After months of consultation and contemplation, Whistler's updated solid waste bylaw received its first three readings at the Aug. 15 council meeting.
When adopted, the bylaw will require all businesses and stratas to separate waste into three streams (food-scrap organics, recyclables and landfill waste).
Food service businesses will also be required to submit a Solid Waste Management Plan as part of their business license application.
Stats from 2016 show that 64 per cent of landfill waste comes from commercial and strata garbage. Of that garbage, 54 per cent is compostables and 13 per cent is recyclables, according to 2012 stats.
"The commercial and strata garbage over the last several years has continued to increase, and that sector compared to the other sectors needs to be focused on to see if we can get this turning in the other direction," said acting manager of solid waste management Andrew Tucker in a presentation to council.
Some changes were added to the bylaw since it was last seen at the June 20 council meeting, including updated definitions around wildlife-proofing (such as a requirement for self-latching doors on waste-sorting rooms) and a requirement that all loads brought to the transfer station in Callaghan Valley be secure.
"This is done to reduce the amount of litter between Whistler and the Callaghan transfer station," Tucker said.
"We propose a $30 fee be charged to loads that enter into the transfer station that are considered unsecured loads."
Enforcement through education will take place over the next year, and enforcement through fines will begin in August 2018.
A ticketing bylaw amendment will be introduced next month.
Some companion bylaw amendments also received first readings at the meeting.
The bylaws will help businesses and stratas build space for garbage sorting by increasing gross floor area exemptions for garbage rooms; allowing for reductions in required parking stalls; and giving exemption from the $20,000 fee that is normally attached to a parking variance in the CC1 zone.
More public consultation around the changes is planned for the fall.
RTA ZONING AMENDMENT AIMS TO ADDRESS INCONSISTENCIES
Also at the Aug. 15 meeting, council gave first and second readings to a zoning amendment bylaw that aims to address inconsistencies related to permitted uses in Residential/Tourist Accommodation (RTA) zones in Whistler.
There are 28 RTA zones in Whistler, all of which are meant to allow for a variety of dwelling types. Tourist accommodation is meant to be allowed in all dwellings in RTA zones except for "auxiliary dwellings."
But through the recent Tourist Accommodation Review, staff noticed an anomaly in certain RTA zones.
Unlike similar RTA zones, a clause allowing tourist accommodation in zones RTA2-5, RTA8, RTA9 and RTA17 limits that use to detached dwellings only.
The original intent of the zone supports tourist accommodation in both detached and non-detached dwellings.
After further review, staff found that a previous zoning amendment bylaw from 2004 inadvertently banned tourist accommodation in non-detached dwellings.
The bylaw was originally intended to bring the RTA zones into compliance with now-defunct fire code regulations — not change the permitted uses.
The new amendment clarifies the permitted uses by changing the wording to allow tourist accommodation in all permitted dwelling types, with the exception of auxiliary dwellings.
A public hearing will be scheduled for an upcoming council meeting.
COUNCIL APPROVES PATIO FOR FUNCTION BREWERY
Coast Mountain Brewery in Function Junction will soon double its seating capacity with council's approval of a new 30-seat, outdoor patio on Aug. 15.
The patio will upgrade Coast Mountain's seating capacity from 27 to 57, and will be built right out front of the brewery's entrance.
While still voting in favour, Councillor Sue Maxwell noted she didn't approve of the use of outdoor patio heaters.
"I know a lot of businesses locally are trying to move towards having blankets for the comfort of their guests," Maxwell said.
"I'm not going to vote against this proposal because of the inclusion of the two patio heaters but I'd certainly be far more supportive if they were not included."
Q2 PLANNING AND BUILDING UPDATE PRESENTED
The Resort Municipality of Whistler's 2017 second quarter planning and building report shows a slight decline in applications at municipal hall.
The planning department received 60 new applications in Q2, bringing the 2017 total to 98 so far this year, compared to 110 in 2016 and 132 in 2015.
Planning had 159 applications in process in the first two quarters of 2017, of which 69 were approved, one denied, nine withdrawn or cancelled, and 80 in progress.
In the building department, 351 applications were received in Q2, bringing the 2017 total to 672 (699 in 2016, 585 in 2015).
Information requests (135) and building permits (81) make up the majority.
In total, the building department had 1,297 files in process through Q2, of which 590 were approved, 29 withdrawn or cancelled, 378 completed and 300 remained in progress.
The report also contains a summary of active rezoning and development permit files that will eventually come before council for approval.
There are currently 36 active files, of which 22 are under active review, 13 are with the applicant to address staff comments and one waiting on Ministry of Transportation approval.
BEER FESTIVAL, GRANFONDO GET LIQUOR LICENCING
A pair of upcoming events received council's liquor licence endorsement at the Aug. 15 meeting — RBC GranFondo (Saturday, Sept. 9) and the Whistler Village Beer Festival (Sept. 13 to 17).
In the case of GranFondo, liquor service will be permitted in a fenced-in space within Whistler Olympic Plaza from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last call taking place at 4 p.m.
At the beer festival, beer will be served from noon to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in Olympic Plaza, with last call at 5 p.m.
