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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-02-24 PLANNING & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES COMMITTEE MINUTES FEBRUARY 24, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER The Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee met this date, commencing at 6:44 p.m. Present: Councillor B. Vrbanovic - Chair Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors S. Davey, F. Etherington, K. Galloway-Sealock, Y. Fernandes, J. Gazzola, D. Glenn-Graham, B. Ioannidis, Z. Janecki and P. Singh. Staff: J. Willmer, Chief Administrative Officer D. Chapman, Deputy CAO, Finance and Corporate Services M. May, Deputy CAO, Community Services L. Johnston, Director, Communications C. Bluhm, Manager, Downtown Development J. Dueck, Supervisor, Sales & Business Development, The Auditorium T. Ryan, Senior Business Development Officer D. Matthews, Business Analyst D. Livingstone, Committee Administrator CSD-14-012 - MUNICIPAL ADVERTSING AND WEBSITE POLICIES 1. The Committee considered Community Services Department report CSD-14-012, dated February 12, 2014 recommending the approval of both the Municipal Website Policy, and the Municipal Advertising Policy, as attached to the report. A motion by Councillor B. Ioannidis was brought forward to approve the recommendation contained within Report CSD-14-012. Councillor K. Galloway-Sealock requested that the clause related to political advertising within the Advertising Criteria should be considered separately from the balance of the Policy. Mr. M. May advised that there may be concern for risk potential and stated that the Committee might wish to attain advice related to legal challenges that could arise if political parties are excluded from advertising opportunities. A motion was brought forward by Councillor D. Glenn-Graham to amend the Municipal Website Policy requesting that the policy explicitly indicate that links to candidate websites and campaign information will not be considered for posting on the City’s websites. Carried Councillor Glenn-Graham’s amendment was then voted on and was . Councillor K. Galloway-Sealock brought forward a motion to refer consideration of the clause respecting political advertising within the Advertising Criteria outlined in the Municipal Advertising Policy to the March 3, 2014 Council meeting, pending additional information from the City’s Legal Services Division. Carried. Councillor Galloway-Sealock’s motion was then voted on and was Mayor C. Zehr brought forward a motion to refer consideration of the clause within the Municipal Advertising Policy related to advertisements of religious nature, to the March 3, 2014 Council meeting, pending additional information from the City’s Legal Services Division. Carried. Mayor Zehr’s motion was then voted on and The balance of the recommendation, as amended, outlined in Report CA0-14-023 was then Carried. voted on and On motion by Councillor B. Ioannidis - it was resolved: referred to the March 3, 2014 That consideration of the following recommendations be Council Meeting pending the receipt of additional information with respect to excluding religious and/or political advertising: PLANNING & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES COMMITTEE MINUTES FEBRUARY 24, 2014 -5- CITY OF KITCHENER CSD-14-012 - MUNICIPAL ADVERTSING AND WEBSITE POLICIES (CONT’D) 1. “That the Municipal Advertising Policy, attached to Community Services Department report CSD-14-012, be approved; and further, That the Municipal Website Policy, attached to Report CSD-14-012, be approved with the inclusion of a provision to not post links to any candidates material on the City’s website.” Councillor B. Vrbanovic read aloud the following statement: “This is a formal public meeting to consider applications under the Planning Act. If a person or public body does not make oral or written submissions to the City of Kitchener before the proposed applications are considered, the person or public body may not be entitled to appeal the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board and may not be added as a party to a hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Municipal Board.” CAO-14-011 - STARTUP LANDING PAD PROGRAM 2. - COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN AMENDMENTS The Committee considered Chief Administrator’s Office report CAO-14-011, dated February 12, 2014 recommending that approval of the Startup Landing Pad Program be subsequently referred to after the pre-consultation review, as carried out by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. In addition, the Committee was in receipt this date of correspondence from Mr. Glenn Scheels, GSP Group, in support of the Startup Landing Pad initiative. Councillor B. Ioannidis declared pecuniary interest as he owns property within the Downtown Area which might be affected by this program. Accordingly, he did not vote or participate in any discussion related to this matter. Mr. T. Ryan gave a presentation highlighting the Startup Landing Pad Program which is a program within the Downtown Community Improvement Plan (CIP) Project Area. He stated that the program is designed to facilitate the rehabilitation of underutilized and vacant upper storey commercial space focused on leveraging clusters of successful post-incubation technology-based companies in the downtown core. He explained that property owners can apply for funding up to $20,000. for leasehold improvements per floor; or, up to $40,000. for common area accessibility improvements per building. He indicated that the terms for the program require an allocation from the City of Kitchener of up to $1M to support an interior leasehold improvements grant program. He reviewed the terms of the program as outlined in the Report. Mr. C. Bluhm responded to questions that the program will expire in December 2019; and explained that a term of five years provides property owners with sufficient time to complete complex renovations. Councillor Y. Fernandes suggested that a review of the program should take place in three years to monitor the success and uptake, prior to the program’s expiry. On motion Councillor S. Davey moved the recommendation within Report CAO-14-011 with an additional clause directing staff to provide an update in 2017. Carried The following motion was then voted on and was on arecorded vote, with Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors K. Galloway-Sealock, P. Singh, Y. Fernandes, F. Etherington, D. Glenn- Graham, B. Vrbanovic and S. Davey voting in favour and Councillors J. Gazzola and Z. Janecki and voting in opposition. On motion by Councillor S. Davey - it was resolved: “That approval of the Startup Landing Pad Program, as shown in the attached appendices of Chief Administrator’s Office report CAO-14-011, be referred to a subsequent Council meeting after such time as the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has completed their pre-consultation review; and further, That staff be directed to provide an update on the Startup Landing Pad Program in 2017.” PLANNING & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES COMMITTEE MINUTES FEBRUARY 24, 2014 -6- CITY OF KITCHENER ADJOURNMENT 3. On motion, this meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m. D. Livingstone Committee Administrator