ESTEVAN - The year-end building permit report for the City of Estevan shows that building activity was down in 2021, but the overall permit value was up.
According to information supplied at the Jan. 10 meeting of Estevan city council, there were 47 permits worth $5.47 million issued last year, including one permit worth $1 million in December.
By comparison, in 2020, there were 53 permits worth $4.53 million.
Last year the bulk of the activity was classified as miscellaneous, with 33 permits worth $2.2 million, including the one December permit.
There were 10 commercial permits worth $1.86 million last year as well.
Other activity included one single-family permit worth $750,000, one institutional permit worth $600,000, and two garages worth a total of $26,000.
The 10-year data was also released. The busiest year in the previous decade for activity was 2014, when 140 permits were issued, while the most lucrative year for construction value was 2013 at more than $66.2 million.
There has been an average of 85 permits over the past 10 years, while the average construction value was $21.1 million.
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The city treated nearly 97.6 million litres of water and pumped 94.7 litres into the distribution system for the month. There were no plant upsets and all regulated parameters for the drinking water were below government regulations, except for aluminum. The city is currently working on testing and options to correct aluminum carryover from the clarifier.
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Council gave second and third readings to a bylaw to close the undeveloped road allowances around the city yard. One change was made to the bylaw, as the Ministry of Highways recommended that an additional eight metres of road allowances for potential future widening of Souris Avenue South.
Councillor Shelly Veroba said the city took this step because someone inquired about the road and why the city didn’t have a public thoroughfare sign up. The city asks the public not to use the road, because a lot of heavy equipment is being utilized. People used it as a shortcut to reach ball diamonds.
“We ask that people recognize and honour that this is a private road now,” said Veroba.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said it has become a safety concern.
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Council also gave second and third readings to a bylaw on land development service fees. It was noted that many of the fees had been unchanged since 2010. Numerous costs for services have changed.
The city had to have a public hearing on land development service fees, with people given the chance to voice concerns, but nobody spoke up.
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In the inquiries portion of the meeting, Veroba asked that people not shovel snow onto the sidewalks or roads. If they have a fire hydrant on the property, they need to clear around the hydrant, so that the fire department can access it.
She also applauded those who have helped out a neighbour with their shovelling needs.
Councillor Lindsay Clark voiced concern about the lighting in the Leisure Centre’s parking lot. He has counted nine lights that are out, and one concerned citizen wants to know if they’ll be fixed.
