Wetland planting, Coalhurst public works addition nearing November completion

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

The following are selected briefs from Coalhurst town council’s regular Aug. 15 meeting:

CAO report

Council accepted Shawn Patience’s CAO report as presented.

Some of the highlights from the report include:

• Work continues on completing the infrastructure master plan and costing options for light industrial property as well as exploring commercial expansion opportunities.

• Patience met with Dawna Coslovi, CEO of the Green Acres Foundation, to discuss options for housing models for Coalhurst, funding options and partnership opportunities.

• The town office was being used as a drop-off location for the FCSS clothing and school supply drive, in support of local families. A clothing fest will also be held here in September.

• The Town continues to undergo a review and update of their bylaws and policies. bylaws under review include Community Standards, which is a new bylaw, Animal Control, Land Use Bylaw, Business License Bylaw and Emergency Management Plan. Council’s Procedural Bylaw and the Offsite Levy Bylaw are currently being worked on.

Development Officer’s report

Council accepted the Development Officer’s report as presented.

According to the report, four development permit applications were received between July 13-Aug. 9 of this year, one being for a single-unit dwelling and the others four rooftop solar panel installations. As of Aug. 9, this brings the total development permit applications for this year to 31.

A total of 52 safety permit applications were receive as of July. Of those, 11 were for building permits for residential properties, 24 electrical permits (19 residential, five commercial), 12 gas permits for residential properties and five plumbing permits for residential properties.

Director of Operations report

Council accepted the Director of Operation’s report as presented.

Some of the highlights from the report include:

• The contract for the public works building addition was executed, and substantial completion of the addition will take place by the end of November.

• Several graffiti vandalism incidents over the past month at the spray park and Miners Memorial Park have been reported, with video surveillance, to the RCMP.

• The PLC’s have been replaced at the sanitary lift stations and meter vaults, and the town is working with engineers on some minor issues.

• The lead testing program for 2023 has been completed. The program will be reported to Alberta Environment with the town’s annual water and wastewater reports.

• Due to the hot weather, park watering and weed control has been a challenge, as applying herbicide to turf grass during extreme heat is not only dangerous, but may harm the grass as it is under stress from the heat. While the town has been trying to spray parks during periods of cooler weather, this must also be done when there is no wind.

• The planting at the wetland ponds is being done at three different levels, with the first tow levels being fully installed. As of Aug. 8, level three was at 66 per cent completed, and the bridges scheduled to be delivered and installed on Aug. 15. Once the bridges are installed, the pathway and final landscaping can be completed, with substantial completion expected by the end of August.