Council Highlights - June 23, 2020

From the June 23, 2020 Regular Council Meeting

Council encourages participation in new community visioning initiative

The City of West Kelowna has received a great response from the public since launching the new OurWK Community Visioning initiative. This is the first stage in an important update of the City’s Official Community Plan, which Council adopted 10 years ago. Council encourages all residents and businesses to get involved in this exciting conversation about our community’s future. Visit ourwk.ca to fill out the first questionnaire in the process by September 21. Share what is important to you, the improvements you would like to see and your priorities for our community’s future.

Council denies third reading for proposed cannabis production facility

Council voted five to one, with one absent, to deny third reading and rescind first and second readings of a Zoning Bylaw amendment that would have otherwise permitted a micro cannabis operation in multiple buildings in a light industrial complex at 2648 Kyle Road. The amendment would have also permitted an encroachment of 40 metres into a required 150m buffer between the operation and the adjacent Brookhaven care facility. Council cited a recently adopted Zoning Bylaw Update, which the City undertook to regulate cannabis production and non-medical retail sales. The micro cannabis operation can still proceed on a smaller scale if it is in accordance with existing bylaw guidelines regarding tenancy and setbacks.

City seeks grant funding to advance asset management

Council directed staff to apply to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) requesting funding for Phase 2 of the City’s Asset Management Program. The City manages hundreds of millions of dollars in assets including facilities, fire equipment, fleet, parks and trails, roads and sidewalks, sanitary and storm sewers, technology and water. Advanced municipalities operate comprehensive systems to carefully track and manage maintenance, replacement, risk and other costs associated with infrastructure. The City will complete its Asset Management Plan this year. The FCM offers grants of up 80% of the costs, to a maximum of $50,000, to help municipalities improve asset management tracking.

Council seeks more information on proposed 1080 Devon Road development

Council voted five to one, with one absent, to rescind second reading of proposed Zoning and Official Community Bylaw Amendments for 1080 Devon Road with the direction that staff ask the applicant to provide more information and conduct community consultation about the suitability of the proposed development for the property. The applicant sought amendments in order to build a church, an access road and parking on the 1.5-hectare site in the Rose Valley neighbourhood. The property is currently zoned Rural Residential Small Parcel and would need Institutional and Assembly zoning.

Parks and recreation facility re-opening as part of Re-start Plan

Council received an update from staff regarding progress on facility re-openings and returning to sports and rec programming in keeping with provincial guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The City is using key documents such as Via Sport’s Return to Sport and BC Recreation and Parks Association Guidelines to create safe re-opening procedures. For the most up to date list of re-openings, please visit westkelownacity.ca/covid-19.

Council receives operational update summary

Staff provided Council with outlines of key operational statistics covering January to June 2020, along with clarification of Human Resources and Development Services statistics. The City of West Kelowna currently has 259 staff including 38 paid-on call fire fighters and 10 summer students. Human Resources only reported full-time permanent positions in the past. New reporting includes part-time, full-time and students. The staff contingent of 259 also includes 16 new positions, which Council approved for 2020 with seven full-time permanent employees, five seasonal parks mowers and four parks students. Out of the 16 positions, the City has only hired six to date, including the seasonal mowers. Hiring for the 10 other positions remains on hold. Human Resources has also created a bicycle and computer purchase program to enable staff to access interest free loans to buy these items and pay back the amounts in installments on each pay cheque within two years. The programs improve staff access to and knowledge of modern technology, improve wellness and reduce the City’s corporate carbon footprint. The City has also recently introduced an Earned Time Off program, which allows staff to work an extra 15 to 30 minutes per day and put the time in a bank to use later as needed for appointments, volunteering, etc.