GENERAL COMMITTEE
2006-12-11
Meeting
No.1
Finance & Administrative
Issues Community
Services Issues
Chair: Councillor
J. Virgilio Chair:
Councillor
A. Chiu
Chair, Budget Sub-Ctte: Councillor D. Horchik Transportation
Issues
Chair: IT Sub-Ctte: Reg. Councillor J. Jones Chair: Reg. Councillor G.
Landon
Chair:
Grants Sub-Ctte: Councillor V. Burke Environment
& Sustainability Issues
Chair:
Councillor E.
Shapero
Attendance
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J. Livey, Chief
Administrative Officer
C. Conrad, Town
Solicitor
A. Taylor,
Commissioner of Corporate Services
J. Baird,
Commissioner of Development Services
S. Birrell, Town
Clerk
B. Cribbett,
Treasurer
A. Brown, Director
of Engineering
J. Wright, Director,
Building Standards
J. Bosomworth,
Manager, Strategy and Innovation
M. Visser, Manager,
Strategy, Innovations &
Investment
B. Nanninga,
Executive Assistant to Mayor and
Council
J. Kee, Committee
Clerk
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The
General Committee convened at the
hour of 9:30 a.m. with Councillor J. Virgilio in the
Chair.
DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST
None declared.
1. AMENDMENTS TO DEVELOPMENT, BUILDING
AND TOWN-WIDE FEE BY-LAWS –
DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Jamie
Bosomworth, Manager, Strategy and Innovation, gave a presentation providing
details of the Town’s proposal to amend three fee by-laws to recover costs
associated with the provision of various services, as follows:
- Development Fee By-law 211-83 - development applications
- Building Fee By-law 2005-190 – building permit applications
- Town Wide Fee By-law 2002-276 – capital administration fees and
disbursement charges for studies, reports and plans
Committee
raised the matter of Committee of Adjustment fees for variances relating to driveway
extensions, and suggested the establishment of an alternate structure, such as
a simple tribunal system and/or special funding. Staff advised that because this is a zoning matter,
the Committee of Adjustment would have to be the venue for these
applications. Staff further advised that
a report on incentives is being prepared for Committee consideration in the New
Year, and it will include estimated costs. Matters relating to surplus revenue and
reserve components were raised, and staff advised that the process to access
funds from reserves would require a Council resolution.
The
Commissioner of Development Services was requested to provide comparative
figures from other Region of York municipalities relating to percentage
adjustments and rates.
Committee
directed that time be set aside during the Budget process to review this cost
recovery fee model in detail.
**Moved by Councillor D. Horchik
Seconded by Regional Councillor J. Heath
That the presentation of the Manager,
Strategy and Innovation, with respect to the Amendments to Development,
Building and Town-Wide Fee By-laws – Development Services Commission, be
received;
And that the report
entitled “Amendments to Development, Building and Town Wide Fee By-laws,
Development Services Commission” be received;
And that the
amendment to the “Tariff of Fees for Processing Development Applications,”
By-law 211-83, substantially in the form attached to this report as Attachment
“A” be enacted;
And that By-law
2005-190 be repealed and the attached “By-Law respecting Construction,
Demolition and Change of Use Permits and Inspections,” attached to this report
as Attachment “B” be enacted;
And that the
amendment to the Fee By-law 2002-276, attached to this report as Attachment “C”
be enacted;
And that the By-laws
come into force and take effect on January 1, 2007;
And further that
staff begin allocating interest revenue to the Building Fee and Engineering,
Planning and Urban Design Fee Reserves, effective January 1, 2007.
CARRIED
**Note: See December
19, 2006 Council Meeting minutes for amendment to this resolution.
2. MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 20, 2006
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING
(16.0)
Minutes
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded by Councillor D. Horchik
That the
minutes of the November 20, 2006 meeting of General Committee be confirmed.
CARRIED
3. 2007
INTERIM TAX LEVY AND BY-LAW (7.3)
Report
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded
by Councillor D. Horchik
That Council
authorize an interim tax levy for 2007;
And that the
attached by-law be passed to authorize the 2007 interim tax levy.
CARRIED
4. BY-LAW TO
AUTHORIZE TEMPORARY BORROWING (7.0)
Report By-law
Committee
requested that the wording of the staff recommendation relating to temporary
borrowing be amended to ensure that it indicates that a Council resolution is required
to borrow funds.
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded
by Councillor D. Horchik
That a by-law be
brought forward for Council approval to authorize the temporary borrowing, if
required, of an amount not to exceed $101,340,584 from January 1, 2007 to
September 30, 2007 and $50,670,292 from October 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 to
meet the current expenditures of the Corporation until taxes are collected and
other revenues are received, subject to
Council approval.
CARRIED
5. INTERIM SPENDING AUTHORITY PENDING
APPROVAL OF 2007 BUDGET (7.4
& 7.5)
Report
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded
by Councillor D. Horchik
That Council receive
the report “Interim Spending Authority Pending Approval of 2007 Budget” dated
December 11, 2006;
And that Council
approve 50% of the 2006 Operating Budget equal to $101,340,584 as a pre-budget
approval for 2007 operating expenditures.
CARRIED
6. STAFF AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR THE MONTHS
OF OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2006
(7.12)
Report Attachments
The
status and condition of fire hoses installed on the fire pumper trucks was
raised, and Committee was advised that the Commissioner of Community and Fire
Services would forward such information to all Members by memorandum.
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded
by Councillor D. Horchik
That the report
entitled “Staff Awarded Contracts for the Months of October and November 2006”
be received.
CARRIED
7. DEVELOPMENT
CHARGES INDEXING JANUARY 1, 2007 (7.11)
Report Attachment
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded
by Councillor D. Horchik
That the report
entitled “Development Charges Indexing January 1, 2007” be received;
And that Council
approve an increase in development charges of 4.02%, effective January 1, 2007.
CARRIED
8. 2007
COUNCIL/COMMITTEE MEETING CALENDAR (16.0)
Attachment
Members
were advised that the following changes have been made to the draft 2007
Calendar of Council and Committee meetings:
- no Council
or standing committee meetings scheduled for July or August
- Committee
of the Whole has been eliminated
- General
Committee meetings to be held every Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon
-
Development Services Committee meetings to be held every Tuesday morning from
9:00 a.m.
to 12 Noon, with Part A being the
day of Council and Part B the week prior to Council.
Committee
asked staff to confirm the dates of the March School Break with the local
school boards, not only for 2007, but for future years, if possible. The matter of including cultural activities on
the calendar was raised, and the Town Clerk advised that these will be included
in the final approved calendar for 2007.
This new format will be reviewed at the end of one year.
Once
approved, all 2007 Council and Standing Committee meetings will be automatically
inserted into Council’s Scheduler (electronic calendar).
**Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded by Councillor D. Horchik
That the 2007
calendar for Council and Standing Committee meetings be approved.
CARRIED
**Note: See December
19, 2006 Council Meeting minutes for amendment to this resolution.
9. REQUEST THAT RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM BE
REMOVED
FROM FRONT OF THORNHILL
COMMUNITY CENTRE (12.2.6)
Letter
Moved by Councillor D. Horchik
Seconded by Regional Councillor T. Wong
That the letter from
Mr. Man-Li Morse, Thornhill, requesting that the Jewish Menorah currently in
place on Bayview Avenue in front of the Thornhill Community Centre be removed,
be received;
And that staff be requested to prepare a report in the spring with
respect to this issue and related Town policy.
CARRIED
10. MARKHAM
ARTS COUNCIL - COUNCIL
REPRESENTATION (16.24 &
12.2.6)
Letter
Moved by Regional Councillor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor A. Chiu
That
the letter dated December 4, 2006 from the Markham Arts Council requesting two
Council members to be appointed to the Arts Council Board of Directors be
received;
And that the appointment of members be deferred and
referred to the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 19, 2006.
CARRIED
11. DUFFINS AND CARRUTHERS WATERSHED
RESOURCE GROUP – MEMBERSHIP
(16.24 & 13.13.2)
Attachment
Moved by Regional Councillor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor A. Chiu
That
the email correspondence dated November 23, 2006 from the Watershed Management
Division of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority with respect to
membership on the Duffins and Carruthers Watershed Resource Group be received;
And that the appointment of members be deferred and
referred to the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 19, 2006.
CARRIED
12. ROUGE PARK
ALLIANCE - APPOINTMENT
OF MEMBER AND ALTERNATES
(16.24)
Attachment
Moved by Regional Councillor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor A. Chiu
That the letter dated November 15, 2006
from the Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance requesting the appointment of a
Council Member and one or more alternate for a term to be at the discretion of
the Town be received;
And that the appointment of members be deferred and
referred to the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 19, 2006.
CARRIED
13. ONTARIO MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND
IMMIGRATION
VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAM
– 2007 (13.2)
Attachment
Moved by Regional Councillor G. Landon
Seconded by Regional Councillor T. Wong
That the following correspondence from the
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration calling for nominations for the
following Awards be received:
- The Ontario
Volunteer Service Awards – in recognition of continuous years of service
with a community group
- The Outstanding Achievement Awards for Voluntarism in Ontario – awarded
for superlative volunteer work undertaken by individuals, groups or
businesses
- The Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers – presented to young
volunteers between the ages of 15 and 24 years of age
And
that the request for nominations be referred to Members of Council for their
consideration and possible action.
CARRIED
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Moved by Regional
Councillor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor
J. Webster
That the Committee resolve In Camera to discuss a confidential
matter. (10:20 a.m.)
CARRIED
Moved by Councillor D.
Horchik
Seconded by Regional Councillor
J. Heath
That the Committee rise and report. (10:35 a.m.)
CARRIED
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ADJOURNMENT
The General Committee meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.