After hearing two final presentations of opposition, North Battleford City council voted to Monday to approve its controversial official community plan and accompanying zoning bylaw.
The vote on the two bylaws came after a 30-day public notice period and a public hearing scheduled as part of Monday's council meeting.
Speaking during the public hearing were the president of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce and city resident Gregg Sheppard.
Ryan Moe reiterated the Chamber's disappointment in the final package and its focus on reinvigorating the downtown area at the possible expense of other business areas.
"The Battlefords Chamber of Commerce, as representing its almost 400 members of the community, would first like to to state, as you already know, we cannot support all aspects of the official community plan and associated zoning bylaw for the City of North Battleford."
Moe said to the council, "It's unfortunate the downtown area has become the lightning rod in this process when indeed there are several other areas of note in the OCP that should be garnering more discussion and consultation."
He said the Chamber shares and supports the desire to invigorate the city's centre, but differs with the City on the direction taken to make this happen.
"We feel there are other ways and strategies to reach the end game without penalizing business and commercial sectors of the community."
Moe said, "The singular option and focus the City has chosen for the plan remains a contentious issue for many members of the business community."
Although the Chamber is encouraged by the discussion of a regional economic development plan, he said, it hopes any restriction passed in the OCP would not hinder an "open for business" climate or opportunities available to businesses in North Battleford.
A written submission was also received as a result of the public notice issued July 17. It came from law firm MacPherson Leslie and Tyerman on behalf of Terracap Investments and Terracap Management of the Frontier Mall in North Battleford. At the beginning of the OCP adoption process, Terracap had expressed concern about future expansion and restrictions on the type of businesses that could be located on their property, especially financial institutions and movie theatres. Council members did come up with some amendments, including a change in allowed office size and adding movie theatres as a discretionary use, but Terracap remains concerned.
The letter states, despite changes to the size of offices allowed, the proposed zoning bylaw "continues to stifle the development on land zoned C4 Regional Commercial District generally."
The letter also said, "it is likely the future investors will be deterred from making investments in the C4 Regional Commercial District where those investments would related to 'discretionary' uses of land."
Terracap also has concerns that a letter written by the City's solicitor regarding land uses contains opinions that, while they favour Terracap, are not binding on the City.
Sheppard, a resident of the Killdeer area, addressed the impact of the zoning bylaw on his Killdeer Park neighbourhood. One of his concerns was that nearby area was to be classified as R2, which allows not only for single detached homes but semi-detached, two-unit dwellings and "other compatible uses."
"It is our view it should not be R2, but R1, to maintain current property values," he said, adding he had canvassed his area and had two sheets of signatures.
Lafreniere explained the R2 designation had been in place by bylaw since 1986; because lots in that area had not been developed it was not obvious to the public the designation already existed.
Council members did not comment on the R2 designation, but did ask administration to confirm that Sandpiper Road was to be connected to 27th Avenue, giving a second access to the Killdeer Park area. Sheppard expressed his opinion that development on Sandpiper Road should not be allowed until the second access was complete, or they may be times emergency vehicles would not be able to get to people in need of help.
When the time came to vote on the two bylaws at issue, they were both carried by a majority vote. Councillors Ryan Bater and Ray Fox voted against the OCP bylaw while Bater was the lone no vote on the zoning bylaw question.
