Municipality of North Cowichan
Regular Council
AGENDA

Wednesday, September 06, 2023 at 5:00 P.m. - 6:00 P.m.

Municipal Hall - Council Chambers & Electronically

This meeting which is open to the public, will be conducted in-person in Council Chambers and by video conference using the Cisco Webex platform, and will be streamed live and archived for viewing on demand at www.northcowichan.ca. All representations to Council form part of the public record.

 

Members of the public may attend the Municipal Hall [7030 Trans-Canada Highway] in person, or join the meeting electronically to participate during the 'Public Input' and 'Question Period' portions of the agenda. Please visit northcowichan.ca/virtualmeeting for instructions on how to connect online or you may dial 1.844.426.4405, enter 1# for English, enter the meeting ID 2777 069 9352, and then enter the meeting password 1111.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

As soon as there is a quorum present after the time specified for the Council meeting, the Mayor shall call the meeting to order. If there is no quorum of Council present within 30 minutes of the scheduled time for the meeting, the meeting is adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

2.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA

To adopt all recommendations appearing on the Consent Agenda in one motion, without discussion or debate. Included are items that are regular, non-controversial, or routine in nature. Any item may be moved out at the request of any Council member for discussion or debate, before the agenda is approved. Items removed from the Consent Agenda will be placed under New Business.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council approve the Consent Agenda and the recommendations contained therein.

2.1

Items for decision

All recommendations provided under each of the items listed below will be adopted once the Consent Agenda is approved, unless removed and placed under New Business. 

2.1.1

Council Meeting Minutes for Adoption

Purpose: To consider if there were any errors or omissions prior to adopting the minutes of previous meetings of Council.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt the minutes of their regular and public hearing meetings held August 16, 2023.

2.2

Items for information

All items listed below will be received for information purposes only once the Consent Agenda is approved, unless removed and placed under New Business where Council may consider taking action. 

2.2.1

Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting minutes

Purpose: To receive for information the draft minutes from the August 24, 2023 Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting.

(Note: Committee recommendations are included with the staff report under item 8.5)

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the draft minutes from the August 24, 2023 Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting.

2.2.2

Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness re Regional Recovery Table

Purpose: To receive the August 18, 2023 letter from Jennifer McGuire, Assistant Deputy Minister, Disaster Recovery, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, in response to Mayor Douglas’ December 21, 2022 letter requesting the Ministry to convene a regional recovery table.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the August 18, 2023 letter from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

2.2.3

AVICC re Phase 3 of the Open Net Pen Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan Engagement Process

Purpose: To receive the August 23, 2023 email from the Association of Vancouver Island Coast Communities (AVICC) regarding Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) invitation to participate in Phase 3 of the Open-Net Pen Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan engagement process.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the the August 23, 2023 email from the Association of Vancouver Island Coast Communities.

2.2.4

Peace River Regional District re BC Wildfire Service Fire Fighting Equipment

Purpose: To receive the July 31 letter from Leonard Hiebert from Peace River Regional District requesting support for their resolution regarding “the BC Wildfire Services firefighting equipment” at the UBCM Convention.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive the July 31, 2023 letter from the Reginal District of Peace River.

2.2.5

Canadian Bavarian + Millwork Lumber Ltd re BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund Program grant application

Purpose: To receive the August 24, 2023 email from Georg Woernle, Canadian Bavarian Millwork + Lumber Ltd, requesting a letter of support for their grant application under the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund Program.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive the August 24, 2023 email from the Canadian Bavarian Millwork + Lumber Ltd.

2.2.6

Michael Indge re After Hours Access to Chemainus Lake

Purpose: To receive the August 17, 2023 email from Michael Indge requesting approval for afterhours use of Chemainus Lake for harvesting American bullfrogs for personal consumption as allowed in the BC Wildlife and Hunting Act.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the August 17, 2023 email from Michael Indge.

2.2.7

Peter Rusland re Clearing of Forests for vineyards

Purpose: To receive the August 9, 2023 email from Peter Rusland requesting Council lobby against the clearing of forests for vineyards as a farming use, deny any development permits for wineries on private forest lands, and draft a tree protection bylaw.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the August 9, 2023 email from Peter Rusland.

3.

APPROVAL OF REGULAR AGENDA

To consider any items of business not included in the Agenda that are of an urgent nature they must be introduced and approved at the time the agenda is adopted. Matters must be taken up in the order that they are listed unless changed at this time.

• Recommendation:

  THAT the agenda be adopted as circulated [or as amended].

4.

MAYOR'S REPORT

Mayor’s opportunity to make announcements and update Council and the community on various matters which the Mayor has participated in since the last meeting.

5.

DELEGATIONS

Delegations appear before Council in order to make a presentation, enter a request for action, or bring Council up to date on a project, idea, or concept, or to provide further information on an issue currently before Council for a decision. Delegations are limited to 10 minutes to make their address to Council unless extended by a unanimous vote of all Council members present. A delegation may not address Council on a bylaw for which a public hearing has been held or where a public hearing is required.

5.1

The Cowichan Climate Hub re Indoor Air quality Health Risks

Purpose: Presentation by Dr. Shannon Waters and Jane Kilthei, on behalf of Cowichan Climate Hub, regarding indoor air quality health risks of using natural gas in the built environment.

6.

PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS

Public Input is an opportunity for the public to provide their feedback on matters included on the agenda. The maximum number of speakers to be heard during the public input period is limited to five, with a maximum of three minutes allotted to each speaker.  Members of the public attending the meeting in person must register at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting by signing the sheet posted outside of Council Chambers. Members of the public attending electronically must raise their hand once the meeting has been called to order. Please visit northcowichan.ca/virtualmeeting for instructions on how to raise your hand. Speakers are asked to state their name and residential address when commencing their address to Council.

7.

BYLAWS

Bylaws appearing under this section will be listed in order of readings as follows: (a) bylaws for adoption shall appear first, followed by (b) bylaws receiving third reading, then (c) bylaws receiving first and second or first three readings.

7.1

Towing and Vehicle Impound Bylaw No. 3923 and Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3921 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of:

1. Towing and Vehicle Impound Bylaw No. 3923, 2023, which received first three readings at the August 16, 2023 meeting. If adopted, this bylaw will authorize the removal, impoundment, and release of trailers and vehicles parked in violation of Traffic Bylaw No. 2276, 1988 and/or Highway Use Bylaw No. 2261, 1989,
2. Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3921, 2023, which received first three readings at the August 16, 2023 meeting. If adopted, this bylaw will amend the fees for towing and impoundment to cover the costs incurred for the removal of trailers, recreational vehicles and other vehicles parked illegally.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council:

  1. Adopt Towing and Vehicle Impound Bylaw No. 3923, 2023, and,
  2. Adopt Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3921, 2023.

7.2

Sewer Services User Fee Amendment Bylaw No. 3926 for first three readings

Purpose: To introduce amendments to Sewer Services Bylaw No. 2964 and Fees & Charges Bylaw No. 3784 to ensure consistency with current practices and compliance with provincial legislation.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council give first, second and third reading to Sewer User Fee Amendment Bylaw No. 3926, 2023.

8.

REPORTS

This section includes reports from staff requiring a decision of Council and/or staff presentations. Staff reports for information only are placed in the Consent Agenda.

8.1

Cowichan Sportsplex Fieldhouse

Purpose: To review the tenders received for the construction of the Cowichan Sportsplex Fieldhouse and consider options to fund the budget shortfall.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council:

  1. Approve the reallocation of existing capital funds to the Sportsplex Fieldhouse project to cover the budget shortfall; and,
  2. Authorize staff to enter into a contract with Ecklundson Construction to construct the Sportsplex Fieldhouse for their submitted bid of $1,999,766.04, subject to cost reduction negotiation.

8.2

Request from CVRD Board to Consider Regional Planning Service

Purpose: To consider a request from the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) Board for municipal input on the potential of a regional planning service.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council, in principle, supports the potential establishment of a regional planning function, provided the function's primary purpose is to develop, implement and administer a regional growth strategy for the Cowichan region.

8.3

Chemainus Festival of Murals Society – Relocation of Existing Mural

Purpose: To consider relocating the “Three Generations sculpture” in Chemainus to an alternative location.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council authorize relocating the “Three Generations sculpture” from 9780 Willow Street to the existing northern structure at Waterwheel Park.

8.4

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023

Purpose: To seek Council support for a grant-in-aid for the M’akola Housing Society to assist with the 2023 Every Child Matters Walk on October 2, 2023.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council approve a $[insert amount] grant-in-aid to the M'akola Housing Society to support the 2023 Every Child Matters Walk to be held on October 2, 2023.

8.5

Accessibility Action Plan

Purpose: To introduce the draft Accessibility Action Plan and Public Feedback Mechanism.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council:

  1. Endorse the Accessibility Action Plan, as attached to the September 6, 2023, report from the General Manager, Corporate Services; and,
  2. Direct staff to create a page on North Cowichan’s Public Engagement site to gather feedback from the public on the Accessibility Action Plan.

9.

NOTICES OF MOTIONS

This section includes notices of motions submitted by Members of Council for introduction only, discussion and debate of the motion shall occur at a future meeting. Introductory remarks or clarifying questions are not permitted at this time as per Council’s Notice of Motion Policy.

10.

UNFINISHED AND POSTPONED BUSINESS

This section includes matters that have been postponed to a certain time or referred to staff, a committee or some other organization or person, and shall be placed under this section when the matter is returned to Council for consideration.

11.

NEW BUSINESS

This section includes external items that require a decision of Council, items that have been removed from the Consent Agenda, and motions submitted by Council members, where previous notice has been given, for Council consideration.

12.

QUESTION PERIOD

Question Period is an opportunity for the public to ask brief questions regarding the business discussed during the meeting. When invited by the Mayor, members of the public who are attending the meeting in person may step up to the podium to ask their question(s) and members of the public who are attending electronically may raise their hand at this time. Please visit northcowichan.ca/virtualmeeting for instructions on how to raise your hand.

13.

ADJOURNMENT

Once all the business is done and over with, the Mayor may declare the meeting adjourned without requiring a resolution of Council.