An affordable housing apartment project proposed by Yellowhead Community Services is getting support from Clearwater town council.
During a council meeting held April 18, chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx brought forward decisions made during an earlier in camera session.
The first resolution was that council support a 100 per cent relaxation of all development application fees for the apartment project, including sewer and water connections costs.
Council also directed staff to draft a bylaw for an 80 per cent reduction of all development cost charges for municipal services for Phase 1 of the affordable housing development. The reduction will be based on services and a percentage agreed to by council.
Council directed staff to prepare a tax exemption bylaw to provide an 80 per cent exemption to lands and improvements from property taxation for a period of four years to expire in 2020.
The final resolution was that council approve a contribution of $10,000 per year, to a maximum of
three years, to support the not-for-profit affordable housing project. The funds will be allocated from the
Economic Development Reserve Fund (NTEDS).
The provincial government announced last November that it is giving Yellowhead Community Services Society nearly $3.6 million to help it construct a new 26-unit apartment building in Clearwater.
Preliminary plans show the building as having three studio apartments, seven one-bedroom units, 10 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom.
There would be about 2,500 sq. ft. of commercial space for rent on the ground floor.
Total size of the building would be close to 30,000 sq. ft. (2,700 square metres).
The new building would be located next to Clearwater Library and almost directly across Park Drive from the existing Woodside Apartments.