Councillor Jeff Toews, with the help of councillor Gaynor Levisky, will be presenting a notion of motion – a ‘community enhancement initiative’ – at the Aug. 11 council meeting.
“During my first term, I was unhappy with a lot of things,” said Toews. “That was part of my campaign this time around...doing something about these cookie-cutter communities.”
Toews explained that the initiative, which he and Levisky are in the process of putting together, would look at 25-30 aspects of community enhancement, including:
- Entranceways into communities, beautification of communities and covering up ‘commercial eyesores’.
- Roadways: ensuring roadways are appropriate widths to aid in traffic flow.
- Side-yard setbacks. Looking at parking restrictions posed by new developments and how parking for visitors could be improved.
- Doubling-up trees and greenery to make sure communities are aesthetically enhanced.
“We also want to hold builders and developers more accountable,” Toews said, adding that he would like to take a look at extending periods of accountability for developers before the exchange of a ‘Final Acceptance Certificate’ takes place (when the town takes over responsibility for public infrastructure in new subdivisions).
The notion of motion would ‘fall into a lot areas’, explained Toews, including neighbourhood plans, legal implications, land-use bylaws and so on.
He added that following the presentation to fellow councillors, they would look to administration to come up with a host of solutions. A strategic planning session to follow would provide an opportunity for other members of town council and administration to provide feedback and ‘come to the table with everyone on the same page.’
