City Council recap – December 2, 2024

The following decisions were made by City Council during the December 2 regular City Council meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA:
Executive Limitation (EL) Report

• Executive Limitations identify what decisions and actions the City Manager and/or designated officers may not do to achieve Council’s identified purpose statements.
• This item was originally presented to the Audit committee for discussion and review. At that time, one edit was identified by administration to change the wording in one EL from Director to General Manager. This is what was before Council today.
• The Executive Limitation report is part of the City Manager’s annual review and will be discussed by City Council as part of that process in 2025.
• Any changes to EL must come to an open council meeting for approval. 

Housing Asset Development Recommendations

• City Council received an update on housing asset development recommendations, emphasizing key strategies to address Red Deer's pressing affordable housing and homelessness challenges. Highlights included prioritizing zoning and permitting processes, exploring financial incentives, identifying surplus land, and reducing barriers through regulatory changes, alongside new funding applications to boost housing supply and affordability.

Motion to Postpone Recovery Summit to Q2 2025

• City Council received an update on the Red Deer Recovery Summit Conference – stating the timing will move from Q1 to Q2 of 2025.

Westerner Exhibition Association (WEA) Relationship Framework Agreement Yearly Review

• Administration provided an update on the Relationship Framework Agreement between The City and WEA, which was signed in October 2021. The agreement outlines collaboration guidelines to ensure alignment on key priorities and to maintain open communication.
• The City is satisfied that the agreement continues to meet its intended purpose, with only minor updates identified for 2025 to improve clarity and practicality.
• Key highlights from the review include:
• Active communication and collaboration between The City Manager, WEA’s CEO, and board members.
• Progress on multi-year capital planning and the development of a 15-year Master Plan.
• Continued alignment between WEA’s objectives and The City’s strategic direction.
• Proposed updates to the agreement include refining expectations around tracking interactions and clarifying the City Liaison’s role to better reflect practical implementation.

Westerner Exposition Association Loan Agreement

• City Council passed first reading of a bylaw amendment to an existing $19 million loan agreement to further support WEA's financial sustainability.
• The bylaw amendment focuses on suspending interest and principal payments on the $19 million loan provided to WEA in 2021. This suspension is intended to provide WEA additional time to achieve financial stability while recognizing its role in generating significant economic activity in the region.
• If City Council approves the amendment, loan payments will be paused until directed by City Council, allowing WEA to focus on its recovery plan. This suspension aligns with ongoing financial contributions and recovery planning efforts by The City, Red Deer County, the Province of Alberta, and other stakeholders.
• Second and third readings will come back to City Council in January 2025.

REPORTS:

Downtown Business Association (DBA) Budget

• City Council approved the DBA’s 2025 budget today. The approved budget results in a 7 per cent increase in the levy collected from properties located within the Business Improvement Area (BIA), which equates to $19,275 in the DBA’s budget.
• A related news release is posted to The City’s website.

Motions Arising from Budget 2025

• Four motions that were postponed during the 2025 budget deliberations were debated. The motions fell into the following areas:
  • Delineate the cost of the RCMP (defeated)
  • Improve the variance reporting format (resolution outlined below)
  • Audit Review Committee to review reserves contribution and utilization policy (withdrawn)
  • Community Services Master Plan Update (motion postponed to a later meeting in January 2025)

• Of these four motions, one was approved with City Council passing a resolution directing the audit committee to enhance variance reporting, timeliness of reporting and presentation by considering:  

1. 1. Improved Reporting Format:  

• • • Including historical comparisons by considering at least two prior years for each budget category in all future variance reports;  
    • providing a detailed breakdown of variances by department, identifying areas of significant over- or under-spending;   
    • incorporating a narrative section explaining the root causes of significant variances and outlining corrective actions or adjustments taken; and  

2. Improved Presentation:  

• • • Ensuring all variance reports, including quarterly updates, are presented to the full Council in addition to the Audit Committee, to provide greater transparency and enable informed decision-making by all members of council. 
• An additional motion was put forward related to a review of the City Facilities Booking Policy. This motion was defeated.

Public Hearings:

Riverside Meadows ARP Bylaw and Zoning – Change of Intensity of Use and Zoning Bylaw

• Following today’s public hearing, City Council passed second and third reading of ARP and Zoning Bylaw amendments to change the zoning of a residential parcel from low density to medium density to facilitate redevelopment of the site.
• The ARP and Zoning Bylaw amendments are in alignment with the Strategic Plan, Municipal Development Plan, and Riverside Meadows ARP.
• The site’s location across from a park, nearness to transit (on Kerry Wood Drive), and proximity to downtown contribute to its suitability for higher density residential redevelopment. The proposed amendments will facilitate residential redevelopment and economic growth through housing.

Zoning Bylaw Amendment to Support Addiction Recovery and Homelessness
Following today’s public hearing, City Council passed second and third readings of a Zoning Bylaw Amendment that will, with the required development permits, result in:

• Removal of supervised consumption service permissions at 5233 54 Avenue.
• Extension of the temporary shelter’s operation at 5239 53 Avenue until May 1, 2027.
• Expansion of the site to add emergency shelter as a use into an adjacent unit at the temporary shelter site (5239 53 Avenue) for the upcoming winter season.
• Additional capacity for detoxification and overnight shelter at 5246 53 Avenue.

A more detailed news release is posted to The City’s website.