Council approves higher densities on small lots outside the Infill Zone
Council has adopted a zoning amendment bylaw to give small lots outside the Infill Zone the same parcel coverage and floor area ratios as small lots within the Infill Zone. “Small lots” are defined as less than 550 square metres or 5920 square feet. No residents chose to speak at the public hearing held on Monday evening prior...
City sells sliver of boulevard to allow homeowner to subdivide
Council agreed on Monday evening to sell Tim Manke, owner of 2213 Fourth Ave, a roughly 16-inch by 100-foot strip of city boulevard so his lot will meet the minimum size required for subdivision. The strip runs along the western edge of his lot—the St. Paul side. In return, the city would receive a 3-metre wide snow storage...
Renos a sign of housing markets maintaining across Canada
An estimated 1.7 million households in 10 major centres undertook renovations in 2011 according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) Renovation and Home Purchase Survey released today. This represents about 37 per cent of homeowner households, a slight decrease from 42 per cent, or 1.9 million households, in...
Mene. Mene. Tekel. Upharsin.
The words that title my piece are biblical and mean, roughly, “number, number, weight, division.” They are apt to this moment. I believe that numbers, judgment, and a state of feeling divided, are clues to our malaise as Canadians right now. To say that Stephen Harper divides Canadians like no other prime minister before him...
BC pesticide committee offers misguided recommendations due to reliance on a deficient pesticide regulatory system
BC’s Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides reportrecommended against a ban on the sale and use of common pesticides for lawns and gardens. Prevent Cancer Nowhas reviewed the BC report. Its conclusions are based on blind faith in Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). We believe that faith, and the...
Taylor puts marijuana back on the table at city council
A challenge to step up leadership was given to Grand Forks city council when mayor Brian Taylor asked them to join the campaign to end the prohibition of marijuana in Canada. Taylor wants council to join in with the other B.C. municipalities, now over 13 of a possible 160 and growing, in the Stop the Violence campaign. The ...
Stand up Canada
“We become civilized only by knowing what to refrain from doing.” – Nassim Taleb We have been warned. The Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline will change Canada as we know it; it is a path to a future Canada that will be an undemocratic petro state. That was the message delivered Wednesday (May 30) by award-winning author...
Council to consider a broadband fibre optic Internet service
On Monday evening, Coun. Jody Blomme expressed her "passionate" interest in hooking Rossland up to the high speed Internet framework offered by the Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation (CBBC), and council agreed with Blomme’s proposal to receive a presentation by the CBBC's chief operating officer, Mark Halwa. Halwa's...
DCCs are dead, city moves towards new ways to recover development infrastructure costs
Council finalized the repeal of both Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and the Regional District Sewer Service Cost Recovery Service (SSCR) on Monday, and now staff will begin to draft a new development charge to help the municipality recover infrastructure costs incurred by new development. Statutory approval for the DCC repeal...
New duplex to be built on St. Paul Street
Council recently rezoned 2720 St. Paul Street to "R-2S two family detached residential small lot" from "R-1I infill residential," allowing developer Kevin Fairweather of K2 Contracting Ltd to proceed with his plans to build a duplex on the 323 square metre (3477 square foot) lot. The adjacent property, 2732 St. Paul, was...
