Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society provides grassroots leadership and an inclusive process, with a voice for all community members, to ensure that our community grows and develops in a way that incorporates an environmental ethic, offers a range of housing and transportation choices, encourages a vibrant and cultural life and supports sustainable, meaningful employment and business opportunities.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Advance Notes for the Council Meeting of March 4th 2013, 6:00pm

5.1 Delegation
Dean Nicholson, East Kootenay Addiction Services, Marijuana Use presentation

7.1 Administration Report
Deer Population Reduction Program
Economic Development -  CMHC Rental Market report
Engineering – Science Fair, British Columbia Institute of Agrologists AGM and Conference, April 24-27 2013-03-03, 2013 Annual Capital Roads Program - Preliminary Assessment,
Finance and Computer Services
Council Contingency Fund Update February 2013
Columbia Basin Trust funding for Youth Project

9.1 Correspondence
RDEK Agricultural Plan Newsletter
School Speed Zones
Notes from Coffee with the Mayor
Auditor general for Local Government
Friends of the Women’s Resource Centre
Parent Prom Committee
Kimberley Hospice Society

11.1 Committee Recommendation – Cranbrook in Motion
Parking on Sylvan Lake Road Community Forest entrance

 New Business

12.1 NOTICE OF MOTION: from Councillor Cross

"WHEREAS over 80 Canadian municipalities and the Union of BC Municipalities
have passed resolutions outlining their concerns regarding the Canadian
government's negotiations with European Union (EU) on a Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), including the inclusion of municipal
procurement in the agreement, the potential diminished abjlity of local
government to hire or buy locally so as to use public spending as a tool for local
economic development, and the secrecy with which the negotiations have been
conducted;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT given the concerns raised about lack of
openness and transparency in the negotiation process, Council asks the
Province of British Columbia and the Federal Government for an exemption for
the City of Cranbrook from the Canadian-European Union (EU) Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), as resolved by UBCM Resolution B1 08
in 2010 and B87 and B88 in 2012 should the FCM 7 trade principles not be
respected. "

12.2  Appointments to Advisory Planning Commission and Cranbrook in Motion
Committee

12.3 Highway Corridor Commercial Development Permit
Smart Centres Management for First Mountain Brook Shopping Centres Ltd.
New Commercial Retail Building. Sportchek and Dollar Tree
https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=2855
In reviewing the Council package information it appears there may be traffic issues with this proposed development.

12.4 To formalize a Letter of Understanding between the City of Cranbrook, the City of Kimberley and the NorthStar Rails to enter into a management agreement for the NorthStar Rails to Trails.

Bylaws
13.1 Review of Building Bylaw 3725
https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=2857

Staff at the Engineering Department and Corporate Services have completed the preparation of a new bylaw that will bring into force, once adopted, appropriate updates to the regulations associated with building construction in Cranbrook, while managing the risks to which the City is exposed by being involved in the building permit approval.

13.2
Zoning Amendment Bylaw 3764
To consider third reading and adoption of a proposed bylaw amendment to the R-8, Mobile Home Park Residential Zone to reduce the minimum separation distance required between mobile homes, single family dwellings or structures from 6.0 metres to 4.0 metres.


6 comments:

  1. One wonders what the "difficult lessons" learned when dealing with this applicant, SmartCentres actually mean. See Feb 21 letter from City Engineer, Hodge, in referencing the changes to traffic/road that will be borne by MOT and City taxpayers in the future. Something for Council to investigate...

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  2. Isn't that what the DCC 's are for, to cover things like upgrading infrastructure.

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  3. For an accurate and clear understanding you should probably ask the City Engineer.
    Our understanding is that DCC’s are for extended infrastructure to assist in covering the cost of what is required beyond what already exists. Although this would be new development, it is not roads, sewer lines, sidewalks etc that would need extension but rather already existing major road reconfiguration to accommodate traffic flow. If Hiway 3/95 is involved, it belongs to the Ministry of Transportation further complicating the issue. Also complicating the issue our DCCs, which are some of the lowest in the province in all likelihood are inadequate. It appears the traffic flow in this location is a pre-existing problem and that Smart Centres have been expected to contribute financially to such changes, if required.

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  4. So should Smart Centres be responsible for the congestion or Tim Hortons? Not to blame either one but it seems like a lot of the traffic off of the highway is going to Tim's.

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  5. Cranbrook has the lowest DCC's but the highest Commercial taxes in the province.

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    Replies
    1. Commercial DCC’s and Business Taxes

      Taken, in part, from the 2013 Budget discussion documents:
      Development Cost Charges generate revenues to assist in capital construction of core municipal services for new developments. As a result of a Roundtable Workshop with stakeholders and subsequent meetings and correspondence, modifications to the calculations included applying ‘known projected grants’ (that the City would apply for) and reviewing projects and benefits ratios with the development community.

      Cranbrook’s 2011 Commercial rate is $31.39 per m2 gross floor area. The current rates were set in 2004. According to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development document as at December 2011, the following DCC Commercial rates for: Fernie at $109.63/ m2, Kamloops $73.96/m2, Vernon $37.05/m2, Langley is $46.22, Penticton is $166.46/m2, and Invermere is $67.99/m2.

      If/when the City’s recommended DCC’s are approved by the province, the commercial rate will be $38.22/m2. This figure is a result of taxpayers assisting the developer by 51% of the cost of storm sewer and roads, 11% for water and sewer.

      As for business class taxes, City staff compared Cranbrook’s 2010, 2011 and 2012 business class tax multiplier to other municipalities in BC. For the sake of being current, and short, I’ll use the 2012 multiplier and % total tax rate:

      Cranbrook 2.77 36%
      Nelson 2.36 25%
      Fernie 2.45 15%
      Courtenay 2.85 38%
      Princeton 2.73 23%
      Trail 2.00 7%
      White Rock 2.45 10%
      Creston 1.85 17%
      Burnaby 4.52 40%
      Vancouver 4.35 42%
      Victoria 3.37 49%
      Kelowna 2.19 27%
      Surrey 3.00 26%

      One must also take into consideration the differences in community services. Policing services vary between communities, as does fire protection (volunteer versus full-time), recreational facilities, etc. It can be like comparing apples to oranges. We appear to be in the provincial middle.

      Hope this helps to clarify.

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