Review of gala evening favourable
The Gala Awards Evening, a joint event between the town and chamber of commerce will likely take off for a second year.
The event combined both annual awards evenings and sold 244 tickets. The organizing committee recommends continuing with a combined event and has tentatively booked the legion for the 2012 gala for Oct. 19. Recommendations for next year’s event include assigned seating, advance promotion and possibly providing programs or books for winners as mementos. The intention of the evening was to be self-sustaining with the only expense to each party being the cost of the awards and complimentary tickets provided to the winner. The town did donate $2,000 to keep ticket prices at $40. Total expenses came in at $9,644 with $3,244 in net earnings. The 2011 surplus will be placed in reserves for next year’s event.
Woodlands area structure plan up for amendments
A public hearing will be held Jan. 9 to discuss amendments proposed to the Woodlands area structure plan as well as the land use bylaw.
The amendment will change the land use in the northeast corner of the area from residential single family to multi-family, allowing for medium- and high-density development in the form of row housing or apartment style housing. The second amendment will change the transportation section of the area structure plan, to allow for temporary access from a major road to assist with development of the area. First reading was granted during council Monday evening.
A subdivision application is being processed at the same time as these two bylaws are up for amendments. The subdivision involves separating a portion of the multi-family district from the northeast corner.
A second development officer named
Council agreed to appoint two development officers for the development authority bylaw which previously only had one.
Craig Teal, director of planning and development and Elwin Wiens, current development officer, were appointed. The officers works with the municipal planning commission to assess and decide upon development permits and to issue stop orders on developments when necessary.
The decision to add an additional officer is to offer coverage when staff is unavailable or absent.
Assessment review board updated
Council has entered into an agreement with the regional assessment review board, administered by the City of Red Deer.
The board, set up in 2010 to reflect changes In the provincial assessment appeal process, started as a two-year term.
The changes were created to separate appeal boards, one to hear residential appeals and the other to hear non- residential appeals. Decisions of either board are final and no appeals to the Municipal Government Board are allowed.
The initial two-year term expires at the end of 2011. The new agreement has no fixed end date but the town can give 10 days’ written notice to withdraw from the agreement. The new agreement clarifies responsibilities of both parties as well as the sharing of assessment-related information and offers a membership fee of $2,000 that covers fixed operational costs such as board member training and business travel for advocacy.
