Amendments on agenda for City Council

Lethbridge City Council could be addressing a tax amendment, changes to land-use rules in regards to cannabis retailers, and the new parking meter replacement program in a council meeting heavy on bylaw amendments but light on presentations today.

Council could pass an amendment bylaw to the 2018 Property Tax and Supplementary Property Tax today during their regular council meeting. The amendment bylaw is slated for all three readings and would change the tax rates for two types of city property:

• Residential Property – County Annexed, from 4.6290 to 4.7279; and

• Farmland – County Annexed, from 24.8131 to 24.8348.

The changes come as a result of Lethbridge County changing its rates on May 3.

City of Lethbridge municipal revenue would also be revised from $144,930,618 to $144,930,709.

Council will also look at an offer to purchase 1.58 acres of land located at 530-9 Avenue N. from Lafarge Canada for $48,400. Closing date for the sale is June 25.

Council could pass first reading on an amendment bylaw which would ensure the current Land Use Bylaw allows for retail cannabis stores once marijuana is officially legalized by the federal government.

It has been left up to local governments to determine where retail cannabis stores may be located in their communities, and how they should be developed.

Council could decide whether to continue to be involved in the Alberta Municipal Benchmarking Initiative as part of a continuous multi-year process. The program is a collaboration of large and small municipalities and allows comparisons between strategies in a number of different areas, such as snow and ice control and road maintenance, in order to identify efficiencies.

Council is expected to consider a resolution for the City Manager to prepare and present to Council a draft one-year budget for 2019 and a threeyear financial plan running from 2020 to 2022.

The resolution also identifies an opportunity for the City Manager to review the current budget process and identify strengths, weaknesses, and challenges, and to explore ideas for improvements. The deadline for this work would not come until April next year.

Council is expected to address final readings to an amendment bylaw which will make changes to the Lethbridge Traffic Bylaw to allow for the approved parking meter replacement program. Changes would identify Zone Controlled Spaces, where drivers can pay for parking in a number of ways through licence plate registration.

City Council meetings are held twice monthly in Council Chambers at City Hall. The meetings begin at 1:30 p.m. and are open to the public.

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