September 9, 2024 Regular Council Summary

Rise and Report

Sahara Roden was appointed as an at-large member of the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness.
Section 7a

Angie Boileau and Harry Law were appointed as at-large members of the Design Advisory Panel.
Section 7b

Presentations

Council was presented with an overview of Recreation and Culture’s summer 2024 programming.
Section 8a

Delegations

Representatives from Strong Towns Nanaimo spoke regarding eliminating parking requirements.
Section 11a

Representatives from Foresty Works for BC spoke regarding their request for a letter of support.
Section 11b

Shauna McAllister spoke regarding her request for signage to be installed at Colliery Dam Park identifying designated fishing areas.
Section 11c

Reports

Representatives from BC Housing presented Council with information regarding BC Housing’s move away from implementing Good Neighbourhood Agreements and Community Advisory Committees in favour of a Neighbourhood Integration Plan for supportive housing sites.

Council directed staff to amend the motion made at a previous Council meeting to note that the disposition of a 3-year lease, with the option for a two 2-year renewals for a portion of City-owned land at 1030 Old Victoria Road, be subject to a Neighbourhood Integration Plan.  
Section 12a

“Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Amendment Bylaw 2024 No. 7108.04" (a bylaw to amend the provision associated with fuel tank installation, removal, or withdrawing a fuel tank from service) passed three readings.
Section 12b

Council awarded the following permissive tax exemptions for the 2025 taxation year:

• Alano Club of Nanaimo Society (Leased Portion 13%) for 201-321 Wallace St
• Connective Support Society Nanaimo (Leased Portion 100%) for 2630 Labieux Rd (subject to receipt of funding or operation agreement)
• Island Crisis Care Society (Leased Portion 28%) for 3-2025 Bowen Rd
• Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization (Leased Portion 5.37%) for 495 Dunsmuir St
• Pacifica Housing Advisory Association for 940 Hecate St
• The Canadian Red Cross Society (leased portion 100%) for Unit 4 & 5, 2525 McCullough Rd
• The Vancouver Island Exhibition Association for 2300 Bowen Rd
• Unitarian Foundation of Nanaimo for 591 Townsite Rd
• Vancouver Island Symphony (leased portion 50%) for 617 Wentworth St

Section 12c

Council directed Staff to suspend pay street parking in the downtown for the duration of the Commercial Street Phase One project and replace it with a 2-hour time limit.
Section 12d

Council adopted a “Lead in the Gaps” approach on e-mobility as recommended in the E-Mobility Landscape and Options for Nanaimo Technical Report and directed staff to identify key actions to address all critical barriers identified in the report and report back to Council for consideration. As a first step, staff will prepare a business case for consideration for the 2026-2030 Financial Plan to provide long-term, sustainable resources to improve active transportation networks for Council’s consideration, and leverage external funding and partnerships to expand and improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the role of a facilitator, partner, and/or landowner.
Section 12e

Council directed staff to submit an application to the round two Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF2). If the application is successful, the City could receive an estimated $20 million to invest in sewer infrastructure projects, and to implement an action plan of initiatives that support increasing housing supply.
Section 12f

Development Permits were issued for 821 Haliburton Street and 116 Pryde Avenue, to allow for multi-family residential developments.
Section 12g,h

A Development Variance Permit was issued for 124 Haida Trail, to allow for an addition to an existing dwelling.
Section 12i

A Development Variance Permit was issued for 1870 East Wellington Road, to increase the maximum permitted gross floor area within an existing building.
Section 12j

"Housing Agreement Bylaw 2024 No. 7387" (To secure rental tenure and non-market rental housing) passed three readings.
Section 12k

Council will be recommending that the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch approve the application for a liquor primary licence at 2373 Rosstown Road.
Section 12l

Bylaw Updates

"Traffic and Highways Regulation Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2024 No. 5000.048" (micromobility traffic and safety on highways) was adopted.
Section 13a

"Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2021 No. 4500.189" (To rezone 3679 Shenton Road from Single Dwelling Residential [R1] to Residential Corridor [COR1]) was adopted.
Section 13b

Correspondence & Other Business

Letters of support will be sent on behalf of Mayor and Council for the Mid Vancouver Island Elder College Society and the Royal Canadian Legion Mount Benson Branch’s grant applications for the New Horizons for Seniors program.
Section 14

Council directed staff to include a review of the recommendations put forward by Strong Towns Nanaimo in the staff report regarding parking minimums scheduled to be brought forward at an upcoming Governance and Priorities Committee meeting.
Section 16

September 9, 2024 Regular Council meeting – agenda, documents and video