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MINUTES - General Committee - 19991104 TOWN OF AURORA General Committee Meeting No. 12-99 Council Chambers Time: 7:30 p.m. Aurora Town Hall Thursday, November 4, 1999 ATTENDANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Councillor Healy in the Chair; Mayor Jones, Councillors Griffith, Hartwell, Hinder, McKenzie, and West. Councillor Hogg was absent due to a family commitment. Councillor Morris was absent due to a business commitment. OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer/Acting Director of Leisure Services (7:55 p.m.), Director of Corporate Services/Town Clerk, Director of Planning, Director of Building Administration, Director of Public Works, Treasurer, and Council/Committee Secretary. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. APPROVAL OF AGENDA #1. Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor Hartwell THAT the content of the Agenda as circulated by the Corporate Services Department be approved as outlined herein with the addition of a delegation request from Aurora Heights Public School Advisory Council, correspondence from Elizabeth Van Dyk and a petition re: Request for Crossing Guard. CARRIED DELEGATIONS Peter Westgate, Aurora Heights Public School Advisory Council, Petition and Correspondence from Elizabeth Van Dyk re: Request for Crossing Guard at the Intersection of Aurora Heights Drive and Tecumseh Drive Mr. Peter Westgate spoke on behalf of the Aurora Heights Public School Advisory Council regarding a request for a crossing guard at the 3-way intersection of Aurora Heights Drive and Tecumseh Drive. He informed the Committee that a request was made 3 years ago and it was denied. However, since that time circumstances have changed. In the last 3 years the student population of the school has increased from 500 to 600 which has resulted in significant increase in bus traffic and car traffic during the peak times (8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. - 11:34 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 R E P O R T General Committee Report No. 12-99 Page 2 Thursday, November 4, 1999 p.m.). Mr. Westgate stated that another concern was that parents were not obeying the parking/no stopping signs in the school area and this has created congestion in the school area. However, in the last 3 years safety pamphlets were sent to parents, and the York Region Police was contacted. In addition to these concerns, there is no sidewalk on the west side of Tecumseh Drive and children are walking on the shoulder of the road. Mr. Westgate indicated that a petition and a correspondence have been presented tonight urging Council to consider placing a crossing guard at this intersection to ensure the safety of the students. He requested that in reviewing the situation that the traffic be monitored during peak periods He also requested that a copy of the Crossing Guard Policy be provided to them. #2. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Mayor Jones THAT the matter be referred to staff to work with the Aurora Heights Public School Advisory Council regarding the request for a crossing guard at the intersection of Aurora Heights Drive and Tecumseh Drive; and THAT the Director of Public Works make available a copy of the Crossing Guard Policy to the School Advisory Council. CARRIED CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS Mr. & Mrs. Sgotto, Mrs. Lillian Menzies and Mrs. Lynn Shea, Residents re: Request for Leash Free Areas for Dogs #3. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor Hartwell THAT the correspondence be received and referred to staff to consult with other municipalities regarding leash free areas for dogs and the cost associated and to report back. CARRIED Mrs. Margaret Shearman, Resident re: 2B Secondary Plan Area Aurora East Expansion Area #4. Moved by Mayor Jones Seconded by Councillor Griffith THAT the correspondence be received and referred to staff. CARRIED Aurora High School re: Town of Aurora Awards #5. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor Hartwell THAT Councillor Hinder be requested to attend and present the Awards on behalf of the Town of Aurora at the Commencement of Aurora High School on Friday, November 12, 1999 at 8:00 p.m. CARRIED ADVISORY AND AD HOC COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS Leisure Services Advisory Committee Report No. LSAC99-09 October 14, 1999 Leisure Services Advisory Committee Meeting The Committee requested that the Aurora Community Tennis Club be contacted before Council approved the recommendations at the November 10, 1999 Council Meeting. #6. Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor McKenzie General Committee Report No. 12-99 Page 3 Thursday, November 4, 1999 THAT the minutes of the Leisure Services Advisory Committee meeting of October 14, 1999 be received as information; and THAT the Committee endorse the following recommendations and conditions for the Aurora Community Tennis Club Agreement as follows: i} approval for the additional time as requested, leaving available 12 hours a week for public use (i.e. three 4 hour slots a week to be determined by the Department of Leisure Services) for the next year; ii} that staff monitor the use, with the time allocations to be reviewed if deemed necessary by Town staff as a result of public complaints; iii} the Aurora Community Tennis Club MUST run a Tennis Camp in the month of July and August for young school aged children which will be held between the hours of 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Costs are to be kept reasonable to help promote and attract more children and be consistent with Town of Aurora’s Policy for Summer Camps. CARRIED STAFF REPORTS BA99-013-313 - Trailer and Mobile Signs #7. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor Hartwell THAT the Town of Aurora maintain the status quo of the existing By-law regulating portable signs with an amendment to allow for rental for any occasion. CARRIED CO99-055-314 - By-law to Regulate and License Cats The Committee discussed the option of having the Veterinarians in Town issue the licenses because this would provide a better chance for compliance and people would be more inclined to go to the Veterinarians than coming to the Town. This would also provide an opportunity to control disease and to get a record of the cat population. Concerns were expressed with enforcement of the By-law and the need for such a By- law. #8. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor Hartwell THAT a By-law to regulate and license cats not be approved. CARRIED CO99-056-315 - Dog Bite Prevention Program #9. Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Mayor Jones THAT the resolutions from the Town’s of Georgina and Whitchurch- Stouffville be endorsed; and THAT the Town initiate an education program in conjunction with local elementary schools on dog bite prevention. CARRIED CO99-057-316 - Community Associations Policy General Committee Report No. 12-99 Page 4 Thursday, November 4, 1999 The Committee expressed concerns with the paper work involved and not charging a fee for Council materials. The Director of Corporate Services advised that agendas, minutes and reports would be free of charge to the Association, but that there would be a fee for any other publications. He also advised that the Policy was initiated due to resident group enquiries and that the Policy would provide a guideline for the various ratepayers groups. The Chief Administrative Officer stated that this would also improve communication with Council. It was noted that the agenda process would be discussed on November 6, 1999 and that such issue would be part of the discussions. #10. Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor McKenzie THAT the proposed Community Association Policy be deferred to a future date after the November 6, 1999 Council/Staff Off Site Meeting. CARRIED LS99-034-317 - Town Park Redevelopment Master Plan #11. Moved by Councillor West Seconded by Councillor McKenzie THAT the conceptual Master Plan for the redevelopment of Town Park attached as Schedule “A” be endorsed in principal, with a view to presenting a more detailed version of the Master Plan at a Public Open House meeting in early December 1999; and THAT staff report back to the Committee with a Final Design and Budget recommendation including any implementation measures arising from the traffic study. CARRIED PW99-060-318 - Parking Standards – Policy and Opportunities #12. Moved by Mayor Jones Seconded by Councillor Griffith THAT Council endorse the following principles relating to the provision of parking in future developments which shall provide guidance to staff and developers on how these issues are to be handled: • Garage sizes shall generally be set such that standard-sized vehicles can park in them; • Garage setbacks shall be set such that there are a minimum of 2 parking spaces in the driveway; • Driveway spacing shall generally be set to provide an adequate parking space between each pair of driveways; • Sidewalks may not be required on minor streets and cul-de-sacs; • Consideration may be given to moving sidewalks closer to the curb; • Staff shall work with the developer at the Draft Plan stage of a development to ensure that the housing mixture along a street takes parking needs and opportunities into account; • Developers shall be required to produce parking studies as part of the design that specifically addresses on-lot and on-street parking issues; • Parking restrictions, if deemed necessary and in accordance with Town policies, shall be included in the subdivision plans and home- buyers shall be made aware of them through warning clauses in their Purchase Agreements; and • Other innovative ideas, such as providing visitor-parking areas in new subdivisions and the use of permit parking on municipal property to alleviate specific on-going problems, shall be considered where circumstances warrant. CARRIED General Committee Report No. 12-99 Page 5 Thursday, November 4, 1999 PW99-070-319 - Transit Services Implementation Plans Update #13. Moved by Mayor Jones Seconded by Councillor McKenzIe THAT Council receive Report No. PW99-070-319 regarding the Transit Services Implementation Plans Update as information. CARRIED PL99-111- 320 - Planning Applications Status List #14. Moved by Councillor Griffith Seconded by Councillor McKenzie THAT the Planning Applications Status List be received as information. CARRIED ADJOURNMENT #15. Moved by Councillor West THAT the meeting be adjourned at 8:20 p.m. CARRIED (THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING NO. 12-99 WAS CONSIDERED AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 10, 1999 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RECOMMENDATION NOS. 6, 7, 8,10 AND 12. RECOMMENDATION NOS. 6 AND 8 WERE DEFERRED TO THE NOVEMBER 24, 1999 COUNCIL MEETING. RECOMMENDATION NO. 10 WAS DEFERRED TO THE NOVEMBER 18, 1999 GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING. RECOMMENDATION NO. 7 WAS DISCUSSED AND ADOPTED AS SUBMITTED. RECOMMENDATION NO. 12 WAS ADOPTED WITH THE ADDITION OF SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS TO THE PARKING STANDARDS GUIDELINES) ___________________________ ____________________________________ T. JONES, MAYOR B. PANIZZA, MUNICIPAL CLERK