CITY OF PITT MEADOWS
Special (Public) Meeting of Pitt Meadows City Council
AGENDA

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 7:00 P.m. - 10:00 P.m.

Council Chamber

12007 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2B5

Council acknowledges that we meet on the traditional territory of the Katzie First Nation


THIS MEETING’S PROCEEDINGS WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE VIA THE CITY’S WEBSITE AND AVAILABLE AS A RECORDED ARCHIVE

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A.

CALL TO ORDER

B.

LATE ITEMS

C.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT the agenda for the November 23, 2021 Special (Public) Meeting of Council be approved. 

D.

QUESTION AND COMMENT PERIOD

Mayor Dingwall to introduce proposed changes to the Question and Comment period.

 

Maximum 15 minutes for each Q&C Period. One question or comment per speaker. Three minutes per person. Please see the 'Public Engagement at Council Meetings' Policy on the City's website for rules and procedures.

To submit your comments in writing, please visit pittmeadows.ca/submitquestionsandcomments.

This meeting’s proceedings will be broadcast live via the city’s website and available as a recorded archive from the city’s website. Any information shared during the Q&C Period will become part of the public record.

 

 

• Recommended Motion:

  WHEREAS the Community Charter and Local Government Act do not mandate the provision of a “Question and Comment Period” during Council Meetings; 

  AND WHEREAS, the City of Pitt Meadows provides a variety of opportunities for community engagement with Council, including email correspondence, online engagement, public hearings, advisory committee meetings, and Engagement & Priorities Committee meetings; 

  AND WHEREAS, other local governments have addressed challenges with public engagement at Council meetings by canceling such opportunities altogether, restricting the number of people who can speak, or limiting comments or questions  to agenda topics only;

  AND WHEREAS, Council’s Procedure Bylaw broadly provides for two “Question and Comment” periods at every regular Council meeting, one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end of the meeting, with the ‘Public Engagement at Council Meetings’ Policy establishing 15 minute for each Q&C period, with discussion currently allowed on any city-related topics;

  AND WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City and the Community to avoid the following potential negative impacts of public engagement at Council meetings:

  • Unreasonably long meetings;
  • Can take time away from thoughtful and informed discussions on current agenda items or the advancement of current matters;
  • Can set a negative tone for the meeting and potentially deter other members of the public from  speaking to agenda items;
  • Can result in single issue advocacy that is at times rude or out-of-order, coupled with misinformation presented at the meeting;
  • Can result in repetitive questions previously answered or readily available on the City’s website; and/or
  • Can result in loss of productive time if Council and staff must readdress previously made decisions;

  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council:

  1. Approve the focus of public engagement at regular Council meetings to questions and comments related to agenda items only; AND
  2. Approve an amendment to Council Policy C107 (Public Engagement at Council Meetings) to reflect this change. 

E.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT the Minutes of the following Council meetings be approved as circulated:

E.1

November 9, 2021 Special (Pre-Closed) Meeting of Council

E.2

November 9, 2021 Special (Public) Meeting of Council

F.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

None.

G.

CELEBRATE PITT MEADOWS

G.1

Pitt Meadows Proud Campaign Update

Carolyn Baldridge, Manager of Communications and Community Engagement, to provide a summary of the Pitt Meadows Proud campaign that launched in June. 

H.

DELEGATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

H.1

Alouette River Management Society ["ARMS"] - Promotional Video

Allison Barton Youssef, and daughter Asalah, film makers and videographers, to introduce the latest promotional video for ARMS, highlighting the need for volunteers, educational opportunities and overall importance of the Alouette River and watershed as a whole.

I.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

None.

J.

CONSENT AGENDA

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT the following items be received into the record:

J.1

Impact Assessment Act ["IAA"] Designation Request - Minister Determination

Minister of Environment letters indicating his decision that the CP Logistics Park Vancouver and the Road & Rail Projects are not reviewable under the IAA.

J.1.1

Pitt Meadows Road & Rail Project

J.1.2

Logistics Park Vancouver

J.1.3

City of Pitt Meadows Response to Minister Determination

J.2

Railway Property Classification and Taxation

J.2.1

Ministry of Finance Letter to City of Pitt Meadows

Letter from Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance, dated November 4, 2021 regarding the City's UBCM resolution and request for the amendment of the prescribed classes of property regulation.

J.2.2

Unfair Taxation Benefitting Railway and Industrial Operation

Letter from Mayor Dingwall, dated November 17, 2021, in response to the Minister of Finance's decision to not explore reclassification of rail yards so that railway yards are in Class 5 - Light Industry rather than Class 6 - Business and Other.

J.3

What You Need to Know - Independent Train Projects in Pitt Meadows and Their Differences

The City of Pitt Meadows has developed and provided the brochure to the community with an overview of the differences between each project, who is leading, who has authority to determine if the project proceeds and what the role of the City of Pitt Meadows is. 

K.

STAFF/OTHER REPORTS

K.1

Air Quality Human Health Risk Assessment of Railway Diesel Emissions – Interim Report

Matthew Wagstaff, Environmental Scientist, Air Quality Specialist and Farzad Dehkordi, Senior Manager & Partner - Environmental Engineering & Air Quality Specialist from Envirochem Services Inc., will share their analysis to date of the current and projected diesel emissions from Canadian Pacific’s (CP) railway operations in Pitt Meadows.

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT Council:

  1. Receive for information the report, “Air Quality Human Health Risk Assessment of Railway Diesel Emissions – Interim Report,” dated October 19, 2021; AND

  2. Direct staff to work with rights-holders, stakeholders, and partner agencies to advocate for enforceable and appropriate health-based air quality standards for railway emissions; OR

  3. Other.

K.2

Peer Review of Road and Rail Improvements Project - Noise and Vibration Study and Additional Assessment along the Rail Corridor

Justin Hart, Manager - Major Projects, to provide Council with the findings of the Peer Review of BKL’s Road and Rail Improvements Project – Noise and Vibration Study, data collected along the rail corridor in relation to existing rail operations and associated noise and vibration exceedances, and other analysis.

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT Council:

  1. Receive for information the staff report titled “Peer Review of Road and Rail Improvements Project – Noise and Vibration Study and Additional Assessment along the Rail Corridor” dated November 16, 2021; OR
  2. Other

K.3

Final Parks, Recreation and Culture Masterplan Document

Carleen McDowell, Manager of Recreation & Culture, to present Council with the updated Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan.  Mr. Stephen Slawuta, RC Strategies, will be in attendance.

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT Council:

  1. Adopt the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan as presented at the November 23, 2021 Council Meeting; AND
  2. Approve the establishment of a Parks, Recreation and Culture Advisory committee to begin in 2022 with recruitment in February as part of the annual advisory committee recruitment process; OR
  3. Other.

L.

BYLAWS & PERMITS

L.1

Filming Policy Review and Bylaw Amendment

Carleen McDowell, Manager of Recreation & Culture, to present Council with proposed amendments to Council Policy C028 (Filming Policy) and Filming Fee Amendment Bylaw No. 2880, 2021.

• Recommended Motion:

  THAT Council:

  1. Approve the amended Council Policy C028 ‘Filming Policy’ as presented at the November 23, 2021 Council Meeting; AND
  2. Grant first, second and third readings to the Filming Fee Amendment Bylaw No. 2880, 2021; OR
  3. Other.

M.

COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS

N.

NOTICE OF CLOSED MEETING

None.

O.

QUESTION AND COMMENT PERIOD

Maximum 15 minutes for each Q&C Period. One question or comment per speaker. Three minutes per person. Please see the 'Public Engagement at Council Meetings' Policy on the City's website for rules and procedures.

To submit your comments in writing, please visit pittmeadows.ca/submitquestionsandcomments.

This meeting’s proceedings will be broadcast live via the city’s website and available as a recorded archive from the city’s website. Any information shared during the Q&C Period will become part of the public record.

P.

COUNCIL PRIORITIES

A current copy of the Strategic Priorities Quarterly Report reflecting Council’s priorities and respective operational strategies.

Q.

ADJOURNMENT