REPORT ON COUNCIL
October 11 and 30, 2017
Committee of the Whole Meetings: October 11, 2017: 9:00 a.m. – 6:12 p.m.; and October 30, 2017: 9:00 a.m. – 1:55 p.m.
Regular Meetings of Council: October 11, 2017: 7:00 p.m. – 7:24 p.m.; and October 30, 2017: 6:08 p.m. – 6:52 p.m.
Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma and Councillors Cindy Hastings, Richard Hinton and Gibb Wishart all present on October 11. Mayor Cornell absent on October 30.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Fish and Bird Die Offs on the Shore: If on public property, contact Public Works for disposal; if on private property, contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, or double bag using rubber gloves and leave the bag in front of your house and have the Township pick it up or if on weekend, contact Township for pick up on Monday.
- Senior Speaker Series – see below.
- November 14, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Recreation Master Plan Open House, Council Chambers. (For information about the Recreation Master Plan see www.tiny.ca.)
- November 20, 9 a.m., 2018 Budget meeting, Council Chambers
- November 25, 6-7 p.m., Tree Lighting Celebration, Municipal Office
- December 2, 6-9 p.m., Wyevale Santa Claus Parade & Party, Wyevale United Church
- December 11, 9 a.m., 2018 Budget meeting, Council Chambers
- February 5, 2018, 9 a.m., 2018 Budget meeting, Council Chambers (This replaces the previously announced January 22, 2018 Budget meeting.)
EMERGENCY ACCESS TO PRIVATE ROADS:
Residents on private roads would do well to read Jim McIntosh’s report regarding Private and Unassumed Roads, OBCA [Ontario Building Code Act] and OFC [Ontario Fire Code] Compliance Requirements/Emergency Services Access (See Committee of the Whole, October 11, section F) as background for Council’s discussion of the matter at a future Committee of the Whole Meeting. Note that the legal advice Council has been given is that the OBCA is applicable to new construction only, that the township is not required to provide service on substandard roads though it would be prudent if it were gradually to augment its supply of special equipment to navigate substandard roads in critical areas.
REGULATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES: In 2015, after considering Planning & Development Report PD-064-15 and Clerk’s Report CR-034-15, Council directed staff to operate a zero-tolerance mandate related to short-term rental properties. This empowered By-law to issue a warning to renters upon receiving and verifying a noise complaint. Subsequent noise violations by the same renter then triggered an escalating fine structure, or, if a different renter, resulted in the owner receiving a written notice of the likelihood of being charged for permitting noise. On October 11, Council recommended that staff continue to operate a zero-tolerance mandate.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT REQUESTED FOR CULTUREL MIDLAND:
When this request was discussed on October 30, Council decided neither to supply financial support nor to be represented on the North Simcoe Culture Advisory Committee. (We note that, as in the past, this request came after key decisions had been made.)
LAFONTAINE CAMP/TRAILER PARK EXPANSION:
The Lafontaine recreational park at 240 Rue Lafontaine Road East that has been in existence since 1984 had a site plan that permitted 150 camp/trailer sites, a comfort station, an office/residence for the park manager, a swimming pool, and a ski chalet. In 2010, the township received an application to amend the site plan to allow 296 camp/trailer sites (almost double the original number), a comfort station, an office residence for the park manager, swimming pool, a ski chalet, a creation centre/comfort station/office/store, an arcade/equipment/storage building, and three permanent rental cabins. Since 2010, changes have been requested by the township and implemented: the three permanent rental cabins and one street have been removed; the number of sites for seasonal recreational vehicles, has been reduced to 279; setbacks from the provincially significant wetland at the north of the property have been instituted; township standards have been imposed on internal roads; Lafontaine Road has been widened; accessibility upgrades have been added.
SSEA REPORT RE TOWNSHIP DRINKING WATER STATUS AND RISK MANAGEMENT:
Keith Sherman of SSEA brought Council up to date on the work being done to bring township well head protection areas up to provincial standards. The work is on track to be completed by the 2020 deadline. It did not look at the impact of aggregate extraction areas (gravel pits) on private wells. A special study due to be submitted to Council soon has examined the nitrate problem in the Georgian Sands/Lafontaine area.
CROSSWALK AT CONCESSION ROAD 9 AND TINY BEACHES ROAD SOUTH: After a wide-ranging discussion, Council recommended that the painted lines of the crosswalk be removed and the signage left in place. Staff is to report on alternative safety measures and the future use of crosswalks incorporating a public engagement strategy.
SENIOR SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTATION:
After staff successfully applied for a $10,000 grant for the development of a Senior Speakers Series, the municipality hired Laura Condren as Project Coordinator to set up seven free workshops. Six of the seven are still to take place –
- Healthy Lifestyles – Wholesome Eating & Active Living, November 15
- Healthy Lifestyles – Self-care and Healthy Minds on November 28
- Senior Safety and Self-Defense, January 2018 – TBD
- Budgeting, Banking and Estate Planning – January 15, 2018
- In-home Services – Opening Doors and Minds – February 4, 2018
– Seniors Living in Tiny – Launch of Senior Directory, March 2, 2018
Information about place and time is available on www.tiny.ca.
INVENTORY TO BE DONE AS BASIS FOR A LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN:
Council agreed to Sustainable Severn Sound’s request for support for the completion of a Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
BICYCLE/WALKING LANES:
According to Tim Leitch, Director of Public Works, the Township’s general practice is to consider the appropriateness of bike lanes when roads are reconstructed. If the municipality is granted funding to reconstruct Champlain Road to Kettle’s Beach, the project will include bike lanes. Peggy Breckenridge, who asked in a letter that a bicycle/walking lane be installed on Champlain Road, is to be informed of this initiative.
PROPOSED JOINT SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION MEETING OF THE NORTH SIMCOE COUNCILS REGARDING 2017 PROVINCIAL GROWTH PLAN DISCUSSED:
Council decided to request that the joint session be held in open session and that staff provide a public update on the matter at a future Committee of the Whole Meeting. The joint meeting is to take place on November 23 at 7 p.m. at the Midland Public Library, 320 King Street, Midland.
