CHANGE NAME AND FOCUS OF ISLAND HIGHWAY Slideshow

CHANGE NAME AND FOCUS OF ISLAND HIGHWAY

BACKGROUND:

Excerpt from February CoW meeting minutes:

Councillor Rogers noted his rationale for his proposal to change the name of Island Highway to Craigflower Road from Admirals Road to the Thetis interchange as well as to reduce the speed limit and remove the soft corner at Island Highway and Helmcken Road.

The Committee discussed removal of the soft corner, potential costs for address changes, and the low level of priority for this proposal given other initiatives currently underway.

COUNCIL DECISION:

THAT the “Change Name and Focus of Island Highway” proposal be referred to staff to assess: a.) changing the name of Island Highway to Craigflower Road from Admirals Road to the Thetis Interchange; b.) reducing the speed limit from 50 km/hr to 40 km/hr; and c.) converting the northeast corner of the Island Highway/ Helmcken Road intersection from a “soft” to a “hard” corner”. (C-24-24)

PURPOSE:

To respond to part a.) of resolution C-24-24 from the Feb, 2024 Committee of the Whole meeting

Part b.) re. speed limit on July 9 CoW agenda

Part c.) re. Island Highway/Helmcken Road intersection – design work could be incorporated into Island Hwy. Upgrades – Helmcken to Colwood Interchange project (C-076) which is currently in RFP stage. Incorporation of part c.) would be budget dependent.

ANALYSIS:

• Between 600 and 700 households & 39 active businesses
• Census profile indicates 2.3 people/household = 1,380 to 1,610 residents
• Direct and indirect financial implications for address changes:
  • banking
  • charities
  • employer
  • investments
  • pensions
  • schools/alum.
  • utilities
  • cable, etc.
  • childcare
  • family/friends
  • medical prov.
  • prof. assoc.
  • spec. lic/permit
  • vet clinic
  • CRA
  • credit cards
  • gov’t id/health
  • memberships
  • relig./cult. grps
  • student loans
  • car dealership
  • driver’s lic.
  • insurance
  • passport/NEXUS
  • reward programs
  • subscriptions

For businesses:

• ads/listings
• cable etc.
• credit cards
• insurance
• memberships
• utilities
• bank info
• CRA
• customers
• investment
• reward prog.
• website/platforms
• bus. stationery (cards/letterhead)
• car dealership
• gov’t id/health cov/WorkSafe BC
• lic/registration agencies
• subscriptions

Internally:

Development Services

• updates to active dev. files and agreements, website, brochures, active building permits, reassign property files
• update/ re-issue bus. licences
• issue change of address notices to impacted residents plus outside agencies

Engineering

• update GIS mapping, active tree and dev. files and agreements
• order and replace street signs
• update the P.W. contractor’s mapping and work order processes to ensure maintenance not overlooked

Finance

• updates to billing/property tax system

Protective Services

• update fire mapping

Canada Post could undertake; free redirection for 1 year; TVR would be customer contact; and advise: “[i]n terms of customers, most don’t want to change their address, especially businesses as they will need to incur any additional charges indirectly related to the address change (i.e. printer materials, lawyer fees (in some cases), etc.)”.

ALIGNMENT:

Official Community Plan

• no objectives or policies describe renaming Island Hwy.
• Transportation & Mobility objective TR3: “Ensure that transportation in and through VR is safe, comfortable, and efficient, and that negative impacts on local residents and businesses are minimized.”
• Policies encourage use of TransCanada (TR3.3) and beautified streets (TR3.6), but renaming Island Hwy. not listed

Transportation Master Plan

• Traffic diversion from Island Hwy. encouraged but road renaming not described

Naming/Renaming Municipal Assets Policy #6400-039

• One name for a continuous linear asset (sec. 2.8)
• Name retention unless renaming improves Town’s administration of essential services or is in public interest (sec 3.1)

Addressing Bylaw No. 825, 2012

• Dir. DS can change addresses for public interest & safety (sec. 4)
• No compensation payable to owner/occupants for costs incurred (sec. 7)

CONCLUSION:

• 600 to 700 households (1,380 to 1,610 residents) & 39 active businesses would be impacted
• Time, energy, costs not insignificant
• Town’s guiding documents do not point to renaming
• Ability to make changes towards Councillor Rogers’ aspirations of a safe community with ambiance and thriving walkable services exists in ways unrelated to the corridor’s name

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the July 2, 2024 report entitled “Change Name and Focus of Island Highway” be received.

Alternative:

THAT resources be allocated for the preparation and distribution of a survey, together with a self-addressed stamped envelope, to be sent to the over 600 households and businesses with Island Highway addresses between Admirals Road and the Thetis Interchange seeking input into whether they would support a Council initiated address change.