It's official - in Port Moody, at least.
At Tuesday's meeting council adopted the Inter-municipal Business Bylaw, allowing businesses operating in more than one of the Tri-Cities to pay a flat fee for a single business licence.
Councils in each of the Tri-Cities have congratulated the council and staff members who brought the project to to reality and the cities' success in working together.
Under the new bylaw mobile business owners who work across municipal boundaries, such as contractors, caterers and various tradespeople, will purchase a standard licence in the city where their office or shop is located. An additional $165 inter-municipal licence will provide them with the mobile permit.
Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam have each passed first three readings of the bylaw and it's expected to be adopted, likely unanimously, in those cities as well over the coming weeks.
In other Port Moody news:
SUTER BROOK OFFICE TOWER
Onni Development is on its way to building a nine-storey commercial/office tower in Suter Brook.
Council passed first two readings of an amendment to Onni's land use contract for the site's Parcel E, which was originally slated to become a hotel, plans the developer abandoned due to economic factors. The changes would allow Onni to build a nine-storey office tower; the ground floor would offer commercial space while the top eight levels would be offices.
The only other remaining parcel of land to be developed is proposed to be a 26-storey residential tower and two four-storey low rises, with a total maximum of 290 units.
A public hearing on the land use contract amendment for the office tower is on Dec. 11.
PORT MOODY POLICE GARDEN
The vacant land next to Port Moody's public safety building may be the city's next community garden.
Peter Ditchfield, manager of police services with the Port Moody Police Department, spoke at Tuesday's council meeting to request support for the initiative, which is being undertaken in partnership with the Coquitlam Farmers Market.
Ditchfield said the community garden fits with their strategic plan, which calls for more environmentally friendly initiatives and developing better relations with seniors and youth.
Tabitha McLoughlin, chair of the Coquitlam Farmers Market's board of directors, said the community garden will allow people to grow food, meet their neighbours and "add vibrance" to the city, all in a particularly safe environment.
The site design offers about 50 garden plots, which would be offered to PoMo residents as a priority. McLoughlin said both the Colony Farm and Inlet Centre community gardens have long waiting lists and shows a need for additional garden space.
She added that this plan replaces an earlier suggestion to build a community garden on private land owned by Fred Soofi next to the Barnet Highway. That plan was scrapped because of the cost of hooking up the water supply and because it was only on a two-year basis.
"This is more of a long-term opportunity," McLoughlin said.
The land next to the public safety building, which houses the PMPD and CP Rail police, was originally intended as a new BC Ambulance station.
The PMPD's police board has offered its support, and Ditchfield says they need $4,000 to get the project running. Grants already received will pay for a co-ordinator and for garden workshops.
Council will discuss the proposal at a future meeting.
