Terrace council’s final meeting of 2021 featured a full agenda and covered a variety of topics, from pest management to a rebuilt Tim Hortons on Keith Ave.
Highlights from the Dec. 13 meeting are below:
Rodenticide
Council began the meeting by hearing a presentation from Erin Ryan from the BC SPCA about the use of anticoagulant rodenticides.
Ryan’s presentation informed council that such poison is a slow and painful way to destroy rodents, and it is powerful enough to harm wildlife and pets.
Council voted to refer the issue to staff to find out more about the city’s current rodent control situation.
Happy Gang
The City of Terrace provided a letter of support to the Happy Gang Centre for its grant application to New Horizon For Seniors.
The centre would use the grant funding to upgrade its kitchen and other costs associated with restarting kitchen operations after being closed for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tim Hortons
Terrace council granted a development permit to TDL Group Ltd. for the reconstruction of the Keith Ave. Tim Hortons, which was severely damaged due to a fire in April, 2021.
ALSO READ: Nature of Tim Hortons fire made it difficult to detect: Deputy fire chief
The proposed restaurant will be built on the same footprint as the old Tim Hortons at 4603 Keith Ave., but will be slightly taller and feature an “arena theme,” meaning that it will include elements of hockey into the interior and exterior of the building.
Construction is scheduled for spring 2022 with opening slated for September of the same year.
The city did add a few conditions to the permit, such as repainting the parking lines, replacing unhealthy vegetation and re-seeing grass on the property, and painting zebra crossing lines from the northeast corner of the building to Kalum St.
Truth and reconciliation
Council approved a plan to further reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Officially called the “Learning Implementation Plan for Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #57,” the motion also carries with it $15,000 budgeted from 2022 surplus funds.
The plan has a variety of different learning approaches both online and in-person, broken down into short-term, long-term, and ongoing activities designed to educate elected officials and city staff on Indigenous people.
Cemetery washroom
The Terrace Municipal Cemetery will soon be home to an accessible portable washroom. The city had tasked staff with finding out what usage levels would be at both the municipal cemetery and Kitsumgallum Cemetery after receiving public concerns about a lack of a washroom during funeral services or other ceremonies.
Staff determined by examining usage levels that only the Terrace Municipal Cemetery was in need of a porta-potty, and recommended that the cost of the unit — around $3,500 — be drawn from the 2021 Cemetery Operating Budget.
Development Cost Charges Bylaw
Council voted to adopt a new Development Cost Charges Bylaw (DCC) that would allow the city to collect fees from developers and builders to help fund the cost of parks and growth-related infrastructure. The bylaw was given first, second and third reading in May, 2021 and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs approved of the bylaw in October.
A development cost charges bylaw means that the larger the impact a development has on infrastructure and parks the higher the charge.
“DCC programs ensure new development pays a fair share of the costs required to provide new infrastructure and parks to support growth. Revenue raised from DCCs reduces the funds required from existing tax payers to pay for growth related infrastructure,” the report to council stated.
The full DCC program will be phased in gradually over the course of the next four years.
Financial Plan
Terrace council gave first, second and third readings to its 2022-2026 Financial Plan. Adoption of the bylaw is scheduled to take place at the first council meeting in the new year.