MINUTES - General Committee - 20061212
TOWN OF AURORA
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
NO. 06-18
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Councillor McRoberts in the Chair; Mayor Morris,
Councillors Buck, Collins-Mrakas, Gaertner, Granger,
MacEachern, Marsh and Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate
Services/Town Clerk, Director of Building, Director of
Leisure Services, Director of Planning, Director of
Public Works, Town Solicitor, and Council/Committee
Secretary.
Councillor McRoberts called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
I DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
II APPROVAL OF AGENDA
General Committee recommends:
THAT the contents of the agenda, and the supplemental agenda, as
circulated by the Corporate Services Department, with the following
additional items, be approved:
Delegation a – Rabbi Y. Hecht
Re: Invitation to a Community Event
Delegation b
Re: Item 7 – Correspondence from the CAO
313 – 321 Ridge Road – Aurora Cable Internet
– Mr. Walter Mestrinaro
– Mr. Jim Beesley
– Mrs. Kelly Breedon
Delegation d – Mr. Frank G. Shaw, Chair of Planning &
Partnerships – Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust
Closed Session – Security & Personnel Matters
Additional Information to Delegation d – Mr. Frank Shaw
Re: Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 2 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Delegation e – Mr. Peter Scott, Technical Manager, ACI
Re: Item 7 - Correspondence from the C.A.O.
313 – 321 Ridge Road – Aurora Cable Internet
Delegation f – Ms Susan Walmer, Ratepayers of Aurora
Yonge South
Re: Elevated Tank Environmental Assessment for North
Richmond Hill Project
CARRIED
III ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES
None
IV DETERMINATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
Items 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 were identified for discussion.
V ADOPTION OF ITEMS NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
General Committee recommends:
THAT the following recommendations respecting the matters listed as
“Items not Requiring Separate Discussion” be adopted as submitted to the
General Committee, and that staff be authorized to take all necessary
action required to give effect to same:
1. PL06-126 – Planning Applications Status List
THAT the Planning Applications Status List be received as information.
4. CS06-036– Correction to the Economic Development Advisory
Committee Minutes of September 20, 2006 –
Item 5 - Yonge Street Commercial Area Sub-Committee
Minutes of August 31, 2006
THAT the Economic Development Advisory Committee Minutes of
September 20, 2006 – Item 5 - Yonge Street Commercial Area Sub-
committee Minutes of August 31, 2006 be corrected as follows:
5. Yonge Street Commercial Area Sub-Committee Minutes
of August 31, 2006
THAT the Yonge Street Commercial Area Sub-Committee minutes of
August 31, 2006 be received and the following recommendations be
made:
1. THAT the sub-committee initiate congratulatory letters to the
following local business; Mac Fleming, Bacon Basket and Mary's
Flowers; and
2. THAT Mr. George Condoyannis, owner of the Larter Building, be
sent a congratulatory letter from the Mayor’s Office, on behalf of
EDAC, for the exterior renovations to the building; and
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 3 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
3. THAT, should a Business Improvement Area (BIA) be established
in the downtown core, the funds from Whitwell (First Professional),
once received, be considered as seed money for the BIA initiatives;
and
4. THAT the Yonge Street Commercial Area Sub-Committee be
disbanded; and
5. THAT a letter be sent to the sub-committee members from the
Economic Development Division, signed by the Chair of the
Economic Development Advisory Committee. in the absence of the
Economic Development Officer, thanking them for their
participation and dedication to the Yonge Street Commercial Area
Sub-Committee.
5. Correspondence from the Chair of the Aurora Public Library
Re: Aurora Public Library Board
THAT the correspondence from the Aurora Public Library regarding the
Aurora Public Library Board be received for information.
CARRIED
VI NEW BUSINESS/GENERAL INFORMATION - COUNCILLORS
Councillor Wilson provided a Notice of Motion regarding the establishment of a
Youth Committee.
Mayor Morris advised that the grand opening of the new LCBO on Bayview
Avenue south of the Superstore occurred today.
Councillor Granger suggested that staff coordinate a seminar for the Councillors
regarding the Procedural By-law.
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff schedule a 1 – 2 hour Special General Committee meeting to
discuss the Procedural By-law.
CARRIED
Councillor McRoberts asked for volunteers to assist with the Salvation Army
Kettle Drive, which is being coordinated through Karen Oreto at Info Aurora, as
well as Operation Red Nose, which is being coordinated through the Mayor’s
Office.
VII DELEGATIONS
(a) Mr. Brian Wolf, Manager of Engineering, York Region Transportation
and Works
Re: Elevated Tank Environmental Assessment for North Richmond
Hill Project
Mr. Brian Wolf addressed General Committee to provide an overview of
the scope of the Elevated Tank Environmental Assessment for North
Richmond Hill Project, and a review of the sites considered. He presented
details of the preferred site and alternate sites and discussed the public
consultation process that took place. Mr. Wolf indicated that the preferred
site is located on provincial lands at Bloomington Road west of Yonge
Street in Aurora and the alternate site is adjacent to the existing standpipe
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 4 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
off Coons Road. Mr. Wolf then advised that the Environmental Study
Report will be filed in December 2006 for public review, and a complete
detailed design will be completed in January. Final land acquisition will
take place in February 2007 and approval will be obtained in March 2007.
He outlined that the anticipated construction contract would be tendered in
March 2007and construction will take place from April 2007 until Spring of
2008.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received.
CARRIED
(f) Ms Susan Walmer, Ratepayers of Aurora Yonge South
Re: Elevated Tank Environmental Assessment for North Richmond
Hill Project
(Added Item)
Ms Susan Walmer addressed General Committee to voice concerns about
the visual buffering or screening of the proposed elevated tank. Ms
Walmer suggested that the perception of Aurora residents, if the tank is
placed on Aurora lands, may be that Aurora has a large supply of water,
even though this proposed tank is meant to service Richmond Hill. Ms
Walmer also addressed a concern regarding graffiti on the tank, due to its
proximity to a nearby high school.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received; and
THAT the letter from Ms Susan Walmer be referred to York Region staff to
address the issues outlined; and
THAT York Region be requested to work with the Ontario Realty
Corporation to protect natural heritage features on the lands; and
THAT staff provide an information memo to Council on the background of
this project for the next Council meeting.
CARRIED
(b) Rabbi Y. Hecht
Re: Invitation to a Community Event
Rabbi Hecht addressed General Committee to invite the Mayor and
Councillors to attend a community event on Sunday, December 17, 2006
at 3:30 p.m. at the Aurora Shopping Centre, Unit #130 where children in
the community will be building an 8 foot tall menorah using over 7,000
pieces of Lego.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received for information.
CARRIED
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 5 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
(c) Mr. Walter Mestrinaro and Mr. Jim Beesley
Re: Item 7 – Correspondence from the CAO
313 – 321 Ridge Road – Aurora Cable Internet
Mr. Beesley and Mr. Mestrinaro provided a review of the issues and
concerns raised at previous meetings pertaining to the placement of 3
wind turbines and a shipping container on the ACI lands without meeting
all of the conditions set out by the Town of Aurora and the Ontario
Municipal Board (OMB).
Mr. Beesley and Mr. Mestrinaro expressed the opinion that the conditions
set out by the OMB regarding sound emissions have not been met to date.
Mr. Beesley and Mr. Mestrinaro requested that the Town of Aurora move
forward to resolve this issue by serving notice upon ACI that the Town’s
by-laws and the OMB orders have been contravened, and that the Town
begin enforcement of the by-law by ordering that all contravening use be
discontinued forthwith.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegates be received for information.
CARRIED
(e) Mr. Peter Scott, Technical Manager, ACI
Re: Item 7 - Correspondence from the C.A.O.
313 – 321 Ridge Road – Aurora Cable Internet
(Added Item)
Mr. Peter Scott addressed General Committee to review the use of a
shipping container to house extra power supply for the various services
provided by ACI, due to the main building not being large enough for all
the necessary equipment. Mr. Scott also advised that the decision to
utilize wind turbines was made in order to reduce greenhouse gases and
the demand on the power grid. Mr. Scott indicated that a noise study will
be submitted to the Ministry of the Environment upon completion of the
testing, which must take place at night due to ambient noise during the
day.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received for information and that
Item 7 be brought forward for discussion.
CARRIED
7. Correspondence from the Chief Administrative Officer
Re: 313 – 321 Ridge Road – Aurora Cable Internet
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff take the necessary steps to ensure that 321 Ridge Road is
brought into compliance with the Town of Aurora’s By-law 4469-03.D,
specifically section 34.1 and the addition of the shipping container.
CARRIED
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 6 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
(d) Mr. Frank Shaw
Re: Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust
Mr. Frank Shaw addressed General Committee to outline details of the
Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust recent land acquisition, the McLeod
Wood property on St. John’s Sideroad. He also requested that the Town
of Aurora authorize its staff to work jointly with the Oak Ridges Moraine
Land Trust to develop a memorandum of understanding under which a
cooperative stewardship plan for the McLeod Wood Nature Reserve, as
well as a securement program for significant natural areas, could be
prepared for consideration by Council later in 2007.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received for information; and
THAT the letters from the delegate be referred to staff for a feasibility
report and comments.
CARRIED
VIII CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
2. CS06-035 – 2007 Council and Committee Meeting Calendar
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2007 Council and General Committee Meeting Calendar be
approved.
CARRIED
3. CS06-037 – Amendment to the Dog Licensing and Control By-law
General Committee recommends:
THAT the matter regarding signage being installed prohibiting dogs from
accessing the premises of the Aurora War Memorial Site be deferred in
order to obtain clarification from the Royal Canada Legion as to their
intention.
CARRIED
6. CS06-038 – Statutory and Advisory Committees
General Committee recommends:
THAT the summary of Statutory and Advisory Committees be received for
information; and
FURTHER it is recommended that three Members of Council be appointed
to the Joint Council Committee as the Town of Aurora representatives
which oversees the operation of the Central York Fire Services; and
FURTHER it is recommended that one Member of Council be appointed to
the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority to represent the Town of
Aurora on the Conservation Authority; and
General Committee Report No. 06-18 Page 7 of 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
FURTHER that staff be authorized to proceed with advertising for public
members to the statutory committees namely, the Aurora Library Board,
the Committee of Adjustment, and the Accessibility Advisory Committee;
and
THAT Council provide direction on the process for the selection of the
other advisory committees.
CARRIED
8. CS06-034 – Council Pending List – Status Report
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Council Pending List be received for information purposes.
CARRIED
IX CLOSED SESSION
Security & Personnel Matters
General Committee recommends:
THAT this Committee proceed into Closed Session to address security
and personnel matters.
CARRIED
X ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 10:20 p.m.
CARRIED
THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 06-18 WAS CONSIDERED
AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER
19, 2006, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 7 WHICH WAS DISCUSSED AND
ADOPTED AS AMENDED.
___________________________ __________________________
P. MORRIS, MAYOR B. PANIZZA, TOWN CLERK