Committee of the Whole – April 29, 2024

Please note that all Committee of the Whole decisions are subject to Council approval. The next Council meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. If you have any questions regarding agenda items or decisions made at Committee or Council meetings, please email jgalvao@ramara.ca.

Annual Wastewater Performance Reports

The annual performance reports have been completed by OCWA in accordance with the facility's environmental compliance approval for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. The reports are completed for the Lagoon City wastewater treatment plant and the Bayshore Village sewage works and present a summary of monitoring data, flow data, operational challenges and maintenance performed yearly. The Committee approved to receive the reports as information and requested staff to write a report to clarify Bayshore spray field’s hectare size and the flow rate used on the site.

View the 2023 Wastewater Performance Reports

FoodCycle Science Organics Program

On March 25, 2024, a delegation from Jacob Hanlon FoodCycle Science presented an alternative composting program to the Council and staff. The program involves two FoodCycler products that can reduce up to 90% of organic waste into nutrient-rich by-products for gardens and plants. This program can divert around 40% of organic waste from landfills. However, the Township did not allocate any budget for the program. Therefore, staff suggested that a trial program for approximately 100 households be conducted in 2025 for Ramara residents in multiunit residential buildings that are not serviced by the County of Simcoe’s organics collection program.  The Committee approved to foward this recommendation, including the $5,000 cost, to the 2025 budget deliberations. 

Richwood Place as Proposed Road Name

The land parcel owners, 6119 Concession Road B-C, have undertaken the consent application process to create four new lots within the Hamlet of Sebright. While working toward fulfilling the conditions of the consent application, the applicants (owners) are required to enter into a consent agreement with the Township, which includes the creation of a new cul-de-sac road for the four lots to have open road frontage. The Committee approves in principle the naming of a proposed road subject to consent files B-19, B-20, B-21 &B-22/23 “Richwood Place.”

Bill 185 and the New Draft Provincial Planning Statement 2024

On April 10, 2024, the Ontario government introduced the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 (Bill 185), which introduces new changes to the planning and development process and repeals others. Highlights of the proposed changes include:

• Limits on Third-Party Appeals of Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendments
• Repeal of Application Fee Refund requirements from Bill 109
• Repeal of mandatory Pre-consultations
• Removal of the Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator (CIHA)
• Permitted appeals of Settlement Boundary Expansions

In addition to Bill 185, the Province also posted the Draft Provincial Planning Statement 2024 (PPS 2024), an updated version from the 2023 issue. This updated version I based on feedback received form the original submission. The new PPS 2024 will combine and replace the existing Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (“PPS 2020) and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“Growth Plan”). Some notable changes from the last proposed Provincial Planning Statement are:

• Agricultural Lot Creation – the new policy does not support lot created in the agricultural zone
• Direction towards affordable and low to moderate income housing
• Changes to rehabilitation for Mineral Aggregate Extraction on Agricultural lands
• Rural lot creation – the provision for multiple lot creation on Rural lands has not been carried over from the 2023 proposal
• Updated and added defined terms

With the above changes to the Planning Act and policies, the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) has available postings open for comments until May 10, 2024. Staff are working independently on a comment submission and with the County of Simcoe for a coordinated submission. The Committee approved to receive the report as information and that the Director of Building and Planning, or their designate, be delegated authority to submit comments on the Environmental Registry of Ontario postings related to the Planning Act and Planning Policy on behalf of the Township of Ramara.

View full report with changes described in detail

Rama Road Servicing Open House

At the April 22, 2024, Council meeting, Councillor Tuju requested an Open House information session for residents to share their concerns and questions regarding the Rama Road Corridor Area 1 servicing.  Staff outlined that the information related to the Rama Road servicing can be included in the Official Plan Open House that is tentatively scheduled for June 2024. The Committee approved the Rama Road Servicing Open House to be included in the Official Plan Open House tentatively scheduled for June 2024.

Reminders

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For More Information

For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting Agenda or view the meeting on the Township of Ramara's YouTube Channel.

The Meeting highlights are prepared to give residents a timely update on decisions of Council. The Council Meeting Minutes are the official record of the meeting.