Editor’s note: we’ve got links related to X threads for the public hearing and council meeting proper.

In the final council meeting of this month, there was once again plenty on the agenda—in particular, issues related to housing. Coun. Nadine Nakagawa was not in attendance, while Coun. Daniel Fontaine attended electronically.

Before the council meeting, there was a public hearing discussing a 40-unit project along upper 12th St.

Two nearby residents including Andrew Bibelas didn’t support the changes to the bylaw for myriad reasons. Some of these included potential modifications to the area skyline he believed would come from the creation of a five-storey building.

“I’m not squabbling over two floors,” he told council on Monday evening, alleging prior to the remarks he had witnessed what he referred to as “negative repercussions” in other neighbourhoods he’d been in like Toronto and Montreal.

Dr. Elliot Rossiter who is a faculty member at Douglas College didn’t want to speak specifically to this development, but a concern about displacement and whether those impacted by such developments are being compensated appropriately and fairly.

At council, the bylaw related to this development was given the green light to head to third reading.

311 Ash St. update

Due to proximity, Mayor Patrick Johnstone had to recuse himself.

This building—which already exists—was a subject of much debate earlier this year because of a number of trees requiring removal. Five trees were set to be removed, but the number was brought down to three. This building is in the Brow of the Hill Neighbourhood, which is known for having less of a tree canopy; this is the same neighbourhood where more than two dozen people died during the heat dome. 

Council members were essentially required to choose Monday evening between more housing and preserving what tree canopy is in the area, with the motion ultimately not adopted: Couns. Fontaine and Paul Minhas were in support of the housing agreement; Couns. Henderson, Ruby Campbell and Jaimie McEvoy were not.

E-micromobility

There was some fairly solid discussion on this issue; this was Coun. Fontaine’s motion. It asked for staff to report back to council with information regarding the implementation of a bylaw related to road safety in the context of e-micromobility.

It was pointed out during the discussion that e-scooters are actually not allowed to be on the road—previously made publicly known when the BC government announced its electric kick scooter pilot. You can only use an electric kick scooter—also referred to as an e-scooter—if you are in certain areas, and there are further dependencies including whether the participating municipality has bylaws, as well as your age and/or the time of day.

That being said, Mayor Johnstone added that there are bylaws that talked about the use of scooters and skateboards with due care, adding that it could be left up to interpretation.

Coun. McEvoy proposed a friendly amendment asking for a public awareness campaign, and with the amendment the motion was supported.

Trust, accountability, and the school board

This motion by Coun. Minhas is in relation to the debacle at the New West School Board that we previously reported on. (There is an update expected on Tuesday in relation to this situation, as we previously reported on.)

The motion by Coun. Minhas called for two things: one, for council to call upon all elected officials to basically follow the same priniciples council does, and two, for staff to confirm whether there would be enough capacity to be able to support the school board in the event of a byelection. After some discussion, city staff noted that there would be.

The next council meeting will take place in October, the week after Thanksgiving.

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