Patios extend to road
Cafes in the downtown area have been crying for ways to revitalize and bring vibrancy to their businesses and larger patios might be the answer. Council members were divided and a lengthy discussion at Tuesday's (June 15) council meeting led to a 5-2 decision to support a new patio policy.
Staff recommended a sidewalk café policy statement that goes beyond what is currently permitted in the bylaw. Under the current bylaw, cafes can only extend from storefronts out to six feet from the traveled road and a five-foot walkway must be maintained.
The new policy, on trial basis, would allow the corporate services general manager to grant establishments a licence to use portions of dedicated road for cafés and related businesses.
Coun. Bryan Raiser was supportive of getting the policy going as soon as possible.
"I prefer the let's do it this summer option," said Raiser. "It's a great way to revitalize the downtown and I can't wait to sit in one of these cafés."
Each application would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and a licence would allow the patio to extend in to the road subject to a plan that would take fencing, landscaping, public safety, parking and installing alternative temporary sidewalks into consideration.
This type of patio is currently used in Nelson and Penticton successfully.
Coun. Corinne Lonsdale was skeptical of the plan because parking in Squamish is already limited.
"I don't believe it will work in this town where we already have a parking problem," she said.
Director of planning Cameron Chalmers said planning staff had been involved in the process and determined that most establishments looking to set up a patio would likely only take up one parking space
Coun. Doug Race said he understood Lonsdale's reservations but said "it has the potential to liven up the downtown so I'm prepared to go ahead on a trial basis."
Raiser moved to support the motion and Coun. Patricia Heintzman seconded it.
Lonsdale said she would like to see a more comprehensive report, and survey the other shop owners downtown who wouldn't have patios themselves and might be negatively affected by the bylaw change and Coun. Rob Kirkham agreed.
She made a motion to defer the recommendation until a survey was done. Kirkham seconded it but it did not pass because Heintzman, Raiser, Race and Mayor Greg Gardner were opposed.
Raiser's motion was carried with Lonsdale and Kirkham opposed.
Sustainable Transportation Model
Council received a detailed plan for launching a 2031 multi-model transportation plan study, the future overarching transportation policy document for Squamish. It will replace the Bunt and Associates Transportation Plan that accompanied the 1998 OCP.
"Squamish has grown immensely over the last number of years and the planning framework has evolved well with processes such as 'smart growth on the ground,' the oceanfront, downtown community planning and the new official Community Plan," said Gardner.
"It is a visionary and strategic document designed to deal with the realistic aspiration of the Squamish community and guide future transportation policies."
The study will access the needs of all types of transportation - commercial vehicles, public transit, cycling and pedestrians - while recognizing that Squamish accepts cycling as a critical part of the community.
The primary stakeholders involved in the process are council members, district staff, Squamish CAN, Squamish Nation, BC Transit and Howe Sound School District No. 48.
They are looking for public input and several opportunities are being planned for public meetings to provide ideas. More information on the study and details on how to become involved can be sound at www.squamish.ca
Sewer construction budget falls short
Three companies bid for the construction of Government Road Trunk sewer project and even the lowest bid was $620,000 over budget.
Staff recommended council accept Coast Valley Contracting Ltd.'s bid for just under $3.2 million for the construction of a sewer line on Government Road. Staff is able to save some of the total by removing minor optional components. The budgeted amount was approximately $2.3 million.
Gardner said that seemed like a quite a large discrepancy and asked engineering manager Brian Barnett for an explanation.
Barnett cited additional funds for the pipe installation and namely dewatering cost as the main reasons for the discrepancy.
Lonsdale made a motion to accept the bid and it passed unanimously.
Transit pricier but buses lacklustre
The District of Squamish is facing a $200,000 cost increase for the 2010/2011 Transit Annual Operating Agreement. Barnett said $100,000 is for bus maintenance and $100,000 is due to inflation.
The amount is based on the first six months of 2010 and some projections for the rest of the year.
"I would rank our transit as quite poor," said Barnett, "it costs us $8.58 to move one person with our current system.'
He said there is a lot of work to be done and they are starting discussions with BC Transit in an attempt to come in line with provincial standards.
Heintzman was unimpressed with the district having to pay for bus maintenance.
"They give us crappy buses and we have to deal with it and pay for it," she said.
Lonsdale inquired about any extra revenue thanks to increased ridership during the Olympics, but Barnett said the Olympic transit system was designed to have no impact.
Heintzman questioned whether implementing a third bus route was having a detrimental or positive effect on the transit system, and asked when Squamish might see an upward trend in ridership numbers.
"It will be five years before we see an upward trend," said Barnett. "And it's going to take a lot of time and effort."
The motion to execute the agree was carried unanimously.
Ring Creek Road repair begins
The District of Squamish has been working with the province to determine ownership since the landslide on Ring Creek Road forced its closure in January 2010. The district is now the confirmed landowner and they are working with Cardinal Concrete to re-open the road as soon as possible.
"It will cost $25,000 to re-open the road and we are prepared to move forward immediately," said Barnett. He asked for council's approval to take the $25,000 out of the roads construction budget and said it could be complete by the end of June.
Kirkham moved to approve the use of the roads construction budget and it was carried unanimously.
"Excellent," said Kirkham, "let's get on with it and get the big trucks off the boulevard."
OCP adopted
Council adopted the new District of Squamish Official Community Plan. The last OCP was adopted in 1998 and Gardner said this was because of the dramatic changes Squamish has undergone in the past decade.
