Nelson Landing development, city financial plan, composting, residential development near golf course, and more: Nelson City Council March 3, 2014
By Bill Metcalfe
The lead-up to Monday’s council meeting was very sociable, with about 40 people in the usually nearly empty public seating area. The crowd had the mood of people on a mission.
But they weren’t there long.
Mayor John Dooley, ten minutes into the meeting, announced that the development permit variance application for Nelson Landing had been removed from the agenda so that council and the developer could get more public input. The crowd applauded and went home, leaving council to its customary peace and quiet.
Nelson Landing
The item removed from the agenda was a recommendation from city planning staff that the developer of Nelson Landing be permitted to reduce the width of paths and roadways, reduce sidewalk requirements, and increase the lot coverage of buildings. The Nelson Daily will publish a more detailed story about this issue later this week.
Financial Plan for 2014
Council approved three readings of its 2014 Financial Plan, which will come to a future meeting for final adoption.
Composting
At its June, 2013, meeting Council approved going forward with an assessment of composting options, on the understanding that more research and preparation were required before actually proceeding, and Councillor Macdonald took on that task.
She informed council on Monday night that she has concluded that centralized composting in the city and the RDCK is many years away and that council should continue looking into small scale composting, not with a pilot project because there is already a lot of information out there, but with an updated review by a contractor “of on-site composting technologies that would be suitable for use in Nelson, and to research possible funding sources to support some trial projects.” Council agreed that this will be done. Her full report to council is attached below.
Rezoning from park to residential
Council discussed a rezoning application from West Creek Developments to change the zoning at 2000 Choquette Avenue, near the golf course, from P1: Park, Open and Recreational Space, to R2: Medium Density Residential, in order to construct a multi-unit residential development.
Councillor Robin Cherbo commented that the amount the developer has agreed to contribute to the city’s affordable housing fund ($250 per unit) is too low. Planner Dave Wahn and Mayor Dooley responded that the purchase price of the units in this development will be very low—$250,00 to $275,000—and constitute entry level housing already, so a larger contribution to the affordable housing fund can not be expected.
The application will go forward to a public hearing.
Signs and facades
Council passed three readings of an amendment to its by-law relating to signage and building facades, reducing the fee and changing the approval requirements from the no longer existent Heritage Committee to city staff.
Kozak is new alternate RDCK director
Mayor Dooley is council’s delegate to the board of the Regional District of Central Kootenay. Councillor Donna Macdonald has been the alternate, but withdrew from that position recently.
Councillor Cherbo moved that Councillor Adams replace Macdonald as alternate. Council voted and the motion was defeated. Councillor Macdonald then moved that Councillor Kozak be the new alternate. The motion passed.
Email policy
Council agreed to some changes to its 5-page email policy.
