by John Boivin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice
The Kaslo Housing Society’s plan to build a 10-unit affordable housing project adjacent to the Kemball building has taken another step towards reality.
Changes to the Official Community Plan and zoning bylaws that will allow the project to move forward were given introductory reading, and a public hearing was scheduled for Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Legion.
KDCFS report
The Village’s appointee on the Kaslo & District Community Forest Society board, Steve Anderson, provided council with an update.
Sabrina Mutterer, who co-managed the community forest with Jeff Reyden for a number of years, has ended her contract with the society for personal reasons. The board is now negotiating a new contract with Reyden and another partner.
Anderson thanked CAO Ian Dunlop for attending the last KDCFS board meeting, where collaboration between the Village and society was discussed. He gave council the heads up that a motion to eliminate the appointed seats will likely come up again at the AGM.
“In this regard I invite the village council to use me as their representative to pursue common purpose with the community forest. Put me to work on your behalf,” he says.
Colour me historic
A popular restaurant in Kaslo’s downtown will be getting a facelift.
The Treehouse Restaurant owners’ request to repaint their building shades of green and red were found to meet the heritage design guidelines. Council approved the work as presented.
Garbage tags
Kaslo retailers will now be able to buy garbage tags at a 20 per cent discount and then resell them.
The tags are currently available at City Hall and the local Husky gas station, but the Husky’s owners have said they want out, as they have to currently purchase the tags at full price for resale. To preserve the arrangement with Husky, council agreed to the wholesale rate for retailers.
Additional businesses will be eligible for the wholesale rate, provided they can demonstrate that they will be providing similar convenience to residents as a resale location.
The Husky sells about $2,000 in tags, so the discount will cost the village about $400, “but will prevent a significant increase in the demands on staff time and improve convenience to the public,” staff said.
Light Up’s coming
Council approved plans to help install lights at Vimy and Front Street Parks as part of the Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Light Up 2021’ event. The Village will provide staff and equipment time for installing lights on municipal-owned property.
“The addition of lights in Front Street Park will announce the new facilities to the public during the winter,” says a staff report. “Public Works and the Front Street Park Design Committee will provide input regarding the selection of lights and installation details.”
Assistant to the Fire Commissioner
Fire Chief Douglas Yee has been appointed as the Local Assistant to the Fire Commissioner (LAFC).
The LAFC is appointed by the municipality to assist the provincial commissioner in the administration of fire legislation. Accountable to the fire commissioner, and not the local government, the LAFC reports fires, creates preliminary fire reports, investigate fires in a general way and enforces provincial fire safety legislation through inspections.
Council wanted Yee in the job so he can conduct commercial fire inspections within the Village. The Village previously contracted this work out to a private contractor, but councillors raised concerns whether there was adequate follow-up with the business owners if safety issues were found during the inspections. They felt they could be resolved with a local representative.
New leases for Kemball building
The Village is going to draw up new leases for its tenants in the Kemball building. Councillors voted in favour of repealing the building’s six-month rental policy limit, and replacing it with one-year leases.
“Tenants will benefit from the certainty afforded by annual leases and the Village will benefit since leases for a term of one year or more are recognized by BC Assessment, making the subject folios taxable,” says a staff report.
That means more property tax dollars for the Village, staff explain.
With the recommendation approved, staff will prepare draft lease agreements for each tenant for council’s consideration.