Municipality of North Cowichan
Regular Council
AGENDA

Wednesday, May 01, 2024 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 2773 543 1725, 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 meeting held April 17, 2024.

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

1st Quarter List of Supplier Payments

Purpose: To provide a listing of payments to suppliers totalling over $10,000 in the first quarter of 2024.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the 1^st Quarter Payment Listing (January – March 2024) report.

2.2.2

City of Langford requesting support for Bill C-277 National Brain Injury Strategy

Purpose: To receive for information the April 3, 2024, letter from Mayor Scott Goodmanson, City of Langford, in support of Bill C-277 National Brain Injury Strategy.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the April 3, 2024, letter from the City of Langford.

2.2.3

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions re Funding Request Response

Purpose: To receive for information the April 23, 2024, letter from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions denying North Cowichan’s request for financial support for mental health and substance use. 

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the April 23, 2024, letter from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

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

2023 Audited Financial Statements

Purpose: To present the 2023 Financial Statements of the Municipality of North Cowichan and the Joint Utilities Board. A presentation by the auditors from KPMG will be provided at the meeting.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt the 2023 Audited Financial Statements of the Municipality of North Cowichan and the Duncan – North Cowichan Joint Utilities Board.

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

South End Waterworks District Amendment Bylaw No. 3939, 2023, for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of South End Waterworks District Amendment Bylaw No. 3939, which received first three readings November 1, 2023 and the section 219 covenants have now been registered on title. If adopted, this bylaw proposes connecting two lots outside the Urban Containment Boundary (UCB) along Donnay Drive South to the South End Water Local Area Service.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt South End Waterworks District Amendment Bylaw No. 3939, 2023.

7.2

Development Procedures Bylaw No. 3924 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Development Procedures Bylaw No. 3924, 2024, which received first three readings April 17, 2024. If adopted this bylaw will establish procedures for the processing of land development applications, including amendments to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaws, Permit applications, and Agricultural Land Commission applications.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt Development Procedures Bylaw No. 3924, 2024.

7.3

Development Approval Information Bylaw No. 3942 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Development Approval Information Bylaw No. 3942, 2024, which received first three readings April 17, 2024. If adopted this bylaw will establish procedures for requiring development approval information as part of the land development application process.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt Development Approval Information Bylaw No. 3942, 2024.

7.4

Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3960 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3960, 2024, which received first three readings April 17, 2024. If adopted this bylaw will modify Development and Permitting fees by adding refunds for incomplete, inactive, and withdrawn applications and for when an early consideration application is denied.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3960, 2024.

7.5

2024 Property Tax Rates Bylaw No. 3961 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of 2024 Property Tax Rates Bylaw No. 3961, which received first three readings April 17, 2024. If adopted, this bylaw will establish the tax rates per property class for 2024.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt Property Tax Rates Bylaw No. 3961, 2024.

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

Q1 Council Strategic Plan Update (January 1 - March 31, 2024)

Purpose: To provide a quarterly status update on projects identified within the Council Strategic Plan for the period from January 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024, in accordance with the Council Strategic Plan Administration Policy.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the Council Strategic Plan 1st Quarter Update (January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2024).

8.2

Local Area Sanitary Request – Babine Place and Babine Road

Purpose: To reconfirm the 2018 direction given to staff to assist with the inclusion of Babine Place and Babine Road within the Crofton Sewer System Local Area Service.

• Recommendation:

  That Council reaffirm the direction given to staff at the June 20, 2018, regular Council meeting and direct staff to continue to work with the Babine Road and Babine Place property owners to prepare and submit a completed petition to Council for consideration to be included in the Crofton Sanitary Sewer System Local Area Service.

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.

9.1

Establishment of a Public Variance Approval System

Purpose: So that Councillor Caljouw may introduce the following motion which Council will consider at the May 15, 2024, Regular Council meeting. 

“THAT during the Development Approval Process Service Review, staff be directed to look at ways to streamline the Development Variance Permit application approval process by delegating minor variances to staff.”

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.