Grand Forks City Newsletter October 2010

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS

City Hall Times

City of Grand Forks • P.O. Box 220 • 7217 - 4th Street • Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0

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The Corporation of the City of Grand Forks invites the community to a PUBLIC MEETING on Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Grand Forks Secondary School Auditorium ~ 1431 Central Avenue Our guest speaker is: Neil MacDonald, P.Eng from Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL) He will talk about a necessary Utilities Capital Plan to address infrastructure needs which include: • Multi-Utility Upgrade Concept • Our Drinking Water System • Water System Pipes • Our Sanitary & Treatment System • Collection System (Sewer Pipes) • Fire Flows

WATER RESTRICTIONS

Notice of schedule Change On September 7, 2010 Council adopted the following changes to the Water Use and Regulation Policy No. 1202.

As highlighted in the attached Water Restrictions, please note with regard to the 31st day of any month, that the ODD numbered civic addresses will now sprinkle in the AM rather than the PM; and than the EVEN numbered civic addresses will now sprinkle in the PM rather than the AM. This applies to both Manual Sprinkling and Automatic Timed Underground Sprinklers (unless automatic sprinklers are using from the Midnight to 4 am option)

Sprinkling Regulations:

Upcoming 2010 Council Meeting Dates All Regular Meetings of Council are held in Council Chambers at City Hall beginning at 7 pm unless otherwise advertised.

Monday, October 4 Monday, October 18 Monday, November 1 Monday, November 15 Monday, December 6 Monday, December 20

The following is a list of Primary Committee Meetings of council which are scheduled to follow the Regular Meeting of Council.

Monday, October 18 Monday, November 15 Monday, December 20

(Please note that these regulations are applicable year round)

Sprinkling shall be restricted to the following days and times: MANUAL SPRINKLERS From 7 am until 9 am, and from 7 pm until 9 pm On the 31st day of any month: “ODD” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle in the mornings from 7 am until 9 am and “EVEN” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle in the evening from 7 pm until 9 pm AUTOMATIC TIMED UNDERGROUND SPRINKLERS EITHER from Midnight until 4 am, OR from 7 am until 9 am AND from 7 pm until 9 pm BUT NOT BOTH On the 31st day of any month: Either from Midnight until 4 am OR “ODD” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle in the mornings from 7 am to 9 am; “EVEN” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle in the evening from 7 pm to 9 pm BUT NOT BOTH CITY PARKS AND CEMETERY will adhere to the same numbers of hours as residential sprinkling.

Our citizens are urged to attend this informative evening

“EVEN” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle on “even” numbered days ((02, 04, 06, etc) “ODD” numbered civic addresses may sprinkle on “odd” numbered days (01, 03, 05, etc) FLOWER, VEGETABLE GARDENS AND NEWLY PLANTED LAWNS & LANDSCAPES may be hand watered at any time using a hand-held nozzle. i.e. No manual sprinklers.

First Month Only: Newly planted lawns & landscapes may be sprinkled twice a day every day from 7 am to 9 am and 7 pm to 9 pm for the FIRST MONTH using either manual sprinklers or automatic timed underground sprinklers.

Automatic timed systems can be used to water up to 5 minutes per zone at a time, with total watering time NOT to exceed 4 hours.

Newly planted lawns and landscapes may be hand watered using a hand-held nozzle at any time i.e. No manual sprinklers.

The City has the authority to shut water off at the property line to those residents refusing to comply with sprinkling regulations. The first offence will result in a warning letter. The second offence will result in your water being shut off. A reconnection fee of $50.00 will be required before your water is reconnected.

September/ October 2010

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS

City Hall Times

Phone 250-442-8266 • Fax 250-442-8000 • Email: info@grandforks.ca • Web Site: www.city.grandforks.bc.ca

On the Horns of a Dilemna For many people, the deer represent our bond with the natural environment that provides us with the aesthetic of a community integrated into the natural world. For some, the image of deer resting under their trees is spiritually uplifting. For others in the community, the deer represent costly damage to their gardens and their vehicles. Recently, there is a growing concern that the habituated deer represent a public safety risk to pets and children. As a result of these urban conflicts, the province contracted Gayle Hesse, wildlife biologist, to identify the scope of the problem and to provide recommendations to reduce those conflicts. Hesse’s report can be downloaded from the Ministry of Environment (MoE) site at following address: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/ info/wildlife_human_interaction/UrbanUngulates.html

main categories: controlling the deer herd’s range and reducing its numbers. Strategies like hazing or frightening the deer can keep the herd away from sensitive areas. Home owners are learning to plant deer resistant gardens that are not attractive to the deer. There are deer repellants on the market that can be purchased. By far the most widely used controlling strategy is fencing. This can be expensive for the homeowner and large scale deer fencing that would be required by a municipality to protect playgrounds would significantly add to infrastructure costs. Another basic strategy is to impose a ‘No Feeding’ bylaw that reduces attractants in urban RON HOOGE PHOTO

Grand Forks residents will be surveyed in October in order to gauge community support for the different management actions. Basically, Grand Forks residents will be asked to consider two different strategies for managing the herd: controlling its movements and/ or reducing its size.

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areas. Kimberly and Cranbrook have already instituted this bylaw.

Other management actions would reduce the deer herd size and many have been tried in cities around North America. Deer have been captured and relocated out of the city. This is an expensive strategy and actually results in a high mortality rate. Deer have been netted and euthanized with a bolt gun.

This is costly as well, but many American communities to our south are following this strategy as it removes deer from neighborhoods safely. Other communities have hired professional sharp shooters to conduct a cull in baited areas. Typically deer are lured to an open area where platforms for the shooters have been built. Then when the herd is under the platforms, a predetermined number of animals are shot and the meat processed. Still another strategy is to select hunters, place them in safe areas and allow them to take a predetermined number of animals and keep the meat for themselves.

It is these options that Grand Forks residents will be asked to consider in October. No matter what actions are taken though we must all realize that the deer are here to stay and we are just beginning to learn how to live with a wild herd in our midst.

Kimberley and Cranbrook have already surveyed their residents in order to demonstrate public approval for management actions. These actions fall into two

DEADLINE FOR 2011 GRANT-IN-AID APPLICATIONS IS OCTOBER 31st, 2010

Grant-in-Aid Applications

The Grant In Aid Policy & Application may be obtained from the Front Counter at City Hall or on the City’s Website at: www.city.grandforks.bc.ca/city/bulletin

Compostable Yard & Garden Waste Collection Dates North Side of Hwy 3 between Riverside Drive and North Fork Road (Current Wednesday Garbage Pick-up) Yard & Garden Pick up will be Mondays OCT 25, NOV 22

Ruckle Addition and Valley Heights (Current Tuesday Garbage Pick-up) Yard & Garden Pick up will be Tuesdays OCT 26, NOV 23

South Side of Highway 3 between Riverside Drive and Spraggett Road (Current Thursday Garbage Pick-up) Yard & Garden Pick up will be Fridays OCT 1, OCT 29, NOV 26

Winter Snow 2010-2011 Help Us – Help You With the winter season fast approaching, it is time once again, to remind our residents about keeping the lanes, sidewalks and boulevards clear of obstructions. In the past, the City of Grand Forks has experienced situations in which snow removal became difficult due to items stacked against fences and garages and overflowing onto the City’s right-of-ways.

• The City is requesting that all property owners trim back any shrubs, trees or plant materials that have over grown onto the City’s sidewalks.

• We would also like to see any fences that are leaning over the sidewalks repaired or supported before winter.

• All unlicensed vehicles, trailers and motorcycles must be removed from the City’s boulevards • Any material stacked against garages and fences in the alleys are removed before the snow falls.

Once the snow falls it is very difficult to determine what’s under the snow. If it’s on the City’s right of way, the City cannot be held responsible for any damage that may occur.

The City of Grand Forks would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

Wayne Kopan, Manager of Works & Services – City of Grand Forks

Call 2 Recycle Drop Off Locations in Grand Forks are: Pharmasave, The Source and Downtown Home Hardware