Comox council pre-approved a variety of projects and green-lit spending authority as part of a capital and special project report at the Feb. 3 council meeting.
Jordan Wall, the town’s chief administrative officer presented an extensive report for the capital and special projects budget as the town prepares its financial plan for review beginning next month.
In his report to council, Wall said there are a few underlying themes that can be identified within the projects: resurfacing, in-ground infrastructure and water metering, IT infrastructure and modernization processes (online payments, building permit trackers, etc.).
He noted the total capital and special projects costs is $10,200,000, with just over four million in grant and carryover, $745,000 total transfer from capital reserve which leaves $5,355,000 unfunded.
“Council’s input will be integral to this process as choices are made on the services and service levels council want to see in the community,” he explained. “The choice about at what level roads get repaired, how much risk is acceptable in systems break downs and how to allocate grant funding will be made by council and greats influence the costs and process.”
Coun. Ken Grant inquired if the proposed plan is being “a little too aggressive in certain cases” as it pertains to paving projects.
“We don’t have a good feel for the tax increase this year … you have to keep in mind too that the CVRD isn’t bringing out real big tax increases this year, and we have water and sewer (costs) right behind that, and policing is a big increase on top of that.”
Wall said many of the projects are five years out, and they could be re-evaluated. He added that the town provides a high level of service which means that costs are high.
“Generally you want to repair roads before moisture gets into the base. Given the high levels of service we provide on our roads right now, we can look at delaying some. This is a conversation I’m encouraging council to have. Look at the cost of replacing a road … versus pushing it off for two years. What does that save you and how does that impact service levels?
Wall suggested creating a report for council for not only roads but all of the town’s assets.
“I think it’s important when you’re looking at (five years from now). Without knowing what type of tax increase we’re looking at, it’s hard to judge what you want to do,” noted Grant.
Projects included in pre-approval included Noel Avenue resurfacing, Northeast Comox ponds, Noel extension and storm drains, computer network and telephone upgrades, adding additional planning support, construction of a dog park, concrete pads for food vendors at Marina Park and fixing the lower bridge at Mack Laing Park for a total of about one million dollars.
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A grant application to the Clean BC Organic Infrastructure and Collection Program was approved by council to support the upgrade and expansion of the town’s curbside organics collection program.
Coun. Nicole Minions said while she supports organics collection, she questioned the timeline with the current collection site in Cumberland close to capacity.
“The doesn’t address the capacity issue,” explained Wall. “If we were approved for this grant, we would need to look at the logistics on how this would go. There’s just so many balls in the air on this one. One thing (is that there is a) definite timeline … the grant application has been submitted and we can always (turn down the grant). There’s a decision point that could come in the future; it will come back to council before we spend the money.”
As part of the approval, council voted to support the project and committed one-third share of the eligible costs of $197,678 as well as ineligible costs and overages related to the project, to be funded from the Capital Works Reserve Fund.
Wall clarified if the town was to turn down the grant, they would not be penalized.
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A rezoning application for 468 and 490 Anderton Rd. was given first and second reading by council, but not without questions being raised about the high number of trees proposed to be cut down.
The proposed zoning amended is to rezone 468 Anderton Road and a portion of 490 Anderton Road from single-family to comprehensive development 29 to facilitate the creation of 11 townhouse dwelling units and four two-family dwelling units.
The site is heavily forested, but in the staff report from the town’s planning department, it noted many trees are in poor health and will be impacted by sidewalk widening and building construction.
Coun. Alex Bissinger said while she is happy to see ground-oriented infill, the original application had roughly 30 per cent of the trees retained; in the newest report, she said only six are slated to be kept.
“To me, that’s not acceptable. In my mind … we’re taking down so many trees here. I’d like to see for this specific development, can we come up with for one tree cut, we’re planting two trees? It would be a shame to lose that many trees and not replace them.”
The motion was eventually unanimously approved, and a virtual public hearing is scheduled for March 3 at 6 p.m. via Zoom.
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Following guidance from both the federal and provincial governments, a motion proposed by Coun. Stephanie McGowan for council to bring forth the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a framework within the town was formally approved.
At the Jan. 13 meeting, McGowan first proposed the motion and added UNDRIP was highlighted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as the first principal for reconciliation at all levels and all sectors of Canadian society.
It was officially adopted by the Government of Canada in 2016, and McGowan said as the town is home to many Indigenous members and it has identified building on the K’ómoks First Nation relationship as a strategic priority, the town should adopt UNDRIP as its framework for Indigenous reconciliation.
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