Marianne Meed WardThe following items will be coming to the Development & Infrastructure Committee Dec. 7, 6:30pm, Room 247, City Hall. The D&I includes all members of council. Recommendations from this meeting goes to City Council for a final vote Dec. 16, 6:30pm at City Hall. Residents can Register as a Delegation to speak at any of these meetings.
Complete agendas and minutes for previous and upcoming committee and council meetings, including webcasts, are available on the city’s Agendas and Minutes page.
Staff recommend food trucks in city parks, schools, private property (D&I Dec. 7)
City staff are recommending changes to the Business Licence By-law 42-2008 to allow food trucks on private and public property, such as parks, churches and school board property. Currently food trucks are permitted on private property (with certain restrictions) but not public property or school board property. Under the proposed changes, food trucks will be permitted on private property in commercial, industrial and employment zones. Food trucks will be permitted in parks, subject to approval from the parks and recreation team, who have their own set of regulations and will also determine which parks are capable of hosting a food truck event. Food trucks will also be permitted on school board properties, places of worship properties and vacant lands in commercial, industrial and employment zones only. No food truck will be permitted to operate within 50 metres of a restaurant or within 50 metres of a licenced hot dog cart. Events would have a four hour time limit.
Staff are proposing a modest increase in some of the fees to offset the increase in administration and enforcement costs. Day rate will stay the same at $85; monthly $350 (up from $265); 3 months $700 (up from $635); yearly $1,300 (up from $1,140).
The expansion of food trucks onto city roads and streets with specific rules and regulations is not recommended at this time but will be part of a report to the Development and Infrastructure Committee in the second quarter of 2016.
The proposed changes are a response to requests by food trucks for a more consistent presence in Burlington, and in recognition of the popularity of events such as the Curb Your Appetite food truck festival in Burlington, benefitting Food 4 Life. There has been extensive public consultation online and in public meetings, and generally there is support for food trucks in parks and private property, with some regulations governing locations and times of day. In downtown areas, the general view is food trucks should have minimum setbacks from bricks and mortar restaurants, or not be allowed at all.
Food Trucks – Let’s Talk Burlington summary
Food Trucks-Insight Burlington Survey and Summary Report
Several organizations and groups provided position papers on food trucks which are available by following the links below.
- The Burlington Restaurant Association membership feels that the needs of the food trucks are currently being met through the existing by-laws. Any changes should have the following provisions: No food trucks on public property except for City Events and Festivals (Special Events); Increase in licence fee to $750.00 Private Property food truck licence only to be issued if the proposed event is more than 100 metres from a “bricks and mortar” restaurant. Burlington Restaurant Association Position Paper on Food Trucks
- The Burlington Downtown Business Association (which I sit on as the Ward 2 councillor) supports food trucks as “Guest Promotions” on private property on an occasional basis. The BDBA does not support Food Trucks becoming frequent and permanent fixtures on downtown streets because that would be unfair competition to existing restaurants. BDBA – Gourmet Food Trucks & Burlington’s Downtown Business Community
- The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA) support regulations for food trucks to ensure the safe and fair operation of any food establishment. They support Food Trucks at Special Events and festivals only, and have advocated a level playing field via a regulatory restrictions. ORHMA – Food Truck Concept
- Curb Your Appetite Food Truck Event Coordinator Gayle Kabbash-Cruikshank advocates food truck events as opportunities to bring neighbours together and raise much needed funds for charity. She supports food trucks at schools to promote the walking and biking, and downtown, to bring crowds to boost the downtown economy. Synopsis from a Food Truck Event Coordinator
- Kind Food restaurant in downtown Burlington says food trucks create an unlevel playing field and have cheaper overhead, among other concerns. Kind Food – Food Trucks ORHMA – Food Truck Concept
Proposal to remove two trees at 2267 Lakeshore Road (D&I Dec. 7)
Staff are recommending approval of a developer’s request to remove two city trees at 2267 Lakeshore Road to facilitate the redevelopment of the property, which was approved by council earlier this year (see related article here:
Staff Report: Tree removal 2267 Lakeshore Rd
The removal of two Sugar Maples (50cm and 48cm diameter) are required to accommodate servicing and a two way entrance into the development, which consists of three single family homes. The developer, Bradley Reeve, will be required to provide compensation for the tree removal by providing monetary or re-planting compensation with a total value of $6900. He is also required to absorb all costs for the removal, by a contractor approved by the City Arborist.
Accessibility report outlines progress in past year (D&I Dec. 7)
Each year the city receives a report on progress being made to achieve the goals of the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. The report also outlines plans in the coming year for how barriers to people with disabilities will be identified, removed and prevented. All municipalities are required by the provincial Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to make city facilities and services more accessible. The report is prepared by staff and the Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee, a citizen’s advisory committee of council that provides advice on the identification, removal and prevention of barriers, including the implementation of AODA and its regulations.
Funding for has been identified in the 2016-2025 capital budget for accessible projects within city facilities. These measures are planned to be implemented over the next 7 years based on priority from the accessibility audit. Canada 150 Funding (Government Funding) has been approved to cover portions of the costs for Central and Hidden Valley Park Washrooms and Central Arena accessible improvements. These projects are identified in the 2016-2025 capital budget and scheduled to be implemented in 2016.
Staff Report: Accessibility Progress Report
Accessibility Progress Report – Summary
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2013-2018
Evergreen development for Tremaine/Dundas to be reactivated (D&I Dec. 7)
Staff are recommending that the secondary plan for the Evergreen community at Dundas & Tremaine be reactivated with a target for completion for the second quarter of 2016.
The Evergreen development requires an Official Plan Amendment, rezoning and plan of subdivision to permit a mixed use community containing: residential, employment and mixed uses, including 907 residential units. When this was previously before council, staff were directed to aim for land use policies in this area that would also achieve 980 jobs.
The proposal was the subject of an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing into Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) 38. Halton Region and Conservation Halton consider the proposal to be inconsistent with the Natural Heritage System boundaries identified in the subwatershed study for Dundas/Tremaine.
The Evergreen secondary plan was previously deferred until the resolution of the OMB appeal. The OMB hearing has now taken place and a decision is pending. As such, staff are recommending that the secondary plan be reactivated.
For more information, visit the city web page devoted to Evergreen proposal: Evergreen
State of the Environment Report V – progress update (D&I Dec. 7)
The fifth annual State of the Environment Report has outlined 20 recommendations to enhance the local environment through improvements to services, operations and programs. Most are focused on City of Burlington operations and services, while some relate to services provided by Halton Region. Progress has been made in many areas, states the report, but more work remains to be done particularly related to climate change, transportation (still car dependant) and the urban forest. The Development & Infrastructure Committee (which includes all members of council) will consider the report at its meeting Dec. 7, 6:30pm. A final decision will be made at City Council Dec. 16, 6:30pm. Residents can register to attend and speak at either meeting.
The recommendations in the report, prepared by the city’s Sustainable Development Committee, fall under 11 categories:
• Natural Heritage
• Land Use Planning
• Rural Lands and Agriculture
• Waste Management
• Transportation
• Energy
• Air Quality
• Water
• Wastewater
• Climate Change
• Sustainable Buildings and Development
Read the report and 20 recommendations by following the links below:
State of the Environment Report V
Staff Report – State of the Environment Report
State of the Environment – 20 recommendations
Sustainable Development Committee (SDC) was formed in 1990 and is a volunteer citizen advisory committee to Burlington City Council. The committee published its first State of the Environment Report in 1998 and the latest SOER completed this year is the fifth edition. The purpose of the report is to provide information on the state and health of Burlington’s environment and to make recommendations for improving it.CS Nov 10)
Share your Input
Recommendations at the committee meetings go to City Council Dec. 16 for final approval. Residents can speak to any of the agenda items at either the committee meeting (up to 10 minutes) or the council meeting (up to 5 minutes) by registering in advance here: Register as a delegation
Complete agendas and minutes for previous and upcoming committee and council meetings, including webcasts, are available on the city’s Agendas and Minutes page.
Unless otherwise noted, committee and council meetings take place in Room 247 at City Hall. Committee meetings start at 1pm-4pm, continuing again at 6:30 pm if needed (or where noted); council meetings start at 6:30pm.
