Submissions accepted into budget
Public submissions were presented to City council for consideration in the 2016 budget. After deliberation among councillors, the following items have been accepted into the 2016 budget proposal:
- Drainage control from Fairway Drive and 58th St. at a cost of $401,000. That proposed cost also includes new pavement at 54th Ave. and 58th St. to accommodate the drainage solution and design.
- An observation deck/wharf/boardwalk/canoe launch on the northeast corner of Cranna Lake, near the parking lot, at a cost of $46,000.
- Right hand turning lane near Husky at Woodland Drive and Hwy. 2A, at a cost of $42,000.
Items that were proposed but not accepted into the 2016 budget submission include a boardwalk to connect Elizabeth Lake and Lake Ann, a new crosswalk light at 54th Ave. and 58th St., a waterslide at the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre and the increased maintenance of the Elm trees at 54th Ave. and 58th St.
Progress on the provincial building
Members of City council discussed the concept of closure and demolition for the newly acquired Provincial Building, located on 50th Ave.
The City recently purchased the building from the Province and is now looking at how to proceed with the closure.
A motion was made to table the item for re-evaluation in 2016 and the motion was carried.
Norma McQuarrie, chief administrative officer for the City said, “If this proposed demolition could coincide with that work, I think it would serve certainly the downtown businesses very well in terms of minimizing disruption.”
A proposal was made to coincide a potential demolition with downtown infrastructure development in 2017.
Bylaws passed after final readings
Bylaw 300.101, a rezoning bylaw was approved by City council this week to rezone a lot in Mackenzie Ranch to coincide with the approved outline for the area.
As well, a second re-zoning bylaw, Bylaw 300.102, was approved after deliberation between citizens and council members.
The bylaw proposed a rezoning of lots 5259 and 5253 49th St. which changes the properties from R1C zoning to R2, in order to facilitate future development of multi-family homes on the lot.
There were a number of citizens opposed to the bylaw but in the end Councillor Matthew Goudy, director of planning and operations, saw the support to carry the bylaw forward.
He said, “I don’t think that re-zoning it to R2 is going to have an overall detrimental effect on the community. Having the R2 zone with potentially two well-designed, well-constructed buildings in the area isn’t likely to degrade property values at all.
“There is a need for this and it does fit within our long-term adoptive plans and we are in support of the rezoning.”
A request for second and third reading was made and carried.
kmendonsa@lacombeexpress.com