A request for permission to barricade the streets of the Village of Radium Hot Springs for the Columbia Valley Classics Car Club car show this fall was made.
Val Roberts, Columbia Valley Classic Car Club secretary, submitted a written request to the village asking for help in coping with congestion problems due to the annual event by blocking the surrounding streets so that participants can exit left onto Columbia Avenue. Drivers could then continue right on Forester’s Landing and then exit onto Highway 93/95.
Councillor Todd Logan made a motion to provide blockades to volunteers to secure the area and to support a resolution for the Rotary Club to secure a liquor licence for the car show. Councillor Tyler McCauley seconded the motion, and their peers agreed with the decision unanimously.
Council plans for UBCM convention
There was no shortage of interest from councillors and staff when it came to staying abreast with the voice of local government.
The Village of Radium Hot Springs mayor Clara Reinhardt and McCauley will be attending the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention between September 21st and 25th at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Chief administrative officer Mark Read may also attend the UBCM to take in the discussion about strategies and talk to provincial ministers. He also voiced an interest with regards to the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds, but will make a decision on whether or not to attend closer to the conference.
“I’m going to play it by ear,” said Read, while actively voicing a strong desire to stay in the loop about local government practices.
Logan made a motion to create a paper trail that allows all three to attend the UBCM Convention this fall.
Variance approved for construction project
An attempt to make amends for a construction project after it began has been welcomed with caution.
Council unanimously authorized a resolution for Development Variance Permit No. 32, 2015 on July 15th.
“This is the development permit for a variance because of the setback,” Reinhardt read. “They’re asking (to reduce the rear setback) from 4.5 metres to 3.4 metres to accommodate, I think, the pool house. Is it?”
Read replied the swimming pool and its’ “accessory building” encroached upon another nearby area.
Reinhardt asked the public if anyone was available to address the request in person, but John Hollowink was not at the meeting. However, Read informed council about Hollowink’s plans.
“The adjoining property is currently vacant,” Read explained. “The portion of the vacant property immediately adjoining this particular development has a statutory right of way in favour of the village over it, which is almost 40 feet wide, so no development could occur within that particular area. The impacts with regards to that reduction in variance should be minimal in terms of any future developments.”
Read says there were no concerns from a staff perspective with the request. There were no questions from councillors, but Reinhardt added she was “surprised” this issue was brought to council “now that the structures are already there.”
“This (was) an after-the-fact amendment, which is trying to solve a problem in that the building structures were (already) started,” explained Read. “So, prior to us being able to issue the appropriate permits, this variance has to be in place. If council is not willing to let this variance go forward, then the staff will have to seek alternate ways of trying to get remediation of the properties.”
Reinhardt questioned who flagged the problem — Hollowink or staff from the village.
“We identified it,” replied Read. “At a technical zoning perspective, there was problem. We’re just trying to make the best of the situation.”
There were no objections to supporting the decision to move forward with Read’s recommendation.
Regional update
Reinhardt presented councillors with information about the Regional District of East Kootenay’s (RDEK) last board meeting on July 3rd.
“As far as anything that happened there, it was all pretty much business as usual,” explained Reinhardt.
A tour of Solid Waste Management sites was done on July 2nd to see how garbage is being sorted, managed and buried for commercial businesses. To keep up on best practices, transfer sites were also visited.
In addition, Reinhardt updated staff and council with information the village had received about RDEK’s funding for the multi-use centre in Invermere.
She explained that Village of Radium Hot Springs staff had conducted research to determine what, if anything, could change given the hypothetical discussions pertaining to design revisions involving the Invermere Public Library.
“The original approval for RDEK funding, which included the money that would come from our electoral area, didn’t include the library so there had been a question asked if that would change or be impacted — and it’s not. It’s a multi-use facility, so the (Invermere) library could become part of that.”
