As concerns rise about the potential for flooding in British Columbia this spring, the City of New Westminster is taking stock of its needs.
The city is continuing to monitor the snowpack in the Fraser River Basin, which was above normal on April 1. A staff report states the city’s “freshet preparation work plan” includes a number of components, including monitoring snowpack information to assess risk and completing a dike inspection and crest survey to identify potential areas where permanent or temporary works may be needed.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said the provincial government often provides funding to municipalities when “freshet issues” arise. He suggested staff consider any low-lying areas where the city may need some infrastructure money and report back to council.
Queensborough project approved
An industrial property in Queensborough will be the new home of a mixed-used development – with a little help from the city.
City council has approved a rezoning application for 1084 and 1130 Tanaka Crt. The sites, currently zoned heavy industrial districts, along with a portion of the existing road right-of-way, are being rezoned to make way for three-storey building that will include a banquet hall, office and retail.
“The development would include retail use on the ground level, public assembly (banquet hall) use on the second level and office use on the third level, and an attached, above-grade four-storey parkade structure,” said Jackie Teed, the city’s acting director of development services. “The floor space ratio would be 0.80 and the site coverage would be 78.9 per cent. Parking would be provided on site.”
Teed said the applicant has entered into a purchase-and-sale agreement for a portion of the road right-of-way, which has been deemed surplus to city needs.
Expanding worship opportunities
The city is considering action to address the needs of diverse faith and religious groups in New Westminster.
Council is considering an amendment to the zoning bylaw that would permit small-scale places of worship, subject to general regulations, on the upper storeys of buildings in some of the city’s commercial areas. Staff said this would allow retail to continue being offered at ground level, but would support the use of lower cost space on upper storeys of commercial buildings, which is a “common” inquiry.
A staff report stated the city is becoming increasingly diverse, with immigration accounting for 69.7 per cent of the population growth between 2011 and 2016. The report noted the increasing diversity is contributing to more diverse faith and religious affiliations, which has implications for the way the city approaches the locations of places of worship.
Food flops on waterfront
Food truck vendors haven’t had a big appetite for doing business at Westminster Pier Park.
In the spring of 2016, council directed staff to allow food truck vending at the waterfront park on a one-year trial basis. Conducted during the summer of 2017, the trial attracted interest from two vendors –with one withdrawing from the process and the other finding it wasn’t sustainable because it had less than six purchases over a two-day period.
“The food truck vending community did not respond favourably to the opportunity to conduct business at Westminster Pier Park,” said a staff report. “The pilot opportunity did not see uptake and engagement from the users of the park.”
With development of the Bosa site next to Pier Park set to get started later this year, the city believes that could further deter vendors interested in doing business at the park. Council directed staff to revisit the food truck pilot project at Westminster Pier Park when the Bosa development at 660 Quayside Dr. is complete.
Watch where you’re driving
Canada Post drivers are being asked to discontinue the “misuse” of city streets and to adhere to the rules of the road.
The city’s neighbourhood traffic advisory committee asked council to consider writing a letter to Canada Post, after a committee member said he’d observed drivers from the distribution centre on Ovens Street frequently travelling on local neighbourhood streets and laneways in order to avoid traffic on Eighth Avenue – and often at speeds that seem to be above the speed limit.
In addition to a letter from city council, the New Westminster Police Department planned to speak directly with Canada Post about issues raised at the neighbourhood traffic advisory committee.
It’s official
Jacque Killawee is taking on a new role at city hall – officially.
Killawee, who has worked as the City of New Westminster’s records and information administrator since 2010, was recently named New Westminster’s new city clerk.
“The city clerk position became vacant in September with the retirement of Jan Gibson,” said a staff report. “HR conducted a hiring process in the spring of 2018, and the candidate selected from the process was Jacque Killawee.”
Killawee has been serving as acting city clerk since Gibson’s retirement.
Nighttime noise OK’ed
Metro Vancouver will be doing some work on a new sewer main at night when flows are low.
Council has approved a construction noise bylaw to JJM Construction that allows it to work from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. from April to November while it works on a Metro Vancouver sewer project at Front and Columbia streets. Normally, construction activities that create noise and impact neighbours are permitted from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays.
A staff report states that main construction activities will be carried out during the permitted hours, but “crucial components” of the work need to be completed at night when sewer flows are at their lowest.
“JJM Construction Ltd. is committed to keeping noise to a minimum for surrounding residents,” said a staff report. “Notices will be distributed to residents living in close proximity to the job site notifying them of the upcoming sewer maintenance 48 hours in advance of the work.”
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