Council Meeting Highlights – December 5, 2023
Please note that this is an informal summary of selected items from the meeting and is not an official record of proceedings. For official records, including agendas, minutes and staff reports, please refer to Gibsons – Home (civicweb.net)
- View the full agenda: Gibsons – Meeting Information (civicweb.net)
TraC/Connect the Coast Request per November 7, 2023, delegation to Council
At the Council meeting on November 7, a delegation from Trac/Connect the Coast brought forth a request to Council asking that the Town of Gibsons act as the municipal partner on the Green Municipal Fund Grant application to fund the feasibility study for the Trac/Connect the Coast initiative. If received, the grant would go toward funding the cost of planning for the first section of a multi-use path from Gibsons to Roberts Creek.
Council unanimously passed the resolution to support the initiative.
The letter of request can be viewed here: Town Of Gibsons Endorsement GMF Partnership Request (civicweb.net)
Council Remuneration and Expense Amendment Bylaw
Council adopted the bylaw amendment brought forth at the Council Meeting on November 7. In its first remuneration update in five years, Council resolved to align mayoral remuneration with the average annual income of a full-time worker in Gibsons according to the Canadian Census and to set councillor remuneration at 40% of this rate.
Rental Suite Utility Charges
Keeping in line with the Strategic Plan and the Housing Strategy, Council discussed options for incentivizing long-term rental suites as it relates to utility charges. Council directed staff to make adjustments to rate structures for consideration in upcoming budget discussions.
The changes would include adjusting the user rate structures for Garbage and Organics services to apply one minimum charge per residential property and/or residential strata property, regardless of the number of accessory dwelling units, beginning April 1, 2024.
For Sanitary Sewer, the user rate structures would be adjusted to apply one minimum charge per residential property and/or residential strata property, regardless of the number of accessory dwelling units, beginning April 1, 2024. Charges for Accessory Dwellings for Stream 2 RGAs will continue to be applied.
In addition, Council confirmed their commitment to revise the sanitary sewer user fee rate structure to include a volumetric component to better align the charge with usage and that implementation of the recommended longer-term volumetric-based sanitary sewer rate structure be reflected in the 2024-2027 Budget and Staff Annual Workplans.
Form and Character Design review of ‘Phase 2’ Apartment Residential Development at 571 Shaw Road
A form and character development permit was approved for the development of the second apartment building at 571 Shaw Road, which will form the second and final phase of the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society project on the town-owned property opposite Christensen Village. Zoning for the project was approved in 2019. The applicant is now eligible to apply for a Building Permit for the development.
OCP and Zoning Amendment for a 15-unit industrial development at Lot 14 Venture Way
Council gave First and Second Reading to an OCP and Zoning Amendment to allow a light industrial use at Lot 14 Venture Way – the vacant parcel behind A&W and across the street from The Butcher.
A Public Hearing is scheduled for January 23rd at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. More information can be found on our website: Current Development Proposals – Town of Gibsons
Council Reports
- View the full report: Council Report December 2023 (civicweb.net)
SCRD Budget Talks
Mayor White has been busy in budget talks with the SCRD. Some items of interest to Gibsons residents may include a report from Elphinstone student Anna Lattanzi in support of free student transit, and his focus on containing taxation from the SCRD to reduce the burden on Gibsons residents.
Policing Costs
Mayor White has been communicating with the District of Sparwood’s Mayor David Wilks who serves on the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, about the need for communities like ours to pay for 70% of policing costs once our population reaches 5000.
He estimates that we will need approximately $1.2 million to fund our first year of policing since we own our own building. He concedes that eventually, we’ll likely need seven members, which will be closer to $2 million. Currently, we have $667,000 in our policing reserves.
Nearby, Fernie did not plan for policing and had to impose a 26% tax increase in their first year. Mayor Wilks recommended that the Mayor follow up with staff at UBCM about whether anticipated preliminary changes to the Police Act in spring 2024 may include a more incremental transition for municipalities to take on that 70%, which the Committee has recommended.
Advocacy
Meetings with Ministers: The Mayor travelled to Victoria twice this past month to meet with the following Ministers:
- Premier Eby and Minister Bailey regarding sustainable funding for ICET (joined by SCRD CAO Dean McKinley)
- Minister Osborne concerning BC Hydro EV charging
- Minister Dix concerning long-term care on hospice support in Gibsons
- Ministry of Forests ministerial staff regarding aquifer recharge area protection,
- Helped SCRD Director Kate-Louise Stamford bring concerns about New Brighton Dock on Gambier Island to Minister Nathan Cullen and his office
Homeless Outreach: Gibsons’ Homeless Outreach Worker, Chantelle Burke, has been focusing on housing folks displaced by upcoming evictions and has managed to secure a two-bedroom rental for the end of the month. One very happy individual has already moved into their new residence.
Upcoming Meetings:
Committee-of-the-Whole – 9 Jan 2024, 3:00 pm
Committee-of-the-Whole – 23 Jan 2024, 3:00 pm
Regular Council Meeting: 23 Jan 2024, 7:00 pm
View the full calendar here: Meeting Schedule (civicweb.net)
