Council Matters: Rossland City Council Meetings, September 8, 2026
By Sara Golling
Self-storage units officially allowed in the Downtown Commercial Zone; Working to continue the bear-proof dumpster service; Zoning approved for a new six-unit multi-family dwelling downtown; a new policy for murals; and a new trail running series this fall.
PUBLIC HEARING on Zoning Amendment Bylaw # 2872: 6:00 PM
Present: Mayor Andy Morel, and Councillors Maya Provençal, Jeff Weaver, Craig Humpherys, Stewart Spooner, Eliza Boyce and Lisa Kwiatkowski.
Staff: CAO Bryan Teasdale, CFO Craig McDonald, Deputy Corporate Officer Cynthia Añonuevo, City Planner Stacey Lightbourne, Executive Assistant Rachel Newton, Manager of Operations and Infrastructure Scott Lamont, Deputy Operations Manager Josh Solman and Manager of Recreation and Events Lindsay Barnett.
The topic: Zoning Amendment Bylaw # 2872
Discussion: If passed, Zoning Amendment Bylaw # 2872 will amend the C-1 Commercial Downtown zone to allow for indoor self-storage, with certain restrictions; self-storage units will not be permitted on the street level of a building.
The City did not receive any written submissions on the zoning amendment bylaw, and no one spoke at the Public Hearing, so Mayor Morel adjourned the hearing.
The Public Hearing adjourned at 6:04 PM.
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:
Nancy Bulman, a volunteer with the Bear Smart task force, spoke in favour of maintaining the communal bear-proof dumpster service, mentioning many of the reasons that community members need the service.
DELEGATION:
Natural Control Alternatives Society
Scott Leyland addressed Council about a succession plan for the communal bear-proof dumpster service, both in the short term and longer-term. He named other bear-intensive communities that use communal bear-proof dumpsters, either as the sole trash disposal option or in conjunction with curb-side pick-up. He pointed out the advantages of the program for Rossland, and that he may not be able to manage it for very much longer and urged that the City ensure its continuation. He suggested some ways of doing that for the City to consider.
Humpherys thanked Leyland for his volunteer efforts over the years with the program, and asked if NCA works with the BearSmart Task Force; Leyland said yes, and he’s a member.
In response to a question from the gallery, Leyland also expanded on the amount of time required to check the dumpsters, and how often they are scheduled to be picked up.
REFERRAL FROM PRIOR MEETING:
2027 Community Grant Funding
A motion to approve the recommendations from the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting held in August CARRIED unanimously. Those recommendations were:
Organization Requested Recommended
Ecole des Sept-Sommets A.P.E. 12,500 8,357
Friends of the Rossland Range 4,000 4,000
Greater Trail Hospice Society 9,350 5,479
Kootenay Festival of the Arts 2,000 1,571
Living Lakes Canada 6,100 4,686
Rossland Arts Centre Society 22,000 12,261
Rossland Council for Arts & Culture 15,000 12,000
Rossland Golden City Days Festival Society 2,500 2,429
Rossland Heritage Pool Society 1,500 1,107
Rossland Mountain Biking Society 2,500 1,929
Rossland Tennis Society 4,325 4,259
Take a Hike Foundation 1,000 857
Rossland Gold Fever Follies 15,000 9,643
Tourism Rossland 20,000 6,359
World Health Outreach 350 294
Totals: 118,125 75,231
BYLAWS:
Zoning Amendment Bylaw # 2871 – 2025 First Avenue
The owner seeks to change the zoning from R-2 Medium Density Residential to R-DT Downtown Residential; this bylaw received first reading at the August 10 Council meeting. The owner wants to build a six-unit multi-family dwelling.
A motion to give the bylaw second reading, subject to the condition that the applicant is responsible for all costs associated with any infrastructure upgrades/removal required to service the proposed development, to the satisfaction of the City, CARRIED.
A further motion to hold a Public Hearing on the matter on October 5, 2026, also CARRIED.
2027 Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw # 2873
Council discussed property tax exemption applications at the August 10 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, and recommended that all the applications be approved for 2027 only.
The draft bylaw embodies that recommendation, and motions to give the bylaw first, second and third readings all CARRIED unanimously.
POLICY:
Mural Policy
This new policy is designed to support murals as community art, and to provide transparent guidance to proponents of murals and decision-makers. RCAC has provided input to the policy and has three locations in mind for new murals – one at the Museum, one on the east wall of the HUB Insurance Building, and another in Sourdough Alley.
A motion to adopt the new policy CARRIED unanimously after brief discussion.
A further motion to approve the proposed mural project at 1100 Highway 3-B also CARRIED unanimously.
REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL DECISION
Development Variance Permit — 1910 Second Avenue
The owner would like to build a new garage, carport and breezeway and asks for an interior side setback variance from 3.0 metres to 1.3 metres, and a front setback variance from 4.0 metres to 0.4 metres. A motion to allow the variances CARRIED unanimously after brief discussion.
Development Variance Permit — 2012 Thompson Avenue
The owner seeks to replace an existing carport, with an interior side setback variance from 1.8 metres to 0.6 metres, and a front setback variance from 4.0 metres to 0 metres. The new build will not encroach on City property, as the current carport does, but not much else will change except the quality of the structure. Council members expressed concern about the small space between the carport and the neighbouring building, in case of fire, but Lightbourne pointed out that the new structure will have improved fire resistance as required by the BC Building Code. A motion to allow the variances CARRIED.
Municipal Expenses for August, 2026 (Cheque Register Report)
As the materials accompanying the list of expenditures states, “Noteworthy expenditures occurring during the period include:
$120K to AM Ford for purchase of 2 2026 Ford F-150s
$95K to Earthtech Solutions Corp for retaining wall remediation work
$15K to Iconix Waterworks for parts and supplies
$30K to Marsh Canada for Rossland Yards Insurance for July 2026-July 2027
$33k to MNP LLP for final payment for 2025 Audit Services
$16K to SIMS Contracting for tree removal services
$135K to That Seventies Project Development for refund of holdback for Caldera Phase 4
$51K to CIMA Canada for a dam safety review and back-up power study
$97k to Copcan for Retaining Wall work
$11k to Family Action Network for third installment of YAN contract payments
$10k to Living Lands Agroecology” (funded by CBT)
The entire list is included with the package for the Council meeting and is open for public perusal.
A motion to approve the expenditures for August 2026 CARRIED.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY:
Council perused the usual monthly reports:
Building Permit Report
Building Permit Inspections by Type
Step Code Energy Rebates
Public Works & Water Production Report
Eye On Water Report
Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control Monthly Report
Council also received and read the seven-page Rossland Public Library Summer Report for 2026.
REQUESTS ARISING FROM CORRESPONDENCE
Lucky Strike Trail Running Series:
A motion to allow the Lucky Strike Trail Running Series to use Centennial Trail, Drifter, Miners, Redtop, Larry’s, Moe’s, and Blue Elephant trails on September 18 and 25, and another date in October 2026 to be announced, CARRIED. Participants in the race series will be required to have a KCTS membership as well as paying the race fee, to help cover the costs of trail maintenance.
Remembrance Day Ceremony 2026 Event:
A motion to approve the temporary closure of Washington Street between
Columbia Avenue and First Avenue and use of the cenotaph courtyard outside of the
Rossland Library on November 11th, 2026 for the Remembrance Day event CARRIED unanimously.
MEMBER REPORTS:
Weaver congratulated the organizers of the bike race last weekend for job well done.
Kwiatkowski thanked the Tennis Society for their efforts over time to keep the court playable.
Morel will be attending the UBCM in Vancouver this year, along with two other Council members, and is preparing for ministerial meetings, particularly to advocate for infrastructure funding from the provincial government.
He also reported that Rossland was successful in efforts to meet with the Premier, and a major topic will be opposing the downloading of costs from the Province to municipalities.
Morel also commented on the wildland firefighting truck, which cost the RDKB over $400 despite much of the cost being covered by grants.
He reported that the Columbia Pollution Control Centre is 80% complete now, on budget and on schedule. It is expected to be complete in 2027.
He noted that he was pleased to see the good turn-out at the ICBC Speed Watch event earlier in the day.
The meeting adjourned, and your reporter walked home in the dusk, glad to see the skate park being enjoyed by several apparently well-co-ordinated young (some of them looked very young) people zipping skillfully around.
