Why do you luv Regina, Paul? Because City Council and Planning Commission meetings are just so thrilling, that’s why. Never a dull moment downtown. Want proof? Read on, dear dogblog reader. Read on!

WEDNESDAY WITH REGINA PLANNING COMMISION:
The last condominium conversion — this one at 443 Lorne Street — is off to city council with a recommendation for denial. Regardless of how this turns out, after this, city hall will not consider any more conversion applications. Reason for the recommendation: as of the last tenant survey, the majority of current Lorne tenants said they were opposed to the conversion. Councillors Fougere and O’Donnell remarked that they were unwilling to recommend the conversion go forward with so many tenants opposed even if they (Councillors O’Donnell and Fougere) might think the tenancy deal offered the residents is pretty good. Other commissioners were inclined to approve the conversion despite the tenant opposition because they felt the five years of rent controls offered by the landlord were worth supporting. The vote, then, was not unanimous, but the denial recommendation is going forward.

An infill development on Dalgliesh Drive was approved to go forward. In the early stages of this project, according to the staff report, there was apparently a fair bit of neighbourhood opposition to it. But the developer changed the designs — removing apartment blocks and replacing them with single-family dwellings — and that seems to have satisfied the Dalgliesh residents. The only people from the neighbourhood to speak to the RPC only had quibbles with parking (‘natch) and with drainage but didn’t seem fundamentally opposed to the project any longer. I even noticed the resident spokesperson shake hands with the developer while they were in gallery so it looks like they’ve reached some kind of mutually acceptable compromise. Nice.

City staff also brought forward an update on their efforts to revamp the city’s condo conversion policy. They outlined how they’ve retained the UofR’s business school to help out with the process and will be meeting with stakeholders over the next few months and bringing forward a new policy for the RPC’s consideration in November.

Also recommended for council approval at this meeting were a cardlock fuel station in the Ross Industrial park, and zoning amendments for the Lakeridge Addition and the Creeks Phase 2.

MONDAY’S MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL:
The Youth for Christ Uturn house was given council approval. (Read details about it here and here.)

Council also agreed to allocate $350,000 to putting on the Juno Awards in 2013 assuming the city’s bid is successful. The South Zone Recreation board got a five-year tax exemption on their community garden. Planning for the 2011 National Infrastructure Summit seems to be moving along at a good clip with Councillor O’Donnell heavily involved in the organizing.

And Councillor Browne got his two motions passed. The first will look into how to improve pot-hole repair in the city. The second will start the ball rolling again on getting a photo-radar pilot project initiated in the city.

And that’s it, I’m out of time.