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Delta council highlights

Highlights from the Monday, July 11 Delta council meeting.

Highlights from the Monday, July 11 Delta council meeting.

- Feed the Bees presentation:

Patricia Fleming and Ian Tait, co-chairs of Feed the Bees Campaign, gave a presentation describing their efforts in encouraging Delta residents to plant gardens to feed pollinators and encourage biodiversity in our community. The campaign is the first of its kind in Metro Vancouver and is designed towards supporting a healthy and sustainable bee population in Delta. Learn more at www.feedthebees.org.

- Mayor's Announcements:

- Condolences

On behalf of council and the community, Mayor Lois Jackson extended sincere condolences to the family of Gwen Szychter, who passed away on July 8. Gwen was a researcher, historian, author of numerous books on Delta and a heritage enthusiast. She served on Delta's Heritage Advisory Commission from 1993 to 1996 and on the Paterson Park Task Force from 2000 to 2002. Gwen also served as a resource to the Heritage Advisory Commission on specific projects following her membership.

- Tour de Delta

Mayor Jackson and council had the pleasure of attending the Tour de Delta this past weekend and once again it was a thrilling, fantastic race weekend. The mayor thanked all the amazing sponsors, volunteers and staff for all their hard work and generosity towards ensuring the success of this event. Everyone did such a fantastic job and it showed.

- North Delta Recreation Centre Expansion - Public Consultation July 12

Mayor Jackson reminded residents that a public consultation meeting on the proposed expansion of the North Delta Recreation Centre will be held on July 12th from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the rec centre. CEI Architecture Planning Interiors will facilitate the meeting, and facility users and residents are encouraged to attend. Council is seeking residents' input on the possible uses to be incorporated into the expansion plan.

- Veterans Way Street Sign

Mayor Jackson advised that Council recently approved the installation of a commemorative street sign "Veterans Way" on Trenant Street between Delta and Elliott streets. The commemorative sign has been installed on the same post as the regular street sign near the Ladner branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and recognizes the important cultural and historical role of Delta's veterans. Mayor Jackson displayed a photo of the sign taken with Legion members.

- Portraits of Honour - July 16 at Memorial Park

Mayor Jackson noted that the Kinsmen Club of Ladner/Tsawwassen, in partnership with Delta, are hosting a public ceremony and viewing of the Portraits of Honour on Saturday July 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Memorial Park in Ladner.

Portraits of Honour is a national project by Kin Canada honouring those who have fallen in combat during the war in Afghanistan and, by extension, all past, present and future Canadian Forces personnel. The centrepiece of the project is the Portraits of Honour mural - an immense painting consisting of slightly larger than life portraits of every Canadian soldier who has been killed during the war in Afghanistan. The Portraits of Honour mural is traveling across Canada to raise awareness and support for our Canadian Forces troops and their families.

The Corporation of Delta is proud and honoured to be working with Kin Canada and the Kinsmen Club of Ladner/Tsawwassen to bring the Portraits of Honour National Tour to Delta.

- Bylaws:

- Development Variance Permits Approved

Council adopted a bylaw and development variance permit at 8704 Byron Road to permit subdivision into two single-family lots. Council also adopted two bylaws and a development variance permit at 11688 82 Avenue to rezone the property from multi-family (duplex) residential to a single-family lot.

- Improved Regulation of Drug Stores Adopted

Council adopted bylaws to regulate the number and locations of drug stores in Delta. The bylaw amendments are consistent with similar bylaws regulating drug stores elsewhere in the region.

- Third Reading of Bylaw for Rezoning, Development Permit, and Subdivision

Council gave third reading to a bylaw for the rezoning of 4728 and 4738 54A Street for a proposed nine-unit townhouse development. Changes to the design of the proposed development were presented following input received from neighbours at a public hearing held on May 17.

- Application to Rezone Property at 11716 72A Ave.

Council gave first and second readings to a proposed bylaw to rezone 11716 72A Ave. to convert the existing duplex into two strata lots with limited common property. A Land Use Contract discharge and a rezoning are also required to complete the proposed conversion.

- Application to Rezone Property at 4317, 4325 and 4329 Arthur Drive

Council received applications for a Development Variance Permit and Heritage Alteration Permit and gave first and second readings to proposed bylaws required to subdivide the properties at 4317, 4325 and 4329 Arthur Drive and create 12 single family residential lots. Two fee simple lots would face Arthur Drive, while the other ten bare land strata lots would be placed in the back portion of the subject properties accessed via a private common road.

- Application to Rezone Property at 8346 114 Street

Council received an application for a Development Variance Permit and gave first and second readings to proposed bylaws required to subdivide the property at 8346 114 Street into four single-family residential lots.

- Application to Rezone Property at 9310 118 Street

Council gave first and second readings to a proposed bylaw to subdivide the single-family lot at 9310 118 St. into two separate parcels. This application follows a previous application to subdivide the same property into three parcels that was denied by council on May 15, 2011.

- Application to Rezone Property at 4931 Central Avenue

Council gave first and second readings to a proposed bylaw to rezone 4931 Central Avenue to permit an increase in the maximum accessory building size to retain a balcony enclosure.

- Zoning Bylaw Amendments at 4227, 4231, 4249, 4259, 4267 and 4273 River Road West

Council gave first and second readings to a proposed bylaw to add general office uses to the list of permitted uses for the ground floor of the principal buildings in the upland area of 4227, 4231, 4249, 4259, 4267 and 4273 River Road West.

- Discussion Reports:

- Funding Application for Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative Approved

Council approved an application for funding through Union of B.C. Municipalities' Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative under the Fuel Management Program and the Operational Fuel Treatment Program to undertake works identified in Delta's Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

- Update on South Fraser Perimeter Road Community Liaison Committee

Council received an update on the South Fraser Perimeter Road Community Liaison Committee, which met recently on June 20. Committee members were informed of the planned completion date (December 2013 for the Delta portion of the road), discussed improvements to the communication strategy, and failed to reach a resolution on the issue of interchanges instead of intersections at Tilbury and Sunbury as requested by Delta.

- New Bylaw Dispute Adjudication System to be Pursued

Council endorsed a recommendation to pursue a Bylaw Dispute Adjudication System for Delta. This system will improve the enforcement capabilities and cost-effectiveness for Delta Police and bylaw officers for minor bylaw offences such as parking violations.

- Foreign Trade Zones Update

Council received an update including background information regarding Foreign Trade Zones. A Foreign Trade Zone is an area, usually near a customs port of entry, where the tax and duty requirements of the host country or territory are relaxed to attract foreign trade and business investment. Mayor Jackson and council remain concerned that a Foreign Trade Zone would have the ability to override the Corporation of Delta's Official Community Plan and land use zoning.

Mayor Jackson has previously advised the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation that port related businesses have options to purchase registered on agriculturally zoned properties in Delta in proximity to Deltaport. Mayor Jackson will be forwarding a letter to Premier Christy Clark with copies to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Metro Vancouver board of directors and member municipalities, and the Agricultural Land Commission requesting Clark's written confirmation that the establishment of a Foreign Trade Zone in Delta would not be in conflict with Delta's Official Community Plan or land use zoning, thereby not impacting Delta's agricultural lands.

- Tender Award for Sewer Relining

Council awarded a tender to Mar-Tech Underground Services Ltd. to undertake sewer relining to renew the gravity sanitary sewers along 47 Avenue in the Parkdale area of Ladner. This project is funded through the Council approved 2011 Capital Plan.

- Revised Public Hearing Schedule

Council approved the rescheduling of the Aug. 30 public hearing to Aug. 16 to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of a large number of applications for referral to public hearing over the summer months.

- Development Permit and Heritage Alteration Permit at 4550 Arthur Drive Approved

Council approved the issuance of a development permit and heritage alteration permit at 4550 Arthur Drive to allow the property owners to demolish the existing house and build a new 2 1/2-storey dwelling in the same footprint as the existing house. Arthur Drive heritage guidelines will apply to the new house.

- Application for Non-Farm Use in the Agricultural Land Reserve Denied

Council endorsed a recommendation to not forward a non-farm use application to the

Agricultural Land Commission that would allow for 196,000 m3 of soil to be deposited at 8442 and 8640 Ladner Trunk Road. Staff will report back to council with options to improve the drainage of the properties in question following the completion of an upcoming drainage study.

- TransLink's Update 2011 Supplemental Plan Received

Council received a memorandum from Delta's director of engineering, Steven Lan, regarding the funding of TransLink's 2011 Supplemental Plan. The proposed funding formula includes a two-cent per litre increase in motor fuel taxes in April 2012 plus, by 2013, either a property tax increase averaging about $23 per year for the average Metro Vancouver residential property or a new long-term source of funding. Mayor Jackson stated she voted in opposition to the proposed funding formula due to the inequality of Delta residents paying increased property taxes without comparable transit service.

- Memorandum Regarding Deltaport Way Traffic Issues Received

Council received a memorandum from Delta's director of engineering, Steven Lan, regarding traffic congestion problems along Deltaport Way and surrounding Delta roads on July 6 resulting from a road closure of Deltaport Way to accommodate construction of the 41B Street overpass. Staff will send a letter to the province outlining Delta's concerns regarding the unacceptable traffic congestion and requesting a meeting to review the incident and determine corrective action measures. Chief administrative officer, George Harvie, also committed that any future closures of Delta roads related to the port will come before council prior to the road closure, similar to the current practice for relaxing Delta's noise control bylaw.

- Memorandum Regarding 28 Avenue Emergency Access Received

Council received a memorandum from Delta's director of engineering, Steven Lan, and Delta fire chief Dan Copeland regarding emergency access in the 28 Avenue area during construction of the 28 Avenue overpass. There are a number of emergency access protocol measures in place and the overpass is anticipated to be complete this summer.

- Delta's Efforts Regarding Environmental Assessment Office Post-Certification Monitoring

Following last week's release of the report from the Auditor General of British Columbia regarding the Environmental Assessment Office's insufficient oversight of the post-certification monitoring procedure, council endorsed a recommendation to send Delta's documentation regarding past efforts to improve this issue to the auditor general.

- Motions arising from correspondence:

- Council made two motions from correspondence received: staff was requested to research the history of the planned River Road closure associated with the SFPR and report back to council; and a letter is to be sent to the City of Vancouver requesting an efficiency improvement at the Vancouver Landfill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a result of lengthy delays and lineups.