Citizens line up at Regina city council to discuss gym zoning, sign bylaw

Regina city councillorshada busy Monday evening at a special council meetingwith a massive agenda.

The meeting ran fourhours and covered zoning changes around fitness facilities in Regina's industrial areas, new rules about signage and infill housing.

The meeting's agenda agendaincluded more than 170 people and groups who want to weigh-in, whether in person at the meeting or via a letter to council.

The vast majority of submissions concernedchanges that would restrict gyms and fitness studios from operating in the city's industrial areas. While facilities in the areas would be grandfathered in under the new zoning, anyone looking to expand or open a new gym would be out of luck.

Signs switch to be discussed

Councillorswere also listening to citizens' concerns aboutthe City of Regina's bylaw around permanent and temporary signs. The proposed bylaw would require that all portable signs and billboards be 30 metres from permanent billboards. Permanent billboards on the same property currently must be 90 metres apart.

Multipledelegations spokeon the topic at the meeting, including the president of the Regina Portable Sign Association, Doug Hudgin.

He said the changes could hurt local business, as the proposed bylaw would cut at least 150 portable signs in the city due to spacing issues.

"They're very crucial to a lot of people," Hudgin said of the signs in the city in a previous interview.

Safety deposit from developersnot recommended right now

The meeting was adjourned at 8 p.m. and will reconvene Tuesday at 4 p.m.

With the delegations wrapped up, it will be up tocouncillors to debate and perhaps pass sweeping changes to the sign and zoning bylaws.

City councillorswill also be discussing a proposed provision in the zoning bylawaimed at preventing another situation like the one that now has the citypaying $3 million to fill the holethat was supposed to be the location of the Capital Pointe development.

The city administration examined the possibility of inserting a provision that would see developers have to pay a "performance security" of up to 100 per cent of the estimated cost prior to development.

The development industry indicated it would create challenges for developers if there's not a defined set of criteria to determine when a security would need to be paid.

The administration is recommending the provision be removed and a report on the ideabe prepared for council within six months of the zoning bylaw changes being approved.

"This will give Administration and the development industry time to develop the framework for the application of performance securities and a common understanding of an approach, which would then be brought back to City Council for approval," a report in Monday's agenda said.

CBC reporter Alex Soloduchawas atMonday's meeting. Follow her tweets here:

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