1)    Development Variance Permits approved:
a)    Development Variance Permit No. 206 was approved for 400 Canyon Trail to vary the minimum side yard setback to facilitate the construction of a new single family detached home.
b)  Development Variance Permit No. 208 was approved for 892 6th Avenue (the Raging Elk Hostel Ltd.) to vary the required off-street parking from 51 parking spaces to 11 parking spaces to facilitate the opening of a 62 seat lounge in the Hostel..
2)    The East Kootenay Region of the BC Wildlife     Federation – will be holding the 2009 B.C. Wildlife     Federation Convention and Annual General Meeting from     April 22 – 25, 2009.
Council approved a grant-in-aid to the Fernie Rod and Gun     Club for one day rental at the Community Centre which     will be used as the main convention area.
3)    Sewer Treatment Plant Loan Authorization
Council approved borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia of $1,300,000 as authorized by Sewer Treatment Plant Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 2072 and requested that the Regional District of East Kootenay consent to the borrowing over a period of 20 years and include the borrowing in their security issuing bylaw for the Spring 2009 MFA debt issue.
4)    UBCM Community Tourism Program Phase 2 funding application -Development and Enhancement of the Municipal Website
Council approved the November 20, 2008 Application for the UBCM Community Tourism Program Phase 2 for the Development and Enhancement of the Municipal Website.
The City is entitled to receive $26,196.42.  $5000 of the City’s allocation was dedicated to improvements of the Coal Discovery Trail. The City has $21,196.42 remaining under the Phase 2 entitlement and it is recommended that those funds be accessed for the development and enhancement of the municipal website for tourism and marketing and the promotion of Fernie. If approved, City funds will be combined with program funding to better serve the needs of residents and businesses and provide more online tools such as updated land use and development information, online forms and bill payments.
5)    Elk Valley Regional Airport Service Establishment
Bylaw No. 2104 a bylaw that would convert the Elk Valley Airport ‘function to a ‘service.’  The original bylaw contained a maximum requisition of $0.10/$1000 of taxable assessment of land and improvements.  Council voiced concern regarding this amount indicating they would support the conversion of the Elk Valley Airport function to a service but not support a requisition maximum greater than $0.04/$1000 of taxable assessment of land and improvements.  The RDEK took this into consideration and amended the tax rate to $0.04/$1000 of taxable assessed value.  Council consented on behalf of the electors of the City of Fernie to the adoption of the proposed Regional District of East Kootenay Bylaw No. 2104 as amended.
The requisition limit as contained in the amended bylaw     allows approximately $120,000 to be levied in a year     leaving room for considerable growth in funding for the
service.
6)    Bylaws
a)  Bylaw No. 2079, cited as the Development Cost     Charge Bylaw No. 2079, 2008 received final adoption.
The new DCC Bylaw includes revised and updated capital     costs estimates for infrastructure expansion to     accommodate growth.
It is the City of Fernie’s philosophy that development should pay for any infrastructure required to facilitate growth.  The DCC objectives of the DCC Bylaw are simple and based entirely upon the premise that infrastructure costs should be paid by those who will use and benefit from the installation of such systems.  The City and its taxpayers cannot afford to subsidize development, but they do not wish to see development cease because critical infrastructure is unavailable or too costly for any one developer to construct.  Pooling the resources of all stakeholders will result in realistic charges levied to each entity thereby ensuring the construction of infrastructure required to facilitate the growth of Fernie.
b)  Bylaw No. 2087, cited as the Sewer Treatment Plant Temporary Borrowing Bylaw No. 2087, 2008 received first, second and third readings.
This bylaw authorizes the temporary borrowing of a portion of the estimated cost of constructing improvements to the Sewer Treatment Plan pending the sale of debentures.
c)  Bylaw No. 2084, cited as the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 1923, Amendment No. 15, 2008 was read a first and second time and referred to a Public Hearing.  (Applicant: Reto Barrington, Glen Park Management, 736402 Alberta Ltd., 0743134 BC Ltd.
Council authorized staff to initiate a referral process to be undertaken to the agencies and ministries as outlined in the staff report for this bylaw.
The Official Community Plan amendment proposes major revisions to the Bylaw to facilitate the development of the Coal Creek Golf Resort.
7)    Letters of Support
a) BC Ambulance and Paramedics of British     Columbia – Council will forward a letter of support to the     BC Ambulance Service insisting that the BC Ambulance     Station # 406 in Fernie have a car and crew ready to     respond at all times.
b)  British Olympic Alpine Ski Team –
Council will forward a letter of invitation and support to     the British Olympic Alpine Ski Team to use Fernie as their     pre-2010 Olympic training area.
Mayor Macnair noted Councils achievements over the past three years and thanked the outgoing Council for their tireless efforts  over the past term to ensure that Fernie continues to be a wonderful place to live.