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Process needs clarifying but bylaw passed
By Chris Conway
District of Invermere council adopted the new Development Approvals and Fees Bylaw at its regular meeting on June 9.
Once again the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) exclusion process presented a hurdle for council’s consideration.
The bylaw had been given three readings at the previous meeting on May 26. During that meeting Councillor Paul Denchuk brought forward his concerns about the nature of public consultation for ALR exclusions. It was decided that the bylaw should include a definition requiring a public meeting prior to council formally responding as part of an ALR exclusion process.
On the basis of an amendment to that effect being included, council had voted unanimously to give the bylaw three readings and send it for adoption at the June 9 meeting.
However, when the bylaw again came before council on June 9, Denchuk was not satisfied with the wording as presented. The bylaw as presented to council on June 9 stated that public notice of council’s consideration of an ALR exclusion application must be published in a newspaper at least three and not more than 14 days before the adoption of a resolution.
Denchuk objected to the wording as presented saying the public notice should relate to the date of the public meeting rather than the date of a subsequent ALR resolution by council, which would occur at a council meeting after the public meeting.
“It will be kind of joint, done all at the same time,” chief administrative officer Chris Prosser responded. “So there will be a public meeting when the application comes in. There’s some timing issues that we’ll have to deal with on how that all works.”
“It should state three to 14 days before the public meeting, not the adoption of the resolution,” said Denchuk.
“Correct,” affirmed Prosser. “We could make that change.”
Mayor Gerry Taft asked for a motion to amend the bylaw accordingly and invited discussion. “Yeah, it adds some clarity,” commented Taft. “The reality is we are not likely to see one of these but just in case.”
There being no other discussion, council approved Denchuk’s motion to clarify the process and then voted to adopt the bylaw.
