On important issues, council has to be flexible
Last night I attended a public hearing into a proposed housing development of 37 units adjacent to the Upper Levels Highway on three lots near Exit 4.
It was well-attended in person and online, certainly contentious, and correspondence to council in advance of the hearing indicated there would be dozens of speakers in chambers and across Zoom willing to speak to the housing proposal. By West Vancouver measure, this was a large council and community event.
What made little sense was its inconvenient start time of 5 p.m., meaning everyone in attendance was going to be skipping dinnertime, perhaps skipping out on work early. The timing suited the institution, but not the public, and I heard more than a little grumbling about it as I entered Municipal Hall.
Realistically, this was more than likely the only session residents in that Woodcrest and Woodgreen neighbourhood would be attending in this council’s term, yet the hearing was unnecessarily scheduled in advance of a very light council agenda. It would have been easy to shift council to 5, then to move to the staff and five-minute public presentations for a hearing at 6:30 or 7 p.m.
It was put to me at the meeting when I spoke to council that some seniors find it difficult to stay very late, so West Vancouver tries to schedule hearings early. Last night’s ran to nearly 9 p.m.
Fair enough. But there might be simple solutions to that: schedule one set of presentations in the afternoon to accommodate those who can’t or don’t want to spend their evenings, take a dinner break, then resume with presentations in the evening. It might be wise to offer limited Zoom during the day, more at night. In other words, accommodate the public. Just a thought.
West Vancouver isn’t large, but it also makes sense at times to stage council meetings away from Municipal Hall when there are substantial issues of importance to specific neighbourhoods. The issues of a municipality matter and we need to do everything possible to increase engagement and participation in civic life, and to bring council closer to those it serves.
At the very least, we have to make it more accessible when people are accessible. That would be better for residents, better for legitimacy, and better for public confidence in the decision that follows in a couple of weeks.
Last night’s meeting was a missed opportunity.