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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - 1992-09-21 SCOUNCIL\1992-09-21-SPE COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 21, 1992 The Council of the Corporation of the City of Kitchener met this date in special session with all members present. Notice of the meeting had previously been given by the City Clerk, pursuant to Chapter 25 of the Municipal Code. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the Strategic Plan for the Environment in accordance with City Council's July 13, 1992 resolution to discuss the plan and its budget implications on each City department. Also invited to participate in the meeting, were the lay members of the Environmental Committee. Mayor D.V. Cardillo advised that the first matter to be dealt with was the report of the Environmental Committee of this date dealing with the appointment of Mr. Dennis Hilker to fill the vacancy on the Committee created as a result of a resignation. Moved by Alderman C. Weylie Seconded by Alderman M. Yantzi That the report of the Environmental Committee of Council of this date be adopted. Carried. Alderman C. Weylie introduced the lay members of the Environmental Committee to City Council: Dr. James Kay, Mr. Steve Cook, Mr. John Maine and Mr. Dennis Hilker. Alderman Weylie then presented a brief overview of the City's environmental initiative. She noted that it began on January 15, 1990 when City Council undertook a commitment to prepare an Environmental Policy covering the City's corporate operations. This was followed by establishment of the Environmental Committee with appointed citizen lay members. She commented on the initial work of the Committee and subsequent public meetings that were held on each environmental topic comprising the Strategic Plan and the valuable public input that had been received, discussed and utilized in the formulation of the Strategic Plan. Alderman Weylie advised that Mr. Jeb Brugmann, Secretary General and Ms. Claudia Marcondes, Deputy Director of Membership Services, representing the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), were in attendance to support the plan developed by the Environmental Committee. She listed Mr. Brugmann's education, work experiences and accomplishments relative to environmental matters and indicated that he had been invited to address City Council. Mr. J. Brugmann pointed out that at the 1990 World Congress of the International Union of Local Authorities (I.U.L.A.), the City of Kitchener had participated in the founding of ICLEI which came out of efforts by the United Nations to develop a "Voice" for local governments worldwide to be heard with respect to environmental matters being considered by international bodies. Mr. Brugmann noted that there was an inherent self-interest on the part of municipalities to promote environmental awareness and that the environmental sector was one of the fastest growing sectors in the field of business. He indicated that environmental progress has economic benefits brought about through preventative investments. These investments can increase cash flow by lowering expenses and facilitate moving away from operations based on Crisis Management. He pointed out that the City's Environmental Strategic Plan allows the City to stake out a position on environment-related issues of the City's operations. Mr. Brugmann encouraged the City to participate in the Toronto I.U.L.A. World Congress being held in June, 1993. With respect to the City's Strategic Plan, Mr. Brugmann commented that the Plan was a prudent document that was really a quality of life plan, not just a Plan relating to the environment. He listed measures relating to noise, visible pollution, trees and scenic roads as examples and stated that the Plan represented a caring for the community and not just the views of a special interest group. He applauded the Plan for its inclusion of strong community participation and its effort to visualize how the community would like to develop. He suggested that in future, the Plan could be strengthened more by further increasing community participation and involving representatives of business more actively in the Plan. In summary, Mr. Brugmann stated that he supported the Strategic Plan and invited the City to submit and/or present the Plan to the June, 1993 World Congress of the International Union of Local Authorities. COUNCIL 1VHNIYFES - 501 - SEPTEMBER 21, 1992 In closing, he referred to the "Ontario Energy Collaborative" and advised of details and its purpose and invited the Council to participate. Alderman C. Weylie then outlined highlights of the Strategic Plan along with a slide presentation. She referred to the Mission Statement that was developed and identified the seven main functional areas dealt with in the Plan, being: Water Resources Pollution and Environmental Interference Waste Management Land Resource and Growth Management Energy Systems Natural and Recreational Amenity Areas Resource Consumption Alderman Weylie then commented on the implementation process of the Plan commencing with adoption to bring about formal recognition and funding aspects through to implementation and monitoring. She stated that Council was also being asked to endorse the Plan, confirm the ongoing role of the Environmental Committee and the promotion of public participation and environmental awareness within the community. Alderman Weylie advised that she had been requested to present a draft of the Strategic Plan at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference held recently in Montreal and advised that she would be pleased to give the same presentation to any community groups that were interested. Alderman Weylie then called on the lay representatives of the Environmental Committee to make comments to City Council respecting the Strategic Plan. Mr. D. Hilker stated that he was extremely enthusiastic about the Plan which he had studied over the summer and had found that other people he had shown it to were equally enthusiastic. He pointed out that he has been very impressed with the enthusiasm of committee members and staff for the Plan and that the Plan will have tremendous far-reaching effects over time. Dr. J. Kay, Professor, University of Waterloo, Environment and Resources, commented that the City of Kitchener, has always been a leader in environmental matters. He suggested that in the case of the Strategic Plan, the process is almost as important as the document and predicted that the Plan will come to have as much importance as the Blue Box Program which was developed in Kitchener. Dr. Kay expressed his appreciation to City staff who have been extremely responsive, positive and pro-active in development of the Plan and encouraged members of the public to get involved. Mr. J. Maine, advised that he was also involved in environmental affairs as a Director of the Grand River Watershed Congress. He commented that the Strategic Plan represented a new departure and laid the foundation for a sustainable community. Mr. Maine stated that the Plan was eminently practical, builds on existing strengths, does not require new municipal funding commitments and was possible. He suggested that adoption of the Plan would provide a much needed message of hope for the community whose citizens are more and more willing to participate in bettering their environment which could be achieved by having the municipality play a leading role as a co-ordinator/facilitator. As an example of what citizens can do, he pointed to the 'Environmental Fair' that took place in Victoria Park for a few years through the efforts of two individuals and recommended that the committee and the City could act to facilitate such undertakings. Mr. S. Cook commended the City of Kitchener for its commitment to the Strategic Plan which would provide a strong basis for greater citizen involvement and fostering of community responsibility. In summary, he stated that he looked forward to implementation of the Plan. Before commencing a review of the Strategic Plan with City Council, Alderman C. Weylie asked that they make a number of minor changes to the Plan which she itemized. Alderman G. Lorentz referred to the Natural Areas topic, Priority 5.1 and commented that he had a lot of difficulty with the natural stream channel policies as there seems to be a conflict between the Public Works Department and the Parks & Recreation Department with regard to the matter of streams having concrete bottoms or being left in a state of naturalization. He questioned where the City would draw the line on this matter and if the residents were prepared to accept the naturalization policy. Mr. T. Clancy responded that a few years ago, there was a conflict over channel policy. He pointed out that in the example Alderman Lorentz was referring to, the banks of a channel were previously maintained and that once the City embarked upon a naturalization policy, the adjoining residents were directly COUNCIL M/NIXPES - 502 - SEPTEMBER 21, 1992 affected by the change. He noted that where water channels were left in a naturalized state from Day 1, as abutting subdivisions developed, there has not been any problem as a result of changed expectation on the part of the surrounding community. Mr. Clancy acknowledged that there was a need to develop urban management techniques with regard to water channel policy and that the problem of siltation and buildup must be dealt with. He advised that the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Ministry of the Environment, under present policy, would not allow for the development of concrete channels as they did in the past. Dr. J. Kay commented that a policy to allow channels to remain in a naturalized state was a lot less expensive to maintain than concrete and in addition facilitated ground water recharge. However, he acknowledged that the municipality was on a learning curve with respect to this issue. Alderman B. Stortz referred to the Pollution and Environmental Interference topic, Priority 2.2 that allows for use of more stringent regulations and guidelines than those which exist in current Provincial Environmental Legislation provided the authority exists. He questioned if the committee had ever discussed whether the City should have a policy of discouraging potential polluters from locating in the municipality. Mr. C. Ford advised that the committee did not discuss this as it was considered to be a duplication of efforts presently being made by the banking industry which when acting as financiers were scrutinizing business operations and the long- range impact that the operations of the business might have on the individual property and the community. Alderman B. Stortz questioned if the City had a list of the criteria that the banking industry uses in this regard and Mr. Ford advised that the City did not but would try to obtain it for the information of Council. Alderman M. Yantzi stated that he had concern respecting co-ordination of environmental initiatives between both the City and the Region. Also, he advised that there was an issue dealing with the quality of life that would require a Council resolution to deal with and he asked that staff explore it further. Mr. T. McKay advised that he was in possession of some material on healthy communities which would relate to the subject to which Alderman Yantzi was referring to. Alderman M. Wagner advised that he had previously raised a concern that the committee consider and develop incentives for staff members to utilize alternate forms of transportation. Mr. C. Ford advised that the committee would be dealing with this question after endorsement of the Plan. Alderman M. Wagner raised a concern with respect to the use of what he classifies as weak words throughout the Plan document as to how certain initiatives are to be proceeded with. Further, with respect to the matter of scenic roadways, he advised that most have already been identified and that the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee was in the process of formal identification and preservation. In responding to the concern of Alderman Wagner regarding weak words, Alderman C. Zehr noted that the details of the Strategic Plan would become part of the budget program process and that passing of the document would set the tone which will result in departmental priorities changing to accommodate the initiatives within the document. Alderman T. Galloway stated that he was strongly supportive of the Plan and in particular drew attention to Principle 2 of the Underlining Philosophy which points to the City accepting a leading role but working in collaboration with both public and private interests. He asked that departments remember as part of their budgeting process that the public was available and willing to participate in initiatives, thereby making cost savings possible. Mr. Greg Schiefle, Gore and Storrie Limited, Cambridge, appeared as a delegation representing his firm which he stated was an environmental engineering company that was based in the Region of Waterloo. He expressed support for the Strategic Plan which he said demonstrates a firm commitment on the part of the City for its concern for the environment and that the Strategic Plan put the City in the forefront of municipalities in its consideration of the environment. He stated that he has worked across Ontario and was amazed that how much the rest of the Province was now behind the City of Kitchener and asked that Council fully support the continued function of the Environmental Committee and noted that the work that it has been doing does not overlap with the Regional EAC Committee. Moved by Alderman C. Weylie Seconded by Alderman C. Zehr "That, City Council endorses the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan for the Environment and recommends implementation of the Strategic Plan subject to budget approvals, and further; That, City Council hereby affirms the ongoing role of the Kitchener Environmental Committee to; i) act as an advisory body to City Council or the Appropriate Standing Committee of Council COUNCIL h/HNUTES - 503 - SEPTEMBER 91, 1999 on environmental matters; ii) foster public participation in the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and any other municipal environmental initiatives; and iii) promote environmental awareness amongst the citizens of Kitchener." Carried. On motion, the special Council meeting adjourned and Mayor D.V. Cardillo announced that the regular Council meeting scheduled for this date would convene at 7 p.m. ...................................................................... Mayor Clerk COUNCIL M]NIXPES - 504 - SEPTEMBER 21, 1992 REPORT ADOPTED BY COUNCIL - SEPTEMBER 21, 1992 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE 1. That Mr. Dennis Hilker be appointed to the Environmental Committee for a term to expire November 30, 1992 to fill the vacancy created as a result of the resignation of Mr. Peter Hayes.