You can find the full agenda for Middlesex Centre Council’s September 25, 2019 meeting here.
This Council meeting will start at 16:45 with a Closed Session. Hopefully we’ll be done with that in time to get the rest of the agenda underway by 18:00 (6pm).
Delegations, Presentations & Petitions
Brenda Slater, from MPAC, has a presentation entitled “Understanding MPAC and our role in the Property Assessment & Taxation System.” MPAC is the organization responsible for taking home value and sales data and determining your home’s assessed values, and therefore how much you will pay in property taxes. For apartment buildings, they determine the building’s value and the property owner typically divvies up the taxes owing to each unit proportionally.
Consent Agenda
A few items I would like to highlight:
- Building permits still being issued at a brisk pace with properties being built all across the municipality right now.
- Everything appears to be on track with the capital budget, besides a few items that staff want to push off to 2020. I imagine this is largely related to relying on the Acting CAO and other staff to keep day-to-day operations going while we searched for a new CAO, who started recently, and a new Director of Public Works & Engineering, who started last week.
- The budget survey results were very positive! More responses than last year, and more residents who think their property taxes provide fair, good, or excellent value. 👍
- We now have the amount provided in this year’s doubling of the Federal Gas Tax funding.
- You will see that I spoke to the Community Services Advisory Committee last month about an off-leash dog park in Ward 4. More on that to come this fall, including a Public Information Centre.
Staff Reports
- Some proposed changes to our hiring policy that staff hope will make it easier to attract and retain employees, especially students to help run our concession stands.
- Staff are requesting pre-approval on a new Zamboni for Ilderton Arena due to the 12-18 month lead time expected for the vehicle.
- Staff are also requesting pre-approval on rehab work for the Poplar Hill Pavilion & Grandstand, in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the park and related celebrations next year.
Committee of Adjustment
Looks like I’m up as Committee Chair again! There is one application in Ward 4.
At 75 Caverhill Cres, they’re seeking permission for a covered deck to extend 50cm into the rear yard setback beyond the typical minimum of 2m. This would create a 1.5m setback instead of a 2m setback.
Public Meetings
ZBA-21-2019 – DP of C & Site Plan – Palumbo Developments is looking to re-zone a portion of Kilworth Heights West, reduce the minimum square footage allowed for their condominium development. Council will hear the applicant and public at this time, and likely make a decision at a later date as there are holding symbols in place for things like noise impact analysis that need to be done.
If you want to speak to the item above, please remember that the zoning for this site is already decided as per the OMB decision two years ago. Opposition to the development of the site, or the development of condominiums on the site, will be fruitless. You can speak to any concerns related to the minimum square footage reduction requested, however these homes will still provide over 2,000 sq ft of living space even at the reduced size.
PLA-69-2019 is back to Council in the form of ZBA-22-2019. Staff are recommending approval. I still think two properties on this particular location is a bit much.
There is a new application at 120 Arthur St. The applicant would like to sever the property to create a new lot and build a home. Staff are concerned that zoning would create a building envelope only 5m wide with the normally required setbacks.
The above application has been withdrawn.
And staff have a municipality wide report on deck encroachments! Take a read and come speak your piece at Council if you have thoughts to share.
That’s it for this week’s Council meeting! If you have any thoughts on the items above, please let me know.