Updated boulevard bylaw needs one more vote to be official

A proposed new bylaw to govern how boulevards are maintained will return to the next city council meeting for official approval.

During its March 23 regular meeting, council gave three readings to Bylaw No. 5610, the Boulevard Bylaw, and voted 6-1 on each reading. Coun. Brian Swanson was opposed all three times, which means the bylaw must come back for final approval since the vote was not unanimous. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 13.

The proposed new bylaw, when enacted, would reflect current practices and standards; would provide improved clarity and consistency; and would align this topic with other municipal bylaws such as the zoning bylaw, the property maintenance and nuisance bylaw, the traffic bylaw, the miscellaneous bylaw, and the private crossing bylaw.

The previous bylaw had been enacted on May 25, 1992, and had not been amended in more than 27 years. Several items have been added, subtracted and amended in the new bylaw.

Council gave three unanimous readings to amendments to the zoning bylaw, which means they are now in effect.

The changes to the bylaw now add residential care homes (type 3) to the CS community service/institutional district as a discretionary use for zoning. Type 3 residential care homes are defined as places where the number of residents, excluding staff, is more than 15 people. City council authorized city administration during the Feb. 24 meeting to prepare an amendment to the zoning bylaw, after receiving a request from the owners of the Mualla Professional Building at 290 Fourth Avenue Northeast to turn the building into a type 3 residential care home.