Recommendation:
That the Town of Oliver participate in a joint grant application with the RDOS to the UBCM Indigenous Cultural Safety & Cultural Humility Training program; and That Council supports the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to apply for, receive, and manage grant funding on the Town of Oliver’s behalf for Indigenous Cultural Safety & Cultural Humility Training
The Indigenous Cultural Safety & Cultural Humility Training funding stream is being offered by the UBCM to support emergency management personnel with cultural safety and humility training so that they may effectively partner with and provide assistance to Indigenous communities during times of emergency.
The program offers increased opportunities to educate emergency personnel on the history of Indigenous Peoples, as well as the concepts of cultural safety, cultural humility and the relevance to Indigenous Peoples. Learning outcomes would be in the context of emergency management and could include such subjects as:
• recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ unique connection to the land and the concept of Indigenous worldviews and knowledge
• identifying key historical events marking the history of Crown-Indigenous relations in Canada.
• recognizing the concept of inter-generational trauma and resiliency and how it affects contemporary Indigenous Peoples
• improved individual and collective abilities to work effectively with Indigenous Peoples
• identifying, discussing and addressing individual and structural barriers to reconciliation
As with the housing needs grant and community child care questions recently before Council, it may be beneficial to submit a joint application with the RDOS to offer the training regionally, and to qualify for the maximum grant of 100% funding in the amount of $25,000.
Recommendation:
That Council direct Staff to bring forth amendments to Development Cost Charge Bylaw No.1172 to provide a 50% reduction for not-for-profit rental housing and for-profit affordable rental housing under the provision of a housing agreement registered on title.
Development Cost Charges are paid by a developer through the creation of new parcels via subdivision and during construction of a multi-family, industrial, or commercial building. The purpose of DCC’s are to assist local governments in the capital costs associated with providing, constructing, altering or expanding sewage, water, draining and highway facilities as well as providing and improving park land.
The affordable housing project at 5931 Airport Street is requesting a waiving or reduction of the $225,000 DCC’s payable at time of building permit issuance. The current DCC Bylaw No. 1172
does not have provisions for waiving or reducing DCC’s for affordable housing buildings, or any of the “eligible developments” listed in Section 563 (1) of the Community Charter. The Town of
Oliver is in the process of drafting a new DCC bylaw which could see provisions included for reductions or waiving of DCC’s for these types of projects. The Airport Street development is set to commence in early 2020, prior to the adoption of the new DCC bylaw in mid to late 2020.
Staff are seeking Council’s direction on the appetite for reducing or waiving DCC’s for affordable housing, which will in turn give the BC Housing project team some further comfort in their
budgeting process. Staff will work on the details of the bylaw amendment based on the recommendation from Council. At this time, Staff do not recommend waiving or reducing DCC’s for supportive living housing or the subdivision of small lots designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or for developments that are designed to result in a low environmental impact. This is primarily for the reason that these options have not been thoroughly explored at this time.
Staff are recommending amendments to the DCC bylaw to include provisions for reducing DCC’s by 50% for non-for-profit rental housing or for-profit affordable rental housing projects with a
housing agreement registered on title. This agreement would ensure that the form of tenure of the housing units are limited to rental tenure. This agreement would require that housing units
be rented for an initial monthly rate that is less than the median market rent levels most recently published by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The agreement will also be required to be valid for at least 20 years. Staff considered that a 50% reduction is a win-win, in that it assists and encourages necessary affordable housing projects in our community, while
also continuing to provide funding for future capital projects.
Recommendation:
To grant a temporary use permit for a pet shelter
The subject property is zoned RS1 (Residential Low Density One) and is designated by Official Community Plan 1370 as LR (Low Density Residential).
The subject property is approximately 1,350m2 (14,531ft2) in area and has a single family dwelling and two accessory buildings constructed on it. The subject property is located in the southeast corner of the Town and currently has a business licence issued for a home occupation (animal grooming). The surrounding pattern of development is a mix of low density residential and industrial uses. Earlier this year it was brought to Staff’s attention that the owner is also operating an animal shelter/rescue on the subject property without proper zoning in place allowing for the use. The intent of the proposed application is to formalize the use on a temporary basis. This will ensure that the animal shelter remains a proper fit for the neighbourhood prior to approving a site specific zoning amendment to allow it on a more permanent basis.
Proposal: The applicant is proposing to utilize existing structures on the property to operate an animal shelter. Animal Control Bylaw No. 1224 places a maximum of two cats and two dogs over 6 months in age per residence. Given the number of cats and dogs that may be situated on this property, a temporary use permit to permit an animal shelter in the RS1 (Residential Low Density One) is required.