MINUTES OF A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Screech called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Weisgerber

THAT the agenda be approved as presented. CARRIED

3. MAYOR'S REPORT

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD

a) B. Stavdal, 32-118 Aldersmith Place, stated his support for the proposed marine route in the Gorge Waterway from the Shoreline Drive/Christie Point area to the Portage Inlet Linear Park area.

b) P. Hyslop, 325 Stewart Avenue, stated that he sent a letter to staff regarding the wood retaining wall that straddles the park at the Stewart Avenue water access. He feels this is a trespass and a variance is most likely required. The Mayor noted that staff will look into this matter.

c) J. Penner, 409-290 Wilfert Road, and M. Kless, 408-286 Wilfert Road, stated they have a petition to present to Council in support of a dark sky policy as the lights from car lots on Island Highway shine into units on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the COHO development. As well, they are petitioning the Town to work with the Department of National Defence (DND) to create an access over DND land from Wilfert Road to the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre trail. The Mayor noted that Council will get an update from staff on the lighting matter and a Councillor is working with DND on the trail issue.

d) E. Duggan, 2428 Lund Road, stated his concern about the homeless camping at a property on Cheam Road and wondered how Council will be dealing with the homeless issue. He also expressed his concern about the response time by staff to deal with plants at the corner of Chilco Park (Lund and Cahilty Roads) as these plants pose a safety concern for people exiting the park.

The Mayor noted that the homeless camp on Cheam Road is on private property and the Town is unable to remove people from private property. However, the owners of the Cheam Road property have been encouraged to seek police assistance and they are aware of the Town's concerns. The Mayor also noted that the Capital Regional District (CRD) approved borrowing of up to $30 million incrementally to fund affordable or supportive housing projects and, although this will take a few years to come to fruition, the Town will work in conjunction with the CRD on this initiative.

The Mayor and the Director of Engineering spoke in regard to the visibility concern at Chilco Park due to vegetation and stated that staff resources are limited but that staff have been on-site to assess the situation and work on this issue will be completed in the near future.

e) L. Pakos, 336 Glenairlie Drive, commended the Mayor for his work to halt the potential addition of a second casino in the Capital Region. She suggested that should an additional casino be constructed, View Royal seek to enter into a revenue sharing agreement with the host municipality. The Mayor noted that if View Royal Casino revenue decreases through the Province granting an additional gaming license in the Region, the Town will be impacted.

f) K. Hayes, 4-1938 West Park Lane, spoke to Council in regard to her concern about the owner evicting tenants from the Thetis Lake Campground at 1938 West Park Lane. She noted that the owner had informed her that the Town had been in contact to indicate that the mobile homes are illegal. She is concerned that there will be a lack of affordable housing if the Thetis Lake and the Fort Victoria sites are closed and residents will be left homeless with only one year pad rental for compensation.

The Mayor stated that the Town has been in contact with the campground owners to inform them of zoning contraventions at their sites. There was no request for the eviction of residents and instead, the discussion focused on the owners' long-term plans to come into compliance with their zoning. He noted that the owner of the Thetis Lake Campground is currently in negotiations with a developer for the purchase of his property and the owner is exploring alternatives. The owner could submit a rezoning application to the Town though no application has been submitted at this time.

The Mayor clarified some misinformation regarding the Town's involvement in the rabbit relocation initiative at the Province's Trans-Canada/Helmcken Road overpass that K. Hayes had been given by a friend.

g) D. Dobbie, 7-1938 West Park Lane, stated that in July 2015 he had attended a View Royal Council meeting to inquire about the future development of the Thetis Lake Campground. He is concerned about his ability to sell his unit due to the potential for the campground to be shut down. D. Dobbie stated that if the Town wants to develop the site, that the Town should protect those who have units there. He requested that the Town grant de facto manufactured home park status to the Thetis Lake Campground and adopt a similar policy to the City of Langford's "Manufactured Home Park Redevelopment Policy" that would see compensation paid to him for the loss of his home at the Thetis Lake Campground.

The Mayor stated that the Town will not be developing this land but that he understands there is interest by a developer to purchase the property. He noted that should the owner wish to bring the property into zoning compliance, he is welcome to bring forward a rezoning application. The Mayor also stated that the District of Langford policy addresses manufactured home parks and not campgrounds. He encouraged Mr. Dobbie to speak with the owner of 1938 West Park Lane.

h) S. Dana, 311 Stewart Avenue, spoke to Council in regard to his concern about the traffic congestion and elimination of a traffic lane at Helmcken Road/Watkiss Way and also his concern about tree roots posing a concern to underground infrastructure on View Royal Avenue.

The Director of Engineering noted that the Town's philosophy is that pedestrians, bicycles and transit are more important than automobiles. He indicated that Town staff is working with the District of Saanich Engineering Department to optimize the lights at Helmcken/Burnside Roads with the lights at Helmcken Road/Watkiss Way. The Mayor stated that the elimination of a traffic lane was done at Council's direction.

i) B. Stavdal, 32-118 Aldersmith Place, spoke to Council in regard to the Admirals Road divider on the Saanich side of the Craigflower Bridge which creates traffic congestion. He suggested that this divider be narrowed or eliminated. The Director of Engineering noted that he would forward this observation to the District of Saanich.

j) L. Pakos, 336 Glenairlie Drive, stated that she does not feel that the traffic on Helmcken Road is attributable to the lights by the Eagle Creek Village development.

k) K. Hayes, 4-1938 West Park Lane, questioned what "de facto manufactured home park status", as referred to by D. Dobbie, meant.

The Mayor stated that his understanding of Mr. Dobbie's request was that View Royal should pass a Town-initiated rezoning bylaw to allow manufactured home park as a permitted use at the Thetis Lake Campground and adopt a policy regarding compensation upon redevelopment of a manufactured home park.

5. TERMINATION

MOVED: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Weisgerber

THAT this meeting now terminate. Time: 7:56 pm CARRIED