At its Feb. 16 meeting, Courtenay council approved a resolution from Manno Theos for staff to report on a reduced speed limit pilot project in Crown Isle, where residents have expressed concern about speeding drivers. The project would last three years.
Theos said other B.C. communities have successfully implemented 40 km/h limits in neighbourhoods.
“It’s a number that can significantly reduce the risk of pedestrians being struck,” he said.
Coun. David Frisch, noting drivers have slowed down since the narrowing of 5th Street, said bike lanes in Crown Isle would narrow roads throughout the neighbourhood.
“I do question the response we’ll get from drivers about the lowered limit,” Frisch said.
•Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada has initiated an awareness campaign about the dangers of impaired driving. Dubbed the Crashed Car Campaign, a crashed vehicle is placed in busy locations in a community. The car is moved to a new location every two weeks.
“Impaired driving continues to be a leading cause of criminal death in Canada,” Leslie Wells, president of the Comox Valley chapter of MADD, states in a letter to council. “Awareness campaigns like this directly impact motorists and make long-lasting impressions.”
The group hopes to run the campaign this spring. It asked permission to place a vehicle on city property. Council agreed to work with the group on its campaign.
•The applicant of a multi-unit proposal on the west side of Courtenay will re-engage with neighbours before council further considers issuing a development permit.
Cameron Contracting had applied to construct a pair of four-unit buildings at 2800 Arden Rd. A covenant for a seven-unit development would need amending to allow eight units. Following a public hearing in December, the company agreed to reduce the number of units to seven, and to increase the length of the fence on the northwest property line.
“I think this is a good compromise,” Coun. Wendy Morin said.
•Council resolved to enter into a ‘Declaration of Bare Trust and Agency Agreement’ between Project Watershed, the K’omoks First Nation and the city to acknowledge terms and conditions of the purchase agreement for the Kus-kus-sum site.
“This enables the land purchase to go ahead in time for Project Watershed to start the restoration work,” Coun. Doug Hillian said. “This is an historic occasion where we combine the city’s desire for flood mitigation with reconciliation with our First Nations community as the land is restored to its pre-colonial state.”
•Council supports the Help Cities Lead campaign that identifies measures to enable local governments to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing buildings. FMI: helpcitieslead.ca