Committee of the Whole – July 9, 2024

Please note that all Committee of the Whole decisions are subject to Council approval. The next Council meeting is scheduled for July 22, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. If you have any questions regarding agenda items or decisions made at Committee or Council meetings, please email Amber at amcdonald@ramara.ca.

Notes regarding highlights: The Highlights are presented in order of discussion at the Committee of the Whole meeting.  Please be advised that three reports were deferred until the next Committee of the Whole: 6.1 - Stop Sign Best Practices and Options at Intersections, 6.2 – Grass and Brush Maintenance in Municipal Road Allowance and 6.5 – Public Engagement Proposal – Lake Ave Parking Lot.

2023 Annual Building Department Report

Staff provided the annual report as mandated under the Building Code Act, provided a summary of the total fees collected within the past 12-month period, direct and indirect costs associated with the administration and enforcement, breakdown of costs into direct and indirect categories and the status of the Building Department reserve fund.  In 2023, the Building department issued 309 permits with a combined construction value of $39.3 million. Out of the 309 permits, 24 of these permits are for non-residential projects.  Staff conducted 2,729 inspections and issued 112 occupancy permits for new residential units. In the same year, the Building Department collected revenue of $578,846. However, the direct costs incurred for service delivery totalled $588,581, indicating that revenue covered 98% of operational expenses. Consequently, $9,935 was withdrawn from the reserve fund, which ended the year with a balance of $364,465. The Committee approved to receive the report as information.

Pre-Consultation By-law Update and Site Plan Control

As a result of ongoing changes to the Planning Act, updates to the Pre-consultation and Site Plan Control By-laws are required.  Within the Pre-Consultation By-law, the changes are removing the mandatory requirements and the removal of the two-stage approach. Staff will still allocate Applicants and developers to two meetings, but with the changes to Bill 109, the pre-consultation stage is not required to be heavily loaded due to the changes to the mandatory decision timelines.  The changes to the Site Plan Control By-law include adding term definitions – addition, alteration, and redevelopment and summarizing the definition of development to provide a user-friendly and more straightforward interpretation of the by-law. Also, clarification is explained for Site Plan Control required on dwellings that contain existing or proposed home occupations, the replacement of a building due to damage of fire within a site plan control area and minor deviations to approvals that are received in writing for clearance. The Committee approved the report as information and that the draft by-laws be forwarded to the July 22, 2024 Council meeting for consideration.

Adjustment to Building Fee Schedule A of Bylaw 2023.22

Staff provided a report outlining adjustments to the Building Fee schedule to better align with organizational needs and enhance the user experience, including integrating an electronic payment system within the building permit software. Some of the following changes are as follows:

• A tiered fee for a building classified as Assembly Occupancy
• Flat roof repair fee
• Signage that requires a building permit
• Liquor license application and renewal fees
• Online payment processing fee of 3%
• Registrations of orders on property that have contravened the Building Code Act.

The Committee approved to receive the report and schedule a statutory public meeting for August 12, 2024.

Proposed Planned Fee Schedule A of Bylaw 2020.15

Staff provided a report outlining the fee adjustments to the current planning fee schedule due to the strategic shift towards performing more planning work in-house and reducing reliance on external planning consultants. Changing to in-house planning results in cost efficiency, enhanced community shaping, improved communication and coordination and increased responsiveness.  The new tiered fee scheduled will reflect the actual costs incurred by the department and provide a structure that reflects the project's complexity.

The Committee approved receiving the draft fee schedule and scheduling a statutory public meeting for August 12, 2024.

NRK Site Alteration – Fill Permit – 7477 Concession Road BC

Staff provided a detailed report, following up from the May 27, 2024 Council meeting, regarding NRK Holdings Inc. request for a site alternation permit to permit fill importation on the site of the old ROGUE quarry at7477 Concession Road B-C.  NRK holdings is requesting to install berms that are approximately six meters high to match the NRK site on the North side of Concession road B-C and import approximately 300,000 metric tones of fill.  The Committee approved to enter into a fill permit agreement for the importation of clean fill for the purposes of building a berm on the property to mitigate impacts from the existing quarry and future permitted works on the site. 

Phragmites

At the Council's request at the April 8 Committee of the Whole meeting, staff provided a report outlining how phragmites can be controlled and prevented within the Township. Staff outlined that they applied for funding in regards to creating an online reporting tool for residents to report Phragmites sightings, along with education to the public, and second, the conduction of beach reclamation by removing phragmites and restoring sand in areas where wind and water have eroded the shoreline. Staff also provided a detailed outline of the best practices associated with controlling and removing the invasive species within the Township. The Committee approved to receive the report as information.

Bayshore Village Sewage Works Effluent Hauling

Staff provided a report outlining the requirement for effluent to be pumped from Bayshore Village sewage lagoons and hauled to the Lagoon City sewage treatment plant for disposal beginning this fall. This is a result of the insufficient spray area, wet weather, work on the north field, and the higher-than-normal effluent levels this spring. The Committee approved receiving the report as information and staff providing a report with an analysis outlining the cost of buying or leasing a truck to haul vs. hiring a contractor to conduct the haulage.  

Mandatory Connection Bylaw

A mandatory connection bylaw is an established practice by municipalities to enact requirements for qualifying properties to connect to municipal services, such as water and wastewater systems. The Municipal Act supports the process and is generally undertaken to ensure residents have access to safe drinking water, protect the environment, ensure the fiscal sustainability of the systems, and ensure that property owners are paying for the benefits they are receiving. The objective of the bylaw is to impose mandated connections with associated deadlines if water and/or sewer mains are extended into un-serviced developed areas. In the past, when the Township approved the extension of mains, a site-specific bylaw for mandatory connection was passed that outlined mandatory connection and deadlines. The Committee approved receiving the report as information and that the draft Mandatory Connection Bylaw be presented to the Council for consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

At the Special Council meeting held on June 3, 2024, the Council approved the cancellation of the water and wastewater open house on June 6, approved for staff to create a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to address residents' questions, and that the FAQ document be forwarded to all residents that submitted a question. Before his departure, the Chief Administrative Officer meticulously reviewed all the questions submitted and provided clear guidance to the staff on which questions to answer, ensuring that the most pressing issues raised by the residents were addressed. Based on the questions, staff created two separate documents clarifying two subjects: Bayshore Village Sewage Works Project and EA History and the Water and Wastewater Rates Study. Some topics not covered in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document include queries about the Lakeshore Servicing project, Rama Road servicing, requests for historical financial breakdowns, as well as queries related to water and wastewater studies before 2015, and the merging of water and wastewater systems. The Committee approved receiving the report as information and that the documents be distributed online through the website, email, and paper at the resident's request.

View Water and Wastewater Rate History, Studies and Budget FAQ

View Bayshore Village WTP FAQ

Review of Site Alteration Bylaw 2018.64

Staff provided a report reviewing the current Site Alteration By-law and the Fill Bylaw. In 2018, the Township passed Bylaw 2018.64 – A By-law to prohibit or regulate the placing or dumping of fill that outlines exemptions, processes for obtaining a site alteration permit based on small or large-scale site alteration (under 1,000 cubic metres, over 1,000 cubic metres, or over 10,000 cubic meters) and other restrictions and enforcement. Staff advised that the terminology within the by-law is outdated and that the by-law needs updating. The Committee approved receiving the report as information and that the By-law be brought forward to Council to be amended and updated.

Bayshore Village Water Quality Concerns

At the June 3, 2024, Committee of the Whole meeting, the Council requested that staff follow up on removing or reducing iron in the water supply for the Bayshore Village drinking water system due to community complaints regarding water staining appliances. The staff report outlines legislative requirements for safe drinking water as stipulated under the Safe Drinking Water 2022 Act, including the legal responsibilities of owners and operating authorities. It outlines the details of the Bayshore Village Drinking Water System (DWS). The sampling and testing requirements for Bayshore Village WTP have been completed by the Township’s operating authority, not required by regulation; they outline the Iron (inorganic) and Manganese (inorganic) levels over time and how that lines up with health-based standards – Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC), Aesthetic Objective (AO) and Operational Guideline (OG), with the levels outlined closer to the Aesthetic Objective of either 300 ug/L and 50 ug/L respectively. The Committee approved the receipt of the report and asked the staff to provide a detailed report regarding health risks and public consultation processes. The Committee also approved following those reports for staff to investigate Water Treatment Options for the Bayshore Village Water Treatment Plant to the Water and Wastewater System Capital Plan to discuss further at budget time.

Lakeshore Drive Servicing Project

Staff provided previous reports regarding the Lakeshore Drive Servicing project from 2022 to 2024. The reports outline decisions regarding the scope of the project, community engagement and estimated costs. The Committee approved to receive the staff reports on the Lakshore Drive Servicing project as information and that the initial letters that went out to the residents be circulated by email to Council. 

Ditching in Bayshore

Over the past few years, the Township has expanded its ditching program to correct and improve drainage throughout the Township. From 2023 to 2025, the focus is to ditch areas within Bayshore Village to remediate the standing water concerns received from residents in the area.  Following the ditching that occurred last year, complaints were received, and the Council directed staff to provide a report outlining the Township’s ditching program and alternate methods to finish the ditched areas post-work.  Staff provided alternatives, including soil and seed, hydroseeding and sod with its corresponding costs.  Staff also advised that in 2024, staff changed the type of seed used to help expedite seed germination to restore areas to their pre-ditching aesthetic look. The Committee approved receiving the report as information and, based on the 2024 Budget, that ditching practices remain status quo with applying soil and seed when finishing.

Asset Management Plan – Non Core Assets

The Asset Management Plan for Non-Core Assets, as stipulated by O.Reg 588/17, outlines the state of infrastructure, replacement costs, condition, level of service, life cycle activities and performance measures of our fleet, facilities and Parkland and Outdoor Recreation assets. Overall, the Township's non-core assets are in good or very good condition with licensed vehicles, unlicensed equipment and major buildings averaging a fair condition and Outdoor Recreation averaging a poor condition. Overall, the Asset Management Plan (AMP) provides information and guidance on costs, risk, and service levels for Township's non-core assets for Ramara to meet corporate goals and objectives to serve its constituents better.

View the full Asset Management Plan (Non-Core Asset)

Infrastructure 10-Year Capital

Staff presented the infrastructure 10-year capital forecast for all the roads, bridge and culvert, railway crossing, and equipment. A 10-year capital plan ensures that the Township of Ramara plans, budgets, and maintains assets to maximize asset lifecycles and ensures efficient use of available budgets. However, the 10-year capital plan can change based on council decisions, development and budget availability. Also, prices are subject to change due to inflation and costs. The Committee approved receiving the ten-year capital forecast as information.

View 10-Year Capital Plan

Bayview Ave – Design Standards – Turning T Intersection

At the November 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting, Marina Del Ray requested an unopened road allowance at the end of Bayview Ave to create a turning T in exchange for upgrades to the existing Shorewall. At that meeting, Council directed staff to obtain quotes to repair/replace the shorewalls on both sides of the canal that lead to Marina Del Rey from Lake Simcoe.  Staff presented two estimated costs at the June 3, 2024 Committee of the Whole meeting with further direction for staff to submit the proposed turning T to the County of Simcoe for comments and approval. The County of Simcoe advised that it is open to the proposed turnaround and would be happy to provide design standards to consult on this project. The Committee approved to receive the report and agreed in principle to enter into an exclusive Lease Agreement with Marina Del Rey for use of the unopened road allowance at the end of Bayview Avenue and staff proceed as directed.

2024 Municipal By-Election Accessibility Report

The Committee received the 2023 Municipal By-Election Accessibility Report as information. The report highlighted measures the Township of Ramara implemented to ensure equal opportunity for all electors, candidates and persons with disabilities, such as Voting, Advertising, the Voter Instruction Letter, Voter Assistance and Voter Assistance Locations.

Council Liaison Appointment & Council Appointments to Committees and Boards

The Committee approved to keep all Council Liaison appointments the same with Councillor Gough being appointed to Transportation. The Council Liaison positions are as follows:

• Administration/Finance/Personnel is appointed to Councillor Snutch
• Planning and Development Services is appointed to Councillor Fisher
• Culture and Recreation Services is appointed to Deputy Mayor Bell
• Transportation Services is appointed to Councillor Gough
• Environmental Services is appointed to Councillor Tuju
• Protective Services is appointed to Councillor Bell

The Committee approved the following Board, Committee and Commission appointments.

Councillors will assume their roles with these committees, boards and commissions following the July 22, Council meeting.

Additional Reports and Information

• Staff provided additional information regarding the Bayshore Village Sewage Works EA project will be brought forward to the August 26 Combined Committee of the Whole and Council meeting.
• A staff report regarding what the Township is doing to execute the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan for the Township.
• Staff to write a letter to the Ministry of the Environment regarding the City of Orillia regarding the outletting of an odour from a industrial plan located in Atherley. 
• A staff report, including a terms of reference, to create a Climate Action Committee with the inclusion of Rama First Nation.

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.