TRASH TRANSFORMATION BACK BEFORE COUNCIL
Lower speed limits, low-cost housing, brew pub also on Monday’s agenda
Saskatoon city council will tackle two of the most controversial issues in recent memory at Monday’s meeting: Trash collection changes and lower residential speed limits.
Here’s how Monday’s meeting is shaping up.
WASTE NOT ...
Council asked for some more information from the city administration last month before delivering a final verdict on big changes to the way trash is collected and how residents pay for it.
The changes would shift payment for trash collection from property tax to user fees for single-family homes and introduce a new curbside organics collection program for food and yard waste.
It will cost residents more, in part because the waste division at city hall is already running a deficit and because of the expense of introducing a new collection program. Property taxes are expected to drop, however.
The entire cost of the waste program is estimated at $18.1 million a year or about $21.60 per month per household. Fees would vary based on the size of trash cart for single-family homes.
Over time, the changes are expected to save $5 million a year over the current approach by extending the life of the landfill by 23 years.
If approved, the changes would be implemented in 2020. The strategy calls for trash and organics collection every two weeks.
Among the new information council will consider on Monday is the cost of weekly organics collection in the summer: An extra $4.8 million or $5.70 per month per household.
Council also asked about the possibility of paying for compost processing through property tax to lower the fees.
A city report appears to conclude the administration’s attempts to gather relevant information from other municipalities did not yield applicable results.
SLOW DOWN
Council could hit the brakes or the accelerator on moving forward with a proposal to look at reducing speed limits on residential streets.
The idea stems from neighbourhood traffic reviews that have yielded consistent complaints about speeding.
Many speed studies show motorists are not actually exceeding the 50 kilometre-per-hour default speed limit for Saskatoon roads. So the administration has concluded the speed limit may no longer align with residents’ expectations.
Continuing down this contentious path was endorsed 3-2 by members of council’s transportation committee. The move echoes a debate happening in other Canadian cities, including Calgary and Edmonton.
Along with lower residential speed limits, which would not apply to major or connector streets, approval by council would mean looking at other factors, too.
Among these other factors is taking a look at lower speeds in areas with high concentrations of seniors and removing 30 km/ h school zones in front of high schools.
WHITHER WILLOWGROVE
At Monday night’s 6 p.m. public hearing meeting, council seems likely to give the green light to a low-cost housing development in the city’s Willowgrove neighbourhood.
The final vote was delayed until Monday, but approval would mark a big turnaround. In June, it appeared a council majority was set to reject a rezoning request that would allow a lowcost 70-unit townhouse project by Innovative Residential to proceed.
Council decided to give Innovative Residential a few months to try to assuage concerns expressed by neighbours, many of whom said they lacked the proper information from the city to understand such a development was a possibility.
The city’s land branch sold lots close to the large vacant space along Willowgrove Boulevard between McOrmond Drive and Thode Avenue, where the project is planned.
A sign had stood on the property for years, saying the site would serve as the future location of a church.
Despite the appearance of no substantial change in neighbourhood opposition to the project, council voted 8-2 in favour of rezoning in September.
FARNAM FUTURE
Another public hearing on Monday evening will focus on whether a brew pub can locate in a new building on Broadway Avenue.
The request from Prairie Sun Brewery is more interesting than many such approvals, since the building is being built on the former location of the historic Farnam Block building.
Only one person showed up at the municipal planning commission to voice opposition to the brew pub, citing parking concerns in the area and no plans for live music. The Farnam Block served as the home for Lydia’s Pub.
The commission gave its unanimous endorsement to the brew pub, usually a good indication of council approval.