Council Notes
From the regular meeting of Monday, July 25, 2016
Council held a public meeting to consider a bylaw to close a portion of airspace above the East Coulee Hotel on 1st Avenue in East Coulee. The owners of the building are renovating the exterior to construct a two-storey balcony and breezeway in front of the building. Two speakers and one letter were received by council in favour of the project, including the hotel owner, with one speaker at the meeting in opposition, being the owner of a property directly east of the hotel. Co-owner of the hotel Len Gerrard said the addition will improve the appearance of the front of the building while also making the hotel and restaurant wheelchair accessible. When asked by council, Gerrard said the estimated investment in the project was nearly half a million dollars. Lehigh resident Shawn Lumsden spoke in favour of the project, saying the economic and employment spin off from the addition will generate positive development in the area. Don Gerlinger, representing the estate of Elizabeth Gerlinger, owner of a residential property adjacent to the hotel, said the expansion would devalue the property as well as continue problems with noise, litter, and generally lower the quality of life at the residence. Gerlinger said the owners of the hotel had approached him offering to purchase the residence on June 20, and asked for time before the bylaw was passed to allow for the possible transaction to take place. Council assured Gerlinger that it would take up to 90 days to get approval from Alberta Transportation to approve the closure.
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Acting commander of Drumheller RCMP, Kevin Charles, made a delegation to council reintroducing himself and providing a short brief of detachment operations. Charles, who previously worked in Drumheller before taking a position in Hanna, is filling in while a new detachment commander is found for Drumheller. He said a replacement for Corporal Rod Gutherie is already in Drumheller but has yet to begin duty.
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CAO Ray Romanetz presented council with amendments to the Land Use Bylaw for first reading. He said the amendments addressed concerns made by council over environmental controls, and added additional conditions. Councillor Jay Garbutt showed concern over a clause of "environmental significance" and how to determine what is significant without demanding businesses produce expensive environmental reports that may deter business from the town. CAO Romanetz said he will refer this to Palliser and the Municipal Planning Commission for review.
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Director of community services, Paul Salvatore, updated council on the Dino Arts Footprint project, which would see dinosaur footprints created in pavement throughout downtown. Salvatore said the only update on this is his department has contacted Dino Arts lead John Shoff on holding a meeting. CAO Romanetz said there has been discussion about tree placement downtown, of creating a dinosaur made of Catepillar parts, and placing a dinosaur at the BCF. Council provided direction to discuss the science behind footprints with the experts at the Tyrrell, but also to keep the project fun. Councillor Lisa Hansen-Zacharuk provided direction to evaluate trees downtown which may be blocking business signage.
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Council approved the appointment of director of protective services Greg Peters, and bylaw enforcement officers Don Urlacher, and Tom Pozzolo as weed inspectors, in compliance with the provincial Weed Control Act.
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The CAO and department directors presented their quarterly reports to council, highlighting major projects and developments in their respective departments over the last quarter. Detailed information is available in the July 25 published agenda on the town's website, dinosaurvalley.com.
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Mayor Terry Yemen opened discussion over vendor cart contract concerns raised by a vendor. A vendor had a concern after he and another vendor were told by community services that generator units were prohibited at the Rotary Park. Louise Sharpe and Dwight Constable acquired licenses for two locations on concrete pads near the spray park in Rotary Park in the spring of this year. They were informed they were not allowed to use generators, and purchased a hot dog cart and two freezers. Jolene Powell and Mary Anne Vogel operated a Mini Donut truck near Sublime Food and Wine but requested a move back into the Rotary Park this summer. In early July, the Mini Donut operators were given approval by community services to use a generator for their truck. This week, Constable and Sharpe lodged complaints to the mayor and council regarding this exception made for the Mini Donuts vendor. Director of community services Paul Salvatore said historically his department has discouraged motors at the park but it has been condoned before. Salvatore said everything that was communicated to both parties was supported by town guidelines for vendors. Councillor Garbutt said the policy is regulations, not rules, which are adapted to different situations. Salvatore suggested council provide power to vendors to avoid this issue down the road, and CAO Romanetz said bringing power to two or three locations would be a small expense. Mayor Yemen said he will discuss the issue with the complainants.
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