Council is supporting a bid by the Houston Community Services Association which is applying for a grant to staff a position that would come under its existing victims services umbrella.
Working in collaboration with the RCMP detachment and other agencies, victims services provides support and assistance to those affected by events affecting their personal circumstances, including victims of residential fires and other unforeseen circumstances.
The position sought would be financed by the Northern Development Initiative Trust and build on existing community networks.
A clean sweep
Local residents may have noticed unfamiliar street sweeping units out in the downtown area recently.
That’s because the rear engine in the District’s own sweeper malfunctioned and was then sent to Smithers for repair.
With the unit out of service, the District hired a contractor and arranged to borrow the Village of Burns Lake’s backup unit, reported operations manager Chris Lawrence.
“With two units working in tandem, the District will be able to address the backlog of streets that require cleaning in a more timely manner,” he wrote in a memo to council.
Residential zoning approved
Following a public hearing held April 20, council has given third reading, leading to final approval, of a plan by the owners of property at 3600 Viewmount Road to subdivide it into rural residential lots.
The proposal was first made to the District last year with first and second readings given to the required rezoning bylaws. Interested parties such as the Agricultural Land Commission, the Witset First Nation and the We’tsuwet’en First Nation, were also contacted in case they want to comment.
As many as 13 rural residential lots could be developed.
In assessing the application early on, District of Houston staffers, in referring to a 2019 housing needs assessment commissioned by the District, noted that adding to the inventory of rural lots would help attract new residents.
