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Council preview for Tuesday, Oct. 8

First look: Removal of TUPs for home-based studios; Alta Lake Road sewer; Q2 financials on the agenda
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File photo by Braden Dupuis

HERE'S A QUICK LOOK at what to expect at Tuesday's council meeting, kicking off at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Maury Young Arts Centre.

HOME-BASED STUDIOS

The Resort Municipality of Whistler's (RMOW) experiment with Temporary Use Permits (TUP) for home-based artist studios appears to be over.

At its Oct. 8 meeting, council will consider bylaws to remove the TUP requirement for home-based studios, and allow them to operate in residential zones under the zoning bylaw, including the right to sell their products from home.

If the bylaws are adopted, home-based studios would only require a business licence and sign permit to operate.

The introduction of TUPs for home-based studios proved controversial with local artists when it was introduced in 2016 (read more here: www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/tups-for-home-based-studios-a-year-on/Content?oid=4318805).

A public hearing will follow.

ALTA LAKE ROAD SEWER

The RMOW is moving ahead with a long-delayed project to add 32 homes on Alta Lake Road to the municipal sewer system.

On Oct. 8, council will hear a presentation on the project before deciding if staff should proceed.

Staff is recommending a "linear process" for the work in order to finish it quickly and with minimal costs.

A preliminary design already exists, but a request for proposals will be issued for the detailed design.

Once the detailed design is finished, the cost estimate needs to be revisited before bylaws are prepared for council's consideration (likely in August 2020).

The current five-year financial plan includes $3.7 million for the project from 2019 to 2022.

The total cost of the project has been proposed as a 50-per-cent cost share between the property owners and RMOW.

Efforts to hook the last remaining homes in Whistler up to the sewer system date back to at least 2004. The RMOW estimates about $400,000 has been spent since then on consulting fees for design, cost estimation, environmental studies and preparation of grant applications.

Seven grants have been applied for to assist the project (most recently in 2014)—all unsuccessful.

Read more here: www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/multi-million-dollar-sewer-project-for-whistler-homes-smells-bad/Content?oid=2667780

Q2 FINANCIALS

Council will also receive the RMOW's second quarter financial report on Oct. 8.

Six months into fiscal 2019, overall operating revenues were at 76 per cent of annual budget amounts, while expenditures were at 49 per cent (compared to 82 and 49 per cent at the same point in fiscal 2018, respectively).

Investment income was $1,954,572 (unaudited)—seventy-four per cent of the total budgeted investment income for the year.

Find the full council agenda at www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/meeting-agendas-and-minutes.