TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE REPORT

CAO UPDATE

RECOMMENDATION: THAT the Committee receive the September 4, 2014 CAO Update Report for information.

PURPOSE OF REPORT

To provide Council with information from the office of the CAO regarding material events and happenings at Town Hall.

BACKGROUND

Council, as part of the 2013 performance review, requested that the CAO provide an Administrator’s report at each Committee of the Whole meeting to apprise Council of the highlights of significant activities of the Town.

INFORMATION

Administration

Staff are continuing preparations for the upcoming election. Nomination packages have been prepared and are available for pick-up; refresher training sessions on vote counting machines were hosted over two days in early September by the Town for area municipalities; and the “election team” has begun to meet to discuss tasks and timelines.

Staff will host an area Clerks meeting in late September to receive presentations on changes to Land Title and Survey Authority electronic services accessed by municipalities as well as how to prepare Privacy Impact Assessments.

As directed at the June 17, 2014 Council meeting, staff have begun the disposition process for the existing Fire Hall site (280 Island Highway) and have engaged a real estate company to assist. After meeting with the real estate company, more work is required prior to recommending a strategy to Council. The strategy is expected to address options, including the timing of a sale.

Summer hours for Town Hall ended on August 31, 2014.

With the annual break in Council meetings during August, several Administration staff members also used this time for annual vacation.

Building Inspection and Bylaw Enforcement

Eagle Creek The Eagle Creek Development made nine separate building permit applications prior to December 18, 2013. Most of these permits cannot be issued until Eagle Creek has satisfied the requirements of a covenant between the Town and with the Ministry of Transportation. The developer may not do work beyond foundations if Eagle Creek has not satisfied the requirements of these covenants.

Two of the nine permit applications include foundation work. A foundation and footings permit describing works valued at $500,000 was issued in April 2014. The developer requested issuance of the second permit for the parkade structure, however this application included scope of work beyond foundations and therefore could not be issued. The developer formally withdrew the scope beyond foundation work as recommended by staff enabling issuance of the second permit for the parkade in early September. Further building permits cannot be issued until such time as the terms of the covenant are met.

MIA The region CAOs have organized a training session for building inspectors. Tom Barnes, Chief Executive Officer & General Counsel for the Municipal Insurance Association will be presenting and reinforcing strategies for managing building permits for complex buildings on September 12, 2014.

Planning

The Parks and Trails guide has been published. Staff will be working on a distribution of these guides similar to the previous distribution program. The previous distribution included:

Craigflower Manor
Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre
Tourism Victoria – Visitors/Information Centre
West Shore Chamber of Commerce – Visitors Centre
Strawberry Vale Community Hall
View Royal Town Hall
View Royal Public Library

The RFP for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Chilco Trails Network has been issued. The closing date in the RFP is September 10, 2014.

An application for funding a wayfinding program was submitted to the Capital Regional District. We have tentative approval of $8,500. The details, terms and conditions are not yet available.

Engineering and Operations

The Engineering Department continues to work on development projects including 1900 Watkiss Way, Thetis Cove, Eagle Creek, Limona developments Phase 6, 6 Mile Furniture, and Thetis Edge.

Staff met with the consultants representing Omicron, the Eagle Creek developers. The submitted off site service design was reviewed with the consultants and staff is now awaiting a third submission of revised drawings. Staff have reviewed, met, and provided feedback to the developer. While some issues remain, substantive progress has been made toward agreeable off site servicing design.

Staff met with the Developer and his consultant to review the latest drawing submission for 1900 Watkiss Way. Staff expects a final submission to be eminent and are awaiting a construction cost estimate to determine values for the security to finalize a Servicing agreement.

Partial authorization was granted to Limona construction to install the trunk line strom drainage pipe for Phase 6 of the Thetis Vale development. Staff have met with the Ministry of Transportataion and Highways concerning the offsite treatment of storm water drainage from the Thetis Vale Development onto Ministry Lands.

The capital budget development program for 2014 is in hand.

Parks staff have assisted volunteers to complete the Portage Park trail improvements.

The preliminary alignment of the Mellor Park trail has been determined and construction will proceed in the Fall of 2014.

Fire Hall

We continue to work with the Architects and Consulting team to achieve the construction of our new fire hall. This project is now taking considerable management time to ensure acceptable workmanship and budget management.

The CAO report in July included information from Ledcor indicating a completion date in early September. The completion date has passed. Ledcor is yet to apprise us of an expected target for completion.