Here is an overview of the committee meetings and the decisions made at the May 18 council meeting, chaired by Mayor Meed Ward.
At the 1.5-hour May 4 Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee meeting chaired by Councillor Galbraith, committee approved changes to the traffic bylaw to include provisions for designated speed limit areas. They approved a 40 km/hr speed limit for all streets within the area in Ward 2 bounded by Lakeshore Road, Brant and Baldwin streets, and Maple Avenue. They approved extending the heritage property tax rebate to commercial properties and all owners of a designated commercial heritage property will be notified of the changes and receive an application for the 2021 tax year. At the council meeting, bylaw 37-2021 was passed in support of this change. As reported by Rick Craven, the city’s comments on the Regional Official Plan Amendment 48 were approved. Staff were directed to report back in June with options to increase physical distancing in the downtown.
At the May 5 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee meeting chaired by Councillor Kearns, option one for a lobbyist registry was approved. Option one involves expansion of the existing voluntary business meeting registry used in Ward 2 to all members of council. Lobbyists may be classified as consultant (paid, on behalf of a client), in-house (employee, partner or sole proprietor) or voluntary unpaid. Staff will “investigate ways…to make the information more accessible.” At the May 18 council meeting, an amendment was approved by adding “That the business meeting registry be implemented in September 2021.” A refreshed 2015–2040 Strategic Plan: Vision 2040 was approved as well as a workshop on the role of the United Nations sustainable development goals in Canadian municipalities. More information is available at burlington.ca/strategicplan. The 2021 tax levy was approved at the committee meeting and subsequently approved at a special council meeting later the same day. The staff direction from Councillor Sharman was approved: “Chief Financial Officer to report back in July 2021…on process changes reflecting a coordinated corporate integrated business planning, measurement, budget and performance management process.” The committee meeting was eight hours long, not counting breaks.
At the May 6 Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee meeting chaired by Councillor Sharman, an update to the city’s private tree bylaw was deferred to the June 10 meeting. Rick Craven has written an article about the discussion. Committee and council approved changes to the operating model of the Tyandaga Golf Course, to permanently phase in, over 2022–2026, a change from the current net zero model to a tax-supported model. This meeting was 9.25 hours long, not counting breaks.
At the council meeting, recommendations from the standing committees were approved as noted above, and resolutions related to the Burlington Enterprises Corporation were approved, including confirmation of two directors of the corporation, and confirmation of the following directors by virtue of the offices they hold: Gerry Smallegange, president; Marianne Meed Ward, mayor; Tim Commisso, city manager. The council meeting was 2.5 hours long, including a closed session for approximately 20 minutes on an employment-related matter.
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 meeting minutes you wish to read.
