Municipality of North Cowichan
Regular Council
AGENDA

Wednesday, March 01, 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 2773 167 9441, 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 February 21, 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

BC Timber Sales re: Referral of BC Timber Sales 2023 Pacific marit6ime Forest Stewardship Plan #943

Purpose: To receive the February 21, 2023 notification from Glenn Piggot, Planning Forester, BC Timber Sales (BCTS), Strait of Georgia Business Area, Ministry of Forests, on the commencement of the review and comment period for the proposed BCTS Pacific Maritime Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) #943 (replacing FSP previously adopted in 2018). Part of the area under the FSP is within North Cowichan’s municipal boundary and the deadline for written submissions is March 31, 2023.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the February 21, 2023 email and January 26, 2023 letter from BC Timber Sales.

2.2.2

Request to call on the Provincial and Federal Governments to work towards a Basic Income

Purpose: To receive the February 21, 2023 emails from Peter Eberhardt and Theresa Cole requesting that Council, by resolution, call on the Provincial and Federal Governments to work towards a Basic Income.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the February 21, 2023 emails from Peter Eberhardt and Theresa Cole.

2.2.3

Invitation from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) President to Housing Summit

Purpose: Any member of Council wishing to attend the Housing Summit at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre on April 4-5, 2023, must obtain approval by Council to be reimbursed their travel expenditures in accordance with section 6 of Council Conference Attendance Policy, subject to available budget.

(Note – although each member of Council received an invitation from UBCM President Jen Ford, only one copy has been attached to the agenda)

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council receive for information the February 22, 2023 letter from Jen Ford, UBCM President.

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

Economic Development Cowichan

Purpose: Barry O'Riordan, on behalf of Economic Development Cowichan (EDC), to deliver a presentation to Council on the state of the Cowichan economy and provide an update on various strategies and initiatives the EDC is proposing or has underway.

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

Sewer and Water Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 3893, 2023 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Sewer and Water Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 3893, 2023, which received first three readings February 21, 2023, if adopted, this bylaw will establish utility parcel tax rates for 2023-2027.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt "Sewer and Water Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 3893, 2023".

7.2

Fees & Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3894, 2023 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Fees & Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3894, 2023, which received first three readings February 21, 2023, if adopted will establish fees over multiple years and updating the fees in relation to development permit applications, water, sewer, curbside collection and wharves.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt "Fees & Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 3894, 2023".

7.3

Five Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 3896, 2023 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Five Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 3896, 2023, which received first three readings February 21, 2023, if adopted, this bylaw will set out the Municipality's objectives and policies for the period from 2023 to 2027.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt "Five Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 3896, 2023".

7.4

Delegation of Authority Amendment Bylaw No. 3895, 2023 for adoption

Purpose: To consider adoption of Delegation of Authority Amendment Bylaw No. 3895, 2023, which received first three readings February 21, 2023, if adopted, this bylaw will remove the Audit Committee from the Delegation of Authority Bylaw.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council adopt “Delegation of Authority Amendment Bylaw No. 3895, 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.

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.

11.1

Cowichan Community Policing Advisory Society

Purpose: To replace Councillor Findlay as Council’s (non-voting) representative on the Cowichan Community Policing Advisory Society.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council replace Councillor Findlay with ___________ as their representative on the Cowichan Community Policing Advisory Society as a non-voting member for the balance of the 2022-2026 Council term.

11.2

Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan

Purpose: For Councillor Toporowski to move the motion that was introduced at the February 21, 2023 regular Council meeting.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Province requesting that the Province amend the 1987 Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan to reflect the current scientific knowledge of the role of estuaries in the ecosystem, land ownership and uses, and climate change;

  AND to request support from the following organizations:

  • Cowichan Tribes;
  • Cowichan Valley Regional District;
  • City of Duncan; and.
  • Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association (CERCA).

11.3

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Convention

Purpose: For Councillor Justice to move the motion that was introduced at the February 21, 2023 regular Council meeting.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council amend the Council Conference Attendance Policy by striking out “the Mayor, and one Councillor (randomly selected) is” in subsection 3.1 and inserting “all members of Council are” to enable all members to attend the FCM annual convention.

11.4

Review Sanctioning of Cycling on Mt. Richards and Related Economic Opportunity

Purpose: For Councillor Istace to move the motion that was introduced at the February 21, 2023 regular Council meeting.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council refer the matter of sport tourism to the Economic Development Committee and ask that they further investigate the proposal submitted by the Cowichan Trails Stewardship Society to develop Mount Richards for mixed-use outdoor recreation that encompasses cycling, and that the Committee make a recommendation to Council that considers the economic, social, and environmental impacts that cycling may pose to Mount Richards and other user groups.

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.