March 23 Council Highlights

From the meeting of March 23, 2020

COVID-19 update

We have taken further precautionary measures against COVID19. Mayor and Council have made the difficult decision to temporarily close Municipal Hall, Agassiz Fire Department, Utilities and Public Works to the public, effective Friday, March 20, 2020, until further notice.

Staff will continue to be accessible to the public via phone, email and virtual meetings.

Alternative ways of conducting business with the Municipal Hall, Public Works and Utilities are provided below.

Phone: 604-796-2235
Email: info@kentbc.ca
Online: Report a Concern form
Mail to: District of Kent, 7170 Cheam Avenue, PO Box 70, Agassiz BC V0M 1A0

If necessary, call us to discuss alternative payment options.

The Community Recreation and Cultural Centre (CRCC) was closed to the public effective at noon on March 17, 2020. The facility will remain closed until our BC Health Authority advises that the CRCC is safe to re-open for public use and assembly.

Recreation memberships, program registrations and facility bookings will be administered as noted below:

• All Recreation Memberships, including 1, 3, 6, 12 month passes and 10/20 visit passes will be placed on hold until March 31, 2020. If the CRCC remains closed beyond March 31, 2020, customers will have the option to either continue their membership, hold, or request a pro-rated refund effective March 17, 2020.
• All Recreation Registered Programs scheduled up to March 31, 2020 will be cancelled with full refunds. If the CRCC remains closed beyond March 31, 2020, programs scheduled to commence in April will also be cancelled with full refunds.
• All Facility Bookings scheduled up to March 31, 2020 will be cancelled with full refunds. If the CRCC remains closed beyond March 31, 2020, facility bookings scheduled to commence in April will also be cancelled with full refunds.

Recreation Staff will remain onsite from Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to assist with customer enquiries.

Please contact the CRCC at 604-796-8891 or crccinfo@kentbc.ca

The Agassiz Fire Department may be contacted for non-emergency issues via phone at 604-796-2614 or by email at info@kentbc.ca If it is an emergency, please call 9-1-1.

At this time the public is asked to ensure they are using good hand hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use social distancing tactics when not staying at home.

Information about COVID-19 prevention, symptoms and updates.

• Government of Canada
• HealthLink BC
• BC Centre for Disease Control
• Fraser Health
• Health Travel Advisories

District considers urban beekeeping

In June of 2019, Council directed staff to explore regulatory options for permitting urban beekeeping in the District of Kent.

The Province has established regulations for the ownership, keeping, transport and possession of bees and also requires that beekeepers register with the Provincial Apiculture Office.

In-person classes and online webinars for beekeeping are also offered by the Province, for those individuals wishing to become beekeepers. Beekeepers are required to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Common practices from municipalities currently permitting urban beekeeping include setbacks, lot size regulations and responsibility of the beekeeper to prevent swarming.

Staff is proposing that Council considers permitting urban beekeeping in the following zones:

• Single Family Residential 1 (RS1 and Single Dwelling Residential 2 9RS2);
• Rural Residential (RR1 and Rural Residential 2 (RR2);
• Lake Area Residential (RL); AND
• On lots used for single dwelling residential use within the comprehensive Development 2 zone.

Minimum lot sizes, siting requirements and beekeeper responsibilities are also proposed in the bylaw, which received three readings on March 23, 2020.

Resident(s) wanting to consider beekeeping will be required to make application with the District of Kent.