City of Powell River council briefs

Increase suggested

City of Powell River council has given first three readings to a loan authorization amendment bylaw that would increase the amount authorized for borrowing for the consolidated wastewater treatment plant by $3,421,000.

According to a report tabled at the February 17 city council meeting, the bylaw, if approved, would increase the maximum amount that could be borrowed from $27,280,000 to $30,701,000.

Councillor George Doubt said this would complete the borrowing for the plant. The loan authorization bylaw will now be referred to the provincial inspector of municipalities before final adoption.

Amends plan

Council has amended the sustainable official community plan (SOCP) bylaw for active transportation planning.

Councillor CaroleAnn Leishman said the amendment would update maps for new active transportation and bicycle network strategy.

“This is really good news,” said Leishman. “I fully support the amendments to our sustainable official community plan.

Councillor Rob Southcott said he was thrilled about the amendment.

“I’m really appreciative of the approach being taken toward amendments of our official community plan,” said Southcott. “For the most part, a lot of it is still functional but some of it really does need work, and this is a perfect example of really useful and timely work being done on a very big bylaw.”

Passenger fee

A bylaw to authorize the collection of air passenger fees at the Powell River Airport and the Powell Lake seaplane base was approved.

Doubt said the bylaw would allow the city to charge an air passenger fee of $12 per passenger to each commercial air carrier that lands an aircraft at the seaplane base, which is currently being updated and improved by the city from its community works fund.

“It’s the same $12 per passenger that is charged at the municipal airport and helps cover the cost of the facility,” said Doubt.

Bylaw review

At the February 15 committee of the whole meeting, corporate officer Chris Jackson provided an extensive overview of the animal control bylaw review. His recommendation was that staff develop options and prepare draft bylaws and policy for further consideration and direction at a subsequent meeting, in accordance with discussions held during the February 15 committee of the whole meeting.

Jackson’s written report stated that the animal control bylaw was adopted in 2003, with previous animal control regulations dated to the city’s second bylaw in 1956.

“Staff have reviewed the current bylaw and suggest a new base bylaw be drafted,” stated Jackson in his report. “The new bylaw would incorporate many of the existing regulations that are still relevant and include updates and new provisions in response to public input, lessons learned over time, and emerging issues.”