MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS November 12, 2020
Keeping you informed of the services, business and development that affect YOU!
#1 Budget Open House Going Virtual — Council agreed to host a virtual 2021 Budget Open House on November 18 at 7 p.m. This will replace the physical open house that had been scheduled for early last week in Bonnyville, but was cancelled due to COVID-19 public gathering regulations. Keep an eye on the M.D.’s website and www.facebook.com/MDBonnyville for more information.
#2 Planning and Development Update – Council gave Second and Third reading to Bylaw 1749 – the Fort Kent Area Structure Plan (ASP). The ASP will help to guide development in the hamlet for the next 20 years. Council tabled the purchase of a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) machine to test for primary contributors for the phosphorus load in Moose Lake, and will compile a list of questions about the business plan and processes to be answered by the North East Watershed Team (NEWT). Staff has been directed to investigate federal and provincial funding for installing water and sewer services to lake adjacent subdivisions.
#3 Infrastructure Services Update – After a Council request earlier this fall, Infrastructure Services added a new class of road standards to the Road Classification Map. Class 6 Local Roads are classified as those intended for single lane, two-way gravel access, usually serving a single purpose (i.e., field access), no longer than 500 metres, and minimal traffic. Council also chose to update the traffic count description for Class 2 Grid Roads from 200 to 1,500 vehicles per day, to 500 to 1,500 vehicles per day. Council agreed to let Imperial Oil build an above-ground, high-pressure steam pipeline over an undeveloped road allowance. The area where the road allowance is located, is in the same area where over 100 above-ground crossings already exist, as well as 30 pad sites. The pipeline crossing policy will be updated to include allowances for above-ground crossings.
#4 Joint Council Meeting – The M.D. and Town of Bonnyville will hold a joint meeting in mid-December to review the final Regional Economic Development Plan.
#5 Briefly – Procedural Bylaw 1751 received an update to include parameters for livestreaming meetings. The M.D. started posting Council, Committee and Municipal Planning Commission meetings online early in the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure residents had the opportunity to watch the meetings. During the closed session at its October 28 meeting, Council agreed to contribute $69,000 towards the cost of runway lights at the Bonnyville Airport. Council will send a letter to the Minister of Transportation, Ric McIver, to urge Alberta Transportation consider expanding the intersection at Highway 55 West and Range Road 424 (where Superior Concrete and Knelsen are currently located), capitalizing on the fact Alberta Transportation is already working on the road, expanding, and upgrading it close to the above-mentioned intersection.