HomeMy WebLinkAboutEcon Dev Adv Comm - 2004-01-21ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
January 21,2004
11:30 am - 1:30 p.m.
Conestoga Room - City Hall
Attendance:
Staff:
Peter Benninger
Lawrence Bingeman
Edward Brooker
Howie Budd
Robert Denton
Jane Jantzi
Henrik Noesgaard
Jeff Fielding
George Borovilos
Kathy Bissell
Rob Morgan
Patricia Bacon
Mark Paleczny
Hans Pottkamper
Glen Woolner
Mayor Carl Zehr
Councillor Christina Weylie
Councillor John Smola
Carla Ladd
Janette MacDonald
Larry Masseo
Jeff Willmer
Terry Boutilier
Regrets: Scott Baird Shawky Fahel
Manfred Conrad Peter Cook
1. Introductions - Committee Members/City Staff
EDAC members and city staff introduced themselves. The four newest members are
Edward Brooker from Conestoga College, Robert Denton from TD Canada Trust, Mark
Paleczny -independent consultant and representing DAC, Glen Woolner.
2. Approval of Minutes of November 26, 2003
Minutes of November 26, 2003 were approved as written.
Moved by Hans Pottkamper
Seconded by Peter Benninger
Carried
3. Appointment of Co-Chair
Nominations for co-chair were open to the floor with Hans Pottkamper being
nominated. No other nominations were presented. The committee voted and Hans
has accepted to become the new co-chair.
4. Meeting Dates
The committee agreed with the dates presented. The EDAC meetings will be on the
fourth Wednesday of every month. August and December the meetings will be on the
third Wednesday of the month.
City's Funding Challenge - Employment Lands
a) Downtown
b) West Side
c) Airport (East Side)
Hans Pottkamper reported that there is very little land left in Huron Business Park. He
also indicated that there exists a funding challenge to develop lands to the west. The
committee had a lengthy discussion regarding the challenges facing the City in
developing the West Side for industrial purposes.
It was noted that the Airport (East Side) is a long-term goal with a projected forecast of
a minimum of ten years to develop. Participation by the City would have to ensure the
equitable distribution of assessment by the three partners - City (20%) the Region
(30%) and Education (50%).
Downtown - The Kitchener Downtown Business Association (KDBA) approached the
EDAC committee requesting the committee to discuss and provide an opinion
regarding the relocation of the Wilfred Laurier University Faculty of Social Work to the
former St. Jerome's College building. After some discussion, the Committee is
supported in the relocation of the educational facility as a positive move in the City's
revitalization efforts for Downtown. However, as the committee is not privy to all of the
financial details of the transaction they cannot provide specific support for the total
expenditures.
Moved by Peter Benninger
Seconded by Glen Woolner
Carried
The matter of the KPL was also discussed - It was indicated that the Kitchener Public
Library is undersized. Studies have proven that when a library is relocated into a larger
building to allow growth, the attendance will also double. Again the City is faced with
the dilemma of requiring additional capital funds to finance this opportunity.
6. The Edge - Next Steps
Jeff Willmer and Terry Boutilier provided the committee with booklets titled "EDGE
Encouraging Development for Growth Efficiency". Jeff identified on a map what is
classified as the Inner City area and the Outer City area. He went on to give a brief
EDAC Minutes
January 21, 2004
history of the development over the past few years. Terry highlighted the downtown
incentives, the brownfields concerns and the heritage resources within the Inner City.
The Development Charges by-law comes up for renewal in June 2004. Several
questions were raised concerning if the by-law should stay the same or if it needs
revising to support the direction of future incentives. After some discussion the
committee agreed that this issue needs further study prior to any changes to the by-law
and requested that it come back to the committee in September. Jeff reported that this
will be presented to the Corporate Management Team, the homebuilders, the D.T.S.
committee and then to Council. In the end Council will make the final decision.
Meeting adjoined at 1:50 p.m.
Moved by: Jane Jantzi
Seconded by: Glen Woolner
Carried
Edwina Weiss, Recording Secretary
Economic Development Advisory Committee
Next Meeting: February 25, 2004
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Conestoga Room, Kitchener City Hall
EDAC Minutes
January 21, 2004