City council approved an in-fill program to help rejuvenate mature residential neighbourhoods in Weyburn by providing a one-year tax break as an incentive.
The Weyburn Builds In-Fill program is now in effect in designated areas on both the south and north sides of the city, and applications need to be received by the city by Sept. 30, 1998. The program has also been approved recently by both the public and separate school boards.
In order to qualify for the program, an existing building would have to be demolished and removed, with an acceptable new single detached or semi-detached dwelling built in its place.
The incentive is an exemption on the tax payable on the lot for one year from the date of the demolition permit; the exemption applies to the land only.
The program does not apply to business buildings, mixed use or apartment buildings, and cannot be used to relocate an older home. The city will also encourage local construction content in the new building.
If an application is made for an area outside of the designated neighbourhoods, they will be considered on an individual basis. Ads will be placed in the paper outlining the mapped in-fill areas, and maps are also available from the city's building department at City Hall.
The area will include, on the south hill, an area extending from 2nd Ave. South to 9th Ave. S, and from just west of Government Road to just east of 4th St., plus a small area to the west of Government Road and north of 2nd Ave.
On the north side, the boundary runs from 13th St. in the east up East Ave. to 5th St., north to Souris Ave., up a half block and then north to Coteau Ave., west across Government Road and connecting with Hill Ave. to 4th St.; and bounded in the north by 1st Ave., with some smaller areas to the north of 1st Ave., including Elgin St.; from Bannerman St. east to the Highfield Cres. area; and an area including Woodlawn Cres. and Duke St.
An agreement that all municipalities in the area served by the Southeast Regional Library must sign under provincial legislation is being questioned by three villages and two RMs in the area of Minton and Lake Alma, with a request that a new revised agreement be drawn up.
The submission came from lawyer Rod MacDonald, acting on behalf of the RMs of Lake Alma and Surprise Valley, and the villages of Minton, Gladmar and Lake Alma, questioning a letter from S.E. Regional Library director Allan Johnson that said municipalities must sign on or forfeit the right to be represented on the regional library board.
Mr. Johnson's letter from Aug. 29, sent to the Village of Minton, said this body has the sole right to set the levy which is charged against all municipalities in its boundaries, but a municipality that hasn't the signed the agreement for the regional library has no say on what that levy is to be.
The letter also stated that the village's representative to the board can no longer attend the board meetings as they are now not entitled to any representation.
Mr. MacDonald questioned all of these statements, asking for proof from the Public Libraries Act, saying his clients "refuse to be threatened into simply signing a document presented to them without the opportunity for discussion."
The municipalities are asking the regional library to draw up a revised municipal agreement where they can have concerns addressed, such as the types of services available to their residents.
Ald. Ray Hamm, who sits on the regional library board, said he isn't aware what the problems are; a motion was passed by council to write a letter to the municipalities to seek clarification of their concerns.
Area municipalities from Moose Jaw and Regina south to the U.S. border will be joining together to talk about transportation planning issues, through the establishment of a South Central Transportation Planning Committee.
After initial meetings in Pangman and Francis in October, the municipalities agreed to gather on Wednesday, Dec. 3 in Milestone to officially set up the committee. The executive committee of this organization will have eight members, one rural and one urban member from each of four divisions in the planning area.
The Weyburn area will be included in division 1, and a part of the area to the west, from Khedive, Ceylon and Minton-Gladmar, will be put into division 2. The division 1 border to the north is an east-west line just south of Francis, to include the towns of Lang, Yellow Grass, Osage, Fillmore and Creelman in the north, and the division extends down to the U.S. border.
Mayor Don Schlosser has been representing SUMA to the planning committee, and was asked to also be the city's representative. Mayor Schlosser was just reaffirmed at a SUMA regional meeting in Weyburn to continue to be the region's director and city representative to SUMA.
A schedule of proposed membership dues has also been drawn up, based on the municipality's assessment and population. Weyburn will pay $600 under this schedule.
The focus of the transportation committee will be, among other things, to set road transportation priorities, investigate development of short-line railways, study the impact of major developments on transportation in the area, and develop a comprehensive transportation plan for the South Central area.
The city works department has made an adjustment to its snow removal equipment for the coming winter by trading off two graders and buying a new one, and outfitting a large truck with a snow plow, similar to what the Department of Highways uses.
City engineer Bob Kinash said the department wanted a truck-mounted snow plow to more easily handle such areas as the airport runway and main arterial roads, such as the highways going through the city, 5th Ave. and Queen St.
He admitted under questioning that none of his staff are experienced in running this type of plow, but noted the staff is used to running heavy equipment and should be able to learn how to use this plow, with some advice from Highways personnel.
The council approved a bid of $17,676 from Fort Garry Industries Ltd. of Regina to supply the truck-mounted plow, which is under the $18,000 budgeted for it. The company was the only one to submit a bid out of three suppliers who asked for tender packages.
A number of changes to parking in front of certain schools, and an upgrade of two yield signs to stop signs, were included in a traffic bylaw passed by council, following recommendations from the Police Commission.
New no-parking zones have been added to St. Michael's, St. Dominic and Souris Schools, and a handicap parking zone has been approved for the front of Dr. Squires' office on Souris Ave., just west of 5th St.
The new no-parking zone for St. Mike's will be on the east side of 13th St., north of Park Ave.; at St. Dominic it will be on the west side of 4th St. south of 1st Ave.
At Souris School, the zone will located on the south side of 5th Ave. S.E., east of 3rd St.
The two yield signs to be changed to stop signs are at the
intersection of 6th St. and Prairie Ave., and controls the north-south
traffic on 6th St.
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