MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS December 14, 2022
Keeping you informed of the services, business and development that affect YOU!
Detailed information on each topic below can be found at bit.ly/MDBvilleAgendas.
#1 Municipal Planning Decision – Council approved an application to allow for a 10-acre parcel to be subdivided from an Agricultural quarter section.
#2 Planning & Development Updates – There was a Public Hearing for proposed changes to the Aurora Borealis Area Structure Plan (ASP). The ASP, which is for lands near the Bonnyville Regional Airport, will come back to a future meeting of Council for Second and Third Readings.
There were three Public Hearings for Roadway Licensing Bylaw Nos. 1814, 1815, and 1816. All three bylaws will come back to a future meeting of Council for Second and Third Readings.
Council gave First Reading to Roadway Licensing Bylaw Nos. 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, and 1827. The bylaws will come back to the January 24, 2023, Regular Meeting of Council for Public Hearings.
Council gave Second and Third Reading to Bylaw No. 1810 Roadway Licensing Bylaw.
Council gave Second and Third Reading to LU 574, which outlined amendments to the M.D.’s Land Use Bylaw to establish regulations to allow for personal-use beehives.
Council gave First Reading to Bylaw No. 1829 Browns ASP. This ASP proposes a quarter section to be divided for industrial and residential uses, with a Municipal Reserve separating the two pieces of land to create a buffer. The ASP will come back to Council on January 24, 2023, for a Public Hearing.
#3 Corporate Services Updates – Council accepted a quarterly report from the Corporate Services Department as information. Council also accepted the department’s third quarter, unaudited financial statements for the period ending September 30, 2022.
Council approved writing off 17 accounts receivable invoices, for a total of $3,171.28, after staff exhausted all avenues in trying to collect the outstanding amounts.
Council approved the creation of an Airport Reserve. This reserve fund will help save for future development and updates at the M.D.-owned Bonnyville Regional Airport. Additionally, Council approved the transfer of $2.75 million to the new reserve from the 2022 Capital Plan to help source grant funding for a future re-paving project for the airport’s runway and taxiway.
Council set Monday, March 27, 2023, at 2 p.m. as the date and time for the Public Auction of Lands on the Tax Arrears List. The public auction is for M.D. properties that are currently three years behind on tax payments. Council also set the conditions for the auction. The conditions include GST being added to all successful bids, a 10 per cent deposit must be received by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the sale, the balance of the sale price must be paid on or before the following Friday, all properties are sold on an “as is, where is” basis, all sales are subject to a reserve bid, and taxes will be adjusted as of December 31, 2022.
#4 Snow Removal Policy Updates – Council approved several amendments to 4A.005 Snowplowing of Driveways Policy. The M.D. will provide driveway snowplowing services, at no charge, to residents who are physically disabled and/or are over the age of 75 who have no means of clearing the snow themselves. These changes will go into effect for the 2023/24 snow season and will not impact the program this winter. All snowplow and hardship flags are for residential driveways only, using the most direct route from the road approach to the residence. The hardship and snowplow flag programs are open from October 1 to April 30.
#5 Briefly – Council approved the cancellation of the December 21, 2022, Committee of the Whole meeting.
Council heard a delegation from Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority Chief, Dan Heney. The delegation covered the BRFA’s 2023 budget.
Council heard a delegation from the Bonnyville Shooting Sports Association (BSSA), which covered the association’s history and future plans, including an open house in July 2023 to celebrate BSSA’s 40th anniversary.
Council approved an additional $775 to purchase a new one-ton truck. The original budget, funded from the Equipment Replacement Reserve, was $60,000, but the final price tag came in at $60,775.
Council rescinded 5B.009 Waste Reduction Committee Policy after adopting new Terms of Reference for the Committee.
Council cancelled the Vacant Home Check Program, as usage of the program has declined over the last few years. Council also rescinded 5C.018 Vacant Home Check Program Policy due to the cancellation of the program.
Council gave First Reading to Bylaw No. 1830 Public Notification Bylaw, which will establish methods of communicating information to residents through largely digital means.
Council approved a one-year extension, to December 31, 2023, for the Memorandum of Agreement for the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre between the M.D., the Town of Bonnyville, and the Bonnyville and District Leisure Facility Corporation.
#6 Reminder —Council and Committee of the Whole meetings will be moving to a new day in 2023. Regular Meetings of Council will be held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, while Committee of the Whole meetings will be held the third Tuesday of each month, with the exception of several meetings cancelled during the October 2022 Organizational Meeting. You can find out more about the Council meeting schedule, find agenda packages, and read meeting minutes at bit.ly/MDBvilleAgendas.