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Council briefs: Arts council accesses support fund

Redstone development hearing receives backlash on Queen’s St. secondary access road
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Rossland council meet at the Miners Union Hall. (File photo)

Rossland city council held its first meetings of the new year, Monday, Jan. 10, at the Miners Hall.

Public Hearing: Rosslanders are apparently happy with the development that will accommodate about 20 new lots south of Redstone Drive, however, there was concern raised over the secondary access route planned for Queen Street.

More than one resident asked mayor and council to take time to review its secondary access options in the context of Rossland in 2022 and consider another route.

Redstone Resort manager Cary Fisher addressed council explaining its history and importance of its connection to upper Rossland.

City planner Stacey Lightbourne explained that the secondary access would be for full access, that it’s written in the OCP, and is expected by emergency services, and the ministry of transportation.

Council: A delegation proposed the creation of a community run Health Care Centre in the Lower Columbia and sought council’s approval and a letter of support.

The proposal is championed by local health-care proponents Frank Marino, Linda Sawchenko and Winn Mott.

The BC Ministry of Health is also backing any community that will build a community health centre (CHC).

The CHC template is a multi-sector, multi-disciplinary health-care centre that would be a non-profit, community-governed and community-centred entity. Its purpose: to deliver integrated services of primary care, community well-being, and mental health, and actively address social determinants, demonstrating a commitment to health equity and social justice.

A 2019 study of Greater Trail indicates that 17 per cent of residents were without a family doctor.

According to the Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice (KBDiv), the Lower Columbia Region is experiencing a shortage of primary care practitioners, which is likely the main contributing factor to unattachment.

The presentation also provided findings of a Lower Columbia Regional Needs and Assets Report.

Council deferred their letter of support pending further discussion.

• Council denied a request by the Natural Control Alternatives Society for a third dumpster to be added to the two already located in the Rossland Museum’s parking lot. The city approved the request of the lease renewal for the existing two waste bins.

• Council gave third reading to and unanimously passed the Subdivision and Development Bylaw #2748.

The bylaw regulates growth within the city and provides for orderly and aesthetically pleasing development. It pre-serves the established amenities of the city and ensures that subdivisions and developments are appropriately serviced and best suited to the use for which they are intended.

• The city amended a zoning bylaw that will allow for a short-term rental on 2330 St. Paul St. A public hearing was held on Dec. 13 and the short-term rental proposal received no opposition.

Council unanimously amended the rezoning bylaw from R1, residential, to R1, Guest Room, which can be offered for rent for a period of 30 days or less, such as an Air B&B or VRBO offering.

However, the Official Community Plan (OCP) directs council to consider short-term rental rezoning applications on a project by project basis.

At the same Dec. 13 public hearing, several neighbours expressed opposition to the application from owners at 811 White Tail Dr. in Redstone.

They raised concerns over children’s safety, noise, increased traffic, parking, close proximity to another rental, and privacy.

Staff recommended that council not proceed with the bylaw amendment: “Given that most of the neighbours have concerns with the zoning amendment and the application does not fit the city’s short term rental policy as there is another short term rental on the block.”

As a result, the short-term rental rezoning application at 811 White Tail Dr. was denied unanimously by council.

• Rossland’s COV-ID Community Support Fund looked at the applications for funding for the month of January.

The Fund has allocated $100,000 for 2021-22 to help community groups impacted by the pandemic access grants up to $5,000, which, council reviews on a month-to-month basis.

Groups must indicate in the application how they have been impacted, and where they will direct the funds to help recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Council awarded a $5,000 grant to Rossland Council for the Arts and Culture (RCAC), however, did not grant funds to the request from St. Andrews United Church.

Council cited that St. Andrews had not established a link to losses related to COVID, and recommended they re-apply with appropriate additions to their application.

The Fund has $67,643 remaining, and the next intake will go at the Feb. 7 council meeting.

Applications must be submitted before 4 p.m., Feb. 1.

• Several city staff reports are also available online – on staff projects and updated tasks, building reports, the midtown housing-city hall construction, or city financials. Go to rossland.ca.

Read: Kootenay Boundary board tackles park rename near Rossland



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Jim Bailey

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