On Tuesday, WL Council will be dealing with the following items at its' Tuesday Committee of the Whole Meeting:
Delegation - Tom Hoffman/Mark Stevens (Tolko) re: Major Industrial Tax Mill Rates. See Mr. Hoffman's covering information here
Editor's Note - congrats to Mr. Hoffman for trying to convince WL Council for three long years that there is a problem with the City's major industrial tax mill rates but I suspect he'll face a "closed-minded" Council. FYI - According to Victoria (see background info above) - the City of Williams Lake has presently the 3rd highest major industry tax mill rate in BC with the City of Quesnel having the 9th highest major industry tax mill rate and the District of 100 Mile House having the 14th highest major industry tax mill rate in BC.
I do agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Hoffman that if WL Council wants to attract new industrial/business investment to Williams Lake - this Council needs to seriously look at its' tax mill rates as a present "disincentive" to invest in Williams Lake, but I honestly have to report that it will likely be the next Council to being "open-minded" , looking at this issue seriously and to change Council's policies enough to have a "investor-friendly" environment in the City of Williams Lake. I also intend to lobby Council, via email, on this subject and on the subject of the Secondary Suite Policy vis-a-vis Affordable Housing
Business:
Bylaws:
1) "Secondary Suite Bylaws" - Changes to Water/Sewer Works Bylaws + Amendment to Zoning Amendment Bylaw - see Staff items here (Bylaw #2130 - Sewer Works Management Bylaw Amendment), here (Bylaw #2131 - Water Works Bylaw amendment) and here (Bylaw #2134 - Zoning Amendment + Secondary Suite Policy). Pls note - City of Williams Lake has decided not to hire a Building Inspector and plans to contract with the Cariboo Regional District for Building Inspection services and at this writing, the CRD Board has not debated this item or made any decisions on this except to approve a contract for Building Inspection Services with the District of 100 Mile House
I reviewed the Sewer Works and Water Works Bylaws back in early March. See that blog post here. However, I would strongly encourage WL Council to put all 3 Bylaws before the public (public hearing) as all 3 are interconnected (ie - all 3 bylaws pertain to Secondary Suites and have an impact on the public). It should be pointed out that Bylaws #2130+2131 (Water/Sewer Works Amendment Bylaws) are "regulatory" bylaws and Council is not required to put them before the public at a public hearing however Bylaw #2134 (Zoning Amendment + Secondary Suite Policy) is a "land-use" bylaw and as such, Council is legally required to place it before the public (ie - public hearing) before adopting it. I also intend to lobby WL Council on this subject, via email, as well, and I'll let all know how WL Council responds
Not to do so would be the continuous act of a "undemocratic" Council. Note - WL Council imposed the False Alarm Bylaw (specific costs to the public) and Traffic Control Bylaw (no parking on boulevards) before talking with the public at a public hearing earlier on in 2009/2010 when this should have been done, as it was the "right thing to do"
2) Traffic Control Bylaw Enforcement - No Parking on Boulevards
City Staff are bringing this item back to Committee of the Whole as there are still issues around the public parking on City-owned boulevards (removal of snow) when it is currently illegal, as per City Bylaw #2093. See that report here. Will WL Council bring this item back before the community as this issue was previously discussed back in November of 2009 and learn the lessons earned from that meeting?? I hope so, but based on this Council's previous actions - I wouldn't bet the farm on it
Finally - WL Council will be reviewing the public comments from the March 10th Budget Meeting (Note - I'll post the report link when available) and continue the review of the City's Draft OCP (Official Community Plan)
SBF
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