City Council Preview: Monday, September 20, 2021

It's back to the familiar confines of City Hall for Prince Rupert City Council members and back to Zoom participation for the public as the city's municipal officials gather tonight for their only September session.

The notification of the change also coming by way of the City Council Agenda page on the civic website.

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With tonight a federal election night, it's somewhat surprising  that the session did not get shifted by a day or two, with much of the public perhaps somewhat interested in how the national vote will turn out tonight.

However, Local democracy will trump the national one this evening, with a fairly extensive agenda for the Council members to look over, having been away from their Regular Council sessions for a month.

Much of the focus for council tonight will be that of housing, with reports from iPlan the city's contract planners on some proposed housing on McKay Street, Answers to questions from the Public Hearing on the proposed Lax Kw'alaams Housing on 11th Avenue East and the introduction of a bylaw to address Renovictions among the themes tonight.

Council members will also receive a report from Operations Director Richard Pucci on their recent discussions on local service improvements for city neighbourhoods and how that would impact on property owners.

The City's Financial Officer Corinne Bomben has a number of reports to deliver, with Council  to receive notes on the July Financial Variance Report, a Financial Agreement for Tax Exemption with Lax Kw'alaams Holdings and another look at the Permissive Property Tax Exemption Amendments.

Other items of note a request for support from Jazz Productions of BC, a Sign Variance request and a variance request for a property on Overlook Street.

As we noted at the top of the page, when it comes to participation of the public, the doors will be closed again at City Hall, with a notice for the  Committee of the Whole session advising of the shift back to Zoom participation for the public and how members of the public can take part in the session. 

As for the Committee of the Whole session, no guest presentations are on the Agenda for the night, with the only business those of questions from the public, or items of note from the Council members themselves.

The COW Agenda is available here.  

Tonight's Public Hearing and council session can viewed by way of the Live Feed from the City website, or on Cable Television from CityWest Cable Channel 10/310.

You can review the Regular Council Agenda here.  

Council will also host a Special Council Session at 5PM ,  the meeting closed to public for the reasons cited below:

The acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the Council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interest of the municipality. 

The outline of Councils work ahead can be reviewed below:

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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL

Adoption of Agenda and Past minutes -- The Mayor will review the agenda for the evening and Council will adopt the minutes of past meetings.

Question Period from the Public

Reports Questions and Inquiries from the Members of Council

Adjournment to reconvene to the Regular Council Session

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REGULAR SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL

Adoption of Agenda and Past minutes -- The Mayor will review the agenda for the evening and Council will adopt the minutes of past meetings.

Reports and Resolutions

Report from the Director of Operations -- Richard Pucci will provide council with background on a policy resolution on Local area service themes that will impact on property owners.  (see page 10 of the Agenda package)

Report from CFO Corrine Bomben on the July 2021 Financial Variances -- Ms. Bomben will provide details from the July Variance Report   (see page 27 of the Agenda package)

Report from CFO Corrine Bomben on Lax Kw'alaams Holding Revitalization Tax Exemption Agreement -- Ms. Bomben will provide details on the agreement between the City and Lax Kw'alaams (see page 32 of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- Housing Actions -- The contract planners from iPlan will outline the city's decision to waive all fees for residential zoning for one year.  (see page 47 of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- Minor Sign Permit.  -- Council will receive notes related towards a request for a variance on signage for a commercial building.  (see page 50 of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- Development Permit process for a property on Overlook Street.  -- Council will review the application for a Development Permit and the process required to move it forward.  (see page  54 of the Agenda package)

Report from Corporate Administrator, Request for Support from Jazz Production Association of BC --  Ms. Miller will outline the nature of the request of a letter of Support from Council for the event.  (see page 59 of the Agenda package)

BYLAWS

Report from CFO Corrine Bomben on the Permissive Property Tax Exemption Amendment Bylaw -- Ms. Bomben will provide details on the agreement. (see page 60 of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- Business Regulation and Licensing (Renoviction) Bylaw.  -- Council will review the report from their Contract planners related to the proposed implementation of the bylaw (see page 63  of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- City of Prince Rupert  Zoning Bylaw No. 3462-3478 -- Council will review the report from their Contract planners related to the proposed implementation of the bylaw and the consolidation of lots on McKay Street for proposed multi family residential housing (see page 83 of the Agenda package)

Report from iPlan -- City of Prince Rupert  Zoning Bylaw No. 3462-3475 -- Council will review the report from their Contract planners related to questions raised at the recent Public hearing on the 11th Avenue housing proposal, along with a recommendation from staff to reconvene the Public Hearing (see page 86 of the Agenda package)

The evening will come to an end with any Additional Items as well as Reports, Questions and Inquiries from Members of Council.

Council members can  take advantage of the period to offer up any items or concerns that they have for consideration on the night. 

The Live broadcast of the City Council session can be found here, a video archive of past sessions is available here.

Our items of note related to the September 20th session can be reviewed here. 

While our archive of all sessions for 2021 for Council is available here.