This week at city council, topics such as a response to the YVR noise management plan, flexible packaging recycling and funding applications to TransLink are on the agenda.
Richmond's city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 24 in council chambers at 6911 No. 3 Rd. The public is welcome to attend or watch an online broadcast of the meeting. Here’s a deeper look some of the agenda items:
Flexible packaging recycling
As of Sept. 1, the City of Richmond now recycles flexible packaging including zipper lock pouches, crinkly wrappers and bags, flexible packaging with a plastic seal, net plastic bags, protective packing such as bubble wrap and shrink wrap.
According to the city, “other flexible plastic packaging is one of the fastest growing packaging types on the market and the largest category of packaging that was previously not collected.”
After collecting these items, the city will recycle the products or produce engineered fuel.
The city’s pilot project for collecting these items is part of a Recycle BC initiative and Richmond will receive $175 per tonne of material it collects. In 2019, this will increase to $500.
For now, the city is working to spread the word about the flexible packaging initiative and council is expected to ask staff to create an awareness campaign.
YVR noise management
Every five years, the Vancouver Airport Authority is expected to come up with a noise management plan. The airport authority’s current plan is set to expire at the end of this year and is working to create a new one for 2019-2023.
With the airport being in Richmond, the City of Richmond provides it feedback on the noise management plans.
In creating its plan, VAA undertook a trend analysis of noise concerns received between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2017. During this period, a total of 6,458 concerns were received from 903 different individuals. More than half of the concerns were received from individuals in Surrey. For Richmond, a total of 1,120 concerns were registered by 308 individuals over the four years.
For now, a city staff report says the draft noise plan addresses most of Richmond’s concerns except for the preparation of a regional airport strategy, establishment, monitoring and enforcement of aircraft noise limits and the creation of an aircraft noise ombudsman.
TransLink cost sharing
According to a city report, each year, municipalities may submit road, bicycle and transit-related improvement projects for funding consideration from TransLink's capital cost-share funding programs.
This year, the city is proposing to submit the following projects for funding consideration:
- Construction of a two-way off-street Alderbridge Way multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists on the north side of Alderbridge Way between Shell Road and No.4 Road including pedestrian lighting.
- Construction of a two-way off-street paved shoulder pathway for pedestrians and cyclists on the south side of Steveston Highway between Shell Road and Mortfield Gate.
- Garden City Road bike and pedestrian paths.
- Railway greenway upgrades.
- Multi-use pathway on No.6 Road between Cambie and Bridgeport roads.
- Westminster Highway multi-use pathway in the Hamilton area.
- Bus stop upgrades.
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