The working group tasked with an economic review of regulating formula fast food franchises in Banff’s Land Use Bylaw will hold its meetings in public.
The decision to make the group’s deliberations public was made a week ago when council considered its terms of reference.
Councillor Leslie Taylor said the working group has nothing to hide and suggested meetings be open to the public.
Council voted unanimously to support the open meeting concept, directed the group to establish who would be chair and directed administration to contract a local facilitator.
“I think we need to make sure the facilitator is local and aware of the whole situation and challenges involved,” said Coun. Paul Baxter.
Council also favoured a consensus-based model over giving the group the ability to make decisions with a majority vote.
Taylor argued having the option of a vote could be problematic and result in rushed decision making.
Coun. Stavros Karlos agreed, saying having the breakdown in votes behind certain issues could prove problematic for council.
Mayor Karen Sorensen, however, preferred to stick with the approach proposed by administration.
She said the working group has tight deadlines, having only three months to complete its mandate, and worried a consensus only approach would cost time and money.
For issues where consensus cannot be reached, the group will identify dissenting opinions and reasons for why agreement could not be reached.
The mayor also specified the working group should deal with the topic areas raised specifically in three council motions and not stray into additional issues or topic areas.
The three motions from the July 18 council meeting directed an economic review of the proposal to reduce the number of permitted uses for grocery store and service station properties, the proposal to enact distinct regulations for formula fast food businesses and feedback on direct housing and parking fees.
At a July meeting, council also postponed further discussion on moving from a lottery system of handing out commercial development to a merit-based review, as well as commercial transferability options, until after the commercial inventory is completed.
The group will be made up of 11 members with four representing Banff residents, two town councillors, one representative from the Banff Lake Louise Hotel Motel Association, one commercial landlord, one food and beverage industry representative, one from the retail industry and one member of the Municipal Planning Commission.
