Town Council caught in Catch-22

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Strathmore Town Council is facing a Gordian knot over meeting the provincially-required 10-minute fire response time that could result in either massive tax hikes for ratepayers or force developers and builders out of Strathmore through changes to the building code.
The Strathmore Fire Department presented council with three years worth of data and statistics on Nov. 4, which contradict the findings of the previously adopted Behr Energy Service report. According to the fire department, because it’s volunteer-based, the 10-minute allotment to get to the scene is deemed impossible to meet the provincially-demanded 90 per cent. According to the department’s documentation, the team was only able to make it to the scene in under 10 minutes 18 per cent of the time. As a result, council was mulling over the option of implementing a full-time fire department, which would raise taxes by 16 per cent.
“I do think [the Strathmore Fire department] is asking for a full-time fire department and I don’t think that’s unreasonable, but what’s critical will be the timing,” said Councillor Denise Peterson.
“Our director of finances told us repeatedly that for each $100,000 we spend over in our budget it equates to a percentage increase on the taxes. A full fire department is $1.6 million and nobody is going to consider 16 per cent increase in taxes. However, if we want to increase and move forward in the way that [SFD] is speaking we definitely need the cooperation of our builders and developers in order to have the increase tax base growth in our community.”
Offering other solutions, council floated the idea of hiring two full-time staff members in the meantime to cut down on the wait time. As a total of four members are required to attend to the scene, council was discussing the possibility of phasing in a full-time fire department by adding two members consecutively over six years, or hiring 12 members immediately. On the other side of the coin, council was weighing their options of implementing changes to the building code for development outside of the 10-minute response area.
According to Alberta Municipal Affairs, buildings should be provided with greater protection from exposure to fires where a fire department is unable to respond to a fire within 10 minutes more than 90 per cent of the time.
Yet during the Nov. 4 meeting, numerous builders and developers argued with council that such changes, which would include removing windows from the side of the buildings, limiting design and layout options, increased costs of sprinkler systems and fire-rated sheeting, would lower people’s desires to purchase in Strathmore and slow down growth in Strathmore. When discussions became heated about council searching for other possibilities rather than affecting the building process, Councillor Brad Walls spoke frankly.
“I will not sit here as a councillor and not support what the law said, because you know what’s going to happen to me? I’m going to go to jail and my family lives in this town,” said Councillor Walls.
Since the introduction of the code requirements related to fire departments’ response time in 1981, the Alberta Building Code recognized a risk to adjacent owners, finished structures and properties when fire suppression forces are unable to arrive on scene within a 10-minute time frame. Builders also argued that changing the code for new areas outside of the 10-minute response areas does not solve existing problems for residents currently living in Strathmore, where the fire department continues to take over 10 minutes to respond to a call. While all builders argued that the already difficult economic times creates hardships for attracting people to purchase homes in Strathmore, Edmonton-and-Calgary-based builder ReidBuilt Homes, who were specifically approached to come to Strathmore, said they may be forced to leave Strathmore if changes are implemented.
With much information presented to council during the regular council meeting, Councillor Pat Fule said, “I want to reassure the builders and developers we’re not going to rush into anything, we’re going to make the best decision for everyone.”
Council accepted the delegations as information, and will bring the issue back on Nov. 18.