 | COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD | |
| Tuesday, July 27, 2021 | ||
| Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on July 27, 2021 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 4:00 pm. | ||
| MINUTES | ||
| Present: | ||
| Chair: | J. Ketler | Village of Cumberland |
| Vice-Chair: | A. Hamir | Lazo North (Area B) |
| Directors: | D. Arbour | Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A) |
| W. Cole-Hamilton | City of Courtenay | |
| K. Grant | Town of Comox | |
| E. Grieve | Puntledge/Black Creek (Area C) | |
| W. Morin | City of Courtenay | |
| M. Swift | Town of Comox | |
| Alt. Director: | B. Wells | City of Courtenay |
| Staff: | J. Warren | Deputy Chief Administrative Officer |
| M. Foort | Chief Financial Officer | |
| D. DeMarzo | General Manager of Community Services | |
| J. Martens | General Manager of Corporate Services | |
| A. Yasinski | Acting General Manager of Planning and Development | |
| L. Dennis | Manager of Legislative Services | |
| Absent: | ||
| Directors: | D. Hillian | City of Courtenay |
| RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES: | ||||||
| The Chair acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and read the following article from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) available online at: www.un.org/ :
Article 37: Indigenous peoples have the right to the recognition, observance and enforcement of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements concluded with States or their successors and to have States honour and respect such treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements; Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as diminishing or eliminating the rights of indigenous peoples contained in treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements. | ||||||
| ADOPTION OF MINUTES: | ||||||
| E. Grieve/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated July 13, 2021 be adopted. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| REPORTS: | ||||||
| ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE - JULY 12, 2021 | ||||||
| K. Grant/A. Hamir: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated July 12, 2021 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Defeated | |||||
| D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board not seek approval by assent of the electors for:
- Bylaw No. 648 being the “Comox Valley Regional District Northern Garbage Collection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 648, 2021”; - Bylaw No. 649 being the “Comox Valley Regional District Central Garbage Collection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 649, 2021”; - Bylaw No. 650 being the “Comox Valley Regional District Southern Garbage Collection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 650, 2021”; AND FURTHER THAT first, second and third readings of Bylaw No. 648, Bylaw No. 649 and Bylaw No. 650 be rescinded. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the Electoral Areas Arts and Culture Grant Service, function 615, provide $3,000 to Three Legged Dog Productions to support their nine performances at Filberg Park this summer, $850 to Comox Valley Writers Society for their fifth annual North Island Writers Conference to take place at North Island College in January 2022 and $10,000 to Comox Valley Exhibition Association for a three day family-friendly festival on the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds in August 2021. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| B. Wells/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the 2021 Rural Community Grants be awarded for the amounts to the organizations as follows:
Black Creek Community Association - $10,000.00 Roy Creek Salmonid Enhancement Society - $9,000.00 ($8,483 from Electoral Area A and $258.50 from both Electoral Areas B and C) | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/A. Hamir: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District continue to work with K’ómoks First Nation in developing a collaborative approach to water management for the Tsolum River watershed and advocating with the Province for the use of water management tools under the Water Sustainability Act. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/W. Morin: THAT staff be directed to proceed with a watershed stewardship service scoping study to investigate options for improved service delivery by the Comox Valley Regional District. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| A. Hamir/E. Grieve: THAT a review of land use planning and policy to protect watershed health and support agriculture be addressed in stakeholder consultation and drafting of the Comox Valley Agricultural Plan update. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District collaborate with the provincial Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, on efforts to assist existing users in licensing their wells, and supporting producers in developing on-farm water storage options. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| K. Grant/D. Arbour: THAT staff collaborate with federal and provincial ministers regarding funding options to support the Tsolum River Agricultural Watershed Plan – Phase Two study work. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District proceed with the required public engagement and approval process for a broadband connectivity service on Denman and Hornby Islands as described in the staff report dated July 7, 2021, including conducting a referendum for the new service in fall 2021 and providing a conditional letter of support to CityWest for a proposed partnering agreement. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY SEWAGE COMMISSION – JULY 13, 2021 | ||||||
| K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the Sewage Commission minutes dated July 13, 2021 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY WATER COMMITTEE - JULY 13, 2021 | ||||||
| K. Grant/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Water Committee minutes dated July 13, 2021 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY RECREATION COMMISSION - JULY 13, 2021 | ||||||
| K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the Recreation Commission minutes dated July 13, 2021 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| PUBLIC HEARING - JULY 21, 2021 | ||||||
| W. Cole-Hamilton/K. Grant: THAT the public hearing minutes dated July 21, 2021 regarding Bylaw No. 602 being "Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 3" be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY TRANSIT SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS | ||||||
| K. Grant/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the report dated July 20, 2021 seeking direction on a previously approved transit service expansion for implementation in March 2022 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| M. Zbarsky, Manager of Transit and Facilities, provided an overview of the staff report regarding direction on a previously approved transit service expansion for implementation in March 2022. | ||||||
| B. Wells/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board approve 3,600 additional transit service hours to be utilized for improvements on routes No. 1, 10 and 12 and the introduction of a Back Road service, with an implementation target of March 2022, as described in the report dated July 20, 2021. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: That staff be directed to initiate discussion with the Regional District of Nanaimo, the Strathcona Regional District and BC Transit regarding connecting the three bus systems. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY TRANSIT SERVICE RURAL BUS STOPS AND BUDGET AMENDMENT | ||||||
| W. Cole-Hamilton/B. Wells: THAT the report dated July 19, 2021 regarding an update on bus stop infrastructure in the electoral areas and to put forward a budget amendment to the 2021-2025 financial plan in order to complete bus stop improvements with provincial funds be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| M. Zbarsky, Manager of Transit and Facilities, provided an overview of the staff report regarding an update on bus stop infrastructure in the electoral areas and to put forward a budget amendment to the 2021-2025 financial plan in order to complete bus stop improvements with provincial funds. | ||||||
| D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the 2021-2025 adopted financial plan and capital expenditure program for the Comox Valley Transit Service, function 780, be amended by increasing minor capital expenditures in the transit operating budget in 2021 by $200,000, to a total of $251,000, for the purpose of undertaking bus stop improvements in the electoral areas;
AND FURTHER THAT the project be funded by a provincial government conditional grant in the amount of $200,000 from the Transit Minor Betterments Program through the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| MERVILLE FIRE HALL CONSTRUCTION: NOTICE OF AWARD | ||||||
| E. Grieve/A. Hamir: THAT the report dated July 19, 2021 regarding the procurement process and Notice of Award to the successful construction firm for the construction of an auxiliary fire hall in Merville be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| UNION BAY WATER SERVICE BUDGET AMENDMENT | ||||||
| D. Arbour/B. Wells: THAT the report dated July 23, 2021 regarding an amendment to the 2021 adopted budget for the Union Bay Water Service to enable two priority capital projects to move forward as soon as possible in 2021 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the 2021 approved budget for the Union Bay Water Service, function 308, be amended to include building improvement expenditures of up to $100,000 for the installation of a permanent office / washroom facility, and a further $40,000 in information technology infrastructure expenditures to support fibre optic connectivity improvements, both at the Union Bay water treatment plant site;
AND FURTHER THAT these projects be funded by a transfer of $140,000 from the capital works reserve upon formal establishment of both the service and the reserve on August 10, 2021. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS: | ||||||
| K. Grant/E. Grieve: THAT Bylaw No. 674 being “Royston Water Conservation Bylaw No. 535, 2018, Amendment No. 1” be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item] | ||||||
| 207 | Carried | |||||
| W. Cole-Hamilton/E. Grieve: THAT Bylaw No. 674 being "Royston Water Conservation Bylaw No. 535, 2018, Amendment No. 1" be read a third time. | ||||||
| 207 | Carried | |||||
| W. Cole-Hamilton/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 674 being "Royston Water Conservation Bylaw No. 535, 2018, Amendment No. 1" be adopted. | ||||||
| 207 | Carried | |||||
| Note: the above resolution received at least two-thirds of the votes cast. | ||||||
| A. Hamir/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 602 being “Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 3” be given third reading. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 and 213 | Carried | |||||
| NEW BUSINESS: | ||||||
| APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMOX VALLEY AIRPORT COMMISSION | ||||||
| B. Wells/K. Grant: THAT the discussion regarding the nomination and appointment of candidates to the Comox Valley Airport Commission be received. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| TERMINATION: | ||||||
| W. Cole-Hamilton/K. Grant: THAT the meeting terminate. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| Time: 4:53 pm. | ||||||
| Confirmed this 10th day of August, 2021: ____________________________________ Jesse Ketler Chair | |
| Certified Correct and Recorded By: ____________________________________ Lisa Dennis Manager of Legislative Services |