DIDSBURY - Town council has approved a new community hall rental rates bylaw for temporary rental rates for the former Five-O Club.
The move came by way of motions at a recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
In February, council approved the termination of the lease agreement between the Town of Didsbury and the Didsbury Five-O Club for the west facility located at 2500 - 15th Ave., with the termination effective March 1.
Council made a motion on March 14 to refer the rental rates for the hall to the strategic planning committee for consideration and recommendation back to council.
“Due to continuing public interest in renting this hall, the committee is recommending that Bylaw 2023-08 receive three readings and go into effect on April 12,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
“All rentals currently on the books for this facility will be honoured at the former interim rates. The committee, by consensus, is also recommending that the process to determine future use of the community hall be expedited.”
Under the bylaw, separate local and non-local rates will be charged, with the bylaw defining local as meaning “those residents within the Town of Didsbury and those county residents in the greater Didsbury region covered by the intermunicipal collaboration framework (with Mountain View County and others).”
Schedule A of the bylaw sets an hourly rental rates of $30 for local and $35 for non-local, a daily rate of $200 for local and $225 for non-local, and a half-day rate of $150 for local and $165 for non-local.
Council carried a second motion that the process to determine future use of the community hall be expedited, by June 2023.
Residential development high density fee set
In other news from the April 11 meeting, council approved an amendment to the planning and business licence rates and fees bylaw to include residential development high density permit rates.
Bylaw No. 2023-01 was approved on Feb. 14, but did not include residential development high density permit rates. The amendment approved April 11 includes those rates.
The development permit fee for residential development high density is $200 base fee plus $25 per dwelling unit.
Administration examined the residential high density rates charged by some other area municipalities in coming up with the Didsbury rates, council heard.
Committee will consider resolutions
Meanwhile, council has decided that the town’s policy and governance committee will explore potential resolutions for council to submit to in support of Alberta Municipalities advocacy efforts.
Council heard that member municipalities can submit resolutions by May 31.
“Administration is recommending that council task the policy and governance committee with exploring potential resolutions for council to review and approve for submission at the fall Alberta Municipalities convention,” chief administrative officer Ethan Gorner said.
Resolutions that are passed by members set the direction for Alberta Municipalities’ advocacy efforts over the next three years.
