The following is a synopsis of what occurred during the April 9 City of Fernie council meeting.

POETRY CHALLENGE

Student and adult poets took part in the annual 2018 Poetry Challenge. The following poets read for council and audience: 1. Fernie Secondary School: Mallory Skead; 2. Fernie Secondary School: Thomas Teeple; 3. l’Ecole Sophie Morigeau: Jorja Dion;
4. The Fernie Academy: Grace Hansen; 5. The Fernie Academy: Eve Medlicott; 6. Mary Menduk; 
7. Keith Ligget.

STAFF REPORTS

RESORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ADVISORY WORKING GROUP FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS

Council authorized the reallocation of $64,671 of Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funding from the Community Trail Paving project to fund the replacement of the Annex Park bridge. This decision was made as a result of new flood plain mapping that will require the reassessment of the community trail paving project. Per the guidelines for RMI funding, a request will be made to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for approval of the funding reallocation.

8TH AVENUE LANE WATERMAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Council approved the award of the 8th Avenue Lane Watermain Replacement project to Bob Mitchell Excavating for the tendered price of $239,053, exclusive of GST, as recommended by the city’s consulting engineers ISL Engineering and Land Services. The project consists of approximately 300m of aging galvanized water main and associated services in the 8th Avenue lane from 9th to 11th Street. Council approved an amendment to the approved budget to transfer an additional $48,159 from the Water Reserve Fund to cover cost of the project.

2018 STREETS PROGRAM

Council approved the award of the 2018 Streets Program project to Interoute Construction Ltd. (BA Blacktop) for the negotiated tender price of $1,291,005.50, exclusive of GST, as recommended by the city’s consulting engineers ISL Engineering and Land Services. The 2018 Streets Program consists of the paving of 9th Street from Hwy 3 to 2nd Avenue and 7th Street from Hwy 3 to 11th Avenue. This includes the replacement of water and sewer infrastructure in proximity to the street project. Council approved an amendment to the approved budget to transfer an additional $71,864 from the Streets Reserve Fund to cover the cost of the project.

FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT QUARTERLY REPORT JANUARY – MARCH 2018

Highlights of this quarter include: 10 new auxiliary fire fighter recruits hired; second annual Fernie on Fire Xmas Tree Bonfire fundraiser; Fernie Fire Rescue participated in the Griz Day parade; 
Review of snow removal and bylaws with local 
contractors;
 Ongoing review, rewrite and development of Operational Guidelines.

Goals for 2018 include: Emergency Social Service Mobile trailer completion; Upgrades with Emergency Operation Center for Fernie and RDEK;

Continued success with FireSmart and Wildfire mitigation; Upgrades with Emergency Planning for response to our four identified hazards;
Communication planning for all hazards.

DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT NO. DVPA‐416

Council approved Development Variance Permit Application No. DVPA‐416 and gave notice of their intention to consider the issuance of Development Variance Permit No. DVP‐416 for Lot 3, Block 53, District Lot 4588, Kootenay District, Plan 734A. The applicant wishes to build a single‐storey expansion to the mud‐room off the front of the house.

BYLAWS

BYLAW NO. 2326, OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW NO. 2231, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO.6, 2017 AND BYLAW NO. 2327, ZONING BYLAW NO. 1750, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 189, 2017 was adopted by council. The bylaw amendment to the City of Fernie OCP will allow distilleries and breweries as industrial uses in the Highway Corridor. The bylaw amendment to the Zoning Bylaw will include distillery as a permitted use at the specific location of 1441 – 7th Avenue.

BYLAW NO. 2346 – ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAW

Council provided first and second reading of the bylaw. This bylaw will consolidate the regulations of the current Dog Licensing, Regulating and Impounding Bylaw No. 1995 with regulations pertaining to animal keeping from Zoning Bylaw No. 1750. It proposes to regulate all aspects of keeping animals, save agricultural uses, and to limit the zoning bylaw to agricultural regulations. This bylaw includes regulations that would allow the keeping of chickens and ducks in specific West Fernie residential zones that Council is considering as part of Bylaw No. 2341, the West Fernie Zoning Amendment Bylaw.

BYLAW NO. 2028, BUSINESS LICENSING & REGULATION BYLAW, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO.6, 2018

Council provided first and second reading of the bylaw. This amendment will expand operation of mobile vending to include merchandise sales in addition to food vending, increase the allowable vehicle size to 10 metres in length and clarifies some of the language in the bylaw.

INFORMATION

2018 55 + BC GAMES

Council approved a grant of $250 for the BC Seniors Games Society – East Kootenay Zone 7. The funds will go to support the participation of local seniors in the 2018 55+ BC Games in Kimberly and Cranbrook in September.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
A. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF COUNCIL

– Monday, April 23 – Committee of the Whole at 10 a.m. and the Regular meeting of Council at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.

– Monday, May 14 – Committee of the Whole at 10 a.m. and the Regular meeting of Council at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.

City of Fernie

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