What Happened at Invermere Council This Week?

By Carol Gordon

The regular meeting of the District of Invermere council was held on Tuesday, June 26 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Office.

In attendance were: Mayor Gerry Taft and Councillors Greg Anderson, Paul Denchuk, Al Miller and Justin Atterbury.

Staff present were: Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer; Kindry Luyendyk, Corporate Officer; Rory Hromadnik, Director of Development Services and Karen Cote, Director of Finance.

Gallery: six people

BYLAWS & PUBLIC HEARING REPORTS:

OCP and Zoning Bylaw Amendments – Czelslaw Wisniewski, 1314-12th Avenue

Due to a conflict of interest, Mayor Taft excused himself from chairing the meeting for this agenda item and left the room. Councillor Anderson led the meeting during his absence.

Rory Hromadnik, Director of Development Services, spoke to council on the amendments, as per his Request for Decision (RFD) Report.

Excerpts from the RFD Report:

“BACKGROUND: The parcel of land under application is a relatively large single family residential parcel, 0.19 ha, (0.47 acres) in size and has changed very little since 1953 when this parcel was created through a consolidation of three individual lots. The current development on the property consists of one single-family dwelling.

“The ownership consists of three families that have decided they would like to sell the parcel and are looking to increase the potential development options available through the land use and zoning amendment application along with a subdivision application which would split the current parcel in two. The existing house would remain on the northern half with a new lot being created in the southern half. The current zoning is Single Family Residential in a neighbourhood that is currently virtually all zoned R-1 Single Family Residential.

“Based on the input received by way of letters, emails and public hearing comments the recommendation is to defeat the OCP and zoning amendments at this time and keep the current land use and zoning in place.”

A lengthy discussion among council members followed. COA Prosser proposed an additional option to the ones presented in the RFD, to table the existing motion and “go back to the applicants to see if they would be prepared to bring forward detailed design drawings” which would be followed by another public hearing.

The option to table the existing motion until the next council meeting received full support from council.

Retail Cannabis Zoning Bylaw Amendments 2018

COA Prosser spoke to council regarding his Request for Decision (RFD) Report.

Excerpts from RFD Report:

“The Cannabis Act (Bill C-45) has now been adopted and it is anticipated that between eight to 12 weeks after Royal Assent, the bill will be in force and effect. The proposed amendments will add several new definitions to the bylaw, amend the Home-Based Business Regulations to prohibit cannabis sales for the time being and permit retail cannabis sales in the C-1 and C-2 zones.”

District of Invermere Zoning Amendment Bylaw 1547, 2018, to amend the zoning bylaw to accommodate retail cannabis sales within the C-1 and C-2 zones, received first and second reading by council with a Public Hearing to be held on July 17, 2018.

For further information: RFD BC Cannabis Regulation   Cannabis Regulation in BC What We Heard Public and Stakeholder Engagement September 25 – November 1, 2017

REPORTS REQUIRING ACTION:

Statement of Financial Information (SOFI)

Karen Cote, Director of Finance, presented Council with the Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) for the year ending December 31, 2017.

Excerpt from RFD:

“The Financial Information Act (FIA) requires municipalities to prepare a Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) by June 30th each year to be filed with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The FIA regulations require the SOFI to be presented to Council for approval and be made available for examination by the public for 3 years after the year reported on.”

SOFI was approved by council for filing with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing under the Financial Information Act.

Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2018

Karen Cote, Director of Finance, presented council with the financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2018. They were approved by council. For further information: RFD

Annual Report

COA Prosser spoke to council on the 2017 Annual Report (a copy is available at District of Invermere Office).

Excerpts from RFD:

“The Annual Report is intended to be a means of measuring progress towards established goals and objectives for the previous, current and next year and communicates those results to council and the community in a way that promotes greater understanding of municipal responsibilities, obligations and priorities. Every year, council undertakes a strategic planning process to develop the Annual Report. The district’s goals are identified in the Official Community Plan are as follows:

• To build a complete community that supports a variety of lifestyle choices and offers a pleasant and convenient small town environment that provides residents with economic activities, employment choices and the efficient delivery of municipal services.
• To manage growth by directing development rather than responding to its impacts.
• To protect the natural environment by maintaining diverse ecosystems and preserving significant natural features.
• To improve the municipal infrastructure by ensuring equity and fairness in the financing of infrastructure and by providing efficient municipal services.”

Council adopted the 2017 Annual Report.

2018 Short Term Action Chart – Update

Council adopted the Short Term Action Chart as revised on June 18.

The Strategic Priorities Chart (June 1, 2018) – Corporate Priorities (Council/CAO) & Operational Strategies (CAO/Staff)

Mayor Taft said that the Annual Report is “highly recommended reading” for anyone interested in running for council.

Special Events

The Columbia Valley Arts Council Invermere Music Festival (August 17 & 18) was authorized as a Special Event by council. Any fees associated with policy 2008-01 are being waived; the Invermere Music Fest is being held at the greenspace at Kinsmen Beach and is being exempted from the Invermere Noise Control Bylaw No. 1117, 2002.

REPORTS FOR INFORMATION:

Plastic Bags

Councillor Denchuk brought back to council the previously raised issue of reducing the use of plastic bags in Invermere. A lengthy discussion among councillors followed regarding various approaches that could be taken.

Mayor Taft commented: “Potentially, with an election (municipal) coming in October, this could potentially be an opinion poll question that’s asked at the time of the election.”

“It’s a question to the public: do you want this yes or no. Even for the business community, that’s a really important message, what the electorate and the voters, the residents of the community, the customers of businesses, what do they want?” he added.

COA Prosser informed council that if they wanted to proceed, staff would need direction “now so that we can start the process.”

“We have to start having stuff ready for the second week of September and we should be advertising in August about this opinion poll and putting together a little bit of an information package in August,” added COA Prosser.

He informed council that they would need an opinion poll question for council to approve by the August council meeting.

Council passed the motion “to prepare an opinion poll on whether or not council should enact a bylaw to reduce plastic bags” with the wording to be worked on by the next meeting.

CORRESPONDENCE REQUIRING ACTION:

Invermere Co-housing – Sandra Howard, Dorothy Isted and Cathy Howard

A letter to council by Invermere Co-house states, “Invermere co-housing is currently trying to attract members for our community and housing project. We have been holding informational meetings at the library and we have created a website www.invermerecohousing.com. We have been trying to think of other fun ways to bring our information to potential residents.

“We would like to paint a hopscotch game on the sidewalk outside the Bank of Montreal. And simply add the words sponsored by www.invermerecohousing.com.”

Their request was approved by council with the suggestion that if there is left over paint, they discuss with staff the possibility of painting an additional hopscotch game at another location.

NEW BUSINESS

2018 UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund – Structural Flood Mitigation Program

Council endorsed the district’s funding application under the 2018 UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund – Structural Flood Mitigation Program for the project titled “Toby Creek Erosion and Bank Stabilization’ with the district agreeing to support the financial management and oversee the implementation of the project.

The next district of Invermere regular meeting is Tuesday, July 10 at 7 p.m.

District of Invermere council meets regularly throughout the year on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (second Tuesdays only during July, August, September and December) at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Office (914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere) unless otherwise indicated.

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