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The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines

GENERAL COMMITTEE MINUTES

Monday, January 30, 2017

 

Present:

Mayor Walter Sendzik

Councillors Sandie Bellows, Mike Britton, Mark Elliott, N. Carlos Garcia,

Matt Harris, David A. Haywood, Joseph Kushner, Bill Phillips,
Mathew Siscoe, Sal Sorrento, Jennifer Stevens, and Bruce Williamson

 

Officials

Present:

Dan Carnegie, Chief Administrative Officer

Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Corporate Services

Bryan Shynal, Commissioner of Operations

Jeanette Pillitteri, Director of Corporate Support Services

Brian York, Director of Economic Development and Government Relations

Kristine Douglas, Director of Financial Management Services

Heather Salter, Interim Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor

Phil Cristi, Acting Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Services

Jim Riddell, Director of Planning and Building Services

Dan Dillon, Director of Transportation and Environmental Services

Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk

Rebecca Alfieri, Council and Committee Coordinator

 

Mayor Sendzik was in the chair and called the meeting to order in Council Chambers at 7:44 p.m.

 

1.

Call for Reports to be Brought Forward from Consent

 

2.

Motion to Move Reports on Consent

Moved By:  Councillor Williamson

That Council approve the Consent Agenda as presented. FORTHWITH

Yeas: Councillors Williams, Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:

Carried


3.

Discussion Reports

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of January 30, 2017

 

3.1.

Planning and Building Services, Planning Services

Brock District Plan

 

Councillor Kushner reiterated his conflict of Interest and did not participate in the discussion nor vote.

Moved By:  Councillor Elliott

That Council receive the report from Planning and Building Services for information purposes. FORTHWITH

Yeas: Councillors Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:
         Carried

 

3.2.

Planning and Building Services, Planning Services

Amendment to Delegation By-law 2004-277 - Development Agreements

 

Moved By:  Councillor Garcia

That Council refer the report from Planning and Building Services regarding the Amendment to Delegation By-law 2004-277 – Development Agreements to staff, to include information in the Infill and Intensification report being brought to Council at the end of March. FORTHWITH

Yeas: Councillors Harris, Haywood, Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, and Garcia

Nays: Councillors Elliott, Stevens, and Mayor Sendzik

Motion to Refer Carried

 

3.3.

Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk

Municipal Election Modernization Changes

 

Moved By:  Councillor Phillips

That Council receive Report LCS-340-2016, Municipal Election Modernization Changes, for information only. FORTHWITH

Yeas: Councillors Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Kushner, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:
          Carried

 

4.

Consent Reports

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of January 30, 2017

 

4.1.

Financial Management Services, Accounting and Payroll

Borrowing Authority

 

That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law authorizing the Mayor and City Treasurer to sign the necessary documents and agreements with the financial institution. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.2.

Transportation and Environmental Services, Operations

Macbeth Boulevard - Installation of School Related Parking Prohibitions

 

That Council approve the installation of an 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., school days only, parking prohibition on the south side of Macbeth Boulevard from Marsdale Drive to Masterson Drive; and

That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.3.

Transportation and Environmental Services, Operations

Review of School Crossing Guard Locations - Fall 2016

 

That Council direct staff to remove the school crossing guards at Lake Street at Crescentwood Road, Church Street at King Street and Ontario Street at Ziraldo Road; and

That the City Clerk be directed to prepare the necessary notifications. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.4.

Transportation and Environmental Services, Engineering and Construction

P11-130 Montebello Park Pergola, Fencing and Walkway

 

That Council grant approval to release the Statutory Holdback payment in the total amount of $12,854.16 plus applicable taxes to CSL Group Ltd. with respect to Project No. P11-130 Montebello Park Pergola, Fencing and Walkway, after January 30, 2017, subject to no Statutory Liens having been filed and any outstanding deficiencies having been rectified to the satisfaction of the consultant. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent


4.5.

Parks, Recreation and Culture Services, Programs and Cultural Services

St. Catharines Cultural Investment Program - Final 2016 Recommendations

 

That Council approve the recommendations for investment through the St. Catharines Cultural Investment Program; and

That staff be directed to make the necessary notifications. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.6.

Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk

Year-end Report – Code of Conduct Complaints

 

That Council receive for information the annual report as it relates to the Code of Conduct for Elected Officials (the Code of Conduct). FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.7.

Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk

Council Correspondence

 

That Council receive and file the items listed within the report; and

That, at the request of Councillor Haywood, Council direct staff to remove from the Outstanding Reports List, the following report requests: (i) Fire and Emergency Management Services to go over every recommendation item found in the Fire Marshall's Report and give an update to Council on those items by the 2nd quarter of 2016, and (ii) Report on reforming the City’s parks grass cutting contract to include more sustainable practices, both environmentally and economically, within the contract; and

That, at the request of Councillor Siscoe, Council direct staff to remove from the Outstanding Reports List, the following report requests: (i) Report on the feasibility of a traffic light at St. Paul Street and James Street; (ii) Report on the implications of regulating the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores; (iii) A comparison report on by-law for regulating keeping of dogs evaluating the section relating to restraint; and (iv) Report on the recent changes to the animal control by-law to see if it can be made less restrictive while maintaining the spirit of what was passed; and

That, at the request of Councillor Britton, Council direct staff to remove from the Outstanding Reports List, report request regarding Emergency Dispatch Services Working Group for the creation of implementation strategy to find the $1 million savings as identified in the IBI Group Study; and

That, at the request of Councillor Harris, Council direct staff to remove from the Outstanding Reports List, report request regarding speeding on Oakmount and Marsdale Drives; and

Further, that Council receive and file additional correspondence distributed for the meeting held January 30, 2017, which is available upon request, and included: (1) Letter from HCARN, regarding Traffic Signal Agreement, (2) St. Catharines Hydro Inc., regarding Notice of Meeting, Agenda, and Proposed Resolution (3) Niagara Region - Brock District Plan. FORTHWITH
          Approved on Consent

 

5.

Report Requests and Directions for Staff

Directions have been noted and will be provided to the appropriate members of staff.

 

5.1.

Traffic Study for Crossing Guard - Park Avenue and Seymour Avenue

At the meeting of January 16, 2017, Councillor Haywood provided notice that he would request the following report:

That Council direct staff to complete a traffic study for a crossing guard at Park Avenue and Seymour Avenue.

 

Moved By:  Councillor Haywood

That Council direct staff to complete a traffic study for a crossing guard at Park Avenue at Seymour Avenue, and to look into school zone signs close to crosswalk. FORTHWITH
         Carried

 

5.2.

Active Transportation – Provincial Funding

Councillor Elliott provided notice of the following report request:

 

Moved By:  Councillor Elliott

That staff report on what funding the City has applied to the Province, to improve active transportation in the City, as the Province has set aside significant funding, and to include how we have taken advantage of it. FORTHWITH

Carried

 

5.3.

City’s Policy Tools and Options to Encourage the Development of Affordable Housing

Mayor Sendzik provided notice of the following report request:

 

Moved By:  Mayor Sendzik

That Council direct staff to prepare a comprehensive report on the City’s policy tools and options to encourage the development of affordable housing, including a review of policies related to secondary suites and inclusionary zoning, regulations and allowances for mini houses, live work spaces, modular homes and lane-way homes, as well as a review of the CIP program and development charges policy and other creative incentive options to support the creation of affordable housing in St. Catharines. FORTHWITH

Carried

5.4.

Special Meeting for Purpose of Double Duty Councillor

Councillor Stevens presented the following motion:

 

Moved By:  Councillor Stevens

That Council add an additional special meeting of Council, being February 6, 2017 to deal with Double Duty Councillor, to start at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. FORTHWITH

Carried

 

6.

In-Camera Session (General Committee)

Council will meet In-Camera for the following purposes:

         a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board, Realty File No. 11-71

         labour relations or employee negotiations

         personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees

         litigation, or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board

         advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose

The Mayor called for a motion to recess General Committee and reconvene In-Camera.

Carried

General Committee recessed to the In-Camera session at 8:19 p.m.

 

7.

Adjournment

There being no further items of business, General Committee adjourned at 9:01 p.m. and City Council reconvened.

 

 

Certified Correct:Confirmed by:

 

 

 

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Council CoordinatorMayor