Council Highlights for March 23, 2021

Council Highlights for March 23, 2021

Click on button to watch the video of the Regular Open Meeting. Please note that due to technical difficulties there is no video for the Committee of the Whole and Parcel Tax Roll Review meetings.

Regular Open Meeting

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

Petitions And Delegations

• Jayme Friedt, Managing Director of the Osoyoos Desert Society, presented the Osoyoos Desert Centre’s 2020 year in review to Council.
• Kester Bonsu and Bruce McCaskill, Account Executives, made a presentation to Council regarding Granicus’ Host Compliance service. The purpose of the presentation was to offer cost-effective solutions to the Town’s short-term rental registration, compliance monitoring, fraud, audit, and enforcement challenges. At Council’s request Gina MacKay, Director of Planning and Development, will bring a report on short-term rental enforcement options to a future meeting.

Staff Reports

• The Committee of the Whole recommended that the Community Service Grant requests in the amounts outlined in Director Davis’ report be moved to the Regular Meeting of Council for approval.
• Council directed staff to set the 2021 Property Tax due date for July 2, 2021 with a 5% late payment penalty on July 3^rd and a 5% late payment penalty on September 1^st.

PARCEL TAX ROLL REVIEW

Business

• The Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel met to consider the Parcel Tax Roll. No complaints were received from the public and the Water Parcel Tax, Sewer Parcel Tax, Sunnyville Water Parcel Tax, Museum Parcel Tax, Lacey Point Water Parcel Tax, Lacey Point Sewer Parcel Tax, South East Sector Water Parcel Tax, and South East Sector Sewer Parcel Tax Rolls were subsequently authenticated.

REGULAR OPEN MEETING

Public And Other Hearings

• A Public Hearing was held for Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1085.133, 2021. If adopted this amendment would add Outdoor Recreation as a permitted use to all properties within the M-1 Zone, which would allow for the extension of the Archery Club’s lease with the Town. No correspondence was received and following the Public Hearing the amending bylaw was read for a third time.
• Council authorized the amendment to Development Variance Permit 20-04. This amendment allows for a change in location for one of the signs at the development located at 8000 Vedette Drive.

Bylaws

• The 5 Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 1371,2021 was adopted. The Community Charter requires municipalities to prepare a Financial Plan for a period of five years, which is adopted annually by bylaw.
• Council authorized the amendment to Development Variance Permit 20-04. This amendment allows for a change in location for one of the signs at the development located at 8000 Vedette Drive.
• Museum Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1300.06, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw enables the purchase of the museum property located at 8702 Main Street, with this proposed amendment establishing the 2021 flat charge to all taxable properties as $15.24.
• Councillor Harvey recused himself from voting on the Lacey Point and Sunnyville amendments due to a conflict of interest.
• Lacey Point Sewer System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1158.05, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with sewer infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $164.28 in 2020 to $105.46 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.
• Lacey Point Water System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1156.02, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with water infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $97.02 in 2020 to $62.28 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.
• Sunnyville Water System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1157.03, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with water infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $52.36 in 2020 to $33.61 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.

Reports Of Committees And COTW

• Council approved the recommended applications for the 2021 Community Service Grants Program. Councillor Harvey recused himself from voting on the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club requests and Councillor King recused himself from voting on the Rotary Club of Osoyoos request due to conflicts of interest.

Councillor and Mayor Reports

• Councillor King attended the Community Services Advisory Committee Zoom meeting.
• Councillor King attended the Mayors Vaccine Roundtable teleconference.
• Councillor Bennett attended the School District #53 Zoom meeting.
• Councillor Bennett attended a MIABC webinar on climate change.
• Councillor Bennett attended a Risk Management assessment for Destination Osoyoos.
• Mayor McKortoff noted that March 22^nd was World Water Day.
• Mayor McKortoff reported that the Okanagan Basin Water Board is hosting the film Lost Rivers on Thursday, March 25^th on Zoom to celebrate Water Week.
• Mayor McKortoff will be attending a Global Affairs Canada and Columbia River Treaty webinar.
• Mayor McKortoff shared that COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be hosted at the Sonora Community Centre starting on Wednesday, March 31.
• Mayor McKortoff shared that Osoyoos was ranked #12 on a Friendliest Communities in Canada list according to Expedia.ca users.
• Mayor McKortoff noted that Easter is next weekend and that while the annual Easter Eggstravaganza will not be held due to the pandemic, the Easter Bunny will be in Town on Sunday, April 4.

Copies of reports are available within the Council Agenda packages located on the Town’s website www.osoyoos.ca.