Council Meeting

Good evening, everyone.

Welcome to our regular council meeting.

I'd just like to begin the meeting by acknowledging our friends and neighbors, the Esquimalt and Songhees Nation on whose unceded traditional territories View Royal sits.

This evening, so it's a little bit different under public participation.

There's opportunity when we get to public participation for people to give us feedback on the council size increase and then also on anything on the agenda.

So at that time, if you wish to provide comments by telephone, please call 778-402-9227.

And when prompted, enter conference ID 640 350 301 pound.

You'll be immediately muted once you're admitted to the meeting.

And please do not unmute yourself until you are asked to do so.

At the appropriate time in the agenda, I will then announce the last four digits of your phone number.

Ask you to mute the live webcast to avoid feedback.

Ask you not to use speakerphone to ensure sound quality, and that you unmute yourself by pressing star six.

To begin with, is if you could give us your name and address for the record.

And under public participation, speakers do have up to a maximum of five minutes and question period later a maximum of two minutes.

This meeting will be recorded by participating in this webcast.

You are consenting to being recorded, and the recording will be available on the town's website for future access.

And public participation will come up right after we have one presentation or petition and delegation, and public participation will be right after that.

So that would be the time to call in.

And with that, if I can get a motion to approve the agenda.

Moved by Councillor Madsen, second by Councillor Rogers.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

We have minutes from December 7th.

Thank you.

Moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Kowalewich.

Any comments, corrections?

I don't think I have anything under Mayor's report other than just to mention the you know the news that's been all over in the last few days about the closing of the Eagle Creek walking clinic and and the loss of two GPs in that practice.

Um which is just you know, I think for our community is just terrible news in terms of availability of doctors.

I know a lot of few rural residents use that clinic, and um it remains to be seen what doctors will be recruited, if any, to replace them.

But it's um all around a bad situation for for View Royal and and the greater area.

And with that, we'll move on to Mr.

Stitt from 55 Fenton Road.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Please feel free to take off your mask if you're comfortable, but it's up to you.

It's comfortable.

Okay, unless it's it's muffling or something, I don't know.

Right.

Uh, good evening, uh, mayor and counselors.

And uh I'm here to sort of state my case to be able to have an accessory building in my flanking yard.

As you can see from this first slide, that's sort of the layout of the front and the side yards of my location.

That it's got a little bit of outline of a house there.

But uh the front yard is right against Fenton Road, which is at the top, and the flanking yard is on Fenton Place on the left.

So originally the house was built in the 30s and added on to in the 50s, 80s, and then we put a small addition on when we moved in.

So throughout all those renovations, the driveway comes in from Fenton Road and comes up in the blue section on the left side there.

So there's been an accessory building in that location since the 50s.

And the garage was torn down shortly after we moved in because part of it was on the other property.

So at that point, uh I had a shed there.

And it was not quite the right size of a shed for all this stuff I needed over the years.

It got fuller and fuller, and basically became a unusable storage shed because to do anything you just pull everything out to get at things.

And so I decided last year that enough was enough.

I have to do something to make it usable.

So I can get at the tools, I can get at the equipment.

So I guess we can go to the next page.

So that's not really a suitable place to build anything out there without tearing down a lot of trees, which I don't want to do.

And the next slide.

As it has been for 50 years or more, 60 years.

And that's the main entrance into the property.

At the end there, you can see my temporary solution of a storage shed shipping container that I've done my best to blend it in.

I've painted it to match the house with trim and everything, just to uh keep it not too glaring to the neighbors until I can get a chance to replace it with something more suitable.

So it's where I'm storing all my tools and yard equipment to uh you know maintain the yard and the house and everything.

So the next next slide, I guess.

These are just showing some of the trees around the yard, and we'll just go through these fairly quickly.

Next slide, there's oak trees there.

This is more along the front yard on the town property.

There's oak trees or butus trees, fir trees.

Next slide, that's along Fenton Road.

This along Fenton Place.

There's another oak tree there.

Next slide.

It's another big oak tree in my yard.

And the next slide.

See, there's lots of trees.

More trees.

It's just showing what I'm dealing with when it comes to needing equipment.

Next slide.

Looks like the same one again.

Could be duplicate, but uh, it's just again showing there's lots of trees, lots of oak trees.

There's a total of nine oak trees.

Uh four of which are on town property and five on my property.

Uh next slide.

More trees.

Next slide.

Just to show you the enormity of what I have to deal with as far as just yard waste.

Uh next next slide.

And the next one.

Oh, keep going.

I think we've got about all the trees shown here.

Yeah, five oak trees, four on my property, two Arbutus.

Anyways, there's lots of trees and debris to deal with.

So cleaning up and dealing with all the the trees.

Five bags of leaves would fill maybe one branch on one tree would fill up five bags.

So I have a lot of excess leaves and uh debris from the trees that I have to haul away.

So next slide.

That's part of the equipment I use to uh fill that up several times a year and take it off to Esquimalt and unload it.

And the next slide.

That's something that after years of working the rake and the wheelbarrow in the yard, I broke down and I brought a leaf back.

So because there's so many leaves, it's just I can do in an hour with that, but it would takes me two or three days of raking.

So I need places to store and maintain all this stuff, and so is there another slide after this one?

I don't think so.

So basically, in summary, I would like to put a accessory building in my flanking yard to replace the storage and facilities that I've had for since I've lived there over 20 years, and which have been located in the flanking yard for 50 years or more in that location.

So that's what it requires to be able to store equipment, look after equipment, maintain equipment.

You have a question?

Just hang on a half a second.

Okay, maybe it can.

So staff, before we go to questions, could you just um in enlighten us on what the the proponent needs or what prevents him from doing what he would like to do.

Thank you, your worship.

This is Lindsay Chase, Director of Development Services.

The property owner would need to apply for a development variance permit.

They have in the past applied to the Board of Variants to place a an accessory building in the front yard which was not approved by the BOV.

And if they wish to have an accessory building that does not comply with zoning, a DVP would be the the only the only way of achieving that and is subject to council approval.

Okay thank you very much.

Another comment it oh just I'm just gonna get you to hold fire for a second.

Councillor Matson Yeah if you just go back to your first page I just don't know where you're referring to in terms of the flanking yard oh it is on the left side of the uh downward pointing part part there like on Fenton Place?

Yes, that's the flanking yard.

And just a question through the staff.

Is the reason he needs a a variance on this because it's greater than a hundred square feet?

I'm not aware of the size of accessory building that the property owner wishes to place.

That will depend on what I work out with the planning department.

I I think it's because he wants to put a structure in a flanking yard.

Is that that's the only thing I just just sir?

If you just sorry the to to Director Chase, is is that is by the structure in a flanking yard?

Is that correct?

An accessory building um is supposed to be placed in the rear yard according to the zoning bylaw.

Okay.

Okay, okay.

Any other questions?

Oh councillor Lemon.

I do have another point which I forgot because since I've uh submitted my uh slide presentation.

I've gone around, I've talked to every neighbor on our street.

Okay.

I've talked to them each individually, I've talked to property owners, not just renters.

And I have asked them if they had any objection to me locating an accessory building on my flanking yard, and I have a hundred percent agreement from all my neighbors on the entire street.

Well, I would suggest that you hang on to that because if you go through the development variance permit, that'll be a really important thing to bring forward when that comes forward.

So councillor Lemon?

Yeah.

Um Mr.

Stitt, the uh there was a building there.

Yes.

And you want to put a structure, a building where there was historically a building.

Am I right?

Right.

Okay.

So and and I get I gather there's been no grandfathering of um no.

Okay.

I just I I asked that for clarification.

You want to replace an old building with a new building?

Yes.

Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Anybody else?

Councillor Rogers?

Yeah.

Uh like uh Councilor Lemon, I was wondering about um you had a a garage, you know, this was built in the nineteen thirties, you had a garage, but well, probably in the 50s.

It was old.

So it was pretty old.

And my understanding though is you had to the garage had to go because it was actually on an adjacent property.

Yeah, it was across the property.

Right.

So it wasn't worth moving.

Yeah.

So now clearly you're gonna have to document this.

Like I would like like to know that the size of your house, the size of the property, you know, um, and I would be interested to know you know what you could do in your rear yard if if the uh requirements were not accessible.

Yeah.

So you see those are you know other details that would be very helpful for um staff or if it came back to council.

The um I do have a question that the size of the container that you do have right now, is that the size of structure that you you're looking to build as a permanent structure?

Um what I'd like what ultimately would be the the best solution for me is a small garage of about uh 12 by 16.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

So these are details that um you know I appreciate getting the lay of the land and I have to work out with planning.

It may be a carport.

They may say no you can't have that you have to have this.

Oh okay well I'll go with that.

Yeah.

And I and I certainly appreciate you know your situation is like like every other corner house where they have two flanking yards.

Uh yes, there's many of them in town, and a lot of them already have structures.

It would be in the first one.

And it certainly would be an interesting um situation to have a look at to see what how other homes in on corner lots how they achieve uh accessory buildings.

Look out your window.

Thank you.

So I think the best thing is for you to work with staff, and um, you know, I I certainly hear council's receptive to looking at a an application that would come forward, but there is a formal process to go through, right?

I mean, we can't approve a spot zoning change.

I can have an accessory building in my flanking yard.

No, we're not saying that at all.

What we're encouraging you to do is apply for the process that would enable you to get there, and then that would come forward to us with all the information.

In other words, work with the planning department first.

Yeah, absolutely.

We we can't we can't, I mean it I see.

Yeah.

I thought it would go the other way.

Like why you can plan something if you can't put it in the flanking yard.

I'm like, this seems to be going backwards.

No, there's plan it first and then get to that rather than having permission and then say, oh yes, you can put it in the flanking yard, but you have to meet these dimensions.

Yeah, zoning amendments or variances, I guess in this case, development variance permit.

I mean, they're the process of those is guided by legislation that we have to follow.

And there's a proper correct process, and the staff are the expert resource, not the members of council.

So they need to they need to work on it with you.

Yeah.

Okay.

So uh I'd encourage you to to work with them and they'll bring it forward.

And and thank you for bringing the letters from from the neighbors.

But I think the next step will, when you're working with staff, you're going to show drawings and the size and so forth.

And with that, you'd want to go back to your neighbors and show them exactly what you're hoping to do.

Oh I guess that's all for now.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

So next up we have public participation.

So this is the opportunity tonight to speak on the increase in council size matter, and then also any matter that is on our agenda tonight.

And we do have people in the room.

Are you looking to speak under public participation?

Or I will.

Okay, sure.

Well, why don't we so for people who are going to call in, this is a good time to call in, dial 778-402-9227, and when prompted, enter conference ID 640-350-301 pound.

And we'll start with the lady in the room if you'd like to come up, Sarah.

Jeff.

Thank you.

If you would like, I am happy to give a few comments about the council size while the individual makes their way forward to the podium.

Sure.

Okay.

Thank you, your worship.

I uh just wanted to let you know that the issue of council size has been listed specifically on tonight's agenda.

We don't normally have items listed under public participation because that's just normally an open question or time for people to comment on anything that's on this evening's agenda.

However, in this case, it is as we've done at the in the month of November 2021, which is the night after we had the open house, which is last night, and again an earlier one in November.

We did list and we have listed tonight on our agenda an opportunity for the public to call in during public participation and flagged this topic specifically council size and the question of an increase to council size as a topic of particular interest and wanting to gain public feedback.

At this time, uh no decision has been made, and and council is just uh wanting it to be on the agenda to hear what what the feedback is from the public.

Uh it's anticipated that a staff report will be provided at an upcoming meeting for council's consideration.

Um, and as I have said, it's been the subject of two open houses.

The information is all available on the website, should people be interested in reading more or learning more about it.

And it has been something that council has talked about um since the fall of 2020.

So it'll be interesting to hear what people have to offer tonight in terms of their thoughts to council.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Great.

Just can I take this off?

Yeah.

Yeah, for sure.

Okay, great.

Hi, um, my name is Allison McKenzie.

I guess my comment slash question in there.

Can we just get your address too, please, if you don't mind?

48 Fall Staff.

Okay.

Yeah, over here.

So I think one of the big benefits of increasing the council size, as stated in the literature, is about increasing the diversity.

And I kind of have a question slash comment, take it as as you like.

About how is there any plan for the staff or the council um in terms of promoting and encouraging more representation in when we do go to um that election, that process, uh getting people involved and running for the council i mean in in general that would be more the politicians that would do that in terms of encouraging people to run the town itself doesn't and arguably it should um I think we send out a leaflet to everybody um saying that there is a local government election coming up um and explaining what is needed to run but the town certainly doesn't take an active role in in recruiting people to run.

Right.

If that answers your question.

Yeah, no, I just I think it's more of a general how can we increase diversity and make sure we're representative of our population.

But yeah.

So yes, I'm I'm supportive though.

It's nice to see people in chambers.

Okay.

No, well, thank you.

And thank you for turning out to thank you.

We don't too often now.

Thanks very much.

You're are you together or okay?

Thank you.

So we'll go to the phones now.

Do we have any callers on the phone stuff?

Your worship, yes, this evening we do have several callers.

We can start with a caller with the last four digits, one eight nine five.

Okay, thank you.

So I'll just before we start, I'll just go over with everybody.

And then after that, I'm just going to announce the last four digits.

So before you start speaking, I will announce the last four digits of your phone number.

Please remember to mute your live webcast at home to avoid feedback, not to use speakerphone to ensure sound quality, and that you unmute yourself by pressing star six, and then if you give us your name and address, you can give us the benefit of your view of the your yeah, your views.

Yeah.

So the last four digits of the first caller are 1895.

Please go ahead.

Hello.

Good evening.

Yeah, you are through to council chambers.

Hello.

Hello.

Oh, hi, it's Chris Walker, 265 Uroyal Avenue.

I've attended the open house.

I've reviewed the material presented by staff, and it uh hasn't been demonstrated to me that there's a need for two additional council members.

Unless the council tonight can give me some additional insight.

After speaking with a few council members, I'm clear that the workload isn't excessive.

Additional council members may in fact add to the staff workload from requests for more reports, etc., furthering increasing costs, which uh we do we definitely don't need these days.

On the topic of diversity, I'm not sure how how adding two additional council members will ensure the goal is achieved, nor why municipal governments need to be focused on social engineering.

That's really the only comments that I have, and I'd like to hear uh comments back from council if they have any.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

Walker.

Now we're not here to debate, so we don't have any comments to offer back.

We're just here to listen.

Okay, do you have my opinion?

Thank you very much.

The next caller Stuff.

Yes, your worship.

The call next caller is with the last four digits zero zero three five.

Thank you.

Caller with the last four digits zero zero three five.

This is your opportunity.

0035.

Hi there, can you hear me?

We sure can.

Go ahead.

Hi, uh, my name is Rick Baker.

I live at uh 204 One Buddy Road here in View Royal.

I'm calling tonight to express my support for the increase in the size of town council.

And if I go on too long, which I'm tend to do, uh please let me know.

Um first of all, good evening to to everyone and the and the people that have had the pleasure of working alongside in in various uh different areas.

I think to me, uh increasing the size of town council, uh, and trying to say this in a respectful way is a bit of a no-brainer.

Um to me, um what when I looked at all of the materials that were presented by the town staff who did a great job, I thought to myself, um, it to me it really doesn't matter about the cost.

I mean, the cost is not inconsequential, but it is a cost associated with doing business, which I thought was quite reasonable.

Um, View Royal has grown significantly over the last uh couple of years, and I think we need need to do some things that recognize that growth.

Um, and also when I look around, and and this would not be out of disrespect for the current counselors, but I think if you ask people who are your town councillors, there would be people out there who know and many people who don't.

And I think it's really important that we work hard as a group in this area to create an enhance community awareness of the role of town council, the importance of the decisions made by town council, creating enhanced community engagement, and like I say, creating it some sort of enhanced understanding of the role of council and the important work that's done there that impacts each one of our lives.

I'll just give you a quick example of something that I looked at.

I believe I'm correct when I say the last civic election was 2018.

Roughly 25% of all eligible voters participated in that election.

I think that's low.

And I think there's a role for council to play in being proactive and going out and engaging people in the work of the town.

If I can just I'm gonna ramble here, but just on the cost side, I think cost to me is the kind of thing you bring up when you don't really have anything else negative to say about expanding the council.

I just think it's it's not a factor.

What are the what do other communities do?

What's the size of their council?

To me, I would say who cares.

I would say that what do we need to effectively grow, manage, and direct the future growth and and and help the people and the quality of life in this area.

If we feel that it's five people, uh seven people, uh growing it to seven people, um, I think that's a very reasonable sort of forward looking kind of request.

Um so without going on too much further about that, although I certainly could, um I I just wanted to say that I'm uh totally in support of this uh this move forward, and I would uh I would encourage people to look more deeply.

I would encourage them to look beyond the cost, I would encourage them to look beyond what other communities are doing, and I would uh just encourage them to look at this from the perspective of what kind of community do we expect or would we hope that View Royal would become in the future?

How do we hold on to our current values and move the whole thing forward in a reasonable way?

And I think increasing the size of council does that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Baker, for calling in.

Thank you.

Next number, Steph.

Yes, your worship.

The next caller has the last four digits, seven five seven six.

Okay, caller with the last four digits of seven five seven six.

This is your opportunity.

Hello.

7576.

Good evening.

Go ahead, please.

7576.

You were there momentarily.

Did we lose that caller staff?

Uh your worship, they were unmuted, and now it appears that they're muted again.

Perhaps uh now I see they've unmuted.

Please, caller, go ahead.

Technology.

It's uh your mayor and council.

Uh good evening.

It's Don Brown.

I'm at 199 Atkins Road, and I'm calling in support of the uh increase to seven, a council of seven.

Um as a previous school trustee, uh, for six years in the uh Suk School District and also in the Nymal Ladysmith District.

I I realize that a lot of people feel that uh you know, council members and school trustees meet once a once a week and that's it.

They don't realize necessarily that there's a number of committees and subcommittees.

I think expanding to uh a council of seven would help spread that workload out uh in a more equitable manner.

Also, it would uh encourage more people to uh to seek office, uh in particular people that uh are working, because it's very very difficult now for people who are working, especially people working full-time to uh to to take on the role, especially if they're doing shift work or um other types of work.

So I think it's a good uh move forward, and certainly if you look at other uh municipalities, several that are much smaller than V Royal, uh they already have councils of seven.

So I'm definitely in full support of that.

Okay, thank you very much for calling in, Mr.

Brown.

Okay, thank you.

Have a good night.

The next caller staff.

Your worship, at this time we have no new callers.

Oh, okay.

Well, we will close off public participation period then.

Thank you to those who did call in, and we'll be discussing that issue at a future date.

And with that, do feel free to sneak away unless you particularly want to stay for the rest of the meeting.

We won't, but I'm just throwing it out there for you.

So we're gonna carry on to 8.1A, which is the staff report on electrical vehicle charging user fees.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um welcome.

I got a report for you guys.

Uh I'm hoping you had a chance to uh to read it.

Um, I got a few slides to go over, and uh if you have any questions, please uh please jump in.

Okay.

It's been over.

Oh, I gotta share my screen.

Hold on.

Can you guys see uh the screen?

We can.

Perfect.

Okay.

So it's just been over two years since the the town has installed the electrical vehicle stations.

Uh currently we we have one at town hall and one at Centennial Park.

Um when we installed these two stations, staff implemented uh free charging on a trial basis.

The the trial was uh implemented to grow awareness within the community about the availability of these stations.

Since the installation in July of 2019, uh the use has gone has grown from year to year, as you can see uh in the charts there.

Uh we've seen most usage growth at Centennial Park.

We obtained this data through a flow network which staff are connected to and can uh you know pull this data when whenever we need it.

So as you can see, um we have usage in kilowatt hours, we have total usage in hours, and we're able to determine average times, um, costs, um, and uh everything that you kind of see on the on the slide here.

Um town hall used roughly just over 10,000 kilowatt hours in the year of 2021, and that was to a cost of $1,350 and 65 cents.

And Centennial used just over 11,000 kilowatt hours for a toss to cost of $1,400.

The average usage time for most of these stations is around roughly around two and a half hours.

As we were trying to determine costs for the user fee for the stations, we looked at some of the other miss municipalities.

We looked at West Shore Parks and Rec, Sanich, Squimalt, and Victoria.

We kind of uh aligned our uh user fee recommendation with the West Shore Parks and Rec.

So the recommendation uh as it sees in front of you is that we would like council to approve the uh uh user fee for the town owned and operated electric vehicle stations at a fee of one dollar per hour for the first three hours, then two dollars per hour thereafter.

Uh that concludes uh my presentation.

Um I welcome any questions.

Okay, thank you, Kevin.

Councillor Manson.

Yes, uh thank you for your presentation, Kevin.

Um so so one of the concerns I've had is I see cars parked there over overnight, or and and I saw one time somebody left a sign, you know.

Thank you.

You know, sarcastic.

I don't see what he else he said.

But again, because the person was on for like eight hours or something, they didn't have an opportunity to plug in.

Uh, is there something we can do to penalize people who spend, you know, leave their car there all night or or or leave it all day?

Something I mean, I don't think the two dollars an hour thereafter, does it?

So don't you?

I mean, now it's free for them to leave it there.

Whereas now, if they leave it there, or in the future, if this gets passed, if they left it there, it would be 10, 11, 12 to leave it plugged in all night.

Well, I guess one of the other things is how long does it take you?

I mean, it's a fast charger, it's only supposed to take a few hours to plug in it.

Yeah, well, I'll let Kevin answer the question.

Because I I noticed that uh Sanitude says there's a three-hour limit, but what is what does that mean?

You only get juice for three hours, and but you can leave it plugged in forever?

Yeah, so a lot of a lot of questions there.

So I guess um yeah what what Mayor Squeeze is indicating is that yeah after the the three hour limit is up is two dollars per hour after.

So that was kind of our first line of defense of saying well if you're gonna sit here for yeah six seven hours you're gonna get dinged uh for for that fee.

Um we can also install signage where it indicates that yeah you can only sit here for three hours um and then have all the you know fees associated with that so that's gonna hope to deter them um and that's kind of the first line there is other ways to to to go about this is that we could just cut off the power.

So after three hours we could just cut the power off and they don't get chart they don't charge anymore.

So those are kind of the two uh options that we have available with the with the flow network just from my perspective i i don't think the two dollars an hour is a big enough disincentive if we actually increased it not so much to get money but just to encourage people to leave uh i'd be i'd feel better counselor rogers yes uh uh thanks staff um uh really pleased to uh to see the report come and and uh uh start charging um for the service uh can you tell us um you know with the standard amount of hours that you're averaging um that you show, how much revenue will could we generate from the two stations?

So yeah, good question.

Uh on on average, um so we you like you sa we see there's the two and a half hours there.

Uh if we did so say if it's a three hour time, so the the three the three hours would give us three dollars.

Um flow takes fifteen percent uh transaction fee.

And then the cost of electricity is roughly about twelve cents per kilowatt hour.

So we would could potentially get up to fifty cents to a to a dollar revenue per on a three hour charge.

How much do you think that would be a EAR?

Uh so if we go, if we just say if we use twenty twenty one data, um well I gotta do some calculations.

It we would we would get revenue uh in the hundreds of dollars, maybe up into the thousands of dollars.

Good.

Okay.

Other um and w I see this as a as a means of um collecting revenue so we can install more um charging stations throughout the town.

Does staff have other ideas about where we could uh charge um install?

Yeah yes uh the the next selected location is actually Centennial um when we installed the first charger there we actually installed a double pedestal uh so it's able to um accommodate one more charging uh charger so that's gonna be the next location uh that we install but we're always open to uh suggestions and uh we're always looking at uh other locations to to place them right so this is uh uh I think a really excellent way of you know providing uh a uh a green alternative um uh investing in more stations um and generating more revenue for more stations so it it really does work out that way I I understand council Madison's uh point of view and and um I think the good news about um us setting the rates is that these rates can be adjusted so if we find indeed there are our um lack of better terms uh forgetful or selfish individuals either or uh that stay beyond uh their uh the time that the car is fully charged yes we could increase it to five dollars an hour but I think the the 20 um you know if they're on for 12 hours that the uh that probably would be enough of a deterrent uh as a as a means of testing so um i'm quite happy with the staff's recommendation because i know that we can adjust this to any amount anytime we want it's the easiest way and we get more revenue thank you any questions on my left and then we could have staff's recommendation moved no questions just just um comment okay how would you like to move staff's recommendation then i would love to okay i move staff's recommendation move by counselor lemon yeah, thank you.

I would love to second.

Seconded by Councillor Rogers go ahead okay yeah, I'm really a support of this, Kevin.

Thank you very much for this report.

Um, I agree with Councillor Manson that you know we we don't want to see incidents of e v rage rage, you know, in our in our parking lot.

So I don't know that two dollars is is prohibitive, but but um as you said, let's let's see.

Um, you know, and and shutting off the juice, I don't think is the answer either, because people can they could still just sit there and and take up space and and um enrage.

So it's it's something to monitor and and uh see how it goes.

So I'm in full support.

Thanks very much.

Okay, we're all good.

Okay, I'm gonna call the question.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

Thank you, staff.

Very much.

Thank you.

And we're gonna move on to the committee of the whole resolutions.

Now these are from December.

Um I suspect we could just move them or December and January.

So I suppose we could just move them as a block.

So move.

Okay, so it's moved by Councillor Rogers.

Seconded by Councillor Kwalowich.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

Um so then we're I was just wondering why Mr.

Chow would come up.

I was trying to see if I had missed something on the agenda.

He's just gone home, he's ready to go.

That's right.

He's just chomping at the pitch.

So then we're going to 8.3a, which is the the minutes of the parks and environment meeting from november 23rd um if someone'd like to move the minutes i think i'll move receipt second of the minutes okay so that's moved and seconded on the floor and now there's three uh separate recommendations here um i would i would move receipt of uh parks wayfinding in the when we uh we can take that for information okay so we're moving receipt of the parks wayfindings.

So that's moved.

Second.

Seconded.

All in favor?

Opposed?

That's carried.

So the the investment one, I just want to point out we just went through this at CRD, and local government is legislated in how we can invest money, and it's all done through MFA.

The town of Uroil will not does not create investment policies.

So it's really a mute point.

And the MFA has done a whole lot of work on um green funds, and those are available and being improved all the time.

So I would also suggest just receiving this one for information.

Okay, second moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Mattson.

So you worship um are you feeling comfortable with MFA's work on on the whole initiative?

Yeah, green.

Yeah.

No, they really have done a lot of work on the subject.

So all in favor, opposed, that's carried.

Okay.

If your neighbor won't like it, but I think it's a great idea.

And the last one's kind of interesting.

I like it.

I I would move that you know, in case I mean, I don't disagree, but can we just hear from staff the I mean it is an interesting record?

I mean, we know that we have a tree protection bylaw, which we've just discussed, and and in that we talk about different things that are going to kill trees potentially, and those are things that will receive penalties in the bylaw.

So it is interesting that if someone allows their trees to come completely covered in English ivy, which is also going to kill the trees, should there be some means that the town should have to penalize or to so I mean, should you would you like us just to refer this to staff?

If if council wants further information that's been researched, yes, it should be referred to staff.

Our concern is whether or not there's authority.

And uh, you know, it's not uncommon historically for people to be planting ivy, yeah, even though it's in faces.

And so we need to do more work to um have council consider the issue if they indeed, want to consider that that measure.

We let the investment one go by.

Councillor Rogers.

I I I commend um uh Parks Advisor for coming uh coming up with this.

And actually, uh I did mention this myself uh when we were um at last um uh discussion when we were talking about the tree protection bylaw and the amendments to it uh on that very point that this is is the uh preserving the health of the trees.

Um I appreciate from what staff saying enforcement may be a challenge, likely a challenge, but I think um it's also an opportunity to weave this into education uh when we do bring and hopefully we will have uh material for residents about the health and safety and protection and preservation of of the trees and you know the whole justification and and on why it's so important.

So uh one way or another, I I would hope that we would uh embark on this.

So would you like to make a motion referring it to staff?

I'll move that we refer to staff.

Okay, so that's moved and seconded.

Okay, Councillor Lemon.

Just a comment.

Um I walked by my flanking yard tonight and there is a large tree that was really quite covered and I thought oh boy I hope that's not my tree and it's not it's the town.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah there's there's no doubt there are a lot of yeah we it's one of those things where if we had a bylaw we'd have to be taking care of our own as well.

Okay so we're going to refer that staff for some information back.

Yeah.

All in favor, you want to oppose, that's carried.

So next we're on to the correspondence I'm sorry, you worship um on the uh just a comment on the uh PRIAC minutes and discussions.

Um there was um a recommendation or suggestion um by the committee members to uh invite uh capital bike to present to the advisory committees on on cycling issues, and which I think was uh a great idea.

In fact, um I would ask uh counsel to to support the idea of having Capital Bike come and present jointly to both CDAC and PRIAC because we have the transportation side and and I think it's um it's a great education, great communication um opportunity, um, and also a great preview to the active um uh traffic um uh initiatives that the town will be undertaking.

That's so it's a means of educating.

Do they need our permission to invite someone to come and present?

I I got the impression that it probably would be a good idea if infant and particularly if it's going to be a joint presentation so that all members of advisory could benefit.

Sure.

Yeah.

Well, I mean, we could ask them to come and make a presentation to the advisory committees and and members of council that may be interested.

Sure.

Yeah.

Okay.

So it's really okay with that without a proper motion on that.

Okay.

Thank you.

So the first one we have is the the wounded warrior run.

Um so, staff, just you you made a note here so did we even though the event didn't take place the last two years did did we we we still provided the grant is that right okay okay great so we have uh a letter from the director of the wounded warrior run asking us to consider uh a grant in aid this year, and our illustrious fire chief is taking part fairly soon um well i i i think staff was that we had a a thousand dollar grant in aid um well we we did it the last three years.

Yeah, so I would move that again.

Okay.

For this year.

So you're curious, was staff suggesting that because we gave it last year and it wasn't a run that we use that money for this year?

I'm not sure, but I I mean personally, I think that you know, just because the run didn't take place didn't mean the money didn't go to good use.

Right.

Um and the activities that the money's used to support still took place.

So I understand that, but I was wondering if this is what staff was recommending it to us.

I I think they're just pointing out to us that technically under condition of funding, the we're supposed to get a an uh you know, a completion report, and that didn't happen.

Okay, so it's on the floor for a thousand.

Yeah.

I'm not worried.

I'm happy to support it again.

Is there a seconder for that?

Sure.

Okay, so it's moved and seconded.

I mean, I they are asking for a minimum two thousand.

I mean, I'm okay with somewhere in the middle, but um, yeah, whatever council's wishes are.

So it is on the floor moved and seconded for a thousand.

So all in favor of a thousand.

So that's carried.

Okay.

Okay.

Um okay, so thank you, and good luck, Paul.

Um nice to see we're gonna have a local celebrity at the fire hall in the beginning of March as well.

We'll be sub celebrating the end of the COVID mandates.

Oh yeah.

Dr.

Bonnie too.

Yeah.

So next we have correspondence for action, a letter about the Lamantria moth population.

I guess that there'll be a presentation at a future council meeting on this.

Do we do we really want that?

Well, you know, we can learn more or we can, you know, I'm not sure what else we can do with it.

Oh okay.

So Councillor Mattson or Councillor Rogers is moving that we invite them to make a presentation.

Yeah, but just I'm not so sure that you know we particularly need it, but if you have residents who are going to be have it on, it'd be good for them to be able to hear.

That's true.

Yeah, yeah.

No, that makes sense.

Okay, so it's moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Matson.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

And then the last one, is this not something that we can support at um UBCM, or is this something that they're asking for a direct letter of support?

I don't see either.

What's the actual ask in the no, it's true.

They just say the policy encloses for your information and move or seat.

So it's moved and seconded.

Yeah, second.

Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah, you're right though.

It should be going to UBCM.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's an important matter.

I don't know if it's urgent, but important.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All in favor.

Pose, that's carried.

And then we have 9.2A through U.

Ne move for receipt.

Second.

Okay.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor.

Pose, that's carried.

Mr.

Chow, now we're up for you.

Rezoning of 167169 and 171 Island Highway.

Thank you, Your Worship.

I'm very happy to be here.

Um, this is um the purpose of this presentation is just to report to uh to introduce the bylaw that's being considered uh after this presentation.

I'm just gonna load it up.

Oh and there it is.

Oh, that's the wrong one.

I was just so excited to attend.

Okay.

And now I've misplaced my presentation.

Here we go.

So the purpose of this presentation is to introduce uh bylaw one zero eight three uh to rezone the properties at 167, 169, 171 Island Highway, to schedule a public hearing for the bylaw, and to require registration of a covenant to be registered concurrent with first reading of the bylaw, and finally to present some additional renderings of the development concept.

It is a zone that would accommodate the development concept that was introduced that committed the whole.

And some this is a site-specific zone, which includes some uh unique um requirements, including a larger setback from Island Highway, a larger setback from uh Portage Park, and a requirement that the top floor be uh smaller in area than the store below the story below.

And that's because uh the purpose is to have a five-story building where the upper floor um will be set back to minimize the impact of the building.

This is the actual zone itself if there's any questions about it.

Uh the proposal we propose a public hearing to be held February 1st, which is two weeks from now, subject to uh first and second reading of the bylaw tonight.

Uh also the recommendation is that a covenant be registered for the fourth reading of the bylaw, and that is to secure a couple things.

One is to require that the three lots that comprise the site not to be sold independently, because otherwise the development concept would not be feasible.

That the three lots be consolidated prior to building permit issuance, so that the building permit needs to comply with what the zoning will be at the time, and that the voluntary community and managed contribution of $4,000 per residential unit be provided prior to building permit issuance.

Securing the installation of four trees in Portage Park to the Director of Engineering's satisfaction, along with a secure deposit for maintenance and replacement.

And the purpose of this is because the trees that are being provided are to provide some additional screening from the park to the to the building.

And these are the renderings that show uh trees that maturity when it was introduced when these renderings were presented out to me.

The whole the new vegetation wasn't shown in order that the building could be viewed.

This is an interior view of the site from above the uh in end trail uh showing the relationship to the uh playground in Portage Park.

This shows the view from Island Highway as you're heading away from downtown.

And the view of the site as you go past it on four mile past as you go past the four mile pub showing the hedge that would provide some screening.

And this is one of the uh the concerns discussed at the committee the whole meeting about what the building would look like from the uh from Portage Park.

Uh this shows the trees would screen a lot of the buildings, and this view is shown from the uh ENN trail where you're further away, and the closer you get.

Uh obviously, the trees kind of feel fill your field of vision, so it provides uh more screening the closer you get.

So that uh concludes the presentation.

The recommendation is to uh subject to first and second reading, the public hearing be scheduled and that uh the covenant to secure those items be secured as part of fourth reading.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Chuck.

The questions first.

Councilor Rogers.

Yes, thank you.

Uh thank you again.

Um, Mr.

Chelby.

One of the um uh you know comments I received from um some of the publicers, so what are we going to get out of this?

Um I they were concerned about um, and and I think we're we pretty much, I think we've addressed um uh the visual impact from Florida's Park.

But I I thought was thinking about this, and the um I guess my question is how does a landlift analysis of where three properties are being um three homes are now going to be 82 homes?

Um and I know it's it addresses the housing aspect, but um when I think of other developers, um, for example, number nine, where you know they they're committed to uh improving the hospital trail, uh, they've done the roundabout, they put in the sidewalk, um, they've done the DCCs and the CACs and uh 10% uh uh housing, affordable housing.

So can you can you uh aside from DCCs and CACs and some trees, what uh what other amenities are the residents um getting from this development?

Um through you, your worship.

Uh the community amenity contribution policy is uh sets out some guidelines for uh rezonings uh for rezoning applications to provide a more kind of consistent level of contribution from each project.

Uh we did some analysis where in developing the policy where some some projects didn't contribute very much and others others had to create a lot.

And the idea here was to create a balance and to uh provide some uh a degree of comfort to uh applicants and as they prepare development proposals to find something that is that is viable to have an understanding of of what the uh community amenity contributions might be so ordinarily uh the uh the intent is that if there's something tangible that the community wants then then those can those would be the value that would typically be deducted from the cash amenities that that arise out of this or arise out of the policy so in short the policy is there to if there's nothing tangible specified or or smaller items, that a cash amenity will supplement it so that it's kind of balanced with uh similar application that happen elsewhere so so the intent here is that when you talk about community amenities, it's about um having a fairly level playing ground, uh playing level for uh for applications so that so that whether it's um whatever the application is uh that people are contributing a similar amount to somebody next door who's making a rezoning application.

Okay, interesting.

So um it kind of comes back to council if there's anything that we feel is the tangible deliverable.

So um, and I'm just gonna throw it out there.

One of the things we just talked about Ivy and and uh in town property, Portage Park has an extraordinary amount of ivy and it's very costly uh to to remove um um I wonder if um then that might be a tangible deliverable of the applicant um uh to uh make a a contribution to the green team um you know for you know a 10 year whatever commitment of of uh removing ivy from Portage Park something that would be of of considerable benefit to uh the park and and to the residents um your worship if i if I may um so one of the things is that when in um so some of the things can be identified at at this time uh and uh but fundamentally when the when the if the project moves forward um so one option is that sure something tangible could be agreed to as part of this proposal um the other uh the the other way to approach it is that when the when the project moves forward times time to the building permit issuance those community amenity funds are received council can decide at that time how to use it um and uh alternatively one of the things that uh may arise this year is is sort of developing a list of uh amenities that are desired in the town that that that you can have as sort of a backup for for something tangible.

So as it is, uh if funds, for example, if funds if council is interested in having funds to fund removal of invasive species at Portage Park, um, those could either be negotiated this time and then change the value of the cash contribution.

Alternatively, uh, when those funds are received, council can have a second look and allocate it to other things.

So one thing to keep in mind is when the policy was adopted last year, um, 10% of the cash and manager funds would be transferred to the uh to the regional district regional housing uh trust fund.

Okay.

Um I'll I'll I guess that my uh my only other question is um then has has staff done a landlift analysis on this?

Uh through your worship uh landlift analysis are quite complicated uh studies and they they they have a cost to them as well and they're really only worthwhile for large scale projects so so so um in the policy um the a landlift analysis is is not really recommended for this scale of development so yeah the the default rate is is the four thousand dollars per unit we'd we don't normally on this size of project we did for things like um christie point for example.

Yeah, hello.

Thank you.

Questions before we get to motions and comments.

Everyone's good.

No more questions.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Cho.

So is anyone prepared to move staff's recommendation?

Well, we need to read receive the report, I suppose.

So all in favor, opposed.

That's carried.

And so that well, yeah.

So we were so there is a staff recommendation as well, and then there's the physical reading, first and second reading of the bylaw.

So someone prepared to move staff's recommendation.

And move staff's recommendation.

Okay, thank you.

Second.

Moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Kwalowich.

Go ahead.

And I I guess the um I I moved the recommendation with an additional clause.

Um in that um the applicant work with the town to um consider other community amenities beyond um CACs.

And and my my rationale is it went to the so I think you can do that as a business as as a motion arising, right?

And then we can debate that one separately.

There's too much wrapped up.

Okay.

Okay, so why don't we do the staff recommendation?

Okay.

So that's moved and seconded.

All in favor.

Do you want comments first?

Sure.

I mean, I'm not on to the zoning bylaw, right?

This no, that this it all fits in here.

So my opinion of this project hasn't changed at all.

It's way too tall and imposing, too dense, you know, what 82 units on a little more than an acre or whatever.

It's a very nice picture, but you know, that's from my impression, there's gonna be negative impacts on Portage Park.

I'm certainly not satisfied with that rendering.

And from someone who walks there every day, a lot of those trees look a lot bigger, a lot bigger in the picture than they do in real life.

Uh and the other part is you know, Erskine Lane, number nine Erskine Lane's a great example of how when you're giving somebody a huge increase in the value of the property, we got a lot more than the uh the the CACs, and so also on we have on the books here.

We're looking towards uh you know affordable units, and from my perspective, this project is doing nothing for the residents of U roll.

So I'm I can't even support it at this end of going to uh the public hearing because it's just missing too many things that I think it's required before it's a benefit to the town.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, so what at the moment what we have on the floor is the the staff recommendation about the three lots being not sold independently, the CAC is the 4,000 um prior to building permit, and then we'll get to the zoning bylaw.

Would anyone else like to speak to the actual staff recommendation?

I'm happy for it to go forward to the public for comment.

And I I guess I'm you know, I I still um and I know that we have the the community amenity fund.

Um but as uh as council Madison is saying, when you one compares to the other um contributions uh that other developers made in other other parts of the town, I think uh the applicants um should be working with the town beyond the CACs.

And one example is uh Glentana that had put in a uh trail for Portage Park.

So um I think there's something more than than uh that can be done here.

But other than that, I'm I'm happy to support the application of the uh motion.

On my left.

Um point number four in the recommendation, the installation of four trees in Portosh Park, um, doesn't a forest make?

And I uh I I'm not even sure why that's there.

Um four trees is just four trees.

Um I've I've been pretty clear on my feelings about this project.

However, there is a uh part of me that's uh that I I agree that if we consolidate into three lots, um we're uh we we we have a project here that perhaps we can work with um if we and we have um oh boy where was i going with this anyway i'm prepared i'm prepared to to see it go to public going to public hearing yeah okay well i think it's noteworthy that the uh and that the developer has gone and uh secured a land assembly uh in the hopes of uh boosting the economy in View royal, looking for a an area in which uh development can grow and density can grow along a major route.

Uh that is something we talk about regularly.

I'm I'm prepared to support this and move it to uh to the public hearing.

Okay, thank you.

So I've I've got a few things.

I I don't understand the comparisons to nine Erskine Lane.

Um it I mean, all that development is doing beyond the CACs, which is exactly what this moment is doing, is they're providing a roundabout at the corner.

That's the only extra above and beyond.

And that was be, I mean, a such a different case.

350 units on a small road, um, and even then that case, staff told us it wasn't necessary.

But I mean, that this development will be paying DCCs, this development is paying CACs.

Um, so I don't get the comparison.

And I think when we have a CAC policy, we have to be very careful not to just all of a sudden come up with new things.

That was that was the reason we adopted the policy to guide us.

And you know, this has been to committee of the whole two or three times because the developer has tried to change iterations of it to make it more acceptable.

And I think we should probably should have got into that sort of discussion then.

Having said that, my guess would be that Mr.

Mann probably would be open to the idea of contributing to removing ivy from trees in Portage Park.

For you know, I don't know that that would be a deal breaker.

But I do think we need to be careful.

Um, I mean, we talk about the Glentana building and that trail, but that's all that building did.

That was the only community amenity was that trail, which cost nothing.

So, I mean, there's just no comparison in terms of the CACs that we're going to be getting from this project, as opposed to what we allowed that building in Glentam to be built and received no amenity for the community other than that trail.

So I think when we're comparing them all and the amenities we see, we need to be careful.

And that is why we adopted the policy, so that we were going to have an even blanket with it.

I think it's it's a perfect place for more density.

I think this is a wonderful development.

I'm 100% supportive.

Um there's no residents nearby that is going to particularly just to disturb.

Um it's close to the trails, it's close to services, it's close to transit.

And as I've said before, if we're so anxious to keep our neighborhoods the same, then this is a way of providing more housing in View Royal, which is desperately needed, um, while protecting the other characteristics of the community.

So I couldn't be more supportive of moving it forward.

So with that, I'm going to call the question on staff's recommendation.

So all in favor, opposed.

So councillor Mattson is opposed.

And then, you know, I mean, I think Councilor Rogers, if you want to make a motion, I don't think it's fair to put staff at this point to negotiate further community amendies, but if you want to specifically suggest uh some sort of contribution to direct benefit in Portage Park, for example, for staff to negotiate, I think there's nothing wrong with that.

I would uh so move and uh that staff work with the applicant on on a uh uh significant contribution that would last over a number of years because it's uh a large project.

So if uh staff can work that out, I'd appreciate it.

Second.

So that's moved and seconded.

Okay.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

Okay, and then uh so then we need first and second reading of amendment byla number one zero eight three.

So moved.

So it's moved by councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Kwalovich.

I'm gonna presume we don't need to speak to it again.

I am opposed to it for the same reason.

Yes.

So all in favor, opposed.

Councillor Mattson is opposed.

Good.

Thank you, staff.

Next we have uh update from our director of engineering about something the mayor has been getting constant phone calls about for about the last three weeks.

Garbage pickup.

Thank you, your worship.

Uh John Rosenberg, Director of Engineering and Parks.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Oddly enough, we got several calls ourselves.

It has been a contentious issue.

And for various reasons.

Some can be attributed to our contractor, but most I would say were beyond their control.

With regards to the reasons, their natural gas truck that they worked with us on supplying.

It broke down in the middle of December, uh critical part that they haven't been able to get uh repaired.

So it's supposed to be back and be repaired this uh week, we're hoping.

Um that results in them going back to a style where they bring two individual smaller trucks in that have to now make several more trips over obviously significantly bad roads.

Um, because unlike View Royal, a lot of the other municipalities don't do quite as good a job on their roads.

Um when they got to the landfill, which is a steep road, um, lineups were significant because they had a tough time clearing the roads, and when they did, those roads were icy.

So not only were they making multiple trips with multiple uh vehicles, but they were then in line way longer than they normally would because of weather.

Um as well, if if I could get um Don to bring up that one attachment, please.

Um several units um weren't picked up.

Now nobody actually claimed to say this was the reason, but um it's difficult to ask an employee to hike through that snow under work safe and then drag out that what can be a 35 or 40 pound container.

What is what is the park sign there?

Um that is park crest.

That's that little trail going back into the little park crest uh area.

So um on several occasions this was the the reason that people weren't picked up.

And again, when you asked them.

Um, um no, no, that's not the reason it wasn't picked up.

So um I don't know who placed that can there.

It obviously wasn't the homeowner, but uh somebody placed it there, and uh they won't pick those types of cans up.

I mean, it is expected that they'll put it in their driveway so it's accessible, or they'll put it on the edge of the road, and especially in a smaller area there on a local road.

I I heard also that they were actually frozen in the snow quite often, and you couldn't even budge them, right?

Some of them were frozen, yes.

In other cases, uh the roads were extremely icy in in certain spots just because you get the freeze thaw.

But in those particular cases, they are equipped to kind of, but that slowed them down in picking up the units.

Um, and the other problem they had is that they did have an employee that uh left their employee, um, which is a crucial employee.

He was their local manager that's very familiar with the route, very familiar with the workings of the routes, um, how to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

So they've been using their regional manager, which has been doing his best, but he's not familiar with all this, you know, special circumstances that we have with regards to tight roads or strata roads and those types of things.

And some of those strata roads weren't plowed.

Um, yet they were expected to go up into those areas and pick up those garbage.

So some of those calls could have been from those residents as well, which would expect their garbage to be picked up, rightfully so.

But it's difficult if the road's not plowed by that strata for the garbage truck to get in there and do that work.

So that's the um basic breakdown for the reasons you worship.

Um, we are hoping that um we're hoping if with no weather, that by the end of this week, everybody will be caught up.

Nobody was charged extra for extra bags.

Um they did work on Saturdays to try to catch up.

Um, so staff did work with them, and and they were fairly communicative with regards to uh where they were at, and we we did try to post on several occasions on the website with regards to status.

Um, and I and I can tell you from a staff perspective, our engineering clerk uh has been beaten up emotionally for the past several days.

Uh it's been a very trying time for her.

I yeah, I'm absolutely sure that's true just by the the amount of anger I've seen from residents by email or or even to me.

Wait, one just before I go to others, um why were at times were they only picking up one of the complaints I've heard is that they've been picking up garbage but not green garbage, or vice versa.

That's correct.

And is that presumably because this truck was down, which they can put both into?

So the two trucks were out, and sometimes what they did to try to complete a route was put both trucks on the same route.

Um, and then other times they can't mix.

So if that one truck goes, it can't, the other truck can't go by your house and pick up both because he's only authorized to pick up the other.

And then he couldn't get the second truck, could have been because it was later in the day, couldn't get back after he got out of the lineup at the landfill, couldn't get back into that route on that day.

Then you're pushed to the next day, and then operationally, um, they were making decisions almost like a triage effect.

Do they pick up um yesterday's garbage today and now everybody on today gets missed?

Or do they pick up today's garbage on today and have everybody on yesterday's garbage get picked up a week later?

So one of the decisions that we were making was that if your garbage got picked up on the first week, and this is really a three week episode, then on the second week, we wouldn't triage it and come back to pick it up.

We would just skip it.

So you would go two weeks without a pickup.

But at no time did anybody, other than perhaps something like that, uh go three weeks without garbage pickup.

And granted, it was over Christmas, and people generally, you know, it's a busier time.

But again, I'd like to reiterate nobody was charged for the extra bags.

Um, the contractor took all that on on his own, um, hasn't asked for an additional funding, and and we appreciate that as well.

You'd you'd think in general that to save the View Royal staff from that answering all these questions that they don't really have the answers to, that it would be time maybe the waste management should come out with some sort of app or something, which shouldn't be tremendously difficult in this day and age, so the residents could actually sign up for it and find out what's going on.

I can certainly bring that forward.

I mean, waste management is a worldwide company.

Yeah, exactly.

So I I think they would have the power to get some kind of app in place, where they would have the will to put that into such a small local area, right?

Um, depending on the cost to do that, because it's not just developing the app, it's then modifying it to fit our town and our constituents.

And one of the reasons we get so many calls is although they do have a a number to call, that person again isn't a local person.

So they're not aware of the reasons why in a specific area.

And and because we can also work with our snow removal contractors, sometimes what happens is they can't plow a street properly because people are parked on that street, so then garbage can be missed for that reason as well.

So um those are kind of some of the answers that we can provide locally that you know the global system can't.

I'll go to others in in a minute, I promise.

But it the um Oh God, now it's not completely for Oh, I mean, but uh part of the problem was just overall communication again, right?

If if waste management had some way of just letting people know right I mean over Christmas as you say we were closed and so they can't get the answers from town hall um and if they've had a website where they had posted what you just told us you know that we're sorry our truck we can't get parks there's a global supply shortage um the roads up to Heartland are terrible and you know all those things people would understand but when they don't get any information then they just get angry.

Your worship, I have some really good news for you.

Okay.

And that is the contract is about to expire.

Right.

Well, that might not be good.

So but what it does mean is that that is something that we can ask and put that in as an addendum to that contract and say if we wanted this service, because it would be additional to what we're currently asking them to do, we can find out exactly what it would cost us and determine if that's uh a service we want to pay for.

So we do have the right now is an excellent time to bring that forward.

So we'll have those initial discussions with them as part of that process and see if it's even possible.

And if it is, then uh we'll we'll get a price to it so council can make a decision on that.

Okay, thank you.

Councilor Matteson?

Yes, thank you.

So staff, I'm wondering what we did do in terms of trying to communicate with the public.

I know we have uh sorry, I can't remember the name of the line, but it sends uh notes out to in individuals who are registered and and what we did on the website, and so that information that you just provided would have been good to have available to the public.

And what I heard was from a lot of people was well should we maybe haul our garbage cans back in into our yard because you know they're just you know animals, etc, and cars can knock them over.

Right.

But nobody could because they didn't know when the next pickup was going to be.

Yeah, I mean we we did attempt especially other than the Christmas I mean and again, you know, the perfect storm of weather and we were closed, closed and and we've made that administrative decision not to be open over those three days.

You know, that's something that internally staff may talk about and whether we want to staff one person to take these calls, although I'm not sure they'd stay working after that one week and they had to take them all.

It was available on there.

That's something that we can look at.

But we were updating the website.

We uh waste management was giving us updates and we were putting on our website other than that one week.

So and some of it's kind of fluid where they don't even have the answer.

When a truck breaks down and it doesn't come back up and then an employee calls in and I mean some of these things are are fluid by the hour and not just by the by the week.

But overall I I would you know I I get the the frustration but overall, I was pretty impressed with the work that waste management did on our behalf.

The Saturdays we're we're not seeing an extra charge for that that that.

That's not uh, you know, that's not a cost that we're going to see uh the extra garbage that they're putting in.

We bear the tonnage cost, but normally that's a uh extra pickup cost that they would be um reimbursed for, and they're not being reimbursed for that as well.

So thank you.

Councillor Rogers.

Yeah, uh thanks.

Um you know in the big scheme of things, it you know, certainly it was annoying, but you you you do get the appreciation that uh garbage is important to folks.

And uh and particularly like Ron said, you know, you you you you don't want to miss it.

But I I I commend staff uh for staying on top of it and and selling the bulletins out.

Uh that was useful to receive, and I appreciate that.

Um I guess my my suggestion is uh those individuals that don't have those bulletins or don't use them, um maybe this is a good indication and a good time for us to have a look at our our phone system.

Where you know sometimes you know if when people dial a number, if you're calling about garbage, press one.

And that then takes the heat off the um uh the you know then you could put the latest information keep it up to date and um so our poor receptionist doesn't have to get beat up because all the information the is relevant is there and that's it.

Um so that might help and and as long as people know keep your garbage out and it's coming, and here's the dates.

Um, maybe that would have addressed uh most of the concerns, but I really do think it's time for us to reassess how people phone in and how they can be directed quickly to um a solution.

I I would definitely say that one of the things that we do here in View Road is that we're small enough to provide a personal service.

And I think in some of these trying times, getting, you know, press one for this, listening to a message, pressing two for this.

Um, and then if you want, you can talk to somebody.

I it is almost a sense of frustration.

We didn't have too many people that had to wait to talk to somebody.

Um, front reception would take somebody on.

Um, engineering, we've got an engineering clerk part-time and full-time.

Uh, they were both working those phones to answer those calls.

I mean, a lot of times people want to talk about their specific situation, not about the general situation of what's going on because they feel like their certain circumstance is different than what we're talking about, whether it's a slippery road or a lack of a pickup or a missed day.

Um, and and sometimes it's about, you know, just the idea of what am I going to do now?

My can's completely full, even though we say leave a bag out and it won't get paid, they still like to know.

And then they want to know, do I have to take it back?

Can I leave it out?

You know, am I supposed to leave it out?

If it gets open, do I have to clean it up?

Who will clean it up?

And yeah, you know.

I guess what I'm saying is that um the information you did provide doesn't always get to all the population.

So that that bulletin you send out.

I'm not saying that that bulletin is good enough, and that's all, but if if that bulletin was on the as a as a phone option as well, that people could phone in here, and then if you have further questions, please hang on.

It's just uh you know another way of getting the great information out.

Someone will talk to you.

Certainly.

Thank you.

On my left?

Just a comment.

And uh I I think staff did a magnificent job on social media.

Um, John, I that was that was where I was getting updates, and and sometimes I cut hope.

And then you call them.

So uh that was tremendous.

Thank you.

I um I put out a lot of bags with the three dollar B royal stickers.

Um you didn't cut the box.

I had a lot.

Anyway, thanks for what stuff did.

How are you find.

Thank you, John.

Yeah, thank you to staff.

I know it was stressful.

I was surprised how many folks called me to complain about their recycle because I'm a CRD director.

Yeah.

You know, and they were dealing with all the same things.

And they have such a vast area that they cover with that blue box program.

So it's when they get behind, it's just a nightmare for them.

And I know CRD staff was was frazzled as well.

And I mean in the CRD's case, they're just point blank.

If we didn't get you today, you wait a week you're you're waiting for two weeks.

There's no we're gonna catch up the next day.

There's none of that.

It's if you're missed, you wait to the next one.

Yeah.

And again, for them, it was a perfect storm with all the everybody's Christmas recycling so there's five times as much as usual yeah out on the curb yeah no doubt good thank you staff so next up we have question periods so anyone who'd like to call in you can dial 778 402 9227 and enter conference ID 640 350 301 pound and you can ask a question about anything it doesn't have to have been something on tonight's agenda and we'll pause there because we got there kind of quickly.

So we'll just pause for 45 seconds to let people call in.

Can staff tell us if there's anyone in the mind?

Oh, I get this.

Let's just wait.

Come on up to the mic if you do and just a question.

Just yeah.

Do you have any questions?

Sure, yeah.

Is it okay to make it just general comments as opposed to a question?

Sure, why not?

Uh I don't want to beat a dead horse.

Uh Sean Richie, 48 Fallstaff uh place, one of the private roads that wasn't plowed, unfortunately, for your for your guys.

Uh again, don't want to beat a dead horse.

Just want to echo what Councillor Lemon uh had mentioned.

Getting tons of updates about the garbage collection over Twitter.

Had no confusion about when our stuff was getting picked up.

I think that's a great service that you're providing.

I know people in this community probably want to have that one on one-on-one connection, but especially when we're having these issues over the holiday break, unreasonable to ask somebody to field all of these angry phone calls over the Christmas or holiday period.

Um, maybe the phone message, as Councillor Rogers said, directing them to the Royal Twitter account because information was coming out very quickly.

Uh, no confusion on when our garbage or recycling is picked up.

And uh yeah, it was it was very easy to get that information.

So good.

Yeah, yeah.

And that's assuming just wanted you to hear from an actual session.

Thanks very much.

Yeah.

It is assuming that my 10-year-old mother uses Twitter.

Right.

Yeah.

Do we have any callers on the line staff?

Your worship, no, at this time we do not.

Okay, thank you.

So I think we'll close question period and we'll have a motion to go in camera.

So Jones.

Thank you, your worship.

There's a need to have a meeting closed to the public and persons other than the immediate members of council, officers, employees of the town, and those identified under section 91, subsection two of the community charter shall be excluded on the basis of section 90, subsection one C labor and G litigation.

Okay, moved by Councillor Madsen, seconded by Councillor Rogers.

Thank you for coming.

Thanks very much.

Thanks again.

Thanks for coming.