REPORT ON COUNCIL
January 10, 2005
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 5:25 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: roughly 7:00 p.m. – 7:55 p.m.
All Members of Council present.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 3:08 p.m. – 5:24 p.m.
NO BUILDING LOT FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: John Theriault, Treasurer, had reviewed all property currently in the ownership of the Township and reported that Tiny does not have an appropriate lot in one of the Township’s hamlets for the use of Habitat for Humanity. The review and report were actually unnecessary, as Council had already decided during last year’s budget discussions that it was inappropriate to use Township resources for charitable purposes. They think that municipal monies should be used for municipal purposes and that individuals should undertake acts of charity.
FUNDING FOR MEDIATION WITHDRAWN BY ATTORNEY GENERAL: On the day before Christmas, the Mediators (Paul Torrie and James McKenzie of Global Resolutions Inc.) forwarded to all stakeholders copies of the Report they had submitted to the Attorney General. The Report recommended that mediation resume, since “mediation continues to be the best prospect for achieving a durable solution to the beach access and use conflict.” They made three practical suggestions about how to proceed in the event the process were to resume.
The Report was accompanied by a copy of a December 16 letter written by the Honourable Michael J. Bryant, Attorney General of Ontario, to the Mediators in response to their Report. It commended all involved for the “significant progress” that had been achieved, but declared that the dispute “should be resolved by those who have been directly involved,” made no reference to providing the legal backing essential to the cease fire concept, and withdrew financial support for mediation, observing that the Province had provided close to $500,000, without resolution.
Council instructed Staff to write a letter to the Attorney General expressing disappointment with his withdrawal of funding, and asking that he meet with Mayor Robert Klug and Clerk/CAO Ruth Coursey. They are to ask the AG to clarify his position vis-à-vis mediation. Would he, for example, be a signatory to a cease fire agreement?
PARKING PERMIT FEES: Council had asked John Theriault (the Township’s Treasurer) to prepare a report on the cost of parking enforcement, as background for a reconsideration of parking permit fees. The total was $54,106.54. The treasurer suggested that if the goal is full cost recovery, then permit fees should be raised from $30 to $96 for non-residents and from $5 to $16 for residents. On a 3-2 vote, Council’s decision was to move to $75 for non-residents and $15 for residents. (Mayor Klug and Deputy Mayor Paul Maurice opposed the fee increase.)
FINAL PUBLIC MEETING ON ZONING BY-LAW: This is to take place on June 11, at 10 a.m., in the Wyebridge Community Centre.
CORRESPONDENCE: Council decided that correspondence addressed to Council would no longer appear in the long Agenda which is available at meetings for consultation by the public. Instead, letters and their subjects would be listed in that Agenda, and copies of the letters would be held in a binder for consultation in the Municipal Offices. The reason for this move is that they felt that some individuals were writing letters simply to get their views published.
Members of Council will each receive a bound correspondence package, separate from their agendas, to ensure that they have a chance to read and discuss all letters written to them.
GIANT’S TOMB SUBDIVISION GETS OMB APPROVAL:
At the public meeting in May of 2000, the Giant’s Tomb Cottagers’ Association marshalled an astonishing array of experts who argued against Limo Investments’ proposed subdivision in the “Little Tomb”. They presented a strong case for protecting the forested Little Tomb, ideally, by adding it to Awenda Park.
The last Council and the County made no decision; and, in 2003, the developer appealed the non-decision to the Ontario Municipal Board. To make its case more attractive to the OMB, Limo increased lot sizes in the proposed subdivision to conform to standards in Tiny’s current Official Plan.
The OMB approved an Official Plan Amendment, a modified subdivision concept (11 residential lots instead of 15), and a zoning by-law amendment, and directed the Township to make the necessary amendments to its Official Plan and By-law.
Lots were kept out of the sensitive forested area and the forested area has been given the protection of Open Space Conservation zoning.
MUNICIPAL LAND IDENTIFICATION PROJECT: Council passed a motion in relation to the Land Identification Project, directing that
“…all municipally owned lands be identified with a reference plan, where needed, prepared by an Ontario Land Surveyor;
And in the case of Township waterfront ownership that the title be extended to the water’s edge.”
We understand that David Lambden’s work is being drawn on for this project, and that it’s likely to take several years for staff, a title searcher, and surveyors to complete it.
