The City of Armstrong is proposing text changes to its commercial and recreational vehicle parking rule.
The move was triggered by two separate situations where bylaw enforcement was requested by the public for a commercial vehicle regularly parking at a residence, and an oversized RV being parked at another home.
“Currently, our bylaw allows only one 1,000-kilogram gross vehicle weight-sized vehicle. A normal pickup is around 7,000 GVW,” said Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper.
The text change will increase the allowable size to 7,000-kg.
The length of RVs will also be changed to 35 feet and it can’t be parked at a home so that it impedes the views or the sidewalk, road or curb.
Medical marijuana hearing
The city can’t prohibit the location of medical marijuana production facilities within its confines.
It can, however, try to regulate such facilities within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
In January, city staff were directed to prepare amendments to a zoning bylaw that prohibits medical marijuana production facilities in the city.
“Staff received new information that it will be difficult to prohibit them on ALR lands,” wrote planner Hazel Christy.
So council gave first two readings to a zoning bylaw amendment that would regulate medical marijuana facilities on ALR lands.
“Right now, we have no authority to stop it on ALR land,” said Pieper. “We’ll allow it because we have no authority. But if it comes back where we do have authority over ALR lands, we’ll be changing it and banning it from ALR lands in Armstrong because they are so small in size.”
A public hearing on the matter will be held on Monday, March 10, at 7 p.m. in city council chambers.
Highway markings
The city will send a resolution to be considered at the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) that calls for changes to highway line markings.
Council is asking the ministry of transportation and infrastructure to review the effectiveness of the products currently used for centre line and shoulder marking in response to degradation from weather and high-volume traffic.
“I realize that a few years ago changes had to be made to those markings for environmental concerns as the paint that was being used contained lead that leached into our waterways,” said Coun. Shirley Fowler, who spearheaded the resolution. “However, that was a few years ago and it seems that an adequate substitution for leaded paint, with reflective qualities, has not been found.”
The purpose of sending a resolution to the upcoming SILGA convention, said Fowler, is to urge changes to this issue.
“Let’s find a way to safely mark our highways – safe for the environment, and safe for the drivers,” she said. “With vehicles roaring down the highways at increasingly higher rates of speed, we need to ensure that lanes of travel are clearly marked, for all seasons.”
