REQUEST FOR DIRECTION
DATE: May 3, 2016 Report No. ADM-16-014
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Anja Nurvo, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Heritage Advisory Committee and Alternatives
End
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
Does Council wish to re-establish the Heritage Advisory Committee or alternatively continue to direct staff in Development Services, Archives and Parks and Recreation to continue with review and implementation of Council Policies dealing with Heritage?
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole receive Staff Report No. ADM-16-014 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Heritage Advisory Committee (HAC) in its present format was established in 2009. Also in 2009, Council approved a Heritage Context Plan for the Township as a first step in the establishment of a Heritage Program. The initial Heritage Management Plan of 1994 was replaced by the current Council Policy HER-05 Heritage Policy Update, 2012.
On October 18, 2014, a Heritage Values Open House was held, facilitated by Heritage BC. At its meeting on July 6, 2015, Council received and accepted for information the Township of Esquimalt Heritage Values Report prepared by HAC and the Heritage Values summary document prepared by HAC.
During its annual recruitment in 2015, Council made appointments to all of its Advisory Committees, Commissions and Board that resulted in all being fully appointed with the exception of HAC. There were insufficient applications received from the community to even result in appointment of a quorum to the committee. Council passed the following motion at the June 13, 2015 meeting:
1) suspend HAC for one year and that staff bring this matter back to Council for further review prior to re-advertising for new members at that time;
2) direct that staff in Development Services continue with review and implementation of Council Policies HER-02 Heritage Designation and HER-05 Heritage Policy and Resources Update 2012, and that staff in Parks and Recreation continue with review and implementation of Council Policy HER-03 Heritage Trees; and
3) further direct staff to seek input from Archives regarding Heritage issues within the Community.
ISSUES:
Having a committee tasked with implementation of clear, up-to-date and established Council Policies is not, in staff’s opinion, an efficient way of achieving Council’s strategic priorities. Committees consume considerable staff resources for both the Staff Liaison and Recording Secretary in organizing, attending and recording minutes of all meetings as well as completing all necessary preparation and follow up tasks.
Staff time spent on HAC (approximately 20-30 staff hours per month) could more efficiently be spent by staff performing the work directly on implementing Council’s Policies and advancing its strategic priorities.
Attached is a summary of heritage initiatives undertaken by staff during 2015 to 2016. It is clear that staff is continuing to implement and advance Council Policies in the absence of a committee charged specifically with the mandate of heritage conservation and preservation.
In addition to the tasks undertaken directly by staff, the following are also relevant.
1. The recent appointment of new members to vacant positions in the Advisory Planning Commission and the Design Review Panel included a member to each with a background and expertise in heritage, cultural resource management and conservation.
2. The current budget includes funds to retain the services of a professional consultant to prepare Statements of Significance in order to continue to add homes to the Township’s Heritage Register.
3. Staff in Development Services take into account Heritage registered or designated properties and Heritage trees when reviewing development applications.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That the COTW receive Staff Report No. ADM-16-014 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.
2. That the COTW provide alternative direction to staff.
3. That the COTW request further information from staff.