THE THIRD MEETING OF THE

EASTERN MARKHAM STRATEGIC REVIEW COMMITTEE

TOWN OF MARKHAM

Ontario Room - Markham Civic Centre

JANUARY 24, 2003

MINUTES

Attendance

Councillor G. McKelvey - Chair

Regional Councillor T. Wong (left at 10:45)

Staff

M.F. Turner, Commissioner of Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships

V. Shuttleworth, Acting Director of Planning

T. Lambe, Manager, Policy and Research

L. Duoba, Project Coordinator

L. Wheeler, Senior Planner

K. Bavington, Committee Clerk

Consultants

J. Kidd, LURA

The Eastern Markham Strategic Review Committee convened WITHOUT QUORUM at the hour of 9:40 a.m. with Councillor G. McKelvey in the Chair.

1. Introductions

Staff introduced the project facilitator, Joanna Kidd of LURA.

2. Agenda

Staff provided a Meeting Agenda and related material.

3. Review of Minutes of January 10, 2003 Meeting

Minutes were reviewed without comment, and could not be adopted without quorum.

4. Outcome of Meetings

a) Development Services Committee

Staff provided an extract from the Development Services Committee meeting held January 21, 2003. Minor revisions had been made to the Terms of Reference, and the budget of $96,000 had been endorsed. The recommendation will be going to Council for ratification on January 28, 2003.

Staff had discussed EMSR Committee meeting times with Committee members, and had reached an agreeable schedule. The hours of 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will remain flexible to accommodate scheduling conflicts, and if any Committee member needs to change the meeting time, they are to get in touch with staff. Staff was requested to confirm a quorum by e-mail prior to the next meeting. Everyone acknowledged the need to adhere to the schedule to complete the Committee's work by June, 2003.

The Development Services Committee had referred correspondence from Rouge Park Alliance dated December 17, 2002, regarding Infrastructure in Rouge Park, to the EMSR Committee. Staff discussed the provisions of the Rouge North Management Plan, with respect to infrastructure. Lilli Duoba will draft a response for DSC review.

b) ORC Meeting

Staff reported that the ORC will hire a consultant to work with the EMSR Committee, and this Committee will have to indicate the expected role of the ORC Consultant.

It was discussed that the ORC consultant should be involved early in the process, and possibly be invited to all the meetings (as a guest), so that we can understand the ORC's direction and their pressures, and vice-versa. Information needs to be obtained from ORC regarding Provincial interests, and the status of all land transactions. It was noted that there is a lot of land involved that is not controlled by ORC, so it would be inappropriate to focus only on that aspect.

Staff discussed that the ORC is proceeding with the Tenant Purchase Program. ORC remains under Provincial order to sell the lands, however, ORC is concerned about the results from the Pickering land sales, and has to be comfortable that the highest and best value is achieved in the sale of the lands for the people of Ontario. Markham has to determine the best tool to achieve long term agriculture, including developing a definition of "Agriculture", and how to ensure it is viable.

c) Meeting with Minister Tsubouchi

The meeting with Minister Tsubouchi had been cancelled by the Minister's staff, and the Clerk is working with the Minister's office to reschedule it.

Committee discussed preparing a preamble for the Minister, defining the objectives, such as: - to request the Province put a hold on land transactions until the review is completed;

- to request support that the land remain agricultural;

- to review other Provincial pressures, such as MTO issues;

- to get feedback on long-term agricultural use - reference was made to the Council resolution dated November 26, 2002.

5. Role of Consultants and Budget Review

a) Facilitator - Joanna Kidd, LURA

Joanna reviewed her role: to develop a process design; to attend and help to facilitate Committee and other meetings; to design and facilitate Public Forums; and to prepare final report. Joanne will summarize key ideas from the meetings, and assist in keeping the Committee focused and on track.

b) Environment - Mark Schollen, Schollen and Co.

It was agreed that the following issue would be the main focus for the Environmental Consultant:

"If the Rouge Park was to be expanded onto Provincial Lands in Eastern Markham, which Provincial lands would be the best lands to expand from an environmental perspective, and why?"

c) Transportation - Nick Poulos, Poulos and Chung (tentative)

Staff noted that Mr. Poulos has experience with larger, regional issues, and airports. Staff was asked to review the time involved for the Transportation consultant and determine how much of the work can be done by Town staff.

d) Legal - Paul Peterson

The legal consultant will be providing advice regarding the means to protect agricultural land "in perpetuity", including agricultural easements. The legal consultant may need to be involved earlier, and his role may have been over-simplified. Mr. Peterson will be working with the Agricultural consultant to define "Agriculture".

Staff suggested that there is a strategic component that needs to be considered, for the protection of the Town's interests and to ensure the Town has a meaningful influence on the airport development and the GTAA (i.e. GTAA Transportation Study) Committee to follow up on this aspect following the Transportation presentation by staff (additional Federal/Provincial legal advice may be required).

e) Agriculture - Consultant has not been selected yet.

The advice of this consultant will relate to many issues. It was clarified that the review will involve all the agricultural land in Eastern Markham, not just the provincial lands. The Committee suggested this consultant should focus on determining: viable existing agricultural uses; viable medium-term (10-15 years) uses; and viable long-term uses, in the context of an adjoining airport and urban uses.

As well, this consultant will provide insight to trends, and comparisons with other areas under similar influences, successes and failures. Are Provincial policies relevant, and what circumstances would be needed to support viable agricultural activity? Staff will seek a consultant, and finalize this role.

f) Budget

Budgets for Transportation and Environment Consultants will be reviewed, to allow a reserve for additional work that may be required.

6. Proposed Process Design and Draft Workplan

Joanna Kidd, project facilitator, reviewed the five steps in the process, and suggested ORC's consultant be brought to the table earlier in the process than originally proposed.

It was noted that the Committee may need to focus on a small number of key issues. Staff and Committee discussed the proposed Public Forum, and requested the Council Chamber be tentatively booked for the Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings of the week of March 31. Meetings regarding specific issues (i.e. farmers) would be by invitation only, possibly in the afternoon.

7. Presentation - Environment in Eastern Markham

Lilli Duoba gave a presentation of the eleven areas of environmental influences in Eastern Markham:

1. Existing Natural Features

2. Provincial Policy Statements (1996)

3. Regional Policies

4. Town Policies (Natural Features Study, OPA 52, etc.)

5. Rouge Park OPA

6. Oak Ridges Moraine

7. Federal Greenspace Initiatives

8. Duffins Watershed Strategy

9. Zoning/Easements

10. TRCA Programs and Regulations

11. Rouge Park Alliance

It was agreed that Lilli would repeat the presentation at the next Committee meeting, for absent members and also to focus on the implications (opportunities and constraints) posed by the environmental influences. The Environmental Consultant will be asked to attend.

8. Next Meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held Friday, February 14, 2003, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., in the Canada Room.

Committee members are asked to advise Kathryn Webber (x 2466) if they are unable to attend the next meeting.

9. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 12:00 noon.