Coming Up: Dec 11

Council meets on Monday. On the agenda this week:

  • Delegations

  • Budget

  • Wheeled Conveyances

  • Barrier Free Grant

  • Townhouse Heights

Following is more information and my take on agenda items.

As always, any mistakes or opinions belong to me and me alone, not to Council or City staff.

While I express my current views below, I work hard to go into meetings ready to listen and with an open mind. I learn new information and participate in debate. This always informs, and sometimes changes, how I vote on issues.

If you would like to watch the meeting or read any of its supporting material for yourself, you can do so by clicking here. The City will post the highlights of Council’s decisions here.

Delegations & Proclamations

At all Council meetings, organisations and residents are welcome to come talk to Council.

This week, the following delegations are coming in:

  • The Grande Prairie Firefighters Association requesting Council reconsider reducing a fire department position in favour of acting on other cost saving measures

  • A resident talking about the Million Child March. This is the latest in a series of delegations coming to recent meetings. A request is being made to me to apologize for this social media post and for Council to make a statement of support for the March

Budget Finalization

It is recommended that Council approve the Budget which was recently hammered out by Council Committee of the Whole.

This budget is mostly a status quo document: it is providing adequate funding to maintain most City operations as-is. However, it does include some exciting investments including an extra $100 000 for proactive asphalt maintenance, $333 000 for the new Rising Above Build, and $500 000 for Maskwa Medical Clinic.

To accomplish this, an inflationary increase of 3.28% is required. We never want to raise taxes. However, taxes have been held stable over the past 7 years. That is despite inflation driving up costs, the province cutting millions of dollars out of our budget, and new services like driveway windrow removal and the Mobile Outreach Program being added. Over the past number of years, City operations have been made a lot more efficient to contain taxes. But we have hit a point where they need to keep up with inflationary costs or services need to be reduced.

You can find information about the proposed budget here.

If you are curious about how our taxes compare to other municipalities, here is some interesting data:

Barrier Free Grant

A program the City offers is grants for commercial properties to make accessibility upgrades. The City will match 50% of costs up to $10 000 for upgrades like ramps and accessible bathrooms. I’m very proud of this program: it ensures that residents of all physical abilities are able to access services in our community.

You can click here to learn more about this program.

This grant program is currently out of money. It is recommended that Council allocate an additional $125,000 from money previously earmarked for Economic Recovery.

wheeled conveyances bylaw

Over the last few years, we have seen a lot of new methods of transportation such as one wheels, e-bikes and electric scooters. It is recommended that Council approve changes to the Parkland Bylaw to create rules of their use on City pathways.

These rules are all pretty common sense. They include:

  • Requiring operations of these devices to be done with reasonable care, at a reasonable speed, and with care to prevent collisions

  • Requiring them to stay on the right side of trails unless passing

  • Requiring an audible warning when passing someone

  • Requiring lights when operated at night

  • Not allowing the transport of passengers unless the device is designed to do so

An important note: these rules will only regulate the use of these devices on pathways not connected to roads, such as the trail through Muskoseepi Park. Provincial legislation currently completely outlaws them on roads and sidewalks. Although there is adovacy underway by Alberta Municipalities to make them legal and subject to municipal regulation on roads and sidewalks…

Townhouse Heights

Medium Density Residential (RM) Districts are created to provide opportunities to build townhouses and low-rise apartments. Within these districts, low rise apartments buildings can be up to four storeys but townhouses can only be up to two storeys. An amendment is proposed to allow townhouses to also be built up to four storeys.

I am likely to support this amendment. Right now, housing is a HUGE need. More needs to get built. But cost is often a barrier. Allowing buildings to be taller means that they can get built for less dollars per square foot. So this amendment could lead to more housing being developed. At the same time, it doesn’t really change the characteristics of neighbourhoods since 4 story developments are already allowed in RM Districts.

That’s what is on our agenda this week. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You can comment below. Or, you can contact me at dbressey@cityofgp.com or 780-402-4166. I'm happy to talk online or over the phone. I'm also always willing to setup a time to meet for coffee.

We also always have great conversation in the GP Round Table group on Facebook.

After Council meeting, you will be able to find highlights posted by the City here.

Thanks for reading!

-Dylan

Dylan BresseyComment