Public Hearing
A Public Hearing was held at 7:00 p.m. on February 23, 2015 regarding Bylaws 1789 - 1790 to permit a single family dwelling in a downtown zone in the 500 block of Reid Street; to ban shipping containers in residential areas only and to restrict in some commercial areas; amend restrictions to accessory buildings, recreational vehicles and licensee retail stores. Approximately 50 individuals attended the Public Hearing with the majority wanting to give input to Council for the proposed shipping containers and accessory building restrictions. Council defeated Bylaws 1791 and 1792 regarding shipping container and accessory building/RV Storage/Retail Licensee Stores, at the Regular Meeting held directly after the Public Hearing, and asked Staff/Policy and Bylaw Review Committee to bring back to Council recommendations regarding shipping containers, accessory buildings, RV Storage and Retail Licensee Stores in order to continue to move these issues forward.
Committee Support Budget and Committees
Council approved, for 2016 only, a $4,460 budget for the Shiraoi Twinning Society in part to host/celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Twinning relationship and an expected Shiraoi delegation to visit Quesnel in 2016.
Council has asked staff to take steps to repeal the Museum & Heritage Commission bylaw and asked the Executive Committee to work with staff to look at a more flexible structure for this group. Also, Council asked the Executive Committee and staff to create new Terms of Reference, as a starting point, for this group to review as this initiative moves forward. Council approved $7,500 be allocated, from the 2015 general surplus, to complete structural engineering plans for the original Hudson’s Bay building located on Front Street to look at the building’s foundation and the ground that surrounds this site.
Due to logistical issues, the WildSafeBC (Bear Aware) program will not be able to solely focus on issues related to the City’s switch to bi-weekly garbage pickup in 2016. For this reason, Council has decided not to fund the WildSafeBC program for 2016, but instead allocated these funds $2,500 for targeted education that will cover such topics as managing compostable garbage, bear-proofing garbage cans and garbage handling practises that will help to reduce problem bear issues.
Council has asked the Executive Committee to work with staff to renew the operational contract with the Chamber of Commerce who is responsible for the operation of the Quesnel & District Visitors Information Centre.
Proposed Five Year Financial Plan
Council approved staff moving forward to build the City’s Five Year Financial Plan. The Five year Plan is built based on Council’s three-year tax framework which includes freezing major and light industrial taxation at 2015 dollar levels and increasing the contribution to the Capital Reinvestment Plan by $675,000 from 2016 – 2018.
- Capital Reinvestment reserve is increased another $125,000 in 2017 and $155,000 in 2018 for a total of $675,000 from 2016 to 2018
- Debt has been built into this Plan with $10 million for the Public Works Facility in 2017; and $2.0 million for the Fire Hall Building in 2020
- $1,598,000 Gas Tax Reserves will be allocated for $1,508,000 capital projects approved by Council; $40,000 for the active transportation plan; and $50,000 for the waste management projects.
Development Permit - Veterinary Clinic
Council approved a Development Permit for the construction of a veterinary clinic location at 2372 Larch Avenue with an approved variance of Zoning Bylaw 1662 to permit any parking and areas of vehicle parking and travel to be gravel. The property owner will have to post a 125% landscaping bond and provide approved plans for the preservation of the natural overland storm water route.
Alternative Approval Process – 10% Eligible Voter Threshold
Council has approved the 10% voter threshold to be 723 eligible voters for the Alternative Approval Process for the proposed $10,000,000 Loan Authorization Bylaw for the new public works facility. Council has final discretion (via a Council resolution) as to whether or not this issue should proceed to a full referendum after the 4:30 p.m. April 4, 2016 electoral response form submission deadline. Electoral Response Forms packages are available at the front desk of City Hall and the City’s website.
2015 Fourth Quarter Report
City Manager Byron Johnson provided Council with the following key summary results from various City departments regarding the corporation’s 2015 fourth quarter results:
Fire Department - currently experiencing a shortage of volunteer fire fighters with Fire Chief Gauthier completing a recruitment blitz.
Building Inspection Department - decline in total permit values from $11,146,724 in 2014 to $4,380,046 in 2015 and the number of new homes from 12 in 2014 to 2 in 2015.
Airport Operations – total number of aircraft movement is down 8% from 2014 to 2015, but the total number of passengers decreased 1% from 2014 to 2015.
Transit operations – total ridership was up 36% from 2014 to 2015.
Bylaws
Bylaw 1789 & 1790 – OCP & Zone Amendment – Single Family Dwelling in Downtown Zone – Third Reading
Bylaw 1791 – Zone Amendment – Shipping Containers – Defeated and referred to the Policy and Bylaw Review Committee for recommendations to be brought forward to Council for further consideration under a new Bylaw.
Bylaw 1792 – Zone Amendment – Accessory Buildings/RV Storage/Retail Licensee Stores - Defeated and referred to the Policy and Bylaw Review Committee for recommendations to be brought forward to Council for further consideration under new Bylaws.
Bylaw 1793 – Zone Amendment – Secondary Suite (Coach Road South/Hydraulic Road) - First/Second Readings and Public Hearing set for March 15, 2016 at 7:00 pm in Council Chambers
Next Meetings
- 7:00 pm, Tuesday, March 1, 2016 – Regular Council Meeting
- 5:30 pm, Tuesday, March 8, 2016 – North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee
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