Members

Councillor E. Shapero, Chair

Regional Councillor J. Heath

Councillor J. Webster

B. Mersey, Chair, Markham Conservation

Committee

Regrets

Deputy Mayor F. Scarpitti

Staff

M. Urquhart, Manager, Environmental

Leadership

V. McGrath, Manager, Environmental

Leadership

P. Ingham, General Manager, Operations

M. Ingwersen, Manager, Parks Maintenance

B. Labelle, Committee Clerk

Others

P. Ling, Markham Conservation

Committee

Mr. F. Vetere, Chair, The Hunt Club

Condominium Corporation

Board of Directors, The Hunt Club Condominium

Corporation

Various Residents of The Hunt Club

The Environmental Issues Committee convened at the hour of 1:10 p.m. with Councillor E. Shapero in the Chair.

1. MARKHAM ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND (MESF) APPLICATION

APPLICATION SIX: THE HUNT CLUB CONDOMINIUM CORPORATION: ENERGY RETROFIT ASSISTANCE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

Mr. F. Vetere was in attendance to request $10,000 to cover a portion of the expenses related to the installation of high efficiency boilers at The Hunt Club, 610 Bullock Drive, Markham. Ms. V. McGrath indicated that staff has concerns with the application submitted on behalf of the Hunt Club and recommended that it be denied on the basis of it being incomplete. Mr. Vetere advised that he had submitted the application by the deadline which included an extensive energy audit document composed by a mechanical engineer. He also noted that The Hunt Club Condominium Corporation should be defined as a community and thus, should be permitted to apply for MESF funding.

The Committee sought clarification regarding information which staff believed to be missing from the original application. This requested information was originally made by way of a letter dated February 14, 2006 from Ms. McGrath to Mr. Vetere to which no written response was received. Staff indicated that in order to award funding it is necessary for the applicant to be able to measure the efficiency of the project and to demonstrate how the funds are applied to the proposal. A layout of a communications program as well as ways in which The Hunt Club will promote the program were also requirements noted to be absent from the application. Mr. Vetere advised that this information was broken down within the mechanical engineer’s document attached to the original application. The Committee indicated that the application criteria should be followed by transferring the information from the engineer’s report to the MESF application.

Members discussed the potential for The Hunt Club to host a workshop or seminar for other condominium groups in order to educate them on their energy retrofit initiatives. It was agreed that such a program would satisfy MESF application criteria and provide good service to other Markham condominium groups.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the application by The Hunt Club requesting $10,000 to fund a portion of the expenses related to the installation of high efficiency boilers at The Hunt Club, 610 Bullock Drive, Markham be deferred to the next meeting of the Environmental Issues Committee so that an application that meets the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund criteria might be considered.

CARRIED

2. CONSULTANT SELECTION – PHASE 2 – TURF MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT REVIEW

Mr. M. Inglis, Consultant, Marshall Macklin Monaghan Limited, was in attendance to submit a memorandum and present an overview of the second phase of the Turf Care and Maintenance Practices Review for the Town of Markham. He advised that the second phase would seek to determine opportunities for decreasing the use of pesticides in Markham’s current turf management program. The following actions will be undertaken:

1. Analyzing the current Town of Markham standards of care in turf management

2. Review the successful cultural practices of other municipalities

3. Propose alternatives to the current turf management practices

4. Cost the proposed alternatives to current practices and compare them to Markham’s status quo and to practices that involve the use of pesticides

Mr. Inglis noted that a round table workshop format consisting of Markham staff and three expert consultants would be assembled to gather an objective and diverse opinion of the future delivery of turf management services in Markham. It was agreed that representatives from the Markham Conservation Committee, Mr. B. Mersey and Mr. P. Ling should attend as participants. It was also decided that the workshop would not be open to the general public or Members of Council. Staff advised that they are planning to present a final report on Phase Two (2) of the Turf Care and Maintenance Practices Review to General Committee on June 12^th, 2006.

The Committee posed various questions in regards to the three expert consultants listed within the memorandum. Mr. Inglis provided Members with an overview of each consultant’s background indicating that each is extremely experienced in turf management practices and will present a good balance of knowledge with respect to maintenance techniques involving pesticide usage and those based on using organic alternative practices.

Staff reconfirmed that the Town’s current use of pesticides in their turf maintenance practices on public lands over the past four years is minimal and that the intent of the assessment review is to determine opportunities to decrease it further if possible. Members discussed the implications of the Green Procurement Policy and how it may relate to recommendations coming out of the roundtable workshop. Staff noted that the intention of the Green Procurement Policy is to consider social costs and other variables along with financial factors when any requisition is considered by the Town.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the memorandum and verbal presentation by Mr. M. Inglis, Consultant, Marshall Macklin Monaghan Limited, outlining the model for Phase Two (2) of the Turf Care and Maintenance Practices Review which is to include a roundtable workshop as a component, be received, approved and referred to General Committee.

CARRIED

3. PESTICIDE BY-LAW

The Committee discussed various details regarding the timetable in which a pesticide By-law could be brought forward for Council’s discussion and approval. Members debated the potential implications of bringing forward a pesticide By-law at the same time the second phase of the Turf Care and Maintenance Practices Review report is presented to General Committee.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That Town of Markham staff proceed with the established process leading to a pesticide By-law being brought forward to General Committee on June 12^th, 2006.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

The Environmental Issues Committee adjourned at 3:15 p.m.