An updated Property Standards Bylaw was given unanimous passage of both second and third reading at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday.
The proposed Property Standards Bylaw was introduced and given First reading at the December 11th, 2017 Regular Council Meeting.
At that meeting, Council authorized Administration to give Public Notice. As such, Public Notice was given permitting the public to review the Bylaw and express their opinion or concern with the Bylaw content by either providing a written submission or attending the Public Hearing on Jan 8.
Administration also sent letters to Good Spirit School Division No. 204 and Christ the Teacher Roman Catholic Separate School Division No. 212 providing notice of the proposed Bylaw as it relates to school buses, explained Nicole Baptist, Bylaw Coordinator, with the City.
The City did receive a letter of concern from Ron Wunder from Rilling Bus Ltd.
Wunder said the size and weight requirements with the bylaw did not make sense in his mind.
“My question is I don’t understand why your bylaw for commercial vehicles on residential driveways have a length of 6.7 metres restriction, shouldn’t it be if your driveway is long enough to accommodate a vehicle leaving the appropriate space to the inside of the sidewalk. Secondly why 6.7 metres why not 6 m or 10 m what would it matter as long as it is the right distance from the sidewalk,” questioned the letter circulated to Council Monday.
“There for I feel the bylaw should read that the length of the vehicle must leave adequate room from the bumper to inside the sidewalk as driveways are different lengths.”
In terms of weight, “I also don’t understand why your bylaw for commercial vehicles on residential driveways have a gross vehicle weight of 8000kgs. GVW = Total weight of the bus including fuel and fluids, maximum number of students and driver. Our buses without students and driver fall under your weight restrictions, so according to your bylaw we qualify,” detailed the letter.
“A more accurate measure would be LBS/SQ inch of tire surface, this is where your streets get premature stress. So for your info our buses have 6 - 11R22.5 tires compared to fully equipped service vans and ¾ ton trucks which have 16 or 17 inch tires. The lb/sq. inch of tire surface on our buses are far less than these types of vehicles.”
A letter from Kelly Price also sought clarification regarding recreational vehicles.
“I agree whole heartedly that the long term storage of out of season Recreation vehicles in front driveways is unwanted, but not to allow some in season recreational vehicles is unfair. The way I read the Bylaw it would be legal to have a boat/camper, etc. in your front driveway in summer but not egal to have a snowmobile and trailer in your front driveway in winter. This seems discriminatory and, I doubt, the intention of Council. The definition of Recreational Vehicle needs to be amended to exclude snowmobiles and their trailers pertaining to the Nov 1 to March 31 time period,” detailed Price’s letter.
In bringing the Property Standard Bylaw back to Council Monday, the situation regarding snowmobiles was addressed.
“The written submission noted a concern that Section 9 was not clear if snowmobiles were permitted to be left in a residential driveway if loaded on a trailer. To address this concern, Administration inserted the words “that isn’t loaded on a trailer” in the Recreational Vehicle definition referring to all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. This amendment further clarifies the intent of the proposed Bylaw,” said Baptist.
However, the letter regarding buses did not sway Council who made no exceptions for buses being parked in a residential area.
Councillor Randy Goulden suggested that residents make a major investment in their homes, “most times the largest investment they will make,’ and with that there is an expectation of a nice looking and safe neighbourhood, which means recreational and commercial vehicles do not fit.
