Nanaimo Council Highlights for October 5, 2015. Monday’s council meeting was another marathon event starting at 7pm and finishing at 12:30am.
Dr. Poteryko, Medical Director, Nanaimo/Oceanside Community, Island Health, gave a
presentation on “Health Care Starts at Home”. Some advice, eat your vegetables, exercise, drink in moderation and don’t smoke. He also said that young children should get an hour of exercise a day.
Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council gave a presentation on their activities. They gave suggestions on what would make Nanaimo a better place to live such as having a water slide park.
City plans for the disposition of 611 Harewood Road and a portion of Dundas Street.
disposition and sale of James Miller Road adjacent to 1746 Meredith Road for $162,000.
4063 Old Slope Place development is to reduce the parking to 23 parking spaces and the front yard setback to zero.
582 Bradley Street to be developed into a four unit project. Councillor Bestwick and Fuller had concerns about the neighbourhood and the size of the lot for the project.
1455 Boundary Crescent an accessory building height issue. There was one speaker on this. The variance was rejected at the Board of Variance but council approved the changes on Monday.
416 and 434 Wakesiah Avenue to be rezoned for student housing. Approved.
1037 Old Victoria Road to be developed for a four unit building. Councillor Fuller expressed concern about the changes this would bring to the area.
City passed a motion to repeal its Variance and Development Variance Permits policy. If you don’t like the answer you get at the Board of Variance come to council.
Next up were people who had secondary suite bylaw issues.
City to exchange parkland in order to resolve a livestock paddock and fence encroachment at 3669 Rock City Road.
Council approved a building to be removed at 215 Nicol Street. One speaker expressed concerns that the building has been in this dangerous condition for many months. Councillor Fuller said he knew of the building and it was burnt out and squatters could be living inside. He noted that this building was getting dealt with “fast” in six to eight months compared to the other 15 or so burnt out homes in the area that have been in that state for years.
Councillor Bestwick was away at the previous meeting in September when they voted on allowing a liquor store at Brooks Landing. He brought forward a motion to revisit the decision denying a liquor store at Brooks Landing. Bestwick’s motion was approved by all except three Councillors. The matter will now go on to a public hearing. There were four speakers in total. Two delegations spoke in favour. Two spoke against. Those that spoke against were concerned that it was added to the agenda at the last minute. They were heard at midnight. City Manager Swabey did agree with the speaker that it didn’t have to be a rush item but it was at “Council’s pleasure”.
The last item approved was a motion to have four fire fighters on fire trucks for safety reasons. Concerns about the core review were raised by Councillor Fuller and Hong and dismissed. Everyone but Mayor McKay supported the motion.
Councillor Kipp was absent.
