Last Grande Prairie City Council meeting of 2023 highlights

The delegation added every position matters and asked council to reconsider the decision and meet with the association about the department’s business plan.

Council voted to receive the report for information.

2024 Budget approved

Council voted to approve the 2024 operating and capital budgets.

The new spending plan calls for a 3.28 per cent increase in property taxes.

The proposed increase was at 6.09 per cent at the start of budget talks.

Bylaw change for e-bikes, e-scooters

Council has approved changes to its Parkland Bylaw to include e-bikes and e-scooters.

The previous version only included rules for bicycle use on park trails.

The bylaw requires anyone using these modes of transportation to travel at a reasonable speed, stay on the right, let others know when passing, and to not carry passengers.

The bylaw only covers park trails, not sidewalks, as that falls under provincial jurisdiction.

The City says Alberta Municipalities is pushing for rules in the Traffic Safety Act to cover electric bikes and scooters.

Two amendments to Land Use Bylaw

Council has approved two changes to the Land Use Bylaw.

One increases the maximum height of new multi-attached dwellings in areas zoned for medium-density developments from two storeys to four.

This change includes having setbacks between such developments and houses increased to 7.6 metres from the current four metres.

Councillor Dylan Bressey says housing is one of the biggest needs in the community right now and thinks this is a common sense amendment to the Land Use Bylaw.

Council also approved a second phase of rezoning for land annexed from the County of Grande Prairie in 2016.

This covers 223 properties on the city’s west side.

City administration says the city zoning is meant to mirror what it was when the land was still located in the county.

City staff also says there have been some questions about the change but no objections.

Possible land transfer

Council has approved having city staff negotiate with Metis Local 1990 about transferring the land where the Elders Caring Shelter sits on 99 Avenue from the city to the organization.

The shelter has been there for 20 years. It provides 17 housing units plus other services for seniors and is fully occupied.

The city says this transfer would provide more stability and allow for future expansion.

Changes for grant funds

Council voted in favour of ending its Economic Recovery Fund and moving the $55,700 left in it to the Development Incentives and Grants account.

The fund had been started during the pandemic but not all the money was used.

Council also voted to put $80,000 into its Barrier Free Grant program from the Economic Recovery Fund.

The original suggestion was to add $125,000 to the program but council opted to lower the amount and have administration report back when there are applications for half of the money available.

Over three years, this program has given out $125,000 to 15 applicants, with three of those applications coming in the last six months.

Recreation and Culture Strategy sent back to committee

The proposed Recreation and Culture Strategy has been sent back to the committee level by council for more work.

It covers areas like making recreation and culture facilities accessible to everyone, providing good facilities, and event tourism.

It also talks about having partnerships in recreation and culture and having a goal of what is termed “a positive legacy” when hosting events.

Youth Advisory Council made bigger

Council has voted in favour of more than doubling the size of the Youth Advisory Council.

It has voted to increase the number of people on the council from 8 to 18.

Council says the level of interest from young people wanting to join led to this decision.

This group has four meetings each year to discuss issues in the city.

It is open to anyone aged 14 to 24.

The next scheduled meeting for city council is on January 9, 2024.

by Curtis Galbraith