Here is an overview of the committee meetings and the decisions made at the June 22 council meeting. The council meeting was almost two and three quarters of an hour long.
On June 7, the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee considered a variety of items, including work plans for advisory committees. The report CL-18-21 (translation: clerk’s report 18 in 2021) was approved. Committee amended the recommendation about the COVID-19 emergency response update and received and filed appendices A and B to Report CM-15-21 (which means, in my opinion: thank you, we heard and it’s on record in the files) and added city hall washroom availability to the recommendation. The corresponding presentation CSSRA-12-21 was received and filed. Council approved committee’s recommendation. The public notice policy presented in report CL-09-21 was approved.
A special meeting of council was held on June 7, including a delegation from Joanna Sparrow regarding a resolution on National Day of Mourning and Residential Schools. Council unanimously approved a resolution that calls on the Canadian government to proclaim a national day of mourning; to support an immediate search of all former residential school grounds; to protect residential school burial sites; and to implement the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The resolution also indicated that Burlington’s council commits to holding a workshop for council and the staff leadership team on local Indigenous history (SD-14-21).
On June 8, the Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee met for just shy of six hours and considered amendments to the zoning bylaw 2020. Planning report PL-30-21 was approved, removing specific holding zones. Report PL-33-21 regarding feedback to the province about land use compatibility guidelines was approved.
Terms of reference for major transit station area (MTSA)-specific planning were considered based on report PL-27-21 and were approved at a special council meeting on June 8. “Terms of reference” set out the purpose, structure, and/or instructions for what to consider in decision-making for a committee, project, etc.
A significant item considered by committee that moved directly to the special council meeting on June 8 was the submission on the Region of Halton’s Growth Concepts discussion paper. The recommendation in report PL-21-21 was amended at committee and approved by council, adding a staff direction to the Director of Community Planning to reflect council’s position that “The employment conversion request for 4103 Palladium Way is currently under further consideration for employment conversion through the Region’s Growth Concepts Discussion Paper.” The site is subject to a site-specific policy in the new Official Plan, and the introduction of a retirement home may be supported if there are no new impacts on the abutting employment area.
Report TS-08-21 on the options to increase physical distancing on Brant Street was approved, after a motion by Councillor Stolte to defer consideration to a July 6 meeting failed. Report CPRM-04-21 regarding recognition and support to 2SLGBTQIA+ (two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual; the “+” signifies a number of other identities) community through infrastructure initiatives was approved as presented by Mayor Meed Ward at committee, after proposed amendments presented by Councillor Sharman failed. At council, the recommendations were approved on a four to three vote, and the dissenting councillors from wards 2, 4, and 5 issued a media release following comments posted by the mayor. The media release is posted on https://local-news.ca.
On Wednesday, June 9, the Audit Committee approved report CL-19-21, establishing a subcommittee of one council member (Councillor Sharman) and two community members (Mathew Moore and Etienne Durafour) to review the Audit Committee terms of reference. Councillor Kearns and Matthew Moore were elected chair and vice chair of the committee, from June 9, 2021, to November 14, 2022. The committee meeting began with eight minutes in public session, followed by 47 minutes in closed session to receive and discuss a staff presentation “regarding [an] information security update,” and 51 minutes in public session. All of the committee recommendations were approved by council.
On June 10, the Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee met for just under 4.5 hours to consider the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System strategic plan, assumption of the Forest Creek Estates subdivision, an amendment to the corporate donations and sponsorship policy, climate action plan update (three representatives of organizations spoke as delegates at committee about this item, and one at council), local road resurfacing program, and amendments to rates and fees for school board amenities and gyms. All were approved as presented. The city’s private tree bylaw 02-2020 report RPF-07-21 was referred back to staff and has been discussed by Rick Craven in a separate article. Two citizens spoke as delegates about the private tree bylaw.
“Council information packages” (CIP) dated May 28, June 4, 11, and 18 were noted in the council agenda and minutes. Finding them on the city’s website is a challenge since the search does not result in a listing of them. The contents are not included in meeting agendas. We followed up with city staff about where readers can locate the CIPs on the city’s website. You’ll find them at the City of Burlington’s “Council Information Packages” webpage (linked here). The most interesting items in the June 25, 2021, CIP are an update from the city clerk about 40 outstanding staff directions and correspondence from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities highlighting the Green Municipal Fund grant to support Burlington Transit’s transition to fuel cell electric buses.
Meeting minutes are available on https://www.burlington.ca/en/your-city/Agendas-and-Minutes.asp, by choosing the meeting calendar and clicking on the respective meeting minutes.
