News Releases

Council Updates

Posted on: August 15, 2018

Council briefs for August 13, 2018

TSN Venue Request
The Sports Network (TSN) has requested rental and operation fees for The Fenlands be provided in-kind should the network hold the TSN Curling Skins game in Banff over the next three years. TSN held the curling event in Banff from 2014 to 2017. It was not held in 2018 due to the Olympics. TSN is proposing to hold the event in February, from 2019 to 2021 and televise the tournament live. Council asked administration for a report with further information on the request, including financial implications, for Council review in September.

Additional Greenhouse Funding
Council approved up to $50,000 to support the construction of a third community greenhouse in Banff. The Banff Community Greenhouse Gardening Society requested additional funding to help build a greenhouse next to the existing building at the Recreation Grounds. The volunteer society has raised about $18,000, but the cost of foundation work, a greenhouse kit and required water servicing amounts to $125,000. The Town had previously contributed $70,000 to the project, based on a recommendation of the 2014 Recreation Facilities Master Plan to continue to add community gardens and greenhouses, as demand increases. Currently there are 60 gardening plots available, and each year there’s a waiting list of participants. The society has also applied for grant funding from other sources. If any other grant applications are successful, the actual contribution from the Town will be less than $50,000.

Apartment Housing Parking Bylaw
Council approved Bylaw 398, a land use bylaw amendment that affects the number of parking stalls required for certain apartment buildings close to Roam transit corridors. The amendment was needed due to the recent change in one transit route. The Town of Banff allows a reduction in required parking stalls for apartments in the central district, if they are close to transit routes. A public hearing was held on the bylaw July 16, and second and third reading of the bylaw were given at this meeting.

Banff to Expand Waste Service in Lake Louise
Council approved Borrowing Bylaw 397 to finance the purchase of a side-load garbage truck, a hoist-lift roll-off truck and three roll-off bins. The purchases are needed to expand a contract with Parks Canada to collect solid waste in Lake Louise. The loan for the purchase of the equipment will be repaid through the revenue from the Parks Canada contract.

Camping Bylaw Integration
The Town of Banff has integrated camping restrictions into the Streets and Public Place Use Bylaw and the Community Standards Bylaw. A stand-alone Camping Bylaw has been in existence since incorporation of the Town, prohibiting camping on public land and private property. Council moved the restrictions to existing bylaws, to align with other regulations on public spaces (covered in the Streets and Public Place Use Bylaw) and regulations for private property (covered in the Community Standards Bylaw). The bylaw changes still provide officers with discretion when enforcing this bylaw, for example, to allow a child to tent in their family’s backyard to prepare for a camping trip.

Construction Site Hoarding Policy
Council approved Policy C3000, which sets guidelines for the use of hoarding around construction sites. The policy addresses an inconsistency in the quality of construction site hoarding around redevelopment projects throughout town. A draft of the policy was circulated to Banff developers in 2017 for their input. The new policy goes beyond basic regulations by establishing a standard for the appearance of construction site hoarding, with greater expectations for higher-profile sites throughout the downtown core and major thoroughfares. The policy also encourages developers to consider incorporating art or historic images on the hoarding to improve appearance while celebrating our mountain community.

New Municipal Community Grants Process
Council provided direction on a new municipal community grants process that will be implemented during the 2019 service review. A new process includes the development of a Municipal Community Grants Allocation fund – the dollar amount to be determined by council during the annual budget process. Council also asked for the creation of a Town of Banff Community Grants Committee that will adjudicate the municipal community grants program and make recommendations to council for final approval. The deadline for municipal grant applications was moved to early in the first quarter of each year, which aligns with the Banff Canmore Community Foundation.

Committee Recruitment Profiles Approved
Council approved the 2018-2019 council committee recruitment profiles and application questions for committees like the Municipal Planning Commission, Development Appeal Board and Banff Housing Corporation. These profiles detail eligibility, desired competencies and the mandate of the committee. Committee recruitment profiles will be posted to Banff.ca.

Rocky Mountain Housing Cooperative Loan Guarantee
The Town of Banff was notified by the Rocky Mountain Housing Cooperative that its lender no longer requires the Town’s guarantee on the loan, due to strong cash flows of the organization. Renewal of the loan guarantee is identified to be brought back to council in the third quarter. Bylaw 250-3 Loan Guarantee Bylaw - Rocky Mountains Cooperative Housing Association and the Rocky Mountains II Cooperative Housing Association expires November 30, 2018. Once a new loan is signed or Bylaw 250-3 expires, administration will bring back the bylaw to be repealed.

Canada Day Summary
Administration presented a summary of the 2018 Canada Day event. Canada Day continues to be a popular resident and visitor experience in the Town of Banff. Approximately 65,000 people attended the various events this year. New this year was the pancake breakfast on the 100 block of Bear Street and a change to a low-noise pyrotechnic finale in Central Park. Overall the event was a success, with volunteer recruitment the only challenge identified. Banff Canada Day is staffed by contractors, local organizations who are paid to run certain venues (i.e. the bouncy castles at the High School), and by Town of Banff employees.

Statement of Significance for ‘The McLeod Residence’
Administration presented a statement of significance on 137 Lynx Street, also known as the McLeod Residence. A statement of significance is a tool used to assess and describe the value of a heritage property. The property has a number of character defining elements, including its cross gable roof design, medium and high pitch gable roofline and wood-frame construction over concrete foundation. In addition to recognizing aesthetics of a building’s architecture, a statement of significance may also acknowledge how a building reflects community traditions, culture and local values, and how it relates to the development of the townsite. Constructed in 1931, this building was named after James McLeod, a business partner of Bill Warren and president of Rocky Mountain Tours – the main competitor of Brewster Transport during the 1930s. The statement of significance for the McLeod Residence can be found within the Council Report and will be published online at http://banff.ca/heritage.

Transit Shelters Scope and Design
Council received an update on the scope and design of transit shelters being installed around town. Seven shelters were built in 2017, five within the commercial downtown area (Banff Avenue) and two in areas outside the commercial downtown (Banff Springs Hotel and Tunnel Mountain). Additional bus stops are currently being designed and the construction will begin in the spring of 2019. Additionally, two transit hub style shelters are currently under construction on Banff Avenue at Elk Street. The design of shelters reflects Banff Refreshing guidelines to maintain Banff’s mountain community style while ensuring pedestrian permeability for high-traffic areas.

Transit Services Benchmarking Report
Council received the benchmarking report for transit, which gathers data from several municipalities and compares services to find efficiencies. The municipalities currently participating in the Transit section of the project are the cities of Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and the Town of Banff. The benchmarking looks at costs, specialist services, operated expenses and revenues. The report is available at http://banff.ca/benchmarking.

Second Quarter Financial Statements
Council reviewed the Town’s second quarter financial statements for the six months ending June 30, 2018. There is an overall forecasted surplus of $11,963. The summer months tend to be important months for operating expenditures and revenues with many areas such as Operations, Transit, Utilities and Youth Programs having a significant portion of their projects and programs affected in July and August. The targeted wage savings of $26,000 has already been achieved based on this forecast, however the targeted training savings of $4,000 have not yet been realized.

Wildfire Update
Council received an update about the wildfire situation in the area from the fire chief, including a very small fire that was contained on Rundle Warmer temperatures are expected over the week and more smoke should be visible in town. A fire ban remains in place for the Town and national Park. Updates are posted as they become available at http://banff.ca/civicalerts.

Postponed until Next Meeting
A briefing on the Snow and Ice Control Benchmarking Report was postponed until the next meeting due to time constraints.
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