Council briefs: Land use bylaw approved, rec. fund for Irvine Sports Complex

By Tim Kalinowski

New land use bylaw passes
Cypress County councillors voted unanimously to adopt the county’s new land use bylaw, which includes considerations for medical marijuana facilities, solar power farms and greater accessory building sizes, at last Tuesday’s council meeting. No objections to the new bylaw came forward at the public hearing and none were reported by councillors or staff through correspondence.

$100,000 approved for annual Irvine Sports Complex Rec. Grant
Council approved a measure where up to $100,000 would be available for an annual rec. grant for the Irvine Sports Complex. The fund would have to be applied for through the same process as any usual rec. grant, with good accountability provided for the money being spent. Council hoped by setting up the annual provision the Irvine Sports Complex would no longer have to apply to the general pool of rec. grants available to all communities in the area.
The Irvine Sport Complex requires about $75,000 a year in annual operating funds, which had, until this measure, accounted for the lion’s share of the existing annual rec. grant funds in the county.
Coun. LeRay Pahl wanted it made clear in the motion adopted by council that there is no guarantee the Sports Complex would get the entire $100,000; only what it needed to operate. Leftover funds would be carried over and put into a capital expense account for the Irvine Sports Complex to use for future capital and emergency needs in the multi-use facility.
By taking the Irvine Sports Complex out of the queue for the county’s general rec. fund, it is intended the money which had gone to the Sports Complex yearly would now be available for other communities, facilities and organizations within Cypress County; thus creating an additional $75,000 a year in potential funding for those applying for grants.

Eagles Nest Ranch puts land grant to good use
Council received a letter of appreciation from the non-profit Eagles Nest Ranch, for allowing the organization to purchase a few acres of additional land from a cancelled road allowance on Range Road 33A for the token price of $1.00. The decision to do so was made at the March 1 council meeting.
The letter, written by Eagles Nest Ranch chair Marlies Wirzba, read in part:
“Not only has (this donation) enhanced the playing field area, but also provided added safety for the children and youth playing there.”