Monthly Archives: December 2014

Focus on the Record – Records of Early Land Use Regulation

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The City of Richmond Archives holds records created by Council, its committees, and municipal departments involved in guiding land use in Richmond from the very earliest town planning discussions to recent zoning bylaws. Before the post World War II growth of suburban development, the local government role in guiding land use was largely carried out through building and subdivision approval. In Richmond, the first subdivision plans approval bylaw was passed in 1908. The Archives holds a variety of early subdivision plans.

Aerial view of Richmond (population 8,000) in the 1930s, before the establishment of zoning bylaws. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 1985 154 1

Aerial view of Richmond (population 8,000) in the 1930s, before the establishment of zoning bylaws. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 1985 154 1

After World War II the need for formal planning and building control became more pressing; land was being subdivided and buildings were being constructed at an increasing rate. In 1947, Bylaw 1071 was adopted establishing a Town Planning Commission to advise Council in carrying out the powers and provisions of the provincial “Town Planning Act” (1925).

The Archives holds the original minutes and reports of the Town Planning Commission (1948-1957), and its successor body, the Advisory Planning Commission (1958-1991).

Minutes of first meeting of Town Planning Commission

Minutes of first meeting of the Town Planning Commission. City of Richmond Archives MR402, APC1-1

 

As evidenced in the early meeting minutes, the Town Planning Commission was empowered to issue or deny building permits and to make decisions relating to permissible activities on specific properties. The Commission was assisted in its decision making by the Municipal Engineer and the Municipal Clerk.

 

With the help of the provincial government’s Regional Planning Division, a comprehensive planning tool was developed in 1949. This was the first zoning bylaw, Bylaw 1134 (1949), for the regulation of land use and building, in 7 types of districts, known as the Town Plan. The bylaw was officially described as: “A bylaw to divide the Corporation of the Township of Richmond into districts and to make regulations in relation thereto, regulating the location, use and height of buildings, size of yards and other open spaces, and the use of land, pursuant to the ‘Town Planning Act’ and the ‘Municipal Act’”.

1949 Zoning Map as Schedule A to Bylaw 1134. City of Richmond Archives Bylaws

Until 1957, when Richmond’s first Town Planner was hired, Council’s oversight of the planning process was carried out through the Town Planning Commission and outside consultants. This mechanism proved inadequate to manage growth. In 1955 consultants presented a report which became the basis for the next zoning bylaw, to replace the 1949 bylaw.

First page of Zoning Bylaw 1430 (1956), with amendment bylaw number annotations in pencil. City of Richmond Archives Bylaws

First page of Zoning Bylaw 1430 (1956), with amendment bylaw number annotations in pencil. City of Richmond Archives Bylaws

Zoning Bylaw 1430 (1956) created 11 use classifications. With multiple amendments (over 1000), it served to guide land use control in Richmond until a new Zoning Bylaw was adopted in 1989. The new 1989 bylaw (Bylaw 5300) was established in association with Richmond’s Official Community Plan, first adopted in 1986. Bylaw 5300 was repealed with the adoption of the present Zoning Bylaw 8500 in November, 2009.

The Archives holds extensive municipal government records of planning functions carried out since the creation of the Planning Department, including those relating to community planning and zoning administration.

[Note – this is an updated version of an article first published in the Spring 2012 issue of the Archives News]

From the Archives Kitchen – Clover Leaf Salmon Bread Pie

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Recipe Book Centre Spread

Various products sold under the Clover Leaf brand, ca. 1955. City of Richmond Archives RL258

British Columbia Packers Limited was at one time the largest and most diverse fishing company in Canada. For many years, the company operated out of headquarters in Steveston, a major centre for the British Columbia fishing industry for much of the last century.

CloverLeafTradeMarkRenewal1915

Renewal of Clover Leaf trade mark, 1915. City of Richmond Archives, BC Packers fonds, Series 5 , Sub-series 1, File 17

Of the many brand names and trademarks owned by BC Packers, “Clover Leaf” was one of its most well established.

The trademark was first registered in 1890 by a New York City company before being transferred to the British Columbia Packers Association, the forerunner to British Columbia Packers Limited.

The brand was registered to be used for a wide-range of canned products, including fruits, vegetables, soups and fish. The Clover Leaf brand over time, however, became synonymous with quality seafood canned in Steveston and at other BC Packers canneries up and down the BC coast.

 

Clover Leaf Sockeye Salmon, by appointment to the Governor General and the Lady Tweedsmuir, 1939

Clover Leaf Salmon, By Appointment to their Excellencies the Governor General and the Lady Tweedsmuir, 1939. City of Richmond Archives, BC Packers fonds, Series 5, Sub-series 1, File 17

Clover Leaf Display, 1954. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 2001 34 9-93

Clover Leaf Display, 1954. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 2001 34 9-93

BC Packers marketed its “Clover Leaf” salmon locally, throughout the British Empire, and around the world.  In the 1950s, its marketing campaigns often included displays at various exhibitions and shopping outlets, radio advertisements with catchy jingles, and the publication of pamphlets containing recipes for easy-to-make meals.

"Sea Food Recipes", ca. 1955. City of Richmond Archives RL258

“Sea Food Recipes”, ca. 1955. City of Richmond Archives RL258

One pamphlet produced by BC Packers around 1955, “Sea Food Recipes”, was recently consulted at the Archives in the course of historical research on food preparation. In the interest of accurate research, we thought we should try one of the recipes, the “Salmon Bread Pie,” a kind of poor man’s Salmon Wellington.

Recipe for Salmon Bread Pie in "Sea Food Recipes", City of Richmond Archives RL 258

Recipe for Salmon Bread Pie in “Sea Food Recipes”, City of Richmond Archives RL 258

The surprisingly tasty result of our research , thanks to professional chef and Friends of the Richmond Archives’ Board Director Precilla Huang. (Bill Purver photograph)

“Never on Sunday” – the Holiday Shopping Referendum

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Never on Sunday front page

Election brochure. City of Richmond Archives, MR 35, File 4569 (1981)

Many people today are surprised to learn that prior to 1981, most stores in Richmond were prohibited from opening on Sundays and holidays.  Provincial legislation, namely the Holiday Shopping Regulation Act, was enacted in 1980, and provided a means by which an individual municipality could ask its citizens whether they wished to remove restrictions on Sunday and holiday shopping.

As a result, Richmond Municipal Council decided to add to the November 21, 1981 municipal election ballot the following referendum question:

“Are you in favour of Richmond By-law No. 4016 which in summary would permit all retail businesses to carry on business on a Sunday and any other holiday as defined by the ‘Holiday Shopping Regulations Act’?”

Two groups emerged in the community to promote each side of the referendum question, a question that was being asked on a number of municipal election ballots throughout the province.

Back page of election brochure. City of Richmond Archives, SE 35, File 4569 (1981)

Back page of brochure. City of Richmond Archives, MR 35, File 4569 (1981)

The “Committee Opposed to Sunday and Holiday Shopping” was formed as an unusual alliance of church groups, labour unions, major retail stores, and women’s groups.  Using the slogans “Never on Sunday” and the “Price of Convenience”, the committee urged that Sunday should be “a day of rest” for church goers and workers, the latter comprised of a large number of women who worked as retail store clerks.  The Committee warned that if shopping was allowed, “Sundays and holidays would soon become another rat race like any other day of the week, with traffic jams, noise, congestion and frustration for everyone.”

On the other side, some larger, newly-established stores along with a wide-range of citizens argued for the right to shop on Sunday, listing various benefits including convenience, emergency needs, rights of consumers, and promotion of local shopping rather than cross-border shopping or shopping in municipalities which had already adopted Sunday and holiday shopping bylaws.

Lumberland Brochure

Election advertising. City of Richmond Archives, MR 35, File 4569 (1981)

By a margin of 14,434 “Yes” votes to 8,265 “No” votes, Bylaw 4016 received the assent of electors and was adopted by Council on November 23, 1981.  Retail shopping on Sundays and holidays was here to stay.

Bylaw 4016 as adopted. City of Richmond Archives Bylaws

Bylaw 4016 as adopted. City of Richmond Archives Bylaws