Council with busy agenda tonight
By COLLIN GALLANT on September 8, 2020.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Medicine Hat News City Councillors are set to debate new rules to allow and promote infill residential projects and other updates to development guidelines following a public hearing at tonight’s city council meeting. The meeting will be again be held at Esplanade studio theatre, starting at 6:30 p.m., and be open to the public as well as broadcast on Shaw-TV (cable 10) and the city’s website. Changes to development rules were introduced at the municipal planning commission in July, and would allow changes to how secondary suites are permitted, what comprises a “live-work” space, and some physical requirements such as setbacks. The changes would also make placing a “Sea-Can” storage container a permitted use throughout the city, but at the discretion of planners issuing a permit. Administrators say there is no effective way to allow or police the placement at present. Administrators from the planning department are expected to give a presentation on the changes that were described at the municipal planning commission in July as low impact changes that can be implemented with Council will also vote of the first reading of the updated Municipal Development plan, though greater debate won’t take place until a public hearing is held later this month. Financial matters Also on the agenda on Tuesday, council will also discuss the potential use of “brownfield tax incentives” for a new car wash being built near Dunmore Road. The program, which was first employed locally as part of the sales process of the Medicine Hat Arena and the 603 First Street parking lot, allows local tax exemptions so developers can recoup environmental remediation costs. In the case of Mint Carwash, the tax break would be equal to invoices for $68,000 in total. An agreement between the city and a local business to secure a land-purchase option will also be introduced. AutoStar would pay a $2,000 fee per year for up to three years to buy 3.5-acres of vacant city land next to its existing building, which it says may be needed for expansion. If approved by council, the deal would also lock in an eventual purchase price at $926,000 for the parcel at 672 11th Avenue, S.W. A mid-year report on the activities of tourism service provider, the Destination Marketing Organization, will also be presented. A previously publicized committee recommendation on the future operating model for senior’s programs will be presented for information. 16-15
