Intriguing development proposal; nominations are open!
By Sara Golling
Rossland City Council meeting, September 4, 2018
Present: Mayor Kathy Moore and Councillors Lloyd McLellan, Marten Kruysse, John Greene, Andy Morel, and Andrew Zwicker. Absent: Aaron Cosbey
Council had one of its shortest meetings ever. First up was a request to approve in principle moving the community garden from the west side to the east side of the area just north of the Jubilee Wetland – to the area formerly occupied by a basketball court.
Rachel Roussin spoke about the proposed move, explaining that the plan is to make the community garden area more compact and easier to maintain, as well as keeping it from flooding every spring. The former basketball court location was built up with fill, so is higher and drier than the surrounding area.
The City would like to see a plan for the entire wetland area, including more walkways and boardwalks for the public and school use, and expanding the wetland restoration to include the current community garden area.
A motion to approve the move in principle CARRIED, with only McLellan opposed – he would rather see the entire space dedicated to wetland.
A new development proposal:
Council then moved on to pass a motion to give first and second readings to a bylaw to re-zone the lots at 2812 Cedar Crescent to allow for clustered multi-family development, on condition that the owner works with KCTS to design, dedicate and build trail links to the Cemetery, Happy Valley, and downtown, as well as meeting other standard compliance requirements; and a motion to set a Public Hearing on the matter for October 9, 2018, also CARRIED unanimously.
Council was favourably impressed with the proposal. The plan is for three separate three-story buildings of six units each, for a total of eighteen dwelling units of 125 square meters each on the 16.8 acre property; the remainder of the property will be dedicated to parkland and a community garden area, and would include walkways for public use.
Council passed resolutions to amend its meeting schedule by holding the inaugural meeting of the new Council on November 8, 2018, and canceling the previously scheduled meetings of October 22 and November 13, 2018.
Policy Review:Council reviewed and reconfirmed the Grant-in-Aid Policy, the Respectful Workplace Policy, and the Information to Media Policy, and confirmed the Community Events Sign Policy, which had been amended by requiring that applications to use it be made on-line.
Paving: A motion to award the 2018 Paving Program to Selkirk Paving, in the amount of $134,180 plus taxes CARRIED; a further motion to authorize Staff to spend the maximum amount in the approved 2018 Budget for Road Capital and Maintenance paving activities also CARRIED. Council discussed issues of pavement specifications and longevity, and the potential for experimenting with new paving compounds.
Water Treatment Plant: A motion directing staff to apply for an Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program grant for Rossland’s Water Treatment Plant Improvements Project, with the City contributing required leverage funding of $648,086, CARRIED unanimously.
A motion to adopt Rossland’s 27-page Age-Friendly Action Plan, and the one-page summary version too, CARRIED; a further motion to include “$15,00 to $20,000” in the 2019 budget to further the plan CARRIED. The Council materials included a 42-page document setting out findings on seniors’ services, needs and wishes.
A motion to adopt the Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw CARRIED unanimously.
A motion to give first, second and third readings to the Land Reserve Amendment Bylaw CARRIED. This bylaw enables the City to sell the narrow lot adjacent to 1966 Fifth Avenue to the owners of that property; the narrow lot is encumbered by a large snow storage Right of Way and cannot be built on as a single lot.
Requests:
United Way request – “Life Kits:” a motion to donate $380.00 to help fund the creation of readily-accessible kits containing vital information on seniors who may suffer medical emergencies CARRIED.
Members Reports:
Zwicker reported that a paved bicycle and e-bike trail proposition had been bruited, at a CBT climate action brainstorming session, eventually to extend from Fruitvale to Red, or even BlackJack. Volunteers are needed to move the idea from concept to reality.
Greene reported that forest fires will be a topic at the UBCM, and that local fire expert Don Mortimer thinks that Rossland is a leader in FireSmart progress in Canada, with Fernie “nipping at our heels.”
McLellan reported that the RDKB has been spending large amounts of money – a compactor for the Boundary area, replacement roofs, a new firehall in Rock Creek, Grand Forks aquatic centre construction, an aerial truck for Big White at an approved cost of $1,162,828.00, and an increase in remuneration for directors, which increase McLellan voted against.
Moore discussed the Golden City Days parade; she had a meeting with Highways personnel and the new highways maintenance contractor for the area, YRB, and hopes to get improvements in service; NOMINATION PERIOD IS NOW OPEN FOR CIVIC ELECTIONS and the final day to submit nominations is September 14.
The unusually short meeting adjourned, and your reporter walked home, feeling very thankful that the wildfire smoke had thinned out temporarily, and contemplating our human tendency to be complacent in the face of high risks, as long as no catastrophe has overwhelmed us yet.
