City council meets on Feb. 22, with a continuation on Feb. 24. A city council public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23. Here are some of the key items on the agenda:
- The pandemic has impacted the city's three Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) areas in different ways. Revenue projections have improved for Belvedere, remained stable for Downtown, and deteriorated for The Quarters.
- Council will be asked to approve the Transit Safety and Security Plan, along with a $3.9 million increase to the Community Standards and Neighbourhood Branch operating budget to fund the plan. About $1.7 million of that would come from funds held back from the planned 2022 increase to the Edmonton Police Service budget.
- The Collaborative Economic Development (CED) initiative, a partnership between 13 Edmonton-area municipalities to attract investment to the region, is now in its third phase. Council will receive an orientation and hear about next steps which include targeted stakeholder engagement later this year.
Here's what else is on the agenda:
- Council will be asked to cover a funding shortfall for the Enterprise Systems Transformation Program that has fallen behind schedule. The project will integrate business applications to support finance, human resources, and supply chain into one software application. The amount of the funding request is private.
- Between Sept. 3, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021, Integrity Commissioner Jamie Pytel received 38 complaints and investigated six, according to the integrity office's annual report. Ethics Advisor Brent Rathgeber provided confidential advice to councillors on 65 separate occasions.
- Councillors Andrew Knack and Sarah Hamilton want to see city administration resume preparing Direct Control (DC1) zoning for the Glenora Heritage Character Area. They say this is aligned with the City Plan goals of increasing density, and want this work to be funded with up to $100,000 from the 2021 council contingency budget.
- There are two motions pending: one from Coun. Aaron Paquette asking administration to provide a report about options available to support the Kingsway Legion with its outstanding tax balance, and another from Coun. Anne Stevenson to fund a one-time increase of $4.8 million to the Social Development and Community Services 2022 expenditure budget to support a bridge housing transition plan.
- The results of a pilot project studying alcohol consumption in river valley parks, which was postponed from a council meeting at the beginning of the month, will be presented.
- At public hearing, council will consider a rezoning application that would allow for 22 freestanding signs around the perimeter of West Edmonton Mall, including digital signage with some restrictions; the closure of portions of 125 Avenue and 62 Street NW to facilitate the Yellowhead Freeway Conversion project; and a rezoning application that would allow for a cannabis retail store in the Hillview neighbourhood.
- The items that were at committee last week will come to council for review and approval, including: the Anti-Racism Strategy; mass transit planning for a city population of 1.25 million; Edmonton Transit Service fleet storage and maintenance facilities; the tax exemption status of affordable housing providers; Affordable Housing Investment Program grants; taxes recommended for cancellation; and taxes and penalties relating to properties annexed from Leduc County.
- Borrowing bylaws for the Peter Hemingway Fitness & Leisure Centre rehabilitation, the Coronation Community Recreation Centre, and the Stadium LRT Station upgrade will be considered.
Meetings are streamed live on city council's YouTube channel.
Photo: Coun. Jo-Anne Wright, Coun. Andrew Knack, Coun. Karen Principe, and Coun. Anne Stevenson in council chambers for the inaugural meeting in October 2021. (Mack Male/Flickr)