Supports artificial reef creation
At its Thursday, June 16, meeting, City of Powell River council approved sending a letter of support to Catalyst Paper Corporation for its initiative to create an artificial reef in the water between Willingdon Beach and its mill. Starting as soon as this fall and proceeding over a few years, the company has plans to sink four of the 10 World War II-era concrete hulks that provide a floating breakwater for the mill.
Approves Union of BC Municipalities resolutions
Council approved submitting three resolutions for the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities conference in the fall. The first resolution was to push the provincial government to amend laws regulating local improvement charges. The change would allow municipalities to create programs to help homeowners finance energy-efficiency upgrades, such as heat pumps, solar-voltaic hot water and solar panels. Council said they would also like the provincial government to develop and implement a province-wide poverty reduction strategy. The plan would help reduce the number of people living in chronic poverty and set targets and timelines for poverty reduction. Lastly, council would like to see the elimination of fees for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and have the provincial government declare September prostate cancer awareness month.
Directs staff to create addresses
Council directed staff to create new addresses for a planned duplex development. In April, city staff notified residents on the corner of Hammond Street and Marine Avenue that their address would be changing from Hammond to Marine to accommodate the development. Despite city staff having the delegated authority to assign street addresses, council directed that new addresses on Hammond be created and that residents on the corner of Hammond and Marine keep their Hammond address. Staff said the change was necessary to correct a previous city planner’s oversight. The Hammond lot has a Marine frontage and frontage determines which street the address is on.
Approves reduced lease rate
Council approved an increase of lease rates for 4464 Franklin Avenue and the adjacent vacant lot.
