The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines

GENERAL COMMITTEE MINUTES

Monday, March 06, 2017

Item 4.3 - Corporate Insurance Coverage Renewal (Councillor Britton)

Item 4.4 - Insurance Pooling (Councillor Britton)

Item 4.8, Sub-item 12 - Royal Canadian Legion; Re: Vimy Ridge 100th Anniversary Memorial Parade (Councillor Stevens)

Item 4.8, Sub-item 16 - PRCS Memo to Council; Re: Report on Process for Naming of City Facilities Planned for Q2, 2017 (Councillor Stevens)

Moved By:  Councillor Siscoe

That Council approve the Consent Agenda, save and except those items brought forward for discussion. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:

Carried

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of March 6, 2017

Moved By:  Councillor Sorrento

That Council re-iterate and re-submit to the Province of Ontario the City’s recommendations provided to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs on October 26, 2016, concerning local requests for changes to the Greenbelt Plan boundaries, as follows:

a)     That the Province defer any consideration of any additions, deletions or changes to the Greenbelt Plan boundary and the Urban Area boundary (with the exception of Recommendation c) below) that impact lands within the City of St. Catharines until the Region of Niagara Municipal Comprehensive Review of the Regional Official Plan is completed. The Region’s Municipal Comprehensive Review will confirm a Regional growth strategy for both jobs and population which will determine the capability of the current Urban Area to accommodate future growth. Any additions or removal of lands from the Greenbelt Plan boundary, as part of the Provincial review, may prematurely impact the City’s Urban Area Boundary; and

That the Province allow municipalities to request changes to Greenbelt Plan designations and boundary, and the Urban Area boundary, at the conclusion of the Region of Niagara Municipal Comprehensive Review provided the Municipal Comprehensive Review is completed in accordance with the Provincial Policy Statement (2014), the Places to Grow (Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe), and meets the goals and objectives of all other applicable Provincial land use plans.

b)     That the prohibition to consider changes to Greenbelt Plan boundaries and Settlement Area (Urban Area) boundaries outside of a Provincial land use plan review be removed.

c)     That a minor boundary adjustment be approved for lands at 349 St. Paul Street West, as identified in Appendix 2, to exclude all of the property from within the Greenbelt Plan boundary.

d)     That Council request that the Province amend the Provincial Greenbelt Plan to re-designate the subject lands known municipally as 1406 Third Street Louth from ‘Specialty Crop Area (Tender Fruit and Grape Lands)’ to ‘Protect Countryside’ and that the ‘Rural Area’ policies of the Greenbelt Plan apply to the subject property. FORTHWITH

Yeas:Councillors Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Bellows, Britton, Harris, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:Councillors Kushner, Stevens, Williamson, Elliott, Garcia, and Haywood

Carried as Amended

As approved in the Adoption of the Agendas, Council now discussed Item 3.3 then moved on to Item 3.2.

Moved By:  Councillor Siscoe

That Council approve the 2017 Capital Budget and Four Year Forecast as detailed in Appendix 1; and

That the 2017 Transit Commission Capital request be funded by the City’s Capital Budget; and

That Council direct staff to consider including $75,000 for improvements to George Taylor Field in the 2018 Capital Budget for the consideration of the Budget Standing Committee; and

That Council direct staff to come forth with a debt reduction strategy for the consideration of the Budget Standing Committee; and

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

...

Councillor Garcia requested the Four Year Forecast be voted on separately

Part One

That Council approve the Four Year Forecast as detailed in Appendix 1. FORTHWITH

Yeas:Councillors Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Elliott, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:Councillors Garcia, Harris, Haywood, and Britton

Carried

Councillor Bellows was not present for the vote.

Part Two

That the 2017 Transit Commission Capital request be funded by the City’s Capital Budget; and

That Council direct staff to consider including $75,000 for improvements to George Taylor Field in the 2018 Capital Budget for the consideration of the Budget Standing Committee; and

That Council direct staff to come forth with a debt reduction strategy for the consideration of the Budget Standing Committee; and

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

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

Nays:

Carried

Council now moved on to Item 3.4

Christine Adams, Manager of Engineering & Construction, provided an overview of the 2017 construction program report and answered Council's questions.

Moved By:  Councillor Siscoe

That Council approve the Proposed 2017 Construction Programs funded by 2017 Operating Budget, Capital Budget and Water / Wastewater Budget, subject to the approval of the 2017 Capital, Operating and/or Water / Wastewater Budgets; and

That the Director of Transportation and Environmental Services/City Engineer be authorized to proceed with the projects listed in Appendix 1, Schedule T, Early Budget Approvals to be funded from the 2017 Budgets; and

That the Director of Transportation and Environmental Services/City Engineer be authorized to proceed with engineering services, utility relocations and design for those projects identified in Appendix 1, Schedules A to S to be funded from the 2017 Budgets; and

That Council approve the $60,000 for the Carlton Street / Geneva Street intersection improvements pending an explanatory report regarding the increase from the previously approved $10,000. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:

Carried

Council now moved on to Item 3.2

Mayor Sendzik left the chair. Deputy Mayor Harris assumed the chair.

Dan Dillon, Director of Transportation and Environmental Services, provided and overview of the report regarding the Phase 1 status update and Phase 2 scope revision for the ice pad replacement and associated mechanical modifications at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre. He answered Council's questions.

Moved By:  Councillor Phillips

That Council approve the change in scope for Project P17-164, Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre – Ice Pad Replacement and Associated Mechanical Modifications – Phase 2, to include the replacement of Ice Pad 2 in conjunction with the replacement of Ice Pad 3. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:Councillor Haywood

Carried

Mayor Sendzik resumed the chair.

During Adoption of the Agendas, Item 3.5 was deferred to the meeting of March 20, 2017.

Moved By:  Councillor Britton

That Council approve the renewal of the Corporation’s Insurance Coverage with BFL Canada Risk and Insurance Services Inc. for one year, ending June 30, 2018, with no increase in premium costs. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:

Carried

Moved By:  Councillor Britton

That Council receive this report for information; and

That Council direct staff to forward the option of sharing claims administration to the Niagara Region CAO Group for further discussion and review. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:

Carried

Councillor Stevens requested the following be brought forward for discussion:

Sub-item 12 - letter from the Royal Canadian Legion; and

Sub-item 16 - memo from Parks, Recreation and Culture Services

Moved By:  Councillor Stevens

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

That Council endorse the resolution in support of Public – Rail Safety Week, to be held from April 24, to 30, 2017; and

That staff consider the request from the Royal Canadian Legion for the Vimy Ridge memorial parade and direct staff to include information on the City's webpage for any legions celebrating the Vimy Ridge 100th Anniversary; and

That Council direct staff to expedite the report and policy regarding naming of city facilities to the beginning of the second quarter; and

That Council receive and file additional correspondence distributed for the meeting held March 6, 2017, which is available upon request, including: a letter from the Niagara Region regarding Recommendations for Consideration from the Burgoyne Bridge Replacement Project Taskforce, CL 03-2017; a resolution from the City of Niagara Falls regarding Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Strategy; a memorandum from the Commissioner of Operations regarding the 2016/2017 Facilities' Strategy - Activity Update; a memorandum from the Director of Fire and Emergency Management Services regarding the Third Party Consultant to Peer Review the Master Fire Plan; and a letter from the St. Catharines Downtown Association regarding the 44th Annual General Meeting. FORTHWITH

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

Nays:

Carried

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of March 6, 2017

That Council approve the removal of parking restrictions (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., school days only) on the west side of South Drive from Rockcliffe Road to Ridgewood Road; and

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

Approved on Consent

That Council approve “no parking anytime” prohibitions on the east side of Lake Street from 26 m south of Black Knight Road to 63 m north of Prince Charles Drive and from 38 m south of Prince Charles Drive to 63 m north of Prince Edward Drive; and

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

Approved on Consent

That Council approve the necessary tax reductions, cancellations and refunds pursuant to Section 357 and 358 of The Municipal Act in the amount of $7,600.96 in accordance with the list submitted by Financial Management Services, dated March 6, 2017 (see Appendix 1 attached). FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

That Council approve an amendment to the City of St. Catharines Zoning By-law 2013-283 for the lands described as Lot 3196 CP PL Grantham; PT Lot 3197 CP PL 2 Grantham PT 6 30R1410 in the City of St. Catharines, municipally known as 21 Lincoln Avenue, as follows:

a)     That Section 15.1, Schedule A (A21), Zone Maps, be amended by rezoning the subject lands from Low Density Residential – Traditional Neighbourhood Holding (R2-H1) to Low Density Residential – Traditional Neighbourhood (R2); and

That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law to give effect to Council’s decision; and

That the Clerk be directed to make the necessary notifications. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

That Council receive Report LCS-062-2017 Ranked Balloting Option – 2018 Municipal and School Board Election for information; and

That Council not approve the use of ranked ballots for the 2018 Municipal and School Board Election; and

That Council direct the City Clerk to monitor ranked ballot elections in Ontario and report back to Council with a comprehensive report following the 2018 Municipal and School Board Election. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

Moved By:  Councillor Kushner

That Council direct staff to review the recent amendment to London's public nuisance by-law which prohibits rooftop drinking (brewfing) and report back to Council.

Carried

Moved By:  Councillor Britton

That Council direct staff to prepare a report in regards to the requirements that a street needs to meet in order to qualify for traffic calming measures and how those qualifications compare with other cities’ traffic calming policies (best practices), and look into best practices of other municipalities around parks, arenas and play areas.

Carried

Council met In-Camera for the following purposes:

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

(for the session held at 5:30 p.m. this evening)

•         addition of two reasons to go In-Camera

• labour relations or employee negotiations (memorandum from the Director of Corporate Support Services)
• personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees (two verbal reports from the Office of the Mayor)

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

Carried

General Committee recessed to the In-Camera session at 9:50 p.m.

Council passed a procedural motion during the In-Camera session to extend the curfew beyond 10:30 p.m. to complete the business as hand.

There being no further items of business, General Committee adjourned at 11:01 p.m. and City Council reconvened.

Certified Correct:Confirmed by:

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Council CoordinatorMayor