focus development into existing towns and cities
o Improve service delivery
o Protect the environment and green space
o Preserve rural character
o Improve mobility options
· Maintaining rural integrity
o Limit development in rural areas, maintain land for farming, forestry and other resource uses
o Rural areas have been growing at a faster rate than urban areas
o The rural integrity policies in the RGS have been difficult to implement
· Density and mixed use - Higher density mixed use in urban areas:
o Provides for more efficient services
o Promotes walking and cycling
o Allows for efficient and frequent transit service
o Protects the rural nature of our region
o Conserves wildlife habitat and green space
o Densities in urban areas remain lower than desired
· Survey Results:
Housing
o Nearly 60% either can’t afford to buy a house or have friends/relatives who can’t afford to buy a house
o Nearly 25% feel they pay more than they can afford
Transit
o Less than 10% are regular transit users
o Most important factors for using transit: frequency, convenience, impact on environment
New development – where?
o Most important consideration is protecting wildlife, water and air quality (77% stated very important)
o Preserving rural heritage (48% stated very important)
Survey Results
Issue Top Priority Want Action
Climate change 50.2% 96.1%
Designated Growth Areas 49.5% 95.7%
Rural Integrity 44.4% 97.5%
Water 28.7% 96.3%
Discussion followed on the placement of urban containment boundaries, the costs and the changes that need to be made to address the RDN’s goals, policies and actions regarding the RDN vision for a sustainable region. Members were encouraged to fill out the RDN survey on line at www.shapingourfuture.ca
The meeting was adjourned at 2:15 p.m.