Confidential/Closed Session; Meetings of Council are No Longer to be Taped; Cawaja Beach Issues; Fencing Standards; Fire Department to Acquire Two Surplus Ambulances; Land Identification in Concession 1; County Makes Move Re: Site 41; Township Press Release Re: Municipal Property Identification Program.REPORT ON COUNCIL July 10, 2006 Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:02 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Regular Evening Meeting: 7:08 p.m — 8:00 p.m. Four Members of Council present. Councillor Rob Panasiuk absent because of a death in the family.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 11:03 a.m. – 11:58 a.m. and 1:01 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
MEETINGS OF COUNCIL ARE NO LONGER TO BE TAPED: After several discussions about the matter, Council approved the CAO/Clerk’s recommendation that taping of meetings be discontinued, as the Municipal Act does not require that meetings of Council be taped, the tapes are poor in quality, there is little demand by the public for copies of the tapes, and “publication of full meeting commentary through distribution of audio tapes, may also place the municipality at risk, if libelous comments are being made.”
CAWAJA BEACH ISSUES: These issues were raised by the Cawaja Propertyowners Association and discussed by staff and the president of the association. The Township’s solicitor opposed the association’s request that Municipal Law Enforcement officers patrol Cawaja Beach as the lands in question could be considered under private ownership, though enforcement of by-laws which apply to private property could be enforced. Five other matters were discussed —
The request for parking restrictions at Church in the Pines: Council asked that By-law monitor road parking in the area and ticket anyone parking in the Park itself. Change might be effected if the beach association produced specific complaints and pictures of heavy parking on the road.
The request for No Parking or Permit Parking on Jean-Ann Drive: Council suggested that the Beach Association poll the residents of the street, using a questionnaire approved by staff, before any changes were made to parking arrangements.
The request that parking restrictions in the area of Cawaja be actively enforced and that the road allowance at Con. 11 be patrolled: Council asked that the area receive the amount of attention that By-law gives to all areas along the shore.
The request that municipal property delineation posts be installed on the north and south sides of the road allowance: Council instructed that those on the north side would be discussed in camera.
The request that bushes and growth be removed and the beach be groomed at the road allowance to make it more attractive for public use : Council agreed. (The Mayor noted that removal of vegetation might result in blowing sand and that the Township is in the process of learning more about dune management in relation to Bluewater Park.)
FENCING STANDARDS: Council discussed a second report from Shawn Crawford, Chief Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, regarding Fencing Standards. (The idea of a Fencing By-law or changes to the Zoning By-law regarding fences came up in response to the construction of a fence on the shore at Balm Beach.) The upshot was that a notice was to be prepared for the Township’s website, inviting comments from Township residents on the subject by the end of August. Staff is then to consider the submissions and to prepare a Report for Council’s consideration in September. There would then be a public meeting about a Fencing By-law or about changes to the Zoning By-law regarding fences. For Crawford’s Reports and for the Notice inviting public input, see What’s New/Public Notices/Fencing Standards and Regulations on the Township’s website – tiny.ca. Click HERE to be linked to the notice (pdf).
FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ACQUIRE TWO SURPLUS AMBULANCES: Council approved the purchase of two surplus ambulances from the County of Simcoe, at a cost of $9,600 each, to be based at the Lafontaine and Wyevale Stations and used as utility/rescue units. Use of these vehicles will allow the pumper to remain at the Station, ready to respond to a fire call. The ambulances will also be used during fire calls to transport personnel and equipment to the scene.
LAND IDENTIFICATION IN CONCESSION 1: At its last meeting, Council was told that a list of properties certainly owned by the Municipality in Concession 1 was available for public consultation. At this meeting, a letter from a waterfront owner in Plan 656, arrived, pointing out that she and a neighbour have deeds to the beach in front of their cottage lots, beach claimed by the Township, and that these deeds have been filed at the Registry Office in Barrie. The claims are to be checked.
COUNTY MAKES MOVES RE SITE 41: Councillor Ray Millar noted that County Council had voted 65/40 on a weighted recorded vote, in favour of appealing the Township of Tiny’s amendments to the Township’s Official Plan with regard to Site 41. He also observed that County had submitted to the Ministry of the Environment a redraft of the Certificate of Approval for Site 41, for approval. This redraft was not submitted to their political masters – neither the Corporate Services Committee nor the County Council — prior to being sent to the MoE. The redraft attempts to marginalize the Community Monitoring Committee (CMC) and the Environmental Inspector by moving the relevant portions of the C of A to non binding schedules.
TOWNSHIP PRESS RELEASE RE MUNICIPAL PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM: The following Press Release may be found on the Township website – tiny.ca – under What’s New/Press Releases/Beach Signage —
Municipal Property Identification Program
The Township of Tiny is required, under the Municipal Act, to establish and maintain a public register listing and describing the land owned or leased by the Municipality.
To this end, the Municipality maintains a physical register which is available for viewing in our Municipal building. Council has also established a policy to physically identify the extent of water front property owned by the Municipality, which is available for use by members of the public.
Signs are being put in place at the entrance to municipally owned water front properties, which illustrate the area which is owned by the Municipality. As well, Staff is placing boundary posts at the property line of the municipal lands to further identify the boundaries of our property in each location.
The boundary demarcation posts have both red and white reflective tape placed on them to increase their visibility. They also sport the Municipality’s crest to identify them as municipal property.
The signage and posting is only intended to ensure that members of the public can readily identify the extent of municipally owned lands, where they are visiting. This notice is not to be construed to be making any statement on the legal status of property not in municipal ownership.
For more information, contact A. Ruth Coursey, CAO/Clerk at 526-4204
