Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:
2019 Operating Budget
For 2019, Council has given City staff direction that 2019 will be a maintenance year with no major disruptive capital projects planned. Council intends to use this year to review the City’s financial policies and bring forward a tax framework for the remainder of Council’s term to 2022.
The current draft Operating budget shows a total taxation increase required of 7%. The City Staff Report advises that Council is considering the use of 2018 Surplus (once known) to fund one time supplemental requests of $321,369, which would reduce the total taxation increase to 4.9%. Council’s approach to supplementals is that ongoing supplementals are structural changes that must be built into taxation. One time supplementals are not ongoing and, therefore alternative funding, such as surplus, should be looked at as an option for funding these. A 4.9% tax increase would be an approximate tax increase of $41.29 to the average residence valued at $200,659; or $20.58 per $100,000 residential-assessed value.
The supplementals include the final increase required for the new public works facility. No future tax increases are anticipated for construction of the Public Works Building.
Next steps include:
• Receive final property assessments from BC Assessment, which could change the proposed tax rates denoted above for 2019.
• Review option for the 2018 Budget Surplus
• Set the 2019 Tax Rates, and finalizing the 2019 Tax Rates Bylaw
• Finalize the Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw (2019 – 2023) before May 15, 2019.
Elliott Street Supportive Housing Project - Development Permit
Council reviewed, and approved, the Development Permit, with attached Existing Site Plan, Proposed Site Plan, Landscape Plan, Parking Plan, Variance Letter of Rationale, for the proposed 32-unit supportive housing development that would be located on Elliott Street.
Highlights of the Development Permit are:
• Three storey, 644.6 m2 (6938.5 ft2)
• Variances include: parking requirements and front property line setback distance for the entire building frontage
• Conditions include:
o Approval of subdivision
o Approval of final servicing plans
o Enter into a servicing agreement with the City prior to Building permit approval
o Obtaining a landscape bond
o Paving of required off-street parking areas as described in the parking plan.
Council also approved final adoption of the OCP and Zone Amendment Bylaws.
Façade Improvements
Council was provided with an update of the 2018 completed façade improvements to local Quesnel business buildings. The following businesses are the five applicants that completed these façade improvements in 2018:
• Big Country Printers (402 St. Laurent Avenue)
• Tim Hortons (382 Front Street)
• Green Tree and Pharmacy (359 Reid Street)
• Gold City Dental (160 Barlow Avenue)
• The Barber Shop ( 372 Reid Street)
In 2018, the City of Quesnel received $20,000 in grant funding from the Northern Development Initiative Trust (“Northern Trust”) Façade Improvement Program (“Program”). The City has received notice from Northern Trust that in 2019 the City will be eligible for further grant funding through this Program.
Quesnel Safer Report and Action Update
In late 2018, the City contracted Randy Churchill Consulting for Municipalities to complete a Safer Community Plan providing recommendations to address crime and disorder, which resulted in the Quesnel Safer Plan. City staff provided Council with an update of crime prevention and disorder actions that been completed and actions that are in progress. The Quesnel Safer Plan recommendations include:
• Create a Safer Working Group
• Increase Enforcement Presence
• Increase RCMP Resourcing
• Acknowledge and Support the Importance of Health & Social Services Role
• Crime Prevention through Environmental Design – Complete and Train
• Dealing with Problem Properties
• Courts/Crown – Prolific & Chronic Offenders
Bylaws
• 1848 – OCP Amendment – Elliott Street Supportive Housing Development – Final Adoption
• 1849 – Zone Amendment – Elliott Street Supportive Housing Development – Final Adoption
• 1862 – West Quesnel Business Association – Local Service Area – Third Reading
Next Meetings
• 6 pm – March 26, 2019 – Regular Council Meeting (If Required) – City Hall/Council Chambers
• 6 pm – April 2, 2019 – Regular Council Meeting - City Hall/Council Chambers
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