MINUTES - Council - 20000425
TOWN OF AURORA
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
NO. 13-00
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
ATTENDANCE
COUNCIL MEMBERS Mayor Jones in the Chair; Councillors Griffith,
Hartwell, Healy, Hinder, Hogg, McKenzie, Morris,
and West.
STAFF MEMBERS Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate
Services/Town Clerk, Director of Planning,
Director of Building Administration, Director of
Leisure Services, Director of Public Works, Fire
Chief, Treasurer, Solicitor and Council/Committee
Secretary.
Following Open Forum, the Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m.
I DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Mayor Jones declared an interest in Item (10) (Correspondence from Cassels
Brock & Blackwell) of the General Committee Meeting Report. Mayor Jones’
declaration was by virtue of his employment with Timberlane Tennis and
Country Club, which is located adjacent to the subject property. Mayor Jones
did not take part in or vote on any questions in this regard or attempt in any
way to influence the voting on such questions.
II APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved by Councillor Morris Seconded by Councillor Griffith
THAT the content of the Agenda be approved as presented with the
addition of Report CS00-019 - Bloomington Road Fill Operation (Item
9).
CARRIED
III ADOPTION OF MINUTES
Council Meeting No. 12-00, Tuesday, April 11, 2000
Moved by Councillor Hartwell Seconded by Councillor McKenzie
THAT the Minutes of Meeting Number 12-00 be adopted as printed
and circulated.
CARRIED
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 2
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
IV PRESENTATIONS
Presentation to Firefighter Art Bellar re: 20 Year Service Award
Chief Hunwicks presented Firefighter Art Bellar with a twenty-year National
Exemplary Service medal in recognition of his twenty years of service with the
Aurora Fire and Emergency Services Department. Chief Hunwicks provided
a brief synopsis of the contributions made by Art Bellar to the Town of Aurora
during his career. He commended Firefighter Bellar for his valued service
and congratulated him on his 20 years of service.
V DETERMINATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
Items 7, 8 and 9 (Report No. CS00-019) were identified for discussion.
VI ADOPTION OF ITEMS NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
Moved by Councillor Hogg Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT the following recommendations respecting the matters listed as
“Items not Requiring Separate Discussion” be adopted as submitted to
Council and Staff be authorized to take all necessary action required to
give effect to same:
1. CS00-017- Provision of Legal Services
THAT the law firms of Weir & Foulds, Patterson MacDougall, Gowling,
Strathy & Henderson and Hicks, Morley, Hamilton, Stewart and Storie
be appointed to a roster of service providers to provide external legal
services to the Town on a periodic basis with Weir & Foulds being
designated as the primary provider of external legal services for the
Town in the areas of general litigation and advice, planning and
development law, and environmental law and with Hicks, Morley,
Hamilton, Stewart and Storie being designated as the primary service
provider in the areas of labour and employment law; and
THAT the reporting relationship for the Town's in-house legal counsel
be amended on the Town's organizational chart to remove the position
of Solicitor from the Corporate Service Department and provide that
the Solicitor report directly to the Chief Administrative Officer effective
June 1, 2000; and
THAT By-law 4174-00.H be provided three readings to repeal By-law
3514-93, as amended by By-laws 3895-98.H and 3969-98.H.
2. CS00-018 - Release of Easement
THAT the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the necessary
documents to release the easement over Lot 76, Plan 65M-2396 (179
Delayne Drive).
3. PL00-045 - Zoning By-law Amendment Application
Peter Rankel/Monopoli Financial Solutions
15054 Yonge Street
D14-10-00
THAT Council receive as information the following overview of Zoning
By-law Amendment application D14-10-00, scheduled for the May 24,
2000 Public Planning Meeting.
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 3
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
4. PW00-022 - Approval to Execute a De-Servicing Agreement -
Bayview Wellington North Subdivision
THAT Council authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute an agreement
between the Town of Aurora and Bayview Wellington North Inc. to
permit the removal of water and sewer services from the lands in the
Bayview Wellington North subdivision (19T-88060), subject to the
following conditions:
(a) Receipt of proof of insurance in an amount satisfactory to the
Town; and
(b) Receipt of engineering fees and securities in accordance with
standard procedures for subdivision developments in the
amounts specified.
5. LS00-004 - Millennium Projects Update
THAT Council receive this report as information.
6. TR00-010 - Accrued Adjustment of 1998 and 1999 Taxes
under Section 442 of the Municipal Act
THAT the adjustment of 1998 and 1999 taxes in the amount of
$75,165.91 under Section 442 of the Municipal Act be approved.
THAT the adjustments of 1998 and 1999 taxes resulting from
Assessment Review Board Decisions in the amount of $64,367.77 be
received for information.
CARRIED
VII CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
7. General Committee Meeting Report No. 07-00
Tuesday, April 18, 2000
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION FROM THE
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING NO. 07-00, TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2000 -
ITEMS 9, 10 and 4
(9) Area Productions Inc. re: Healthy Living Expo - May 6 & 7
Aurora Community Centre
Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT the request for signage be approved; and
THAT staff develop a process to deal with the installation of overhead
hydro banners on Yonge Street, the use of the Town signs at the
Leisure Complex and Community Centre by non profit organizations,
requests for one event signs and non profit signage, and related costs
and fees, and further that staff vent the proposal through the Business
Development Committee prior to the presentation to Council.
CARRIED
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 4
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
(10) Cassels Brock & Blackwell re: Wycliffe Diamond
Homestead Application
Mayor Jones, having previously declared an interest in this correspondence
relinquished the Chair to Deputy Mayor West and did not take part in the vote called
for in this regard.
Moved by Councillor Morris Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT the correspondence be received as information.
CARRIED
Upon conclusion of this matter, Mayor Jones resumed the Chair.
(4) PW00-021 - Yonge Street Reconstruction
Provision of Bikeway
Moved by Councillor Healy Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT the recommendations in the Staff Report not be received and
that staff be directed to discover a way to create a safe bicycle path for
the use by the public on Yonge Street between Murray Drive and Golf
Links Drive.
On a recorded vote, the motion was DEFEATED
YEAS: 3 NAYS: 5
VOTING YEAS: Councillors Hartwell, Healy and Morris.
VOTING NAYS: Councillors Griffith, Hinder, McKenzie, West and Mayor Jones.
Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor Hinder
THAT Council receive Report PW00-021 regarding the provision of a
bikeway as part of the reconstruction of Yonge Street;
THAT Council approve the widening of the right of way for a width of
approximately 4 metres as required to permit the construction of a five
lane roadway generally from Murray Drive to Golf Links Drive together
with a 2.0 metre wide sidewalk;
THAT Staff be directed to place the required land sale notice in the
local newspaper for two weeks, advertising the proposed sale of part of
Billings Well Park to the adjoining owner in exchange for property
fronting on Yonge Street;
THAT any comments arising from the said notice be included in a
subsequent Report seeking authorization of an Offer to Purchase
Agreement and enactment of the related authorizing by-law; and
That the associated costs for the legal and administrative process be
allocated from the budget for the capital road works associated with
the reconstruction of Yonge Street.
CARRIED
Councillor Hogg left the Council meeting at 7:45 p.m.
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 5
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor Hinder
THAT the balance of the Report of the General Committee Meeting
No. 07-00 be received and the recommendations carried by the
Committee be adopted.
CARRIED
8. Councillor Morris Notice of Motion re: Acquisition of the
Downtown Library Lands
Moved by Councillor Morris Seconded by Councillor Griffith
WHEREAS the Town of Aurora’s strategic Plan in Goal A speaks
to: Maintaining a well-managed and fiscally responsible Municipality.
And in Goal E: To promoting accessible Municipal Government.
WHEREAS a report to Council dated April 14th 1999 show that a
decision was reached not to proceed with a twinned Library proposal
utilizing an existing town owned site & a traditional build approach, at
an approximate estimated cost of $5.6 million.
WHEREAS the same evening an unanimous decision was reached by
Council to proceed to build a new library facility at the corner of Yonge
& Church Street, on some newly purchased lands. The estimated costs
for the building at that location were dependent upon the approach
taken and varied between $6.1 and $6.4 million.
WHEREAS the new Library projected cost on the new site has now
been estimated to be approximately in the range of $8.7 million.
WHEREAS the Town has recently increased the Town portion of the
tax bill by 5.7%.
WHEREAS Budget projections show that the new Library will in the
year 2001 add an annualized amount of $500,000 to cover both the
increased operational costs and debt financing, and in the year 2002
an amount of $700,000 which will have the potential effect of
increasing taxes by 4.5% & 6.6% respectively.
WHEREAS the Town is about to consider the Tenders for the
construction of the new library. Thereby placing us in a position to
move ahead with the building project.
WHEREAS a number of citizens have recently come before Council &
have requested further information regarding the costs & process
followed in acquiring the lands at the corner of Church & Yonge Streets
that are to be used for the new library.
AND WHEREAS residents have also requested a breakdown of the full
costs of acquiring such lands, along with all associated costs to build a
new library on that site.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT Staff be directed to bring
forward a written report for public review outlining the following:
1. The chronology of the acquisition of the buildings & lands at the
corner of Yonge & Church Streets (which are now to be used to
build the new Library).
2. A list of the market evaluations at that time of the businesses,
properties & lands that were acquired.
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 6
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
3. An explanation as to the rationale behind why the lands &
businesses & buildings were purchased by the Town “as is”,
without soils testing costs & building challenges & conditions being
clearly known.
4. A clear breakdown & financial summary, to include all costs
incurred re: the total financial liability of this particular choice of site,
including:
• real estate fees,
• all property purchase costs
• legal fees & disbursements,
• demolition costs,
• land searches,
• soils testing costs,
• inspections,
• engineering costs,
• project management costs
• Architects costs, and any other commitments or disbursements
of any kind etc.
• Total Annual Tax revenues lost from the buildings being
demolished.
CARRIED
9. CS00-019 - Bloomington Road Fill Operation
Moved by Councillor Morris Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT staff retain external legal counsel to vigorously pursue legal
action with the goal of discontinuing the fill operation at 1166 and 1360
Bloomington Sideroad East; and
THAT staff review By-law 3829-97.P to examine the ability of the Town
to effectively prohibit filling activities on lands outside of the established
urban boundary of the Town;
THAT staff formally request the assistance and intervention of the
Ministry of the Environment to monitor and test soils on this site and to
identify the environmental impact of the fill operation to this area of the
Town; and
THAT the Mayor contact Al Palladini, M.P.P. and Maurizio Bevilacqua,
M.P. to advise them of the nature of the operation and request them to
take all action within their powers to assist the Town in stopping this fill
operation; and
THAT Al Palladini, M.P.P. be requested to utilize his best efforts to
involve the Ministry of the Environment in bringing an end to the
ongoing fill operation.
CARRIED
VIII READING OF BY-LAWS
Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor McKenzie
THAT the following listed bills be given 1st, 2nd and 3rd readings, and
enacted:
4150-00.P Being a By-law to repeal the application
schedules from the Town Licensing By-laws.
Aurora Council Minutes No. 13-00 Page 7
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
4167-00.D Being a By-law to amend By-law No.
2213-78 (Petro Canada).
4174-00.H Being a By-law to repeal By-law 3514-93
as amended by By-laws 3895-98.H
and 3969-98.H appointing Solicitors as
Officers to the Corporation of the Town of Aurora.
CARRIED
IX IN CAMERA
Legal Matter
Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor Hartwell
THAT this Council proceed In Camera to address a legal matter.
CARRIED
X ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Councillor West
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
CARRIED
______________________ _________________________________
T. JONES, MAYOR B. PANIZZA, TOWN CLERK