Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAAC 2015-11-26 agenda.pdfCity of Maple Ridge AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA November 26, 2015, 7:00 pm Blaney Room, Maple Ridge Municipal Hall 1.WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS 2.AGENDA APPROVAL 3.MINUTES APPROVAL –October 22, 2015 Meeting 4.DELEGATIONS 4.1 Albion Flats Area Plan Relaunch –Ann-Marie Whittaker, Planning Department 5.NEW BUSINESS 5.1 Water availability and pricing –Ian Brooks 5.2 Advisory Committee Task Force Update –Councillor Craig Speirs 6.UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1 Business Plan 6.2 Backyard Chickens update –Margaret Daskis 6.3 Permanent Farmer’s Market –Al Kozak 7.SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS 7.1 Golden Harvest –final financial accounting –Siobhan Murphy 7.3 Agricultural Plan –Table and Letter update –Siobhan Murphy 7.4 Metro Vancouver Agricultural Advisory Committee –Margaret Daskis 8.CORRESPONDENCE 9.ROUNDTABLE 10.QUESTION PERIOD 11.ADJOURNMENT QUESTION PERIOD Question Period provides the public with the opportunity to ask questions or make comments on subjects that are of concern to them.Questions or comments must be directed to the Chair of the meeting. Each person will be permitted 2 minutes to speak.A second 2 minutes to speak may be granted at the discretion of the Chair if no other member of the public is waiting. The total time allotted for Question Period is 10 minutes. Each speaker will be asked to provide their name for the record.No derogatory remarks will be tolerated.The Committee reserves the right to defer responding to a question in order to obtain the information required to provide a complete and accurate response. /ss City of Maple Ridge AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee, held in the Blaney Room, at Maple Ridge Municipal Hall on Thursday,October 22,2015 at 7:00 pm. ____________________________________________________________________________________ COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Margaret Daskis, Chair Community at Large Stephanie James Equestrian Agricultural Sector Al Kozak Agricultural Sector Ian Brooks Member at Large Chris Zabek Regional Agrologist, Ministry of Agriculture & Lands Kimberley Lauzon, Vice Chair Member at Large Councillor Speirs City of Maple Ridge STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Siobhan Murphy Staff Liaison / Planner 2 Sunny Schiller Committee Clerk REGRETS/ABSENTS Bill Hardy Member at Large Lorraine Bates Agricultural Fair Board Jennifer Zickerman Agricultural Sector Candace Gordon Haney Farmers Market Councillor Duncan City of Maple Ridge Tony Pellet Agricultural Land Commission As quorum was not achieved it was decided to begin with Item 5.1 Raising funds for agricultural Initiatives. Al Kozak made a presentation entitled “Vision to Grow Agriculture in Maple Ridge”.The existing markets for farmers were explained. Mr. Kozak presented a vision to increase markets and initiated a discussion on how funds could be raised to advance the vision. Members discussed the ideas presented and agreed to revisit the item at the next meeting. Councillor Speirs entered at 7:45 pm. Quorum was achieved at this time. 1.CALL TO ORDER There being a quorum present,the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:52 pm. 2.AGENDA ADOPTION R15-016 It was moved and seconded That the Agenda be adopted. CARRIED AAC Minutes October 22, 2015 Page 2 of 3 3.MINUTE ADOPTION R15-017 It was moved and seconded That the Minutes of September 24, 2015 be approved. CARRIED 4.DELEGATIONS -Nil 5.NEW BUSINESS 5.1 Raising Funds for Agricultural Initiatives Previously dealt with prior to Item 1. 6.UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1 Business Plan The Staff Liaison presented the draft 2016 business plan.Many items were carried over from the 2015 plan as a result of the lack of AAC meetings during this year. Accomplishments from 2015 include member recruitment, the awarding of financial grants, the review of the agricultural plan, Golden Harvest,and the food garden contest.Planning for next year was discussed. 6.2 Backyard Chickens The Staff Liaison shared the information gathered from local municipalities regarding their backyard chicken programs. R15-018 It was moved and seconded That the development of a program and/or bylaw in regards to the keeping of backyard chickens be recommended to Council. CARRIED 7.SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS 7.1 Food Garden Contest Stephanie James reported on the Food Garden awards presentation at a recent Council meeting. The presentation was well attended by the contest winners. The contest was well received by the community and will be continued on in future years. 7.2 Golden Harvest Kim Lauzon reported on another successful Golden Harvest event.The contributions of the volunteers were commended. Positive feedback has been received from attendees and participating restaurants and schools. Ms. Lauzon shared recommendations for next year.The final accounting will be presented at the next meeting. AAC Minutes October 22, 2015 Page 3 of 3 7.3 Agricultural Plan –Table and Letter update The information prepared will go to Council Workshop October 27, 2015. 7.4 Metro Vancouver Water Supply Forum Update The Chair provided an update from Metro Vancouver. An agenda for a Water Supply Forum is being developed for next year.The Chair reported that Dr.Kent Mullinix, Director, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems with Kwantlen Polytechnic University will provide a full update report by the end of the calendar year. It was suggested that he be invited to the January AAC meeting. The Chair shared a proposal for a lecture series for next year. Suggestions can be forwarded to Candace Gordon. Councillor Speirs left the meeting at 9:00 pm. 8.CORRESPONDENCE 9.ROUNDTABLE Al Kozak reported that the “young farmers”, Katie Robinson and Josh Baker,who presented to AAC earlier this year have found a property in Maple Ridge. It was suggested that they be invited back to share their experience locating a piece of agricultural land. Chris Zabek left the meeting at 9:03 pm. Ian Brooks requested that water availability and pricing be added to the November AAC agenda. The salination of fresh water was discussed. 10.QUESTION PERIOD 11.ADJOURNMENT It was moved and seconded That the meeting be adjourned at 9:07 pm. Chair /ss City of Maple Ridge TO: Her Worship Mayor Nicole Read MEETING DATE: November 16, 2015 and Members of Council FILE NO: FROM: Advisory Committee Task Force MEETING: Council Workshop SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATIONS RE COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: At the January 19, 2015 Council Workshop an Advisory Committee Task Force consisting of the Mayor, Councillor Shymkiw and Councillor Speirs was formed to review the Advisory Committees of Council and to make recommendations to Council on each Committee. The Task Force met with the staff liaisons of each of the eight committees under review and developed recommendations for the Committees. RECOMMENDATION: This report is submitted for information. DISCUSSION: a) Background Context: Following the formation of the Advisory Committee Task Force (“the Task Force”) at the January 19, 2015 Council Workshop, the Task Force reviewed background information on each of the committees and met with the staff liaisons. The following committees were the subject of the review: • Agricultural Advisory Committee • Community Heritage Commission • Active Transportation Advisory Committee (proposed new committee) • Economic Advisory Commission • Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Issues • Social Planning Advisory Committee • Public Art Steering Committee • Environmental Advisory Committee (proposed new committee) The following committees were not reviewed: • Parks & Leisure Services Commission • Advisory Design Panel (legislated by Local Government Act) • Audit & Finance Committee (this committee functions in a different manner, allowing Council members a focused conversation with the external auditor) • Liaison appointments to community organizations l~- mapleridge.ca Attached as Appendix I is a spreadsheet listing each Committee and providing information on the structure of the committee and any changes proposed. Attached as Appendix II are information sheets on each of the eight Advisory Committees. As the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Issues is a joint committee with the City of Pitt Meadows under the umbrella of the Joint Parks and Recreation Agreement, the Task Force is recommending that the amendments identified for this committee not be considered at this time. This committee will be included in the transitioning process to separate Parks and Recreation services. The mandate of the Agricultural Advisory Committee will be established following the prioritization by Council of the goals of the Agricultural Plan. b) Business Plan/Financial Implications: The Task Force is recommending that the existing budgets for the Committees remain as is for 2016. In 2017 budgets will be amended, with the exception of the Public Art Steering Committee, to $2,000 annually with the opportunity to request additional funds for specific purposes through Business Planning. A budget of $2,000 will be required for the new Environmental Advisory Committee. A staff liaison would also be assigned to the Committee which will incur extra costs for that support. Administrative costs for the staff liaison and Committee Clerk may be reduced if the Committees meet quarterly but this will be dependent on there being minimal support required by the sub-committees from those positions. Those requirements will need to be monitored to fully assess the financial implications of the recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The Advisory Committee Task Force has completed its review of the eight committees and is now seeking input from the balance of Council on the recommendations outlined in this report. “Original signed by Mayor Nicole Read” _____________________________________ Mayor Nicole Read Chair, Advisory Committee Task Force “Original signed by Ceri Marlo” for __________________________________ Deputy Mayor Tyler Shymkiw Member, Advisory Committee Task Force Original signed by Ceri Marlo” for ______________________________________ Councillor Craig Speirs Member, Advisory Committee Task Force :cm APPENDIX I ADVISORY COMMITTEE TASK FORCE SUMMARY OF CHANGES November 2015 Committee Budget Meetings Membership Mandate Active Transportation Advisory Committee (new) $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings See information sheet See information sheet Agricultural Advisory Committee In 2017 reduce from $10,000 to $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Change from minimum quarterly to quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Change from two members from Council to one. Remove one member nominated from the Maple Ridge Economic Advisory Commission. To be determined after completion of survey of Council re priorities Community Heritage Commission In 2017 reduce from $10,000 to $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Change from minimum quarterly to quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Remove as a non-voting member person from the Citizens Advisory Committee as that Committee no longer exists Add an alternate Council liaison No changes proposed Committee Budget Meetings Membership Mandate Economic Advisory Commission Change name to Economic Advisory Committee In 2017 increase from $1,000 to $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Change from minimum quarterly to quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Reduce membership from 16 to 7: One Council liaison, one alternate Council liaison Six community at large members No changes Environmental Advisory Committee (new) $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Voting Members One Council liaison, one alternate Council liaison Two environmental professionals A member from ARMS A member from KEEPS A member from the CEED Centre A member from TAPS A member from the Recycling Society Three members-at-large Non-Voting Members MP MLAs Metro Vancouver Katzie First Nation Kwantlen First Nation Conservation Officer Service See information sheet 2 Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Issues (joint with City of Pitt Meadows) Provide budget of $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Change from monthly between September through June to quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Add an alternate Council liaison from the City of Maple Ridge and the City of Pitt Meadows Amend to include “to create a more inclusive City”. Note: Changes to this Committee to be considered following the transition of the Joint Parks and Recreation Services Agreement with Pitt Meadows Public Art Steering Committee Budget established at Business Planning, currently $70,000 Change from minimum quarterly to quarterly with ability of chair to call additional meetings and for sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Add an alternate Council liaison No changes proposed Social Planning Advisory Committee Change name to Social Policy Advisory Committee In 2017 reduce from $10,000 to $2,000, additional monies to be allocated as required at Business Planning Change from minimum three per year to bi- monthly with no meetings in July or August, sub- committee meetings to occur between meetings Two workshops to be held annually with Provincial Ministries and two workshops with Community Network partners Reduce from 24 to 12 One Council liaison, one alternate Council liaison A member from the School Board A member from Fraser Health Two members from the MRPM Community Network A member from the MRPM Seniors Network A member from the Business Community A member from the RCMP Three members-at-large One member-at-large (19- 25 years of age) Revised (see information sheet) 3 City of Maple Ridge11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 Canada .Tel: 604-463-5221 .Fax: 604-467-7329enquiries@mapleridge.ca .www.mapleridge.ca November 10, 2015 To Mayor and Council: In 2014, the Agricultural Advisory Committee began exploring the concept of keeping backyard chickens in urban residential areas. Initial research was undertaken and reported to the committee. The findings included the identification of municipalities that permit the keeping of chickens in urban areas.At the October 23, 2015 meeting, the Agricultural Advisory Committee passed the following resolution: That the development of a program and/or bylaw in regards to the keeping of backyard chickens be recommended to Council. Keeping chickens in designated urban residential areas has the potential to increase food security and provide opportunities for households to learn about food production and lower food costs. This can contribute to a greater understanding and appreciation for locally produced food and local food systems, which aligns with Goal 3 of the Agricultural Plan. Agricultural Advisory Committee Recommendation: R15-018 It was moved and seconded That the development of a program and/or bylaw in regards to the keeping of backyard chickens be recommended to Council. Sincerely, Margaret Daskis Chair,Agricultural Advisory Committee MAPLE RIDGE .r,,1,::11 (;~•~-n:,1.:a