City council has approved a conditional use application that will allow Double D's Adult Novelties to open for business at 33 Severn Cres.
The development review committee recommended the approval after considering the matter at its May 22 and May 29 meetings. No one under 18 is to be allowed admission under he conditional use permit and "windows and doors are [to be] properly screened to prevent viewing from the outside."
There were no objectors at a public hearing June 8. There was no discussion or debate about the matter at council before approval June 15. Coun. Judy Kolada, the chair of the public safety committee, cast the lone vote against thee conditional use.
Last call for alcohol - 3 a.m. for Nickel Days weekend
City council, without debate or discussion June 15, voted unanimously to invoke Section 100 of the Liquor Control Act, which allows for the extension by one hour of the normal 2 a.m. closing time for alcohol sales, service and consumption "for an event of community, municipal, provincial or national significance."
Closing time will be 3 a.m. Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21. The council resolution notes only "the City of Thompson was approached to allow an extension in bar hours from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m." for Nickel Days.
Fire pit bylaw for Thompson residents doused, but not extinguished
Hold that match!
After years of delay, Thompson residents - who two weeks ago, over the vigorous objections of the fire department, appeared on the verge of having the opportunity to legally enjoy an open-air fire pit campfire in their backyards on fine long Northern nights during the short summer season, have had some cold water thrown on that idea with city council in almost full retreat after objectors - Paul Therrien, chief human resources officer from the Burntwood Health Authority (BRHA) and Margaret Allan, office manager of the Thompson Chamber of Commerce, appeared as a two-person delegation of citizen objectors June 15.
Therrien and Allan raised health concerns about the possible dangers of particulate matters in smoke from only charcoal or cut seasoned wood fires in the city to neighbouring residents and pointed to how other cities such as Yellowknife, Calgary and Saskatoon had attempted more comprehensive approaches.
Therrien said the city's proposed open burning bylaw was overly vague and failed to define many of its terms such as the prohibition that fires "shall not be set in windy conditions." How is a "windy" condition to be defined? Therrien asked.
"You're creating a bylaw that's going to pit one neighbour against another," Therrien said, noting he intended to make the pun.
Allan said they wanted to get their objections on the record at the second reading stage and could provide more research to council in the days ahead if that would be helpful.
As it was, the bylaw almost didn't get through second reading Monday night. Therrien and Allan almost got their wish to have it tabled and sent back to the public safety committee for more study at second reading stage for possible amendments. That likely would have meant it would never have returned to council for farther debate this summer.
A motion by deputy mayor to Oswald Sawh to table the proposed open burning bylaw before second reading was defeated in a rare 3-3 tie vote. Under council's rules of procedure - as is the case with most parliamentary bodies - all tie votes are lost.
Voting against tabling the bylaw and proceeding to second reading were Mayor Tim Johnston, Coun. Judy Kolada, the chair of the public safety committee, which drafted the bylaw, and Coun. Charlene Lafreniere. Voting to table the bylaw before second reading were Sawh, and councillors Harold Smith and Cory Young. Coun. Brian Wilson is on an extended sick leave of absence from council and has not been present for weeks. Coun. Stella Locker was also not present Monday night.
After the vote to table before second reading was defeated, Young attempted to introduce some amendments to the bylaw - such as establishing a curfew - before second reading. Coun. Harold Smith objected strenuously, saying Young's attempt to introduce amendments at that stage were equivalent to "calling an audible" in football and simply making up legislative plays or policy on the fly. The majority of council agreed and Young's attempt to amend the bylaw were handily defeated.
At that point the bylaw went on to second reading where it sailed through easily, but with the understanding it would be tabled before third and final reading, which it was, and sent back to committee for further study and amendments.
Does anything much ride on whether the open burning bylaw was tabled before second or third reading or is it really just conjuring up some arcane parliamentary procedures in terms of preference? It's hard to say definitively, although theoretically the bylaw should move back to committee and ultimately back to council somewhat quicker this way, but quicker may be a relative term here.
While Johnston and Young urged Kolada to quickly call a special one-item public safety meeting with just the open burning bylaw on the agenda, Kolada demurred, saying she could call one when she could find a time Young, the past chair and the only other member of council on the committee, could managed to be there. "I'll be there," Young replied. Collen Smook, Susan Buckle, Mark Matiasek, general manager of Thompson Unlimited, and Lou Morissette, a liquor inspector with the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) and a retired RCMP staff sergeant, also all sit as citizen representatives on the public safety committee, while fire chief Ian Thompson and city manager Randy Patrick represent city administration on the committee.
The proposed bylaw, as presently drafted, would require:
residents will have to apply for a fire pit permit;the fire chief will have the discretion to refuse to grant a permit or only grant it with conditions;only charcoal or "cut seasoned wood" will be allowed to be burned. No rubbish or leaves can be burned;screens or grates may be required;a fire "shall not be set in windy conditions conducive to creating a running fire or nuisance to any other person."
