Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society provides grassroots leadership and an inclusive process, with a voice for all community members, to ensure that our community grows and develops in a way that incorporates an environmental ethic, offers a range of housing and transportation choices, encourages a vibrant and cultural life and supports sustainable, meaningful employment and business opportunities.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Post Notes for the Council Meeting of March 17th 2014

Delegations
5.1 David Wilks MP
MP Wilks outlined upcoming granting programs including those proposed for communities under 100000 population.  Money will be available for Infrastructure, Arts and Culture and Sports.  Mr Wilks indicated to Councillor Davis when asked, that Canada Post at this time, has no intention of changing the decision to halt home delivery of mail.
5.2 Carbon Neutral Kootenays Dale Littlejohn and Megan Lohmann
Dale Littlejohn summarised the progress made through the use of this program. The program is now wrapping up. This presentation can be viewed at:
https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=3790

Bylaws
6.1 3791 OCP Northern Area
To consider third reading and adoption of an amendment to the City's Official Community Plan. The proposed amendment will:
• add a new area plan for lands in the northern part of the City which were incorporated in a  2007 boundary extension;
• add new land use designations to the properties in the plan area which currently do not have an OCP land use designation
Adopted

6.2 3793 Zoning  Adoption
On March 3, 2014, Council gave first and second readings to "City of Cranbrook Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 3793, 2014", referred the application to the Advisory Planning Commission for recommendation, and scheduled a Public Hearing for 6:00 pm on March 17, 2014.
The subject property is legally described as Lot L, District Lot 36, Kootenay District, Plan 2668, and located at 3113 - 2nd Street South (see attached location map).
The currently proposed rezoning from "Rural Residential (Country): RR-8 Zone" to "Single Family Extended Residential Zone: R-1" will enable low density residential development of the property for a single family dwelling.
There was considerable discussion around the issue of run off and drainage and how this might affect properties below the subject lot.  Council was assured that mitigation procedures are now mandatory in this kind of situation.  The rezoning was approved.

6.2 Bylaw 3794 Five Year Financial Plan First Second and Third Readings
First, Second, Third readings all carried.  It is noted that the tax increase originally proposed at over 6% has now been reduced to just under 4%.

New Business

8.1 Coffee with the Mayor
8.2 Mayor’s Brown Bag Lunch
8.3 Coffee with the Mayor
8.4 Industrial Development permit For Selkirk Signs and Services
To consider approval of an application for an Industrial Development Permit to enable revised development of a property located at 421 Patterson Street W., and zoned "M1 - Clean Industrial Zone".
Approved

Committee Recommendations

9.1 Highway 3/95
That Council approve the following ordered list of the Highway 3/95 Revitalization Committee's priority
projects:
1) Fix / replace the North Entrance sign
2a) Create a path from the current location of Rotary Trail near the Prestige Rocky Mountain
Resort to Elizabeth Lake
2b) Upgrade Way Finding Signage to direct traffic off of the Highway and to City attractions like
parks, Western Financial Place, etc.
Considerable debate surrounded this priority list.  Although there is some funding place for items 1 and 2a Councillors Davis, Pallesen and Scott were concerned about being kept informed of the projects progress and costs.  The motion was amended to receive the list for information only. Carried.

9.2 Family and Community Services Committee
That Council approve the following recommendations from the Family and Community Services
Committee:
1. That the Family and Community Services Committee meet monthly on its regularly scheduled date, regardless of whether or not there are items referred to it by Council and that if there are no items referred to the Committee by Council, a roundtable discussion be included as a matter of business on the Committee agenda; and
2. That the Family and Community Services Committee invite Mayor Stetski to attend its next meeting in order to have a broader discussion around the function and relevance of the ‘Family and Community Services Committee’.
Much debate precipitated out of this suggestion also.  Councillors Davis Pallesen and Scott felt Council needed to have control over Committee activities and felt there should only be meetings when there was a direction from Council to meet over specific topics.  Councillor Cross countered that this particular committee has a lot to network about and that there was value in meeting regularly even if there was no particular direction from Council.  Mayor Stetski agreed to be present at their next meeting to discuss the role of Council Committees.

10.1 Administration Update
Canada Post,Western Financial Place, Dog Parks, Shaw Broadcasts, Library Services
Chris New from Leisure Services outlined the current Dog Park proposal options excluding the Moir Park Gravel pit option.  There were comments that Cranbrook is behind other communities in the development of these facilities.  Options, including the Muriel Baxter site will continue to be explored.

Correspondence
12.1 – 12.10

At the end of the meeting and in Round Table comments Mayor Stetski referred to the letter in the Townsman March 17th, from MLA Bennett concerning the city's DCC's.  He said the facts in the letter were largely correct. A comment from the City will be published later this week.

Comment
It should be noted that council members do not deal with provincial staff directly over these matters. It is City administrative professionals who are given direction to carry out these tasks.  Considering the debate, considerable discussion and effort put in by this Council around DCC's and the half a million dollars spent by the previous Council to assist in putting this process in motion it is quite shocking that no progress has been made in bringing Cranbrook more in line with other communities.

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