A special council meeting and a further joint meeting with the City of Duncan were on the agenda for North Cowichan council July 5.
The one item on the special meeting agenda was discussion on an Alternative Approval Process for the Crofton Fire Hall replacement project.
Council approved the recommendation to undertake an AAP for the loan authorization bylaw in order to borrow up to $4.8 million to finance construction of a new fire hall. The AAP will begin July 22 and conclude on Aug. 22.
Eligible North Cowichan electors can indicate they do not support the loan authorization by completing an Elector Response Form and returning it to the Municipal Hall by Aug. 22. Details on the process, including a copy of the form, can be found at https://www.connectnorthcowichan.ca/crofton-fire-hall.
The Elector Response Form will be available beginning July 22.
City of Duncan council then joined North Cowichan council for one of two joint meetings held each year, with alternate hosting. This meeting was hosted by North Cowichan, with some members in person at shared desks, while the remaining members joined via Webex. Agenda items are added by each municipality, up to a maximum of three each.
The consulting firm which prepared Duncan’s draft Transportation and Mobility Strategy provided a presentation of the draft strategy, which was received for information. Discussion took place on areas of jurisdictional overlap, as well as about the possibility of a future Trans-Canada highway bypass, which is not identified as a priority in the strategy.
A presentation regarding people living temporarily in recreational vehicles because of the housing affordability crisis was received and discussion on the implications, impacts and realities took place. Duncan council agreed to ask its staff to prepare a follow-up report to be presented at a future joint meeting of the two councils.
A presentation on Canada Avenue Complete Street from Evans to Sherman Road - Friendship Trail was provided and received for information. Active transportation is a key consideration for Complete Street projects. For this project, the conceptual designs propose an active transportation corridor of 835 metres of new and accessible sidewalks and a new multi-use path, as well as improved road safety and traffic calming designs.
These active transportation facilities will tie into existing pedestrian and cycling networks at either end of the project and will improve connectivity and safety for people of all ages and abilities
A presentation on the Trans-Canada Highway Corridor Management Plan was provided for information. The plan covers an area alongside the highway corridor within the boundaries of the City of Duncan, the Municipality of North Cowichan, and the northern boundary of Cowichan Tribes lands at Boys Road.
The next North Cowichan council meeting is Wednesday, July 20 at 1:30 p.m.