City Notebook: Planning commission gaffe simply shouldn’t happen

By COLLIN GALLANT on February 25, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

The idea of disbanding the municipal planning commission has been sent back for stakeholder consultation after the commission itself, never mind the public, didn’t know about the plan, nor that it would be debated this week.

It’s the sort of bungle that Hatters have maybe come to expect, but one that shouldn’t have happened for a council that’s posed itself as standing for greater transparency and proper process.

And it’s an interesting discussion.

The MPC, which hasn’t met since the fall, has less and less over the years to do as planners are given greater ability to approve plans in the name of efficiency. It has often struggled to get enough members to attend to hold a meeting.

Aside from extremely contentious issues it’s rare that anyone other than a reporter or sometimes two attends. Much of what it does (mostly rezoning) has to be certified by similar process at council with a second public hearing.

In a separate, but perhaps related vein, the city is now examining how to certify that candidates of all its boards are qualified.

But, it’s curious to eliminate a level of public engagement and oversight in an age where the public seems to see closed doors and skulduggery at every turn.

Planning Part III

In Medicine Hat, a two-year pilot-thing-a-ma-jig led by Strong Towns is asking municipal planners, elected officials, developers and residents to consider the long-term implications of decision making today.

The great re-think comes about 15 years after the city’s overall philosophy has been to promote more population and more density and redevelopment in central areas.

But the rubber has yet to hit the road for a couple of reasons.

First, an easy get around is to imply that City Hall “isn’t open for business,” then watch the wheels really start to turn.

Secondly, a majority of residents seem to really like where they live.

Objections to allowing anything more than a single-family home in the city invariably centre on “keeping the residential character” of neighbourhoods as a top point.

So, the trend from the development community has been to build in the suburbs and, increasingly, bringing suburban-style homes to the centre of the city.

And, why not? People buy them, and such projects pay a good margin.

But that’s rather than building multi-family housing or more compact development that would build tax base more efficiently.

So Hatters want things to get better, but also for everything to stay the same… it’s a rather unsatisfying, even aggravating, place to be.

Planning Part III

In Dunmore on Wednesday, at least one attendee shouted “Putin!” after county councillors approved a new resource centre and library at Woodard Memorial Park in Irvine. Many people in that community want the library upgraded, but built away from the downtown in the once-a-town, now-a-hamlet.

Many are reasonable, but many are less so, in their arguments.

This comes as county councillors are lobbying government to get new development authority over where renewable energy projects can be located.

One can only predict rural councillors having another Woodward Park situation on their hands three of four times a year as new solar and wind projects come up for approval.

A look ahead

The Alberta Legislature resumes sitting Monday, with a pre-election budget expected Tuesday. The city’s 2022 year-end financial statements are due out this week.

100 years ago

Work to certify the “Beer Petition” was underway in Edmonton as a legislature committee confirmed signatures of the effort to spur a plebiscite on allowing limited liquor sales, the News reported in late February 1923.

To meet the hurdle sufficient signatures in every riding would be required, and Temperance Movement officials were challenging their validity.

Nellie McClung, for example, told reporters Medicine Hat women were up in arms at the idea that enough women in the Hat had signed on. Of 1,960 names on the local list, 552 appeared to be from females, said the News. The required figure was 509.

In New York, court heard that a painting depicting Jesus Christ being arrested by prohibition officials after performing the miracle of turning water into wine should not be considered blasphemous. It was the subject of an injunction to keep it off display at the Waldorf Astoria exhibit.

Redcliff MLA W.C. Smith stated his area needed railways badly, but he would oppose new money in the provincial rail program until the financial situation calmed.

Canadian Pacific Steamlines would test its ability to sail from Fort Churchill on Hudson Bay in a special excursion in August.

A boxing carnival with matches at the Empress Theatre would show local mitt artists’ inaction before a trip to a provincial championship tournament in Calgary.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com