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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAAC 2021-02-25 agenda.pdf City of Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee AGENDA Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 7:00 pm Held via Zoom Teleconference Meeting Access Information To practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic we will be holding the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting via Zoom teleconference. All participants including members of the AAC and the public are asked to join the meeting from home using the following access information: Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone https://mapleridge-ca.zoom.us/j/99075803391?pwd=N0xEMlVMcG1ZNkpWYTBiYVdhZGlZQT09 Or join the meeting using your phone Dial: +17789072071 Meeting ID: 990 7580 3391 Passcode: 821483 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES – November 26, 2020 4. DELEGATIONS 5. QUESTION PERIOD 6. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1. Chair and Vice Chair Selection 6.2. Advisory Committee Overview 6.3. 2021 Meeting Schedule 6.4. Water Meter Rates Research Update 6.5. Food Garden Contest 2021 6.6. Community Garden Program 7. LIAISON UPDATES 7.1. Staff Liaison 7.2. Council Liaison 8. TASK FORCE UPDATES 8.1 Promotion of Agriculture - Booth in a Box Project 9. CORRESPONDENCE 9.1 2021 Business Planning, Maple Ridge Climate Hub Response 10. ROUNDTABLE 11. ADJOURNMENT Next Meeting: March 25, 2021 Agenda Submission Deadline: March 5, 2020 QUESTION PERIOD Question Period provides the public with the opportunity to ask questions or make comments on subjects that are of concern to them. Each person will be given 2 minutes to speak. Up to ten minutes in total is allotted for Question Period. sc/ mapleridge.ca City of Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee MEETING MINUTES The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee, held via Zoom teleconference on November 26, 2020 at 7:05 pm ____________________________________________________________________________________ COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Councillor Gordy Robson Council Liaison Bill Hardy, Chair Member at Large Carla Schiller, Vice Chair Member at Large Pascale Shaw Member at Large Melissa Maltais Fraser North Farmers Market Society Representative Angela Boss B.C. Ministry of Agriculture (Non-voting member) STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Adam Rieu Staff Liaison/Community Planning Erin Mark Clerk 3 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT Andrew Pozsar Member at Large Lorraine Bates Agricultural Fair Board Representative Shannon Lambie Agriculture Land Commission (Non-voting member) 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA R/2020-027 It was moved and seconded That the agenda for the November 26, 2020 Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting be approved as circulated. CARRIED 3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES R/2020-028 It was moved and seconded That the minutes of the October 22, 2020 Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting be adopted as circulated. CARRIED 4. DELEGATIONS - Nil 5. QUESTION PERIOD - Nil Note: Pascale Shaw joined the meeting at 7:10 pm due to technical difficulties. mapleridge.ca Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes November 26, 2020 Page 2 of 3 6. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1. Water Meter Rates Research Update Carla Schiller shared that she enquired about farm water meter rates at a recent Metro Vancouver AAC meeting and that she will report back to the Committee after she receives a response from Metro Vancouver staff. 6.2. 2021 Meeting Schedule The Committee reviewed the proposed 2021 Meeting Schedule. R/2020-029 It was moved and seconded That the 2021 Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting schedule be adopted as presented. CARRIED 6.3. Community Gardens The Chair introduced the Brampton Community Garden Program and advised that further discussion on this item would occur during Item 8.1. 7. LIAISON UPDATES 7.1 Staff Liaison The Staff Liaison provided an update on the City’s response to COVID-19 including City Hall being reopened to the public during regular business hours. Committee of Council meetings will continue virtually until further notice. The Staff Liaison shared that the ALC exclusion process has been recently updated. 7.2 Council Liaison Councillor Robson announced that Councillor Duncan will be the primary Council Liaison for the Committee starting in January 2021 and thanked the Committee for their work. Councillor Robson enquired about the planned reduction of City of Maple Ridge farm tax rates. The Staff Liaison will provide an update at an upcoming meeting. 8. SUBCOMMITTEE & TASK FORCE UPDATES 8.1 Food Garden Contest 2020 Carla Schiller provided an update on the selection of the Food Garden Contest winning entries. The Committee discussed options for an expanded community garden backyard program similar to the Brampton Garden Program. The Task Force will explore options and partnership opportunities and report back to the Committee. Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes November 26, 2020 Page 3 of 3 8.2 Education It was noted that Michelle Franklin has resigned from the Committee as of November 23, 2020, due to a conflict of interest. Angela Boss offered to help source speakers and schedule events and noted that the Ministry of Agriculture has a number of best practices resources and suggested the Committee complete a needs assessment for the community. 8.3 Promotion of Agriculture The Staff Liaison provided an update on the City’s corporate logo requirements for the Booth in a Box project. Committee members discussed the history of the project and the need to complete the project quickly. The Staff Liaison will follow-up with the City’s communication department and report back to the Committee. 9. ROUNDTABLE Members provided updates on local agricultural topics and activities. 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee will be held on Wednesday, February 25, 2021 at 7:00 pm. Bill Hardy, Chair /em mapleridgeclimatehub.ca January 5, 2021 To: Maple Ridge Mayor & Council Cc: Al Horsman, Chief Administrative Officer Trevor Thompson, Chief Financial Officer Christine Carter, General Manager, Planning & Development Services Josh Mickleborough, Director of Engineering Laura Benson, Senior Policy and Sustainability Analyst Lisa Zosiak, Manager, Community Planning Mark Halpin, Transportation Manager Rod Stott, Environmental Planner Adam Rieu, Planner Bill Hardy, Chair, Environmental Advisory Committee and Agricultural Advisory Committee Vijay Soparkar, Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee Re: 2021 Business Planning Dear Mayor Morden, Council, Staff and Committee members: As the municipal business planning cycle draws to a close, the Maple Ridge Climate Hub would like to comment on achievements related to climate change in 2020 and plans and opportunities for 2021. We are pleased and proud that this Council, ably supported by City staff, have chosen to adopt ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the IPCC report of 2018, in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change in the future. Council has recognized the urgent need for action, and requested that staff provide recommendations for immediate steps, which they have done. We see these steps embedded in the 2021 work plan. Highlights include: ● Targeting GHG emissions reductions to net zero by 2050 ● Energy retrofits for existing housing stock ● Step codes for new buildings ● Strengthen development requirements for EV charging infrastructure ● the Green Infrastructure strategy ● Integrated Stormwater Management plans ● Municipal Ecological Network Management strategy ● Improved awareness and preparedness of the Maple Ridge agricultural community with regard to climate change. These are all important strategies and plans that will have a positive impact on emissions throughout the city. However, what is missing is an overarching strategy that defines the future vision of a low carbon future in our community. Once the vision is defined, each department’s work plans can be developed based on the contribution they will make to achieving the vision. Without a guiding vision, plans may be mis-aligned to the urgent need for climate action. MAPLE RIDGE Climate Hub Email: mapleridge@climatehub.ca pg. 2 Across the province communities like ours are taking on this challenge. Just across the river the Township of Langley has done an outstanding job of setting ambitious targets based on four “Big Moves” designed to change the way ToL residents will live and move in the next 10, 20 and 30 years. The Township engaged their citizens to co-create a plan with 140 actions across eight priority areas, from buildings and land use to transportation and mobility. This plan took 18 months to develop, with numerous opportunities for public engagement and check-ins with Council. Now they have a tangible roadmap for the future. The City of Vancouver took a different approach. They too identified Big Moves, priority areas and action plans. But rather than waiting until all the analysis and public engagement were complete, they identified 81 activities they could quickly launch to get a jump-start on action. While the 81 activities were underway, the broader strategy was developed. Finally, on November 17, 2020, Vancouver City Council approved a comprehensive Climate Emergency Action Plan that focuses on cutting carbon pollution from their two biggest local sources: burning fossil fuels in vehicles and buildings. These are just two of many examples of communities in BC and across the country that have created a strategic vision to guide their fight to combat climate change. As this urgent issue requires a significant amount of work, and recognizing that staff have existing work plans and duties, we encourage Council to consider using CARIP funds to hire a temporary staff member or consultant who is qualified and able to lead this important project during 2021. This can be a hopeful time for Maple Ridge residents, if they are able to see a vision of how we will meet the challenges ahead—a vision that will guide planning, development and transportation in our community as we move to a low-carbon future. We believe that an important part of defining that vision is to engage our citizens in learning about and better understanding climate change. Ultimately we will need to create a made-in-Maple-Ridge solution that fits our community. We encourage Council and staff to seek opportunities during the next year to share with the public how climate change is impacting the community and to gather feedback on priorities and ideas. Reaching the necessary target of zero emissions by 2050 will require ongoing vision and commitment. We have seen that Council has the commitment. Now we are calling on you to create this strategic vision in the coming year. Sustainably yours, Kirk Grayson, Sunny Schiller, Steve Ranta for the Maple Ridge Climate Hub The Maple Ridge Climate Hub is a community organization dedicated to helping Maple Ridge move to a low-carbon economy through advocacy, communication, education and action.