Okotoks public meetings in 2023
6 substantive meetings from 2023, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Regular Council Meeting
Council selected Howard Park for a new skate park and allocated $800,000 for its design and construction. The meeting also established reserve bids for three properties at a tax recovery public auction and approved the first reading of bylaws to disband the Municipal Planning Commission.
- Approved Howard Park as the location for a new skate park (Unanimous)
- Amended Capital Budget Project #228 to $50,000 for 2023 design and $750,000 for 2024 construction (Unanimous)
- Set tax recovery auction reserve bids: Lot 2 ($510,000), Lot 38 ($375,000), and Unit 29 ($120,000) (Unanimous)
- Approved Mayor Thorn's submission for Alberta Municipalities Association Vice-President of Towns (Unanimous)
- Amended Council Committee Nomination Process Policy GP-D-2.2 (Carried)
- First reading passed for Bylaws 32-23, 33-23, and 34-23 to disband Municipal Planning Commission (Carried)
- Accepted Housing for All Progress Report (Unanimous)
- Directed Administration to send responses regarding Closed Session items 3.3 and 3.4 (Unanimous)
Regular Council Meeting
Council approved three new bylaws regarding community standards, false alarms, and fee amendments. They also authorized a $300,000 seating expansion for Seaman Stadium and directed the CAO to establish a Mayor's Youth Council.
- Passed Bylaw 31-23 (Community Standards Bylaw) (Unanimous)
- Passed Bylaw 25-23 (False Alarm Bylaw) (Unanimous)
- Passed Bylaw 28-23 (Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw Amendment) (Unanimous)
- Approved $300,000 for Seaman Stadium seating expansion (Carried)
- Deferred Seaman Stadium Batting Facility project to 2024 (Carried)
- Cancelled Seaman Stadium Turf Replacement project (Carried)
- Directed CAO to establish a Mayor's Youth Council (Unanimous)
- Approved Business Satisfaction Survey results as a planning document (Unanimous)
Regular Council Meeting
Council approved several capital budget increases for vehicle replacements, roof repairs, and a new hybrid blower for the wastewater treatment plant. The board also approved the Age-Friendly Okotoks Action Plan and the Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Master Plan Update.
- Approved $0.600M for Wastewater Treatment Plant Hybrid Blower (Unanimous)
- Approved $0.070M for Municipal Centre roof replacement (Unanimous)
- Approved $0.024M and $0.0379M for water services vehicle and forklift replacements (Unanimous)
- Approved Age-Friendly Okotoks Final Report and Action Plan (Unanimous)
- Approved Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Master Plan Update, July 2023 (Unanimous)
- Approved indoor Pickleball facility improvements at Foothills Centennial Centre (Unanimous)
- Discontinued Pilot Project: Okotoks Free Art Wall (Unanimous)
- Approved Whistleblower Policy CMD-R-4.5 and repealed GP-A-2.2 (Unanimous)
Regular Council Meeting
Council passed Bylaw 08-23 to adopt the Trilogy Plains Area Structure Plan for urban development in northeast Okotoks. They also approved Bylaw 26-23 to redesignate 0.56 hectares of land to a Neighbourhood Core District. Additionally, Council approved an engagement plan for the Joint Planning Area 3 Context Study.
- Passed Bylaw 08-23 to adopt Trilogy Plains Area Structure Plan (Unanimous)
- Passed Bylaw 26-23 to redesignate 0.56 hectares to Neighbourhood Core District (Unanimous)
- Approved Engagement Plan for Joint Planning Area 3 Context Study (Unanimous)
- Directed Administration to send intermunicipal referral draft response to Foothills County (Unanimous)
- Amended Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Master Plan deadline to July 17, 2023 (Unanimous)
- Accepted 2023 Alberta Summer Games June update (Unanimous)
- Received Greenhouse Gas Emissions report as information (Unanimous)
- Received noise complaints statistics inquiry response as information (Unanimous)
Regular Council Meeting
Council passed Bylaw 24-23 to amend fencing standards for urban deer mitigation. Other key actions included approving a new arts grant policy and reappointing the town's external auditor.
- Passed Bylaw 24-23 to amend Land Use Bylaw fencing standards (Carried)
- Approved Arts and Culture Activation Grant Policy CMD-F-2.4 (Carried Unanimously)
- Reappointed Avail Chartered Professional Accountants as external auditor for 2023 and 2024 (Carried Unanimously)
- Directed Administration to explore indoor Pickleball at Foothills Centennial Centre (Carried Unanimously)
- Decided Council Member Leave of Absence Policy GP-A-2.3 will not be implemented (Carried)
- Appointed Jenna Vervoort and Dhiriti Thiru to Family and Community Support Services Committee (Carried Unanimously)
- Appointed Michael King and Valeria Rusu to United Way/Okotoks Partnership Committee (Carried Unanimously)
- Directed Administration to send amended Intermunicipal Referral draft response to Foothills County (Carried Unanimously)
Regular Council Meeting
Council defeated a motion to read the Entertainment District Bylaw for a second time after an amendment to its pilot dates. Administration was directed to recommend a community use for the vacant space at 7 Riverside Drive and to provide a report on 2024 budget strategic priorities by September 30, 2023.
- Defeated second reading of Bylaw 22-23 Entertainment District
- Directed Administration to recommend a community use for vacant space at 7 Riverside Drive (Carried Unanimously)
- Directed Administration to stop seeking a municipal purpose for 7 Riverside Drive until a community needs assessment is done (Carried)
- Defeated motion to list 7 Riverside Drive for lease on the real estate market
- Approved first reading of Bylaw 26-23 Land Use Bylaw Amendment - Tillotson (Carried Unanimously)
- Approved Capital Budget Disclosures resolution for the fall 2023 Alberta Municipalities Convention (Carried Unanimously)
- Directed Administration to provide a report on 2024 budget strategic priorities by September 30, 2023 (Carried Unanimously)
- Granted paid leave extension to Councillor Actemichuk from May 30 to June 28, 2023 (Carried Unanimously)