Council Clips – September 4, 2018

Development Permit Approval for Apartments at 120 Kananaskis Way

Council approved a development permit to build a 159-unit apartment building at 120 Kananaskis Way, kitty-corner to the Coast Hotel and adjacent to the TransCanada Highway. The building will contain only rental suites and is being designed to address the need for more affordable rental opportunities in Canmore. For more information visit https://canmore.ca/municipal-services/residents-development-planning/public-engagement-information/kananaskis-way-residential-rental-apartment

Environmental Impact Statements – Change to Third Party Review Requirements

When the Town’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) requires a person to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before their development application is considered, it also requires the Town to contract a qualified professional to conduct a third party independent review of the applicant’s EIS. What the MDP does not address are situations where the Town is initiating a project. In the current scenario, whenever the Town hires a consultant to prepare an EIS before a project is approved, the Town must also hire a second consultant to provide a third party review of the first. Since there is considerable cost involved in conducting a third party review, and the first consultant is already hired to represent the interests of the Town, Council is considering removing the third party review requirement for Town-initiated projects. There will be a public hearing on this matter on September 25 at 5 p.m.

Assessment Services Changes

Council voted unanimously to establish an in-house assessment services branch within the Finance Department. Historically, this work has been contracted out, as Canmore assessment services were not required full-time.  Now that Canmore has grown, the workload requires at least two full-time employees.  If all goes as planned, we should be welcoming a new assessment service supervisor this November and an assessment support person next spring.

Council also approved:

·        A new bylaw that delegates authority for records retention and destruction to the CAO;

·        Changes to the Designated Officers Bylaw to include new positions and MGA requirements;

·        Three new public members for the assessment review board; and

·        A funding collaboration agreement with Innovate Canmore to allow the organization to apply for Calgary Foundation grant funding.

To read any reports in the meeting agenda package or see a video of the meeting visit Council Agendas, Minutes, and Videos