The Village of Pemberton is seeking electorate approval to borrow $1.2 million for a secondary water reservoir.
At the April 7 regular meeting of Pemberton council, council voted to move ahead with an Alternate Approval Process to borrow the funds necessary for construction.
Pembertonians will have until Monday, May 18 at 4 p.m. to submit a response if they do not want council to proceed.
The total number of dissenting responses needed to stop council from seeking the loan is 190 — 10 per cent of the village's 1,900 voters.
Elector response forms can be picked up at the Village of Pemberton office at 7400 Prospect Street, or downloaded off the Village of Pemberton website.
If the electorate approves of the loan, the Village of Pemberton will then need to bring a resolution to the board of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD).
"All the borrowing for long-term debt needs to be approved and go through the regional district, so once we've received assent of the electorate and from the ministry, we need to go and apply and get a resolution from the regional district and then they actually make the submission," said CAO Nikki Gilmore.
"So there's quite a lengthy process involved in all of this, and we're looking to probably have this complete no earlier than August at this time."
COUNCIL SUPPORTS GAS TAX FUND APPLICATION
Also at the April 7 meeting, council voted to support an application to the Federal Gas Tax Fund – Strategic Priorities Fund in the amount of $3.4 million.
If approved, the money would be used to pay for the revitalization of Pemberton's downtown core.
"The gas tax funding would be of considerable benefit to the village," said Pete Neff, manager of operations and development services.
"It would be hard to see a similar project come to fruition without years of dedicated saving."
Approval of funding is expected to take four to six months. If approved, the village expects construction to take place in the summer of 2016.
The revitalization project involves work on Pemberton's water and storm infrastructure, as well as enhancing pedestrian and vehicle connectivity.
"The goal is to provide the much desired downtown revitalization," Neff said.
"These portions of infrastructure have been highlighted as a priority for replacement or repair."
PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAW
A public hearing in regards to a Zoning Amendment Bylaw has been set for Tuesday, April 21 in the Village of Pemberton council chambers at 1350 Aster Street in Pemberton.
At the April 7 meeting, council gave first and second reading to Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 782.
"It is a bylaw to amend the minimum parcel size of the SLRD's zoning bylaw, which applies to the property, to allow for subdivision of below the minimum parcel area of two hectares," said contract planner Lisa Pedrini.
"This is being undertaken in order for the village to benefit from lands that have been gifted to the village for recreational purposes."
The bylaw amendment is part of a multi-step process to transfer the gifted land from the owner to the village.
Once the bylaw is passed, the Village will finalize its survey preparation and prepare the subdivision plan before applying to have the lands subdivided into five lots.
Once the land is subdivided the village can exercise its option to purchase.
