Minutes of the Parks, Recreation & Environment Advisory Committee - Nov 22, 2022

MINUTES OF THE PARKS, RECREATION & ENVIRONMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ELECTRONICALLY ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022

PRESENT: R. Bickel I. Brown L. Jeaurond E. Kuiack J. Snyder Councillor Lemon, Council Liaison Councillor Mattson, Council Liaison

REGRETS:

ALSO PRESENT: Mayor Tobias Councillor Brown Councillor MacKenzie I. Leung, Director of Engineering S. Jones, Director of Corporate Administration J. Paterson, Recording Secretary 0 members of the public 0 members of the press

1. CALL TO ORDER

The Director of Engineering called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

2. WELCOME NEW MEMBER & SELECTION OF THE CHAIR & VICE CHAIR

The Director of Engineering welcomed Advisory Committee members and introductions were made followed by selection of the Chair and Vice Chair.

a) Selection of the Chair and Vice Chair

MOVED BY: L. Jeaurond SECONDED: E. Kuiack

THAT Ian Brown be appointed as Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee. CARRIED

MOVED BY: E. Kuiack SECONDED: R. Bickel

THAT Linda Jeaurond be appointed as Vice Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee. CARRIED

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: L. Jeaurond SECONDED: E. Kuiack

THAT the agenda be amended to include items 10(b-d),

AND THAT the agenda be approved as amended. CARRIED

4. MINUTES, RECEIPT & ADOPTION OF

a) Minutes of the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee meeting held March 22, 2022

MOVED BY: E. Kuiack SECONDED: I. Brown

THAT the minutes of the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee meeting held March 22, 2022 be adopted. CARRIED

b) Minutes of the Joint Advisory Committee meeting held March 22, 2022

MOVED BY: L. Jeaurond SECONDED: E. Kuiack

THAT the minutes of the Joint Advisory Committee meeting held March 22, 2022 be received. CARRIED

5. CHAIR’S REPORT

6. PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

7. BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES

8. REPORTS

8.1 STAFF REPORTS

8.2 COUNCIL REPORTS

a) Minutes of the Council meetings held March 15, 2022 to November 1, 2022

MOVED BY: J. Snyder SECONDED: L. Jeaurond

THAT the minutes of the Council meetings held March 15, 2022 to November 1, 2022 be received. CARRIED

9. CORRESPONDENCE

10. NEW BUSINESS

a) Future of View Royal Park Community Gardens Management

The Committee discussed the future management of the View Royal Park community gardens as Society members are aging and no longer able to fulfill the maintenance responsibilities of the agreement with the Town. The Committee also discussed how other municipalities operate community gardens, needs of the gardeners, and options for a new operating agreement.

MOVED BY: R. Bickel SECONDED: L. Jeaurond

PREAC-02-22 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that staff be requested to provide options for the future operation of the View Royal Park community gardens for Council’s consideration. CARRIED

b) Proposed Advisory Committees Structure

Mayor Tobias gave an overview of the topic, noting that Council is looking for comments on the proposed advisory committees structure and both mandate and membership renewal. Mayor Tobias discussed the number of committees in other municipalities, the number of View Royal advisory committee meetings held, that he has heard community members want to be more involved with the Town, and how term limits can bring new voices.

The Committee discussed the pros and cons of changing the advisory committee structure, observing that with more diverse committees, there may be more interest from people in participating, particularly for those with special interests. Concern was expressed for the burden on staff costs and time that additional advisory committees would create. A member stated that advisory committees could meet jointly, in a combined meeting format, to reduce the resourcing impact and then convene unofficially in non-meeting months as standalone groups if so desired. A member suggested that committee members could alternate taking meeting minutes in the absence of a staff recording secretary. The Director of Corporate Administration noted that minutes of Council committees are to be certified as set out in the Community Charter and the Town’s Procedure Bylaw and this approach would not fulfill that requirement. One suggestion proposed was for staff to work “split shifts” to facilitate advisory committee meetings.

Members expressed interest in both a standalone “Transportation” advisory committee and a standalone “Environment” advisory committee. There was discussion around whether i.) some proposed advisory committees could take on envisioned roles of some of the proposed advisory committees; ii.) be time limited task forces; or iii.) sub-committees of the existing advisory committees.

The Committee agreed that they would support a more modern approach to advisory committee membership advertising, a simplified application process; a clear mandate with defined roles for advisory committee members, and additional training on formal meeting procedures.

c) Active Transportation Network Plan

Committee member, L. Jeaurond, discussed traffic calming and her interest in reducing speed limits to 30 km on all neighbourhood streets. She posited that lowering speed limits would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, eventually, the number of vehicles on the roads as alternative modes of travel become more attractive.

MOVED BY: L. Jeaurond SECONDED: E. Kuiack

PREAC-03-22 THAT, with a view to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Committee recommend to Council that a speed limit policy for neighbourhood streets be established to reduce the speed limit from 50 kilometres/hour to 30 kilometres/hour. CARRIED

d) Town Endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

Committee member, Ian Brown, asked the Committee to pass a motion that would seek Council’s endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Committee sought links to learn more information about this initiative during the meeting.

MOVED BY: L. Jeaurond SECONDED: J. Snyder

THAT item 10(d) “Town Endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty” be tabled to the next Parks, Recreation & Environment Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for January 2023 to allow time to gather more information. CARRIED

11. CLOSED MEETING RESOLUTION

12. TERMINATION

MOVED BY: J. Synder SECONDED: I. Brown

THAT this meeting now terminate at 8:29 p.m. CARRIED

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CHAIR RECORDING SECRETARY