The public hearing and second and third readings of a by-law overlay amendment will be held at Council Tuesday night.
The change will have significant and positive implications for people who lost homes in Stone Creek, Wood Buffalo, Abasand, Beacon Hill, and the areas of Waterways that are above the flood hazard area.
The overlay amendment will remove restrictions put in place back in 2007 on the size of a footprint of a home that were needed at the time because of concerns with the sewer system that are no longer relevant. Making the change now will ensure people can rebuild their homes to the same footprint they were before the fire where in some cases that wouldn’t be possible the way the by-law is currently written.
It will also allow for some creative solutions and upgrades to some homes. One of the intentions of the recovery process is to not only restore homes to their previous state but to make improvements in green energy efficiency, fire smart homes, beautification and other steps. This overlay amendment will allow for those kinds of improvements.
It will also allow the owners of duplexes to consider single-family homes on lots that would normally be too small to house them if their neighbour with whom they previously shared a wall is unable or unwilling to rebuild.
Delegations are allowed and expected on the public hearing and readings of the by-law.
The overlay amendment will be the subject of this week’s Here for You engagement session at Shell Place with experts available to answer questions about the implications of the by-law for you and your rebuild.
Critical Revenue Perspective
Also at Tuesday night’s meeting administration will make a presentation on the potential impact of the province’s Bill 21, which is anticipated to be brought before the Alberta Legislature for second reading the 2016 Fall Sitting.
The bill introduces several significant changes to the way municipalities are allowed or required to set their tax rates for various classes of taxable properties. Some of these changes are of particular concern to the RMWB, including limits on a Municipality’s ability to tax Non-Residential Property and Machinery & Equipment.
Administration is recommending council endorse the report called “Critical Revenue Perspective — Impact of Bill 21 on the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo with respect to Taxation and Assessment” as the Municipality’s position on the Government of Alberta’s (GOA) proposed Bill 21.
Staff are also recommending council authorize the Mayor to write on behalf of council to the Government of Alberta, advising them of the RWMB’s position on Bill 21 and enclosing a copy of the Critical Revenue Perspective document. The mayor would also write to other key stakeholders including the Oil Sands Community Alliance, the Rural Stakeholders Group and aboriginal leadership, advising of the Municipality’s position on Bill 21, enclosing a copy of the Critical Revenue Perspective document and seeking a collaborative approach to the GOA in addressing the concerns arising from Bill 21.
Municipal Fee Structure
Council will also get a report from staff on what can be done to update, reduce or possibly eliminate the cost of development permits for residents who lost homes or suffered significant damage in the fire and will require a permit for repairs or redevelopment.
The cost of the permits is not already built into the budget because they were not anticipated development. Essentially, the move would be revenue neutral because the municipality was not counting on the funds to be collected from these permits. There would be some costs for staffing but those are perceived to be minimal.
Council will decide on a course of action based on the recommendation of staff which has not been included in the agenda.
WBRC Budget ask
The Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee is recommending council approve funding for the operating and capital budget for 2016 to cover both the the Recovery Committee and Recovery Task Force.
The WBRC is asking council to approve allocating approximately $7 million from the 2016 Municipal Operating Budget surplus, if it exists, to cover operations costs. If there isn’t enough money within the surplus, the WBRC recommends the funding be allocated from Emerging Issues Reserve or any other funding source as determined by the RMWB.
The WBRC also recommends council approve the Municipality providing approximately $26 million in cash-flow requirements that would likely be covered by the province through the provincially and federally funded Disaster Recovery Fund. They also ask council to formally request the coverage of that $26 million through the Disaster Recovery Fund.
These budget asks cover August 2016 to December 31, 2016 only. A draft budget for recovery for 2017 is expected in the coming weeks.
Audit Committee Recommendation
The Audit Committee will recommend council reappoint Deloitte LLP as external auditor for the RMWB, Wood Buffalo Regional Library, Regional Recreation Corporation and Wood Buffalo Housing & Development Corporation for the Dec. 31, 2017 year-end audit.
The Audit Committee also recommends that Council authorize Administration to enter into a one-year contract extension for the provision of external audit services for the Dec. 31, 2017 year-end by Deloitte LLP, and that Administration prepare and issue a Request for Proposal for the provision of external auditing services commencing Dec. 31, 2018.
The Municipal Government Act (MGA), Section 280 requires each Council to appoint an auditor for the Municipality and for each of its controlled corporations. This is standard practice and is done every year.
Member Appointments to Composite Assessment Review Board and Local Assessment Review Board
Administration will make recommendations for member appointments to the Composite Assessment Review Board and Local Assessment Review Board.
Administration recommends that Ijad Dewan, Nick Alexanders and Phil Klug be appointed as Acting Members to the Composite Assessment Review Board, that Donald Gorman, Jennifer Reid and Samuel Odemuyiwa be appointed as Acting Members to the Local Assessment Review Board, and that the term of these appointments run concurrently with their current appointments.
The Assessment Review Boards Bylaw 14/033 provides for the assignment of members to the Composite Assessment Review Boards and Local Assessment Review Boards, as well as the appointment of authorized substitutes. The Municipal Government Act requires that the assignment of members and appointment of authorized substitutes be approved by Council. Administration is proposing the cross-appointment of Board members to expedite the compressed timelines for hearings to be completed by Dec. 31, 2016.
Proposed Amendments to Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee By-law
Council will debate and vote on Mayor Blake’s motion, which she served notice of at the Sept. 20, 2016 Council meeting. The motion reads as follows:
THAT Administration be directed to bring forward an amendment to the Wood Buffalo
Recovery Committee Bylaw 16/013, to effect the following amendments:
1. Section 4(a) “up to” one Councillor elected from a Ward in the Rural Service Area;
2. Section 4(b) “one” Councillor elected from Ward 1
3. Section 7(f) strike “weekly” and replace with “timely”
4. Replace all of Section 10 with “Committee members who are also Councillors may claim the same meeting compensation as other Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee members. The Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee will be compensated per the schedule used by the Assessment Review Board for its members.”
5. Strike Section 11, and renumber Bylaw 16/013 accordingly.
The motion would allow for there to be fewer meetings than the weekly meetings that are currently held by the WBRC and would change the pay structure for the councillors sitting on the committee. Right now all councillors received a pay increase and the three members of the WBRC are being paid as full-time councillors but this change would see the three councillors sitting on the committee receive the same compensation as all non-elected members of the committee.
You can view the complete agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting at rmwb.ca/council.
