On Feb. 16, council postponed second and third reading of two bylaws that would have approved the Evergreen Heights Area Structure Plan pending additional information.

Bylaw 930, 2015 is in regards to the Evergreen Subdivision Area Structure Plan and Bylaw 931, 2015 concerns amending the Land Use Bylaw to allow for the plan.

Trevor Hay, Evergreen Heights developer, is in favour of the proposed bylaws that would allow for the expansion of the proposed subdivision with the construction of a new road.

Concerned landowners adjacent to the proposed road oppose the plan.
On Oct. 20, a public hearing was held on the proposed bylaws. Both Hay and the concerned landowners brought in respective engineers to argue on their behalf.

Neil Powell, an engineer with MPE Engineering Ltd., hired by the concerned landowners said the proposed road would cause drainage and flooding issues. He suggested extending 108th Street in Blairmore, which would allow for the subdivisions expansion and would keep the neighbours happy.

Hay’s engineer Rob Strom, of Strom Engineering, argued that the new road would actually improve drainage. Strom said extending 108th Street would result in grades of over 15 per cent, which could make the road impassable. He also said the road extension would affect wetlands.

After the presentation members of council conducted a site visit to see the proposed road route for themselves.

The Area Structure Plan proposes the creation of a 72 acre grouped country residential subdivision with 16 lots ranging in size from about 3.1 to 7.3 acres in the southwest Blairmore area.

Wheel Nuts supported

Council approved $2,000 in support to the Crowsnest Pass Wheel Nuts Society for the 2016 Show and Shine.

There is now $13,435 remaining in the 2016 budget to support non-profit initiatives.

Financial report received

Administration reviewed and prepared an interim financial report for review by council. The report outlines the municipality’s financial operations in 2015.

The report shows: that debt expense associated with the River Run properties added $158,000 to operating expenditures, which were not estimated in the budget.

Legal fees paid by the municipality in connection with property, employee and union negotiations were over budget by $180,000.

Annual expenditures by Protective Services were under budget by $180,000 for the year. That sum is related to the transitioning of a new CPO and fire chief.

Planning, Engineering and Operations expenditures were also under budget but that might not be the case once final calculations of gravel and sand/salt usage are calculated.

Currently, the report shows a surplus for 2015 but the numbers will change prior to year-end final reporting.

Council expressed their approval that the report indicates the municipality was in a better financial situation than it had been the previous year.