Quesnel Council Highlights - Oct 5th meeting

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Green Spaces, Parks & Recreation Plan

After hearing the Executive Summary recommendations for the draft Master Parks Plan (“Plan”), Council asked Staff to bring forward a report to the October 21-22, 2015 Strategic Planning sessions.  This report will remove the Plan’s recommendations that are already in progress by the City and will group recommendations that have not been commenced according to the corporation’s strategic goals with the focus aimed at reducing operational spending while strategically enhancing the City’s green spaces/parks within the City’s capital budget planning process.

Street, Traffic and Parking Bylaw

Over the past eight months, the Policy and Bylaw Review Committee has been reviewing and updating the City’s Street, Traffic and Parking Bylaw (“Bylaw”).  The proposed new Bylaw will consolidate and update six previous bylaws dating back to 1965.  The main areas of focus have been regulations around anti-idling of vehicles on public property and obstruction of sidewalks when soliciting on streets/sidewalks.  Vehicles parked on public property shall not idle a vehicle for longer than five consecutive minutes, with a few exceptions such as emergency vehicles or vehicles actively loading/unloading passengers.  Sidewalk traffic cannot be obstructed by a person squatting, kneeling, sitting, or lying down, with a few exceptions such as a medical emergency.  This Bylaw also includes a $150.00 fine for illegally parked vehicles in an Accessible/Handicapped Parking spot.  Council passed the first three bylaw readings of this Bylaw.  Council and staff will work to promote these changes out to the general public.

Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw

Council approved the first three readings of the proposed Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw (“Bylaw”) that will update the City’s ticket and fine structures dating from 1995.  This proposed Bylaw introduces escalating fines for repeat offences in areas such as noise, aggressive dogs and nuisance property violations. 

Creation of Community Theatre Reserve 

Council passed the first three readings of the Community Theatre Statutory Reserve (“Bylaw”).  This proposed Bylaw will allow the the City to issue tax receipts for donations, over $100.00, that will be allocated for the future creation of a Community Theatre. 

Community’s Transitioning Needs

Members of Council met with the Honourable Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training/Minister Responsible for Labour, at the recent Union of British Columbia Municipalities (“UBCM”) annual convention to discuss the community’s transitioning needs due to the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic that has devastated the area’s forests and compromised the community’s forest industry.  Discussed was Minister Bond’s letter notifying Council that the Ministry is standing-by to assist once the community’s transitioning needs have been identified.  Council is scheduled to discuss the community’s transitioning needs at the October 21-22, 2015 Strategic Planning sessions and will forward the results of this discussion to the Minister for consideration.

Bylaws

- Bylaw 1767 – Outdoor Smoking Regulations – Third Reading

- Bylaw 1771 – Permissive Tax Exemptions (2016 to 2019 - Non-Profit Organizations) – Final Adoption

- Bylaw 1772 – Permissive Tax Exemptions (2016 to 2025 – Religious/Schools/Seniors Organizations) – Final Adoption

- Bylaw 1773 – Street, Traffic and Parking – First, Second and Third Readings

- Bylaw 1774 – Municipal Ticketing Information – First, Second and Third Readings

- Bylaw 1775 – Group Day Care Use (1341 Pentland Crescent) – Third Reading

- Bylaw 1776 – Appointment of Officers and Delegation of Authority – Final Adoption

- Bylaw 1777 – Delegation of Purchasing Authority Amendment – Final Adoption

- Bylaw 1778 – Community Theatre Statutory Reserve – First, Second and Third Readings