May 25, 2020 Regular Council Summary

2019 Financial Statements
The City’s 2019 Annual Financial Statements were approved.
Section 8 a

Development Around Nanaimo
Development Variance Permits were issued for 1226 Lawlor Road and 236 Haliburton Street.
Sections 8 b,c

Covenants registered on the property title of 6340 McRobb Avenue will be amended, to allow for a multi-family residential development.
Section 8 e

Rezoning Applications for 30 Lorne Place and 2013 Northfield Road, to allow for multi-family developments, passed first and second reading.
Section 8 f,g

Nuisance Property
Council declared #6 2170 Spencer Road a Nuisance Property.
Section 8 d

Restaurant Patios & COVID-19
The following decisions were made, to help support physical distancing requirements outlined through medical health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• A temporary downtown restaurant patio program, providing outdoor patio space on City sidewalks and roads, was approved. The trial program will run from June 1 – September 30, 2020.
• $25,000 in funding will be reallocated from the Downtown Events Grants towards the construction of the patios.
• Staff will be notifying the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) that the City has given pre-approval for temporary service area expansions for liquor primary and manufacturing licenses until October 31, 2020 in response LCRB policy directive 20-13.
• The current City approval process for temporary service area expansion of these businesses will be suspended until October 31, 2020.
• Council endorsed the temporary use of parking spaces on private property for commercial business patio expansions.

Section 8 h

BC Housing Emergency Response Centre
A short-term licence agreement for a BC Housing Emergency Response Centre in a portion of the Community Services Building at 285 Prideaux Street was approved.
Section 8 i

Bylaw Updates
“Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2020 No. 4500.175” (To amend Schedule A – Zoning Map with general mapping amendments) passed third reading.
Section 9 a

Cleanliness in Public Spaces
(item was deferred from May 25, 2020 Special Council Meeting)
Up to $187,000 in funds will be provided to a dedicated Social Disorder Response Team (SDRT), enabling the program to run until December 31, 2020. The SDRT will tackle waste in the streets and parks on a consistent and proactive basis; increase the cleanliness of public spaces in downtown and parks; prevent the accumulation of waste and growth of major encampments; and, take the strain of waste removal away from Bylaw Officer’s, allowing them to concentrate on more appropriate tasks.
Section 12

Security in the Old City Quarter
(correspondence deferred from May 25, 2020 Special Council Meeting)
Staff were directed to work with the Old City Quarter Business Improvement Association and the Old City Quarter Health and Safety Alliance to develop a framework and funding strategy for restoring security in the Old City Quarter. Staff will be preparing a report for Council’s consideration on this matter.
Section 12

“Reimagine Nanaimo” - Coordinated Strategic Policy Review
(from May 25, 2020 Special Council Meeting re City Spark)
The name for the 2020-2021 Coordinated Strategic Policy Review process, previously branded as City Spark, will be changed to Reimagine Nanaimo.
Section 12