Chorfest ’92 THE NORTH Shore Chorus, an adult community choir, practise regularly at Mt. Seymour United Church In Nezth Vancouver. Between May 29 and 2% the chorus will be hosting Chorfest "92, a weekend of rehearsal and performance focusing on music of the Pacific Rim. Trucks banned from 19th St. Decision deferred on four-way stop at Ridgeway ‘RESIDENTS OF 19th Street in North Vancouver City will have truck traffic banned from their street even though ci- ty council was told that truck bans are unenforceable because the city has no bylaw that defines what a truck is. But city administrator Gerry Brewer told council that a truck route study scheduled for this year is expected to designate city truck routes and define trucks that are to use those routes. Area residents have asked for the truck ban and a four-way stop on 19th Street at Ridgeway Avenue even though city staff has indicated that neither is in the best interests of the city for its estab- lished traffic needs. And while the truck ban receiv- ed unanimous council assent, the four-way stop, which would be at the foot of 19th Street hill, raised issues of safety and questions about the city’s ability to deter- mine the stop’s usefulness. Council deferred its decision on the stop signs until a report from staff could answer the questions raised. The decision to consider the two initiatives came after they were identified by area residents in a questionnaire on other traffic issues... . . “That is a very. treacherous hill,’ said Ald. Stella Jo Dean, . adding that she has always main- tained the need ‘for a ‘no-trucks’ sign on 19th Street. Ald. John Braithwaite said a no-trucks policy on 19th Street should at least be tried, ‘‘to show the people that we know what is By Pameta Lang Contributing Writer happening there and that we rh Ald. Bill Bell said that even though he thought a truck ban was appropriate for the steep grade, he said he was concerned that council was going against city staff recommendations. He said a major city traffic study was conducted, but rather than doing things according to the plan set out for the overali good of the city decisions were being made on an ad hoc basis. Bell asked. city staff if council was making decisions for the good of the whole city or ‘‘are we just doing stop-gap measures based on public pressure." The city’s network traffic study, endorsed by council, identified the city’s traffic needs to the year 1! City engineer Chuck Gayle said that study and others, including the upcoming truck route review, are aimed at identifying the major concerns and the needs of the city. The reports to council do not support the four-way stop or the truck ban for i9th Street, and Gayle said they do not support an “tad hoc, street by street?’ ap- proach to decision-making. NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL Pointing out that 23rd Street al- ready has a truck ban, Ald. Rod Clark said 17th Sereet residents will likely want a truck ban, too, because they aren’t happy about trucks on their street either. He suggested that council “delay matters until we have more information,’’ including the bylaw defining trucks. Mayor Jack Loucks said 19th and 17th streets can’t be com- pared because the grade on [9th is much steeper. Although Dean said the four- way stop sign would deter traffic from speeding, Loucks opposed the installation of a four-way stop sign at the bottom of 19th Street ill. Installing one, he said, would be ‘‘asking for a lot of trouble, and a lot of accidents."’ Ald. John Braithwaite agreed, adding that the noise of vehicles gearing down or revving their engines to get up the hill would cause additional problems. Dean added an amendment to her motion, making the proposed stop sign installation a_ three- month trial period to test its viability. But when Braithwaite asked how its usefulness would be monitored, Gayle said he did not know. Speed checks could be done, he said, although that should be discussed with the RCMP. Council split over housing game plan DESPITE A_ new housing strategy that some North Van- couver District Council members described as ‘‘do- able’? and a ‘‘compromise,” only two points received unan- imous support. Ald. Rick Buchols opposed nine of the 17 strategies, saying that he could not agree with *‘central planning at this level of detail.” “‘] see this as significant in- terference in the private control of use and marketing of hous- EE NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL ing,’’ said Buchols. Ald. Joan Gadsby opposed all but two of the strategies saying, ‘‘We should not be in- terfering in the marketplace for housing. Not everybody is go- ing to be able to afford to live in the District of North Van- couver.”” Ald. Paul Turner, who mov- ed adoption of the strategies, said, ‘‘We are trying to preserve the existing mix of housing on the North Shore.’”’ The three strategies that will eventually set up a land fund were not originally part of the motion. Turner later moved to in- clude them when Gadsby asked for a separate vote on each point. Said Turner, ‘‘This fund is a means‘ to spread the joy, or grief, depending on your point of view, around the district.” Sunday, January 26, 1992 - North Shore News - 3 Council adopts housing policy Secondary suites issue to be dealt with separately NCRTH VANCOUVER District Council has adopted 17 strategies that will form a new basis for implementing district hous- ing policy agreed to in December 1990. By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer The strategies derive from rec- ommendations made by the district's Housing Strategy Task Force over two years ago. But by council’s having used a process of ‘‘ratification’’ some of the original recommendations have been altered or have fallen by the wayside. One major but controversial series of recommendations was based on the premise that the district should permit regulated secondary suites in owner-oc- cupied homes. Council, however, has already gone on record at a ‘‘shirt-sleeve’’ meeting in November 1991 as no longer supporting the legalization of owner-occupied secondary suites. The secondary suites issue was not addressed in the housing strategies and will be dealt with separately by council. The Housing Strategy Task Force was established in December 1989 to advise council on the ap- tions available to ‘the distzict to create rental, family, seniors’ and affordable housing. Chaired by former district mayor Marilyn Baker, the task force had representation from housing and ratepayers groups as well as the chamber of commerce, the Real Estate Board and devel- opment interests. Baker’s preface to the report NCRTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL described the endeavor as a “strategy designed to guide the district into the future in a way that will ensure the preservation of a balanced community with a variety of housing options for our citizens.”” The task force’s original report was tabled in June 1990. Council deferred any action at that time and referred it to ratepayer and community groups for feedback, prompting angry accusations from task force members that council.was starting the whole process again. But in December 1990 council adopted taany of the task force recommendations, including those relating to secondary suites. That decision, however, was made after midnight, when Ald. Rick Buchols had already withdrawn from the meeting and with a council that did not include Ald. Joan Gadsby. A subsequent staff report, pres- ented in June 1991, that recom- mended specific actions to imple- ment some of the housing strategy was defeated after Mayor Murray Dykeman cast the deciding vote. Since that time all council debate on the housing policy has been in-camera or at “‘shirt- sleeve’ sessions. Other points from the staff rec- ommendations that have not reappeared in the new “‘ratifica- tion” of the housing policy in- clude: @ commiting $500,000 to the land fund; @ reconvening the Housing Task Force each year for a review of council progress in implementing policy. 17 strategies outlined in NVD housing policy ACCORDING TO its newly adopted housing strategy. North Vancouver District will: @ seek to retain existing rental housing; @ prohibit conversions of multi- family rental housing except when a vacancy rate of 4% or more has been recorded for 13 consecutive. months; @ actively assist in the deveiop- ment of proposals for housing projects that contribute to a balanced supply of housing; @ plan new neighborhoods to provide housing for all income groups; @ adopt the use of land leases to provide affordable housing and to retain district land as a renewable asset; @ incorporate a range of densities in each new neighborhood; @ review alternative zoning ap- proaches that will encourage a balanced housing stock; @ exercise its efforts directly and in conjunction with others to en- courage senior levels of govern- ment to act in full partnership with the municipalities, private sector and non-profit sector to improve, expand, initiate and provide legislative support for ini- tiatives that serve the common in- terest in a balanced housing stock; @ annually define the levels of new housing necessary to ensure a balance of type, tenure and affor- dability within the district’s overall housing stock, and imple- ment strategies to facilitate these levels of production; @ seek to increase public under- standing of the effects and benefits of carefully planned den- sity increases; © use land-use decisions to main- tain a balanced housing stock, and seek long-term protection of municipal lands as a renewable resource; ‘ @ investigate ways to encourage affordable housing in commercial zones and in large public or private commercial and _institu- tional developments; @ identify and consider in- novative small lot, duplexing and four-plexing opportunities. and have this considered as part of the OCP (Official Community Plan) review process; @ seek provincial legislation to permit municipalities to regulate building demolition and review such regulations annually; @ establish a land fund to be us- ed on a revolving basis to acquire, hold and allocate land for housing projects that will contribute to a balanced housing stock; @ establish a land fund to ac- quire, hold and allocate land for affordable kousing throughout the district; @ investigate appropriate sources of funds for the land fund and make recommendations to coun- cil. :