COUNCIL BUSINESS: Rossland City Council Meeting, June 17, 2024

There were protests against the lane closure on Second Avenue; riparian areas are “softened and relieved”? Some words from the FCM convention

GIFT:

Mayor Andy Morel and Councilors Stewart Spooner, Craig Humpherys, Eliza Boyce, Maya Provençal, Jeff Weaver and Lisa Kwiatkowski.

Staff: CAO Bryan Teasdale, Deputy Business Officer Cynthia Añonuevo, Executive Assistant Rachel Newton, Chief Financial Officer Mike Kennedy, Recreation and Events Manager Kristi Calder, City Planner Stacey Lightbourne, Operations and Infrastructure Manager Scott Lamont and his deputy Josh Solman.

PRESENTATION:

Evan Parliament, Canadian Administrators Municipal Association (CAMA) presented the award for the Rossland Yards project. For more details, see the story previously published, here. Mayor Andy Morel gratefully accepted the award on behalf of all those involved in the success of the project.

PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:

Samantha Troy spoke about notices to local residents of a plan to permanently close access from the intersection of Queen Street and Second Avenue to the roadway under 2^NL Lane; she pointed out that no one has been consulted and people are concerned about access. She said the city would benefit from better citizen engagement if they communicated their intentions directly to immediate stakeholders and considered their concerns before finalizing plans.

Paul Devilliers and Laura Pettitt spoke about information they would like to add to a recent report on the tennis courts; they would like to start a conversation about the courts. They submitted their folder of information to the deputy company officer.

Matt Chalmers spoke about the 2^NL Closing the avenue, complaining that the neighborhood was not consulted. He asks for a conversation with the municipality to find a solution that works for everyone.

POLICY ASSESSMENT:

The flag is at half mastS: In response to a question about the need for a half-staff policy when the city’s flags are fixed and cannot be lowered to half-staff, Teasdale explained that the city may move the flagpole (which allows for half-staff) to the new City Hall. place.

The policy has been changed to update the City Hall address and to note that the flags currently flying there and in the museum are fixed and cannot be at half-mast anyway.

A motion to approve the changed policy was passed unanimously.

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION:

Zoning Change Bylaw # 2839 – 932 Redstone Drive:

The owner wants to change the zoning from R-1 Residential to R-4 Residential Mixed Density to allow the construction of a three-plex. Staff maintains that the proposal is consistent with the objectives of the OCP and therefore no public hearing is permitted under the new provincial legislation. The city has received one letter from a resident opposing the application, expressing concerns about snow storage and parking space.

Discussion: Provencal noted that she is not in favor of rejecting a development due to parking and traffic concerns as we try to move toward less car dependence.

A motion to give the zoning ordinance a first and second reading, subject to the condition that the applicant design and install the required infrastructure according to the City of Rossland’s specifications, was passed unanimously.

OTHER CASES:

Development Variance Permit – 1643 Victoria Avenue

The owner is requesting a variance to reduce the interior setback from 1.8 meters to 0.57 meters, because the current house is so close to the property line and the owner wants to use the existing foundation to create a to build a semi-detached house.floor house instead of the existing one-storey house. Neighbors have been informed and the person most affected has written a letter of support. A motion to approve the variance was passed unanimously

Development Variance Permit – 2063 St. Paul Street

Provencal backed out and left the room for this item because she lives nearby and received one of the notices.

The owner wants to reduce the inside side setback from 1.8 meters to 0.3 meters, reduce the front setback from four meters to one meter, and increase the driveway width from four meters to eight meters for the construction of a double carport.

Discussion: Humpherys expressed general concern about the construction of many carports and garages near the property line; what we want our streetscape to look like. Teasdale pointed out the practicality in an area with a lot of snow, not having to shovel long driveways.

A motion to make the deviations possible.

Development Permit Application – 1969 Cook Avenue

The owner is applying for a development permit to build a duplex on this vacant lot, which has a permanent stream along one side.

Discussion: Humpherys said he was concerned about more encroachments on riparian areas, and he objected to the consultant’s recommendation to plant Douglas fir there – saying it was not suitable for Douglas fir. Boyce said she didn’t like reducing a riparian area from eight meters to four meters; Lightbourne said it’s permissible if an environmental professional recommends mitigation can be effective, and if that doesn’t work, if an owner can prove “hardship.” Boyce responded that she does not want all of our riparian areas to be “softened and decongested”; she doesn’t think people should be allowed to build on riparian areas.

Despite the concerns, a motion to approve this permit, subject to a set of six conditions to protect the riparian area and impose other environmental protection measures, was passed unanimously.

Municipal audit register report for May 2024:

A motion to approve the city’s spending in May 2024 passed.

REPORTS, FOR INFORMATION ONLY:

The Council had read the six regular monthly reports: building permits, building permit inspections by type, step code for energy rebates, public works and water production, attention to water and regulatory compliance.

MEMBER REPORTS (selected highlights only):

Kwiatkowski reported that she had just gotten her spot FireSmarted, and recommends it to everyone. She also caught the end of Public Works Dayand said the kids seemed to be having a good time.

Spooner attended one Green Link workshop about extending the path from RED to Fruitvale. Morel noted that financing is an obstacle to doing the work in the best possible way.

Humpherys had been present at the unveiling of the Sinixt board at the Rossland Museum on June 14, reporting that it is beautiful.

Morel was present at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) convention in Calgary, and on spoke on two panels; one on the Rossland Retrofit program and one on the Rossland Yards project. Morel noted that the Prime Minister was present, as were Elizabeth May and Jagmeet Singh, but Pierre Poilievre had declined to attend.

Morel reported that one of the themes at the FCM was “municipal growth framework” and mentioned that municipalities receive only about 10 cents of every dollar raised by provincial and federal governments, yet are responsible for about 60% of infrastructure.

Another topic was “tackling harassment”. The mayor of Calgary moderated a panel and Morel said it was sobering to hear stories about the experiences that so many people and women of color have had to endure (and continue to endure).

The meeting turned into a session behind closed doors, and your reporter was taken home wondering when rural communities will have to reckon with issues like drought and dwindling snowpacks, and set limits on development – ​​or whether we’ll just soldier on until the inevitable consequences of it all, courtesy of the laws of physics, overtake us in ways we cannot escape.