The City of Grand Forks council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 18 with a full council chamber after summer absences and attendences via teleconference.
Councillor Reports
Couns. Bev Tripp, Julia Butler and Christine Thompson submitted reports to the agenda. Tripp and Thompson both note their participation in the fall fair parade, while Butler noted her volunteering at the fall fair gate. Each was enthusiastic about the fair and attending in the years to come.
Tripp also mentioned her upcoming resolution at the Union of B.C. Municipalities next week regarding microcell transmitters and noted that she would be leading a discussion about the issue.
Butler posed a question to staff regarding having independent assessments done on engineering projects, as she said is commonly done in the private sector; interim Chief Administrative Officer Diane Heinrich said that public and private sector practices cannot always be compared.
Fee for Service Agreements
Council debated three requests for 2018 fee for service agreements from the Boundary Museum, the Boundary District Arts Council and the Grand Forks Art Gallery Society. The museum and gallery 2 both requested increases in their 2018 agreements, and several councillors noted they were uneasy with the burden on Grand Forks taxpayers.
The museum is requesting an increase to $80,000 per year from $70,000 per year while gallery 2 is requesting Consumer Price Index increases of 2 per cent per year for three years, to be evaluated in the final two years of the agreement.
Coun. Neil Krog questioned why the city funded the majority of the museum’s funding from local government; the city provides $70,000 per year while RDKB Area D provides $20,000 and Area C provides $5,000.
Thompson suggested that during the upcoming election in 2018, the city might wish to take the issue of fee for service agreements to referendum to see “what the taxpayers’ appetite” is for fee for service agreements.
Every councillor reiterated their appreciation for each organization and the service they providegroup, but said that the agreements should be examined.
“I don’t want to see any cease operations, they provide a great service. Both are attractions to the tourists coming to our municipality,” Thompson said. “My only concern is with the taxpayers of our municipality being burdened with the bulk of their funding.”
Council determined to refer each request to the 2018 budgeting process.
Information Items
Council received for information a letter from Nadine Heiberg with concerns about Whispers and Roxul; a letter and cheque for $4,000 from the Rotary Club of Grand Forks to cover the cost of directional signage for the spray park; and the Green Communities Committee of the UBCM recognizing the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the city.
Liquor Licenses
Council voted in favour of granting two special occasion liquor licenses to gallery 2 for the Wineology 102 event on Sept. 22 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the annual Wine Tasting on Nov. 18 from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The licenses are subject to servers holding Serving It Right certification, naming the City on the third-party liability insurance, and ICBC drinking and driving posters being displayed.
Bylaws
Council gave first three readings to 2036-A1 2017-2021 Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw.
Council gave final reading to the 2018 Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw 2040.
Zoning Amendment
Council voted in favour of giving first and second readings to Zoning Bylaw Amendment 1606-A6 and to proceed with public notice and a public hearing as required by the Local Government Act.
Tripp recused herself from the discussion of the bylaw given that she lives nearby.
The zoning amendment will change the property at 7357 10th Street from R-1 (single and two-family dwellings) to R-3A (multi-family residential).
The rezoning is required for the addition of a second basement apartment. There is currently a single family dwelling on the main floor and a basement suite apartment.
“The owners intend the apartments to be affordable studio-style units appropriate for seniors or others requiring entry level small living units,” the memo to council reads.
Staff recommended in favour of the zoning amendment given that the address falls within the Residential Infill/Intensification zone, which aims to increase density.
Public hearing on the zoning will be held on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.