Residents who want to make presentations to city council will — for the most part — no longer have to wait until the end of council meetings, based on new changes to the procedure bylaw.
During its recent meeting, city council gave three unanimous readings to an amendment to the procedure bylaw that will implement several measures to position delegations near the front of the agenda. The changes will also provide for public hearings when required and are expected to improve the flow of meetings.
City council directed city administration to update the procedure bylaw during the June 14 executive committee meeting. As part of that direction, council wanted city hall to:
- Amend the bylaw to confirm the agenda immediately following the call to order
- Add a provision for public hearings as a standalone item at the beginning of the agenda
- Bring forward delegations and public input on agenda items during the committee of the whole to the start of the meeting
- Address matters of order and privilege
- Allow council members to make declarations of conflict of interest at the beginning of the agenda
- Enable council to move in-camera — behind closed doors — and determine how to handle a report submitted in confidence should council disagree that the matter needs to be considered in closed session
- Provide legal advice during the public meetings
- Adopt default rules of order based on Bourinot’s Rules of Order that many Canadian municipalities use
- Delete the budget committee
One issue that city administration raised in the council report about this bylaw amendment is that property maintenance appeals and similar appeals will be routed to the executive committee, where decisions rendered will be final, binding, and not subject to further amendment. This is allowed under a section of the bylaw where no other appeal process exists.
No council member spoke about the issue during the recent council meeting or before the bylaw amendment was passed.
Official Community Plan changes
During the same meeting, council also gave three unanimous readings to an amendment to the Official Community Plan bylaw that changes the future land use designation of the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Main Street North to residential from commercial. This change will allow for more long-term residential use and facilitate a rezoning of a residential district.
City hall issued public notices about this proposed change to the bylaw after the June 14 regular meeting. It did not receive any written responses in opposition to the change.
The change will affect homes along Main Street North between Oxford Street and Saskatchewan Street.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 26.
