May 06, 2021

Ladysmith Council Notebook for May 4, 2021

Ladysmith Council met for a virtual Regular Meeting of Council on May 4, 2021 with a new film regulation and the 2021 municipal tax rates among the agenda highlights.

The meeting opened with Mayor Stone making three proclamations for the Town of Ladysmith during the month of May.

The Mayor proclaimed May 5, 2021 as National Day of Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two Spirit People, May 2021 as Child Care Month as well as May 21, 2021 as Child Care Appreciation Day, and May 14 as Falun Dafa Day.

Next, Council directed the Mayor to send a letter on its behalf requesting a meeting with the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The proposed meeting is an opportunity to discuss a previous request by Council for the Province to install a traffic light on South Davis Road at the Trans-Canada Highway, in addition to ongoing concerns related to the flow of traffic in this area.

What do Plumbing and Building, Fees and Charges, and Noise Suppression all have in common?  They are all among the Town bylaws that Council gave first three readings to amend in order to align with the Town’s new film regulations.

Council also gave first and second reading to Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan amendments.  A public hearing for these proposed changes will be scheduled for a later date.

The Town is receiving increased interest from the film and television industry as of late.  Resident Alien recently confirmed that it is seeking to return to Ladysmith to film Season 2.

The Town’s current film policy is over 20 years old and recent film productions in Ladysmith have provided opportunities to identify improvements, in addition to consultation with community stakeholders in the business community.

Moving on, Council gave first three readings to the Tax Rates Bylaw, which sets the property tax rates for 2021.  The 2021 Budget proposed a 0.52% increase for municipal property owners.

Council also gave the first three readings to bylaws establishing the Water and Sewer Parcel Tax rates, as well as the five-year Financial Plan.

Construction of the downtown public washroom on 1st Avenue continues to make steady progress and is on track for a summer completion date.

Council approved an exemption from the Noise Suppression Bylaw to allow for early morning construction work on the washroom facility on either Sunday, May 16, 2021 or Sunday, May 23, 2021.  The Kinsmen Club of Ladysmith proposed the dates in correspondence sent to Council.  Residents on 1st Avenue will be notified once the date is confirmed.

A Special Meeting of Council is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 6 pm and will be followed immediately by a Regular Committee of the Whole meeting.

For the latest news and updates, visit the Town’s website at www.ladysmith.ca, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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