HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-15-091 - Snow Disposal Site Public Consultation
REPORT TO: Special Council
DATE OF MEETING: November 2, 2015
SUBMITTED BY: Dan Locke, Interim Director of Operations, 519-741-2600,
ext. 4517
PREPARED BY: Dan Locke, Interim Director of Operations, 519-741-2600,
ext.4517
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: October 15, 2015
REPORT NO.: INS-15-091
SUBJECT:Snow Disposal Site Public Consultation
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RECOMMENDATION:
That council approve the previous report’s recommendation (report INS-15-044).
“That funding of $1,900,000 be allocated from the Development Charge Recovery
reserve fund through the 2016 budget process to provide for the design and
implementation of a Snow Disposal Site at 1585 Battler Road.”
BACKGROUND:
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At the Community & Infrastructure Services Committee meeting of September 21, staff
brought forward report INS-15-044 regarding the funding, design and implementation of
a snow disposal site at 1585 Battler Yard.
After consideration and discussion of the report, the following motion was passed.
“That consideration of the following recommendation, be deferred until a meeting
prior to November 3, 2015 to allow for the completion of public consultation with
residents located within less than 0.5 kilometers informing them of the scope and
impacts of the proposed snow disposal site:
“That funding of $1,900,000. be allocated from the Development Charge Recovery
reserve fund through the 2016 budget process to provide for the design and
implementation of a snow disposal site at 1585 Battler Road, as outlined in
Infrastructure Services Department report INS-15-044; and further,”
That staff be directed to investigate and provide additional information prior to
the 2016 Capital Budget deliberations regarding the following:
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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Decreasing the size of the proposed melting pad at the Battler Road site, along
with a contingency plan for harsh winters to use other sites for overflow
storage;
The potential use of a Region of Waterloo landfill facility as a potential snow
disposal site; and,
Implementing a possible two-site solution, with a cost benefit analysis of both
options.”
Staff have worked to bring this report back to council to address the concerns identified
within the motion.
REPORT:
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Staff held a public information centre (PIC) on October 20 at Lions Arena to share
information with and answer questions from members of the public, including those who
own property near Battler Yard. Staff and MTE consultants provided details regarding
the proposed Snow Storage Development Facility (SSDF) study and answered
questions about the project and addressed participants concerns regarding the possible
impact on the surrounding area.
The information presented at the PIC focused on the following:
why a snow disposal site is required,
when the city needs to load snow,
what the consequences would be if the city chooses not to move ahead with the plan
to develop Battler Yard as a snow disposal site,
how and why Battler Yards site was selected for the new snow disposal site,
review of existing conditions at Battler Yard (i.e. zoning, bulk materials storage, no
noise attenuation, landscaping or melt water treatment),
presenting a site rendering of proposed SSDF at Battler Yard (i.e. berms, noise wall,
landscaping and snow pile),
proposed haul route to the site,
the studies that have been done to assess the environmental impact on the
Strasburg Creek,
the work that needs to be done on this site to make it acceptable as a snow disposal
site.
Appendix C in the MTE report provides a summary of all communications provided to
the public, including the presentation slides, boards, handouts, mailings, etc. Appendix
D provides a copy of the questions, issues and concerns that were raised by the
participants at the PIC including comments that staff have received by mail and email.
The key messages that were heard from the residents who attended the PIC and/or
provided comment sheets were noise, traffic, flooding, chloride impacts, general
environmental impacts, lighting, litter and property values. These impacts are identified
in the attached MTE report.
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The potential use of the Region of Waterloo Landfill Facility has been investigated and
is not a viable solution; correspondence with the Region regarding this issue is included
in Appendix B of the MTE report.
A cost analysis of the one site (with a smaller melt pad) versus a two site model is
provided in Section 8.0 of the MTE report. The results of the cost analysis indicate that
the one site model is the most cost effective solution from both and operation and
capital cost perspective. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the additional
expenditure approximately $540,000) to develop the entire melt pad area (i.e. 1.9 ha) at
the Battler Road site is the most cost effective method of dealing with contingency
planning for harsh winters.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority: Effective & Efficient City Services.
Strategy: 5.2 - Improve the design and delivery of city services so that they provide what
citizens want in the most reliable, convenient and cost efficient way.
Strategic Action: #91- Snow Disposal Site
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
In report INS-15-044, staff had recommended that funding of $1,900,000 be allocated
from the development charge recovery reserve fund through the 2016 budget process
to provide for the design and implementation of a snow disposal site.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM - This report has been posted on the City’s website with the agenda in
advance of the council / committee meeting.
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CONSULT and COLLABORATE – At the public information centre held on October 20
participants had the opportunity to raise questions and concerns regarding the snow
disposal site project and the possible impact on their neighbourhood.
In advance of the public information centre, a letter regarding the public information
centre was mailed to the residents living within a 0.5 km radius of the proposed snow
disposal site (1595 Battler Yard). The letter included a list of frequently asked questions
regarding the proposed snow storage disposal facility and also a questionnaire for
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residents to complete and submit by Oct 23 so that the responses could be included in
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the November 2 report to Council.
PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER:
Report INS-15-044, Snow Disposal Site Selection Report is the initial report that was
taken to Council on September 21, 2015. At that meeting, a motion was made to defer
consideration of the recommendation as outlined within the report to allow for the
completion of a public consultation with residents.
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CONCLUSION:
The concerns that were identified in the council motion from September
21, 2015 have been addressed within the MTE report attached.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Dev Tyagi, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure Services Department
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