City Council during its regular meeting on Monday April 6, 2020.

By Alex McCuaig

City Council

City Council talks rezoning, bylaws but nothing on COVID-19

Apr 6, 2020 | 9:05 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat city council made some adjustments to how it held its regular meeting on Monday, moving to close the meeting to in-person public access while opening it up to an online setting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from that, Monday’s council meeting was fairly routine, though councillors didn’t directly address any issues pertaining to the municipal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite city council announcing a media availability via teleconference following Monday’s regular meeting due to the public not being allowed to attend, that did not occur.

Councillors approved unanimously the proposal to redevelop the city-owned 603 First Street lot which has been undeveloped for the last 40 years and having gone through several different proposals.

The latest project would see a mixed-use, five-storey development featuring an 80-suite hotel as well as a main floor available for commercial use.

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Proponent Aaron Burkhart said while the current environment will take some navigation, “we don’t foresee any unreasonable obstacles.”

In response to questions regarding parking for the development, while the development does have off-street parking, Burkhart says they have had fruitful discussions with downtown businesses regarding situations where more might be required.

This includes utilizing the city’s parkade, street parking and possibly using vacant lots downtown.

New life for Aberdeen Street home

An Aberdeen Street home whose recent past has seen it shuttered due to anti-social activities will be getting a new life after city council approved a rezoning application.

The home next to the Canadian Red Cross building located at 390 Aberdeen Street had been subject to community safety orders due to drug-related activity taking place at the home in 2016 and 2017.

The new owners say they intend to operate a private psychological counselling service at the residence.

Automated snowblowers, grass mowers possibly on the horizon

City council heard staff are researching the possibility of purchasing automated equipment for snow removal, lawn mowing.

CAO Bob Nicolay says research into utilizing the technology is still in an early phase but added it was a high priority and, “will be something we will take a very close look at.”