Public Hearing process put in place for COVID-19
Planning for the future of effective public hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cochrane Council has developed a way to ensure all voices are heard.
While council began once again meeting in person in September, manager of legislative services Jaylene Knight said, a process needs to be in place to ensure compliance with COVID-19 physical distancing protocols.
During the pandemic, council has been holding public meetings virtually and has extended the length of time for public input. During COVID-19 typically a public meeting has been held during the start of a council meeting and then left open for public comment until the end of the meeting.
Council debated if a hearing should take place in an alternative location to Council Chambers that is open to in-person public attendance with no live streaming or virtual meetings, or if the focus should be solely on online meetings.
“What we’re trying to do with this report this evening is to add the consistency for all public hearings regardless of the topic, regardless of if we have five people or if we have 300,” Knight said.
Councillor Susan Flowers asked if it would be possible to pursue Facebook Live as a forum for public hearings, along with hosting meetings in a larger space. She noted not all residents have access to the necessary technology for virtual meetings or feel comfortable meeting in person.
Knight said an additional cost would be incurred to employ the additional resources for a Facebook Live event. She added if Zoom public meetings are held residents would have the option to dial in on their telephones as opposed to using the app.
Coun. McFadden said crafting a forum for public meetings is a balance of efficiency, cost and engagement.
Public engagement has been a balancing act during COVID-19, she said, adding she is comfortable holding public hearings virtually until February.
Mayor Jeff Gung said he was “split” on how public hearings should be hosted during COVID-19.
“We just need to remain constant in something and that has been a virtual world,” Genung said. “I would like to find a way that we can have as many people attend as possible, but I also see the need to have this consistency where we’re not changing all the time.”
Council unanimously voted in favour of hosting public meetings virtually until Feb. 1 with no additional costs with the option to hold them during council meetings or at a different time.
Land use bylaw given first reading for single-detached homes changes
Council gave first reading to Bylaw 18/2020, a land-use amendment that would redesignate zero lot line single-detached districts in Cochrane.
Zero lot lines are single detached homes that are currently permitted to be developed on a property with a 2.4-metre easement requirement. The bylaw would change the easement requirement to 1.5 metres.
Communities affected by the proposed rezoning include Fireside, Riversong (Precedence), Sunset Ridge and Heartland. Current properties would maintain existing development opportunities of an R2 and R1 districts.
The rezoning does not affect developments on the books and does not affect new developments.
Coun. Patrick Wilson clarified the 2.4 metres easement runs between buildings going down to a 1.5-metre separation between two homes would lose a total of .9 metres in aggregate.
Council gave first reading to the bylaw and a public meeting will be held on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.
Town communications update
Senior communications advisor Laurie Drukier provided an update on the Town’s communication strategy.
Traditionally municipalities have been required to advertise in print but a revision in 2017 to the Alberta Municipal Government Act introduced flexibility to allow for current and future technology changes to inform the public on notification regarding bylaws, resolutions, meetings, public meetings.
This has allowed the Town to adopt a “made in Cochrane solution” for advertising, she said.
The intention behind communications is to reach as many residents as possible, she said, explaining the Town will use the newspaper and online media to keep residents informed.
The Town is required to bring matters of public interest to the attention of as many residents as possible in an affected area— This can involve public hearings, advertisements, public inspections and other matters.
The proposed bylaw indicated the Town would continue current advertising methods, including using the newspaper, while embracing a stronger online presence.
Drukier noted between 2014 and 2019 Town surveys indicated newspaper readers dropped by 15 per cent, while social media usage went up 24 per cent. She added the Town’s Social Recovery Task Force survey showed 99 per cent of Cochranite have access to technology that would allow for online engagement.
Under the bylaw, the Town will continue to use the newspaper to keep residents informed, but with reduced details, if the bylaw is passed. The bylaw will not change the Town’s internal communication process.
Drukier noted the bylaw will not change the time period the public has to respond to notifications from the Town. The time for public input would be triggered by the date a notice is first published— Be it on the Town website or elsewhere.
Bylaw 21/2020 was given first reading by council and a public hearing has been set for Oct. 26.
During the meeting, Drukier touched on the effect of COVID-19 on the communications department and the need to ensure residents are informed about the goings-on in Town.
“Our goal is to tell the Town’s story and not let others tell it for us,” she said. “Consistency helps the Town maintain credibility, authority and trustworthy.”
Drukier said the Town is continuing to adapt as they move through COVID-19, but noted the future is hard to predict.
Genung praised the work of the communications department as it has been a priority for the Town’s current council. He added the need for communication has only been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There has been a lot of emphasis on communication— There is a need as we try to navigate and continue to navigate through changing times,” Genung said.
