This Week at City Hall

Monday, April 27
City Council Meeting (5:30 pm): Looking at expanding the budget for the City Square Master Plan, the taxi fare increase, and the 2009 Local Improvements Program (that's the list of maintenance construction projects for the summer).

Tuesday, April 28
Mayor's Task Force on Access (5:30 pm)

Wednesday, April 29
Regina Planning Commission (4 pm): Considering an application for a new multi-unit seniors' complex and an application to convert a building in the Warehouse District into offices (1916 Dewdney) and build a parking lot beside it -- the parking lot, by the way, will necessitate the demoltion of a building just north of 1916 Dewdney and city administration have recommended approval of this plan because the developer plans to put up shrubs (sorry, landscaping elements) to mitigate the impact on the neighbourhood. Great, more shrubs.

Also, after a long absense, the dreaded condominium conversion has reared its head at planning commission once again. Four are under consideration this week. Three are being recommended for denial due to the still very 0.5 percentness of our vacancy rate. Administration, however, have added something new into their reports -- recommendations to the commission on what they could do if they decide to approve these conversions (which they most likely will). The plan is this: require that the property owner only convert 25 percent of the units to condos and leave the remainder as rental. In all three cases, the property owners have indicated they're okay with this plan.

The fourth condo conversion is being recommended for approval because it's a conversion of a presently empty building so no rental units are actually being lost to the market.


Okay, that's it for this week. You can, as always, find full reports and meeting agendas on the city's website.