Council has been toying with the idea of allowing golf carts on Village streets – but the two possibilities suggested by staff are a little more complicated than expected.
The first option is Neighbourhood Golf Carts, a program outlined in the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. Municipalities designated in the regulations may allow gas or electric golf carts within municipal boundaries, as long as the motor does not exceed 32 kilometres per hour (20 miles per hour).
The Village would need to work with its MLA to amend the regulations to include Nakusp as a designated municipality. Corporate Officer Codie Jones noted that it could take over a year to amend provincial legislation before the Village’s months-long process of developing and approving a bylaw could begin. Neighbourhood golf carts in the Village wouldn’t be happening any time soon, she said.
The second option is the Neighbourhood Zero-Emission Vehicle Zone, also outlined in the regulations. This allows low-speed, four-wheeled electric vehicles on Village streets. It could include golf carts as long as they are electric and do not exceed 40 kilometres per hour on a paved level surface; gas-powered carts would not be permitted. This option also requires a bylaw, but the regulations do not need to be amended; this option could happen more quickly.
Councillor Aidan McLaren-Caux wondered how many people in the Village are actually interested. It takes time and resources to create bylaws to make something like this happen. What is the demand for it? he asked.
Councillor Dolly Edwards suggested the Village issue a survey to gauge residents’ interest.
CAO Wayne Robinson said the survey would need to duly note the complexity of the opportunity, in order to keep expectations realistic.
“We can’t just say to people, ‘Who wants a golf cart to drive around town?’ because the moment we do that, everyone is going to say, ‘I do!’” he said. “We can’t just ask the question of the public without giving them those facts, because then they’re going to be disappointed when we turn around… and say we can only give you ‘this.’ Already on Facebook people are saying, ‘I’m going to get to drive my side-by-side around town.’ No, you’re not. We can’t permit that.”
Bylaw revisions
Staff is preparing to revise seven Village bylaws, and requested council’s feedback on the process. Among the many discussion points were tiny homes, water meters, parking, and properties that pose a fire risk.
Though tiny homes are defined in the zoning bylaw, there’s currently no zone in the Village that allows them, said CAO Wayne Robinson. All of council agreed that they ought to be permitted as primary residences.
“The cost to build now is so exorbitant that if somebody has to live in a small home or a tiny home, or not live here – I’ll take the tiny home,” said Councillor Aidan McLaren-Caux. “Being picky about what kind of home… I think we’re way beyond that. People just need a place to live – full stop.”
Councillor Dolly Edwards concurred.
“We need to be more eco-conscious,” she said. “[Tiny homes] use less resources to build, they’re more energy efficient… I would love to see young families be able to afford a home of their own.”
The Village is looking at removing the condition that all new builds are required to install water meters.
“We’re basically installing a $500 piece of equipment in people’s homes and making them pay for it and then it just sits there, idle and useless. It just doesn’t make sense,” said CAO Robinson.
Instead, the Village is considering requiring new developments to install a pit meter vault instead – a lower-cost option that would accommodate a water meter should they be required in the future.
Staff also wants to add provisions that state a property owner is responsible for their water service and sewer lines from where they connect to the Village’s water and sewer mains, rather than at the property line.
Parking took up a good chunk of discussion time. CAO Robinson said it’s difficult to develop commercial properties and provide the amount of parking required in the bylaw. The last two development permits he worked on, he spent more time working out parking than anything else.
Much of council agreed that there’s plenty of parking in the Village – except for one hour, one day a year during Canada Day, said Councillor McLaren-Caux.
“Surely there’s a better and higher use of land than paving it for cars to sometimes park there,” he said.
Council agreed it’s important not to eliminate parking requirements altogether, but that overall there’s an abundance and provisions could be reduced.
CAO Robinson suggested allowing commercial developments to provide a limited number of bicycle stalls in lieu of regular parking.
Council also saw eye-to-eye on properties that pose a fire risk due to long dry grass, branches, and other accumulated combustible materials.
CAO Robinson described a property where the out-of-town owners left the grass to grow all summer. When the Village contacted them, they said they couldn’t deal with it. Robinson said there’s no bylaw provision that would make a property owner responsible for fire hazards on their properties.
With a revised bylaw, the Village could take remedial action if needed, and charge the property owners on their tax bill.
“But I wouldn’t be opposed to even throwing it out to the public and saying, ‘Hey, does anybody want to be a good neighbour and help someone out?’” said Robinson. “That would be ideal, especially when you have somebody who is mobility-challenged.”
Councillor McLaren-Caux took a moment to endorse FireSmart. Rebates of up to $5,000 are currently available from the RDCK for home FireSmart activities.
BC Hydro to take on breakwater?
The Village will request a meeting with BC Hydro during the annual Union of BC Municipalities convention this fall.
The meeting would centre around the Village’s breakwater. BC Hydro recently rehabilitated the south breakwater through an agreement with the Village. Nakusp owns the breakwater, but language in the agreement implies that the Village could transfer ownership to BC Hydro.
If the meeting is granted, the Village will request that BC Hydro enter into an agreement to fund the ongoing maintenance of both the south and southwest breakwaters. The Village would be willing to work with BC Hydro to help maintain the asset, much like it already does with the boat launch ramp and dock.
The breakwater is valued between $1.5-1.8 million and significantly impacts the Village’s reserve contributions. Removing these operational and capital costs would be a boon for asset management.
