Clearwater town council recently tabled a re-zoning application by local businessman Ron Rotzetter for his proposed Bearview shopping center.
If the shopping center had gone ahead, how would its access roads connect with other frontage and backage roads along the highway? What would its implications be for the municipality’s water and sewer system?
It was to better deal with this and similar applications that council on April 2 voted to award a$22,000 contract to Opus International Consultants to develop a frontage/backage road cross-section template design for the community.
The term “frontage road” refer to a road running between and parallel to a main highway and a commercial development. A backage road is one that runs behind a commercial development along a highway.
Council also awarded Opus a $7,600 contract to develop a road subdivision bylaw.
“Opus’ focus is very holistic,” commented councillor Jon Kreke. “They don’t just look at cars, but also walking, cycling and so on, and how they will all fit together.”
The municipality needs to develop bylaws so that when someone wants to build something, the District can charge to cover the costs of any improvements needed to the water system, sewer system, and so on, said Mayor John Harwood. The studies by Opus would help in developing those bylaws.