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Council Meeting, July 25th 2006 - Recap

We decided to take no action with regards to a complaint from Mr Luke Viezzer about noise from a peacock in his neighborhood. No other neighbor wanted to formally complain, and Council policy states that at least two complaints are normally warrented before any action is taken.

We approved public hearings on proposals for added housing by the Dunes golf course, for rezoning of the Enterprise Entertainment Centre to allow a liquor lounge, and for allowance of a secondary suite at a house on Crescent Drive in Valleyview.

We approved a new $15 per cubic metre fee for liquid waste disposal at the new disposal facility at the beginning of Mission Flats Road. By split vote, we decided not to charge $20.

We approved a large number of upgrades to crosswalks throughout the city - Columbia Street near Sahali Terrace, 8th Street and Surrey Ave, and a number of spots along Westsyde Road.

We proclaimed Communities in Bloom week.

Updates, Updates

About two weeks absent from updates here. That feels wrong. Here are some highlights of the past fortnight on your City Council:

1. Mayor Terry Lake is not happy with the decisions of the agricultural land commission to deny two local developments out of the agricultural land reserve - the Tranquille Lake redevelopment proposal and a proposal for development up above McGowan Park. I also disagree with the alc's decision on Tranquille, but am thankful for their decision above McGowan Park.
2. I volunteered as a bus guide for the BC Summer Games. Crike, putting on the Games was a lot of great work (which I had nothing to do with). The Games Committee deserves our great appreciation.
3. The Community in Blooms judges were in town today. Many parts of Kamloops look spectacular. I really enjoyed meeting Maurice Baren and Margaret Stinson - I found them to be eloquent, caring, and wise.
4. Spent some time today and yesterday talking yet again about the idea of taxing plastic shopping bags. Monday evening, Craig Foster from the Canadian Plastics Industry Association invited me to debate the issue. Tuesday, I got calls from the Vancouver Province, the Kamloops Daily News and Radio NL. Congrats to the Plastics Association for spurring more discussion on this controversial issue.