HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-016 - Environmental Assessment Protocols
REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
March 18, 2013
SUBMITTED BY: Jim Witmer, Interim Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services,
519-741-2600 ext. 4657
PREPARED BY:
Barbara Robinson, Director of Engineering, 519-741-2200
ext. 7410
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: March 11, 2013
REPORT NO.: INS-13-016
SUBJECT:
Proposed Protocol for Involving City of Kitchener Council in
Class Environmental Assessments (EAs)
RECOMMENDATION:
That the proposed Protocol for Involving City of Kitchener Council in Class
Environmental Assessments (EAs) as outlined in Staff Report INS-13-016 be approved.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Kitchener Engineering Division undertakes a number of EAs each year. These EAs
are completed by staff, or by an outside consultant under staff direction.
Currently, members of Council typically participate in the EA process by attending public
meetings in their Wards, which are scheduled to accommodate the Councillor where possible.
Staff has been asked to review where Council involvement can provide the most meaningful
impact on the EA process. The proposed approach is similar to current processes at the
Region of Waterloo, the City of Waterloo and other municipalities (see Appendix A).
REPORT:
The intended benefit of the involvement of elected officials is to make a significant, positive
impact on the successful outcome of these projects.
The risk of involving elected officials in the process is the potential for misunderstanding roles;
Council’s role can only be advisory, and not technical in nature.
Proposed Approach:
Each year following budget approval, a Report of all EAs to be initiated in the following year
will be developed.
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EAs which may benefit from political representation, typically projects which may have high
public interest and/or significant implications for the City, will be flagged, and proposed level
of Council involvement will be indicated.
The Report will be circulated to a Standing Committee of Council for consideration and
Councillor assignments will be determined by Council themselves.
The level of Council and Councillor involvement in projects should be relative to the complexity,
impact and public interest in the outcomes of the EAs.
1
EA ScheduleProposed Council Involvement Type of Involvement
Routine
, generally affects
Ward Councillor included on all Informational; general
only local area, no
public correspondence and PICs guidance/assistance in
significant implications
engaging public
Typically Schedule A, A+
or B
Complex
, may affect
One Councillor to sit on Steering Informational; general
2
more than the local ward,
Committeeguidance/assistance in
is anticipated to have
engaging public
Decision on EA by Council
moderate impact on
Resolution
Assist in setting broad
community
direction
Typically Schedule B or C
Very Complex
, will affect
One or two Councillors to sit on Informational; general
2
the whole community and
Steering Committeeguidance/assistance in
is anticipated to have
engaging public
Additional Council involvement to
significant impact on
be determined at project outset
Assist in setting broad
community
via the Project Charter.direction
Involvement in establishing
Project specific as
Typically Schedule C or
evaluation criteria may be
identified in Project
Individual EA
included
Charter
Information updates are brought
to Council as required
Decision on EA by Council
Resolution
Note 1: Sample EA Project Schedules
Schedule A/A+:Full Reconstruction projects, e.g. Queen Street, Hall’s Lane, Mill Street
Traffic Calming projects
Schedule B: Projects with historical/cultural significance (Huron Road Bridge over
Schneider Creek)
Most creek rehabilitation (Schneider Creek, Wards/Brigadoon ponds, Victoria
Park Lake)
Storm Pond retrofits (Huron Business Park ponds)
New sanitary pumping stations or increasing capacity (Homer Watson
Pumping station)
Schedule C:New road (Strasburg Road Extension)
Note 2: Steering Committee
A Steering Committee is an advisory committee usually made up of high level
stakeholders and/or experts who provide guidance on key issues such as
policy, objectives, budget, communications strategy, resource allocation, and
decisions involving large expenditures. It is not specifically defined in the MEA
EA document.
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It is proposed that this Protocol take effect formally following budget approval in January 2014.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This direction is in alignment with our Strategic Plan Principle of Leadership and Community
Engagement (promote informed decisions that last). This improvement in our EA Protocols will
directly meet the City’s Community Engagement Strategy (inform, collaborate, consult, entrust).
The community will directly observe the increased input by members of Council as we interact
at PICs and other public processes.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There may be financial implications to involving Council members on EAs, with a potential
increase in upfront study costs for Complex and Very Complex projects (consultant or internal
staff). If Councillor involvement is maintained as advisory, financial implications will be
minimized.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
None required.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jim Witmer, Interim Deputy C.A.O.
Infrastructure Services Department
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Appendix A
Summary of Area Municipality Approaches
Region of Waterloo
Regional Councillors and also Councillors from the Area Municipality are involved in Region of
Waterloo EAs (sometimes more than one municipality). Early every year, a Council report is
prepared by the Commissioner of Environmental & Transportation Services assigning
Councillors to projects. Normally, the Project Managers and Managers prepare a list
recommending the number of Councillors from the Region and the involved Area Municipality
for each project (normally 1 or 2 Regional, and 1 for each Area Municipality involved). Council
then assigns the Regional Councillors to each project, and the Clerks Department contacts the
Area Municipalities asking for their input.
The Project Managers for each project contact their assigned Councillors to explain the project
and discuss their involvement. Councillor involvement is normally through Steering
Committees, which generally meet quarterly or at project milestones to overview the project and
give feedback to the team. If a Region Class EA study is being implemented through an
engineering consultant rather than by in-house staff, Region staff also invite those Councillors
(on the Project Team/Steering Committee for the Region’s Class EA studies) to participate in
the consultant selection process for projects involving Class EA’s.
City of Waterloo
For Projects that have or require increased public awareness or input (but not all projects), a
Project Task Force is set up. Where one of these has been set up usually there is at least one
Council member assigned by Council.
The process for establishing, engaging and approval of task force/advisory committees is run
entirely through the Clerks Department. If a new Committee, Task Force or Special project
committee is being struck usually the relevant department works with the Clerk’s department in
drafting the Terms of Reference. Then the Terms of Reference will go to Council in the form of a
staff report prior to beginning recruitment.
City of Cambridge
In Cambridge, the involvement of Councillors in EAs typically depends on the scope and
potential controversy of the project. If the project is a straightforward road reconstruction
(Schedule A project), the ward Councillor is invited to the PIC. If it is a more involved Schedule
B or C project or an environmentally/culturally significant project, then the Ward Councillor is
invited to join the project team. The justification for this approach is that the politicians hear
both sides (technical and residential) right from the beginning. Sometimes it works in staff’s
favour; however, at other times, there is political pressure to promote options that may not be
preferred from a technical perspective.
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