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CIS Agenda - 2019-09-30
Community &Infrastructure Services Committee Agenda Monday,September 30, 2019 10:00a.m. –12:00 p.m. Office of the City Clerk Council Chamber Kitchener City Hall nd 200 King St.W. -2Floor Kitchener ON N2G 4G7 Page 1Chair -Councillor K. Galloway-SealockVice-Chair -Councillor D. Schnider Consent Items The following matters are considered not to require debate and should be approved by one motion in accordance with the recommendation contained in each staff report. A majority vote is required to discuss any report listed as under this section. 1.DSD-19-184-On-Street Parking Regulations –Duchess Avenue & Marina Road 2.DSD-19-205-On-Street Parking Regulations –Lansdowne Avenue West 3.DSD-19-229-Renaming of a Street -From Chapel Hill Crescent to Chapel Hill Drive 4.INS-19-016-One-year Extension of Agreementwith Region of Waterloo for Summer and Winter Maintenance Delegations Pursuant to Council’s Procedural By-law, delegations are permitted to address the Committee for a maximum of five (5)minutes. Information Item -Kate Daley, Region of Waterloo Discussion Items 5.CSD-19-027-Overnight Parking Exemptions(30min) 6.CSD-19-029-On-Demand Multi-Language Interpretation Support(30min) 7.DSD-19-226-Fence andSign By-law Variance ProcessReview(30min) Information Items DSD-19-231–Waterloo Region Community Climate Adaptation Plan Unfinished Business List Dianna Saunderson Committee Administrator ** Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. If you require assistance to take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 ** REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:September30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services 519-741-2200 ext. 7738 PREPARED BY:Eric Bentzen-Bilkvist, Traffic Technologist, (519) 741-2200 x7372 WARD (S) INVOLVED:Ward 8 nd DATE OF REPORT:July 22, 2019 REPORT NO.:DSD-19-184 SUBJECT:On-Street Parking Regulations – Duchess Avenue & Marina Road ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATIONS: That parking be prohibited on the west (even-numbered)side of Duchess Avenue from Dunbar Road to Marina Road; and further, That parking be reinstated on the east (odd-numbered) side of Duchess Avenue all year round from Dunbar Road to Marina Road; and further, That parking be prohibited on the south (odd-numbered) side of Marina Road from Glasgow Street to a point 88 metres east thereof; and further, That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly. BACKGROUND: Duchess Avenue and Marina Road are local roadways with primarily residential land use. Transportation Services received a request to review the existing parking regulations along the roadway of Duchess Avenue and Marina Road. The request cited concerns regarding functionality of the roadwaywith parking on both sides. Currently, on-street parking on the east side of Duchess Avenue is prohibited between January stst 1to March 31and the west side has no parking prohibitions. There are no on-street parking prohibitions onMarina Road between Glasgow Street and Duchess Avenue. Parking onboth streets is permittedfor a maximum period of three (3) consecutive hours,asoutlined in the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic By-law No. 2007-138. REPORT: Transportation Services received a request to review the existing on-street parking regulations of Duchess Avenue and Marina Road. The review observed that the effective roadwidth of both Duchess Avenue and Marina Road were too narrow to accommodate two-way traffic as well as on-street parkingon both sides.The proposed change willensure adequate roadway width for emergency vehicle access, snow and wasteremoval operations. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 1 - 1 Based on the observations, Transportation Services is recommending that the current on-street parking regulations on Duchess Avenue be amended to reinstate year round parking on the east side of Duchess Avenue and prohibit parking throughout the year on the westside. It is also recommended thatparking be prohibited on the southside of Marina Road from Glasgow Street to a point 88 metres east thereof. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The approximate cost for implementing and removing the ‘No Parking’ signagealong Duchess Avenue and Marina Roadis $1400and will be taken from the existing sign maintenance budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONSULT – Directly affected residents were notifiedregarding this proposed parking regulation change in August 2019. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager Development Services Department Attached: Appendix A – Key Map – Duchess Avenue and Marina RoadProposed On-Street Parking Regulations *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 1 - 2 Key Map Duchess Avenue and Marina RoadProposed On-Street Parking Regulations Legend: Existing ‘No Parking January 1 – March 31’ (proposed to be removed) Proposed ‘No Parking Anytime’ Properties Notified *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 1 - 3 REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:September30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services 519-741-2200 ext. 7738 PREPARED BY:Eric Bentzen-Bilkvist, Traffic Technologist, (519) 741-2200 x7372 WARD (S) INVOLVED:Ward 9 th DATE OF REPORT:August 19, 2019 REPORT NO.:DSD-19-205 SUBJECT:On-Street Parking Regulations – Lansdowne Avenue West ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATIONS: That parking be prohibited on bothsides of Lansdowne Avenue West from Wentworth Avenue to the end of Lansdowne Avenue West; and further, That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly. BACKGROUND: Lansdowne Avenue Westis a local roadwaywith primarily residential land use. Transportation Services received a request to review the existing parking regulations along the roadway of Lansdowne Avenue West. The request cited concerns regarding functionality of the roadway with parking on both sides. Currently, on-street parking on the west side of Lansdowne Avenue W is prohibited from Wentworth Avenue to a point 13 metres south thereof.There are no on-street parking prohibitions on the east side of Lansdowne Avenue West. Parking on Lansdowne Avenue West is permitted for a maximum period of three (3) consecutive hours, as outlined in the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic By-law No. 2007-138. REPORT: Transportation Services received a request to review the existing on-street parking regulations of Lansdowne Avenue West. The review observed that the effective road width of Lansdowne Avenue West is too narrow to accommodate two-way traffic as well as on-street parkingon both sides.The proposed change willensure adequate roadway width for emergency vehicle access, snow and wasteremoval operations. Based on the observations, Transportation Services is recommending that the current on-street parking regulations on Lansdowne Avenue Westbe amended to prohibit parking on both sides of the street. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 2 - 1 ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The approximate cost for implementing and removing the ‘No Parking’ signagealong Lansdowne Avenue Westis $500and will be taken from the existing sign maintenance budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONSULT – Directly affected residents were notifiedregarding this proposed parking regulation change in August 2019. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager Development Services Department Attached: Appendix A – Key Map – Lansdowne Avenue WestProposed On-Street Parking Regulations *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 2 - 2 Key Map Lansdowne Avenue West proposed On-Street Parking Regulations Legend: Existing ‘No Parking Anytime’ Proposed ‘No Parking Anytime’ Properties Notified *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 2 - 3 REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure ServicesCommittee DATE OF MEETING: September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Alain Pinard, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7319 PREPARED BY:Juliane vonWesterholt, Senior Planner,519-741-2200 ext. 7157 WARD(S) INVOLVED:Ward 4 DATE OF REPORT:September0, 2019 DSD-19-229 REPORT NO.: RENAMING OFA STREET SUBJECT: From Chapel Hill Crescent to Chapel HillDrive *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 3 - 1 RECOMMENDATION: That staff proceed with the preparation and registration of a by-law to rename in its entirety theportion of the street shown as “Chapel Hill Crescent” and legally described as (Chapel Hill Crescent, PLAN 58M-627)located at the intersection with Robert Ferrie Drivein the Doon South Communityto “Chapel Hill Drive”. CKGROUND: BA Plans of subdivision in the Doon South Community were draft approved in 2007 and were registered in 2010. To date building permits for Registered Plan 58M-627 have not been issued. It has come to the attention of staff that the above noted registered plan was registered containing a street name “Chapel Hill Crescent” which does not match the balance of the street in the subdivision plan to the north shown as “Chapel Hill Drive” on Registered Plan 58M-627. As this would create possible confusion for emergency services, mail staff and visitors to the area, staff is recommending that this portion of the street be renamed prior to building permits being issued. REPORT: In accordance with CouncilPublic Notice Policy I-287 and Street Naming Policy I-1147 notice of the proposed street name change will not be required prior to the passing of the by-law as there are no residents currently residing on Chapel Hill Crescent.Staff proposesthat this portion of the roadlegally described as(Chapel Hill Crescent, PLAN 58M-627) be renamed from “Chapel Hill Crescent” to “Chapel Hill Drive” in order to align with the balance of the street in the 58M-630 Plan to the north. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Staff circulated the Region of Waterloo, Transportation Servicesand the Fire Department on the potential street name.No concerns were identified and copies of the comments received are attached as Appendix “A”. Staff recommends proceeding with preparingand registeringa by-law to renamethis portion of the street shown as “Chapel Hill Crescent”at the intersection with Robert Ferrie Drivein the Doon South Community to “Chapel Hill Drive”. IGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: AL The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Costs associated with the renaming of “Chapel Hill Crescent”includesland registry office search and registration charges, and fees for resigning of the streets(if required). All costs associated with the name change includingthe land registry office search and registration charges related to the by-law, estimated at approximately $100.00, will be borne by the City. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The proposed street renaming will not affect property ownersas there areno residents currently residing along “Chapel Hill Crescent”and therefore in accordance with the Council Public Notice Policy I-287 no property owners were circulated. 3 - 2 CONCLUSION: Based on the foregoing, the proposed street renaming scheme will help to eliminate addressing confusion for emergency services, mail delivery personnel, residents and visitors to the area. REVIEWED BY: Della Ross, Manager of Development Review ACKNOWLEDGED BY:Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Appendix A – Department and Agency Comments 3 - 3 3 - 4 3 - 5 3 - 6 REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Roslyn Lusk, Director – Operations, Roads & Traffic,(519) 741-2600 x4599and Niall Lobley, Director Parks & Cemeteries, (519) 741-2600 X4518 PREPARED BY:Roslyn Lusk, Director – Operations, Roads & Traffic (519)741-2600 x4599 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All Wards DATE OF REPORT:September 18, 2019 REPORT NO.:INS-19-016 SUBJECT:One- year Extension of Agreement with Region to provide summer and winter maintenance __________________________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute a one-year extension, subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, with the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, for the City of Kitchener to provide summer and winter maintenance services on selected Regional Roads within the City of Kitchener, as outlined in the Infrastructure Services Department report INS-19-016. BACKGROUND: Since the formation ofthe Region of Waterloo in 1973, the City of Kitchener has provided maintenance of Regional roads within the City of Kitchener,viaan agreementwith the Regionthrough which residents benefit from more seamless and efficient service delivery. The establishment of theagreement with the Region is consistent with practices employed by the cities of Cambridge and Waterloo. The term of the current agreementbetween Kitchener andthe Region runs from January 1, 2014 until December 31, 2019; as agreed to by Council per staff report INS-14- 019 dated September 8, 2014. REPORT: The rationalefor City forcesto continue to provide cores services on Regional roadsthrough anagreementwith the Regionhas been long standing.As such, staff have been workingwiththe Region and area municipalities to establish a new agreement to be in place beyond December 2019. Staff havemet on a number of occasions with staff from the Region and other area municipalities to discuss the development of a new agreement. While each municipality enters into a separate agreement with the Region, the basis of the agreement remains virtually identical, with each individual municipality establishing unit rates to provide specific maintenance activities on the Regional roadslying within their respective boundaries. Maintenance activities included in the existing agreement are: Road patrol Summer maintenance including; o surface asphalt maintenance, o shoulder maintenance, o street sweeping, o spring cleanup (litter pick up), and o right of way drainage including catch basin and manhole maintenance Leaf pickup and disposal *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 4 - 1 Winter snow and ice control Emergency response (e.g. accidents, washouts, spills, trees, debris, etc.) Preventative maintenance agreed to by the Region. The Region has experienced significant change throughout the duration of the existing 5-year agreement. Construction of the ION was commencing just as the current agreement took effect; and ridership commenced in July 2019. The ownership of the roads on which the ION travels are now regionaland form part of the agreement. City crews have yet to experience providing a full year of maintenance along the ION route. In addition, increased focus on providing active transportation options within the Region has been made through the duration of the existing agreement. Many new and different types of active transportation routes (i.e., on-road cycling infrastructure, separated cycling infrastructure, additional sidewalks, multi use trails, etc.) are located within the Region. In 2018, the Province of Ontario passed new legislation (O.Reg 239 – Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways) requiring municipalities to provide year-round maintenance of these types of facilities; to raise the level of maintenance to that historically reserved for roads. In many cases, city crews have not yet experienced providing year round maintenance on the new active transportation infrastructure. All parties agree that a 1-year extension of the existing agreement dated, January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019, is the most reasonable approach forward. The 1-year extension will allow time for each of the area municipalities to monitor the costs to maintain the new infrastructure, allowing to better inform the unit rates to be established in a future multi-year agreement with the Region.In addition, it allows time to explore additional opportunities of maintenance activities that are not currently included within the maintenance agreementthat could result in greater effectiveness andefficiency of service delivery for residents. Negotiations will continue to alter the work tasks, unit rates and infrastructure to be included in the future agreement. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The PO value for 2019 Regional summer and winter maintenance activities is $2,611,789. This amount increases annually by inflation and by any additional lane km in accordance with the terms and conditions in the agreement. Payment for summer activities is based on a fixed monthly amount whereas winter maintenance billings are based on cost recovery. If actual winter costs exceed the winter PO amount the City of Kitchener must absorb the first 5% of the overage. Anything over and above this amount isreimbursed by the Region as per the terms and conditions in the agreement. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report isposted on the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: Staff Report INS-14- 019 dated September 8, 2014. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services 4 - 2 REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Gloria MacNeil, Director of Bylaw Enforcement (519-741-2200 ext. 7952) PREPARED BY:Helena Foulds, Project Manager, Corporate Customer Service (519-741-2200 ext. 7193) WARD (S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:September 20, 2019 REPORT NO.:CSD-19-027 SUBJECT:Overnight Parking Exemptions ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That staff bedirected to proceed withan online system to request, issue and track overnight parking exemptions. BACKGROUND: TheCorporate Customer Service Review was completedin 2018and received input from more than 1,700 staff and 3,500 citizens. In March 2019, staff presented the recommendations to Council including a specific recommendation to provide overnight parking exemptions (CSD-19- 002). During the review residents reported, “the services I want are not available online” as the second most frequent source of frustration when accessing City services. To address the concerns raisedby customers’ during the service review, staff recommend implementing an online solution to request, track and issue parking exemptionsbeginning December1, 2019.Council made a previous commitment to delivera formalized parking exemption process, which would include online reporting. Staff suggest implementing overnight parking exemptions duringwinter months before introducing other types of exemptions. Other parking by-laws will be moved to the online process at a later date. RE PORT: The demand for additional overnight parkingcontinues to increase. Bylaw enforcement reported a 17% increase in overnight parking ticketsissued between December 1 and March 31from 2017 to 2018. Staff suspect the number of overnight parking infractions to increase again in 2019 as a significantnumber of tickets are typically issued in December. Table 1: Number of Overnight Parking Infractions 201920182017 Number of overnight parking 7,811 11,1159,221 *Does not include December infractions (Dec. 1 toMarch 31) *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 5 - 1 The increasing number of parking infractions as well as feedback received during the Customer Service Review demonstrate the need for an overnight parking exemption process. Further, overnight parking exemptions are available year-round in similar-sized Ontario municipalities. Kitchener does not enforce the overnight parking bylaw between April 1 and November 30; and therefore, requires fewer exemptions per year than other cities. Thechart below outlines several cities and their parking exemption policies. Table 2: Overnight Parking Exemption Policies for Ontario Municipalities City of Waterloo15 exemptions/year/licence plate Exemptions are void during snow event City of Guelph12 exemptions/year/licence plate Requests available for a maximum of 2 vehicles City of Burlington15 exemptions/year/licence plate Exemptions are void during snow clearing or road maintenance City of HamiltonOn street, overnight parking is permitted year round, unless restriction is posted. Parking is unrestricted where there are no signs. Proposed Solution The City of Kitchener does not restrict overnight parking between April 1 and November 30; and therefore, only requires overnight parking exemptions four months of the year (December, January, February and March). To maintain consistency with the City of Waterloo and other nearby municipalities, staff recommend allowing 1.25 exemptions per month, resulting in five exemptions over four months. Overnight parking exemptions will need to be registered by 2 a.m.In order to qualify for a parking exemption, vehicles arerequired to be legally parkedin a designated parking area. Illegally parked vehicles with a valid exemption will be ticketed. In the case of a Snow Event, all overnight parking exemptions will be cancelled. All vehicles parkedon the street during a Snow Event will be issued a ticket. Residents with an authorized parking exemption will be notifiedwhen a Snow Event is declared and asked to move their vehicle. The void exemption will not count towards one of the five available exemptions per licence plate ensuring residents do not lose an exemption when a Snow Event is declared. To ensure the best customer experience, staff recommend implementing an online solution called ‘Visitor’s Pass’, which would allow residents to submit a parking exemption request online. The software also provides real-time updates allowing by-law enforcement officers to check if an exemption has been granted before issuing a ticket. Further, this solution can be customized for multiple types of parking exemptions allowing the City to expandparkingexemptionoptions in the future. Visitor’s Pass is an online module provided by GTechna, a software company specializingin parking enforcement. The City of Kitchener currently uses GTechna’s Parking Enforcement 5 - 2 application to issue parking tickets. Staff explored all available solutions, and GTechna’s Vistor’s Pass proved to be the quickest and most cost effective solution, thereforebased on previous experience with GTechna, and a thorough assessment of Visitor Pass’ functionality, staff believe this is the best solution to implement online parking exemptions. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports thepriorities of the Effective and Efficient City Services section of the City’s strategicplan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Theone-time development fee for theonline parking exemption module will be funded from the Community Services Administrativecapital accountin 2019.The annual software maintenance fees of $2,700 per year will be built into Bylaw Enforcement’soperatingbudget through the 2020 budget process. Project Expenditures Visitor’s Pass online module $15,000 Annual software maintenance$2,700 It is anticipated that providing parkingexemptions willnegativelyimpact parking ticket revenue. Staff have reviewed ticket counts and fine revenue received in relation to overnight parking, however it is difficult to gauge how many residents will use the overnight parking exemption process. Staff will monitor the impact on revenue over the next couple of winter seasonsand will report back to Council should this have a significant negative impact on the budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: More than 5,000 citizens and staffprovided feedback during the 2018 Customer Service review, offeringvaluable insightson both the successful and the frustrating aspects of the customer experience. During public consultation, when residents were asked why they experiencefrustration when accessing City services, the second most frequently cited source was ‘The services I want are not online.’ (CSD-19-002). Staff received an overwhelming response about the need to improve and offer additional e-services and online parking exemptions can be a step in that direction. The information collected during the 2018 Customer Service Review demonstrates the need for improving parking e-services, including online overnight parking exemptions. INFORM – This report has been postedto the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting.A public awareness campaign will take place throughout the winter months to educate and promote the new overnight parking exemption by-law. CONSULT –There is no additional public consultation planned for overnight parking exemptions due to previous consultation completed through the Customer Service Review. 5 - 3 PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: April 8, 2013INS-13-028 General Parking Regulations Review April 7, 2014 CSD-14-017 Three-Hour Parking By-Law Review of Pilot March 4, 2019 CSD-19-002 Corporate Customer Service Review ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Community Services 5 - 4 REPORT TO: CommunityandInfrastructureServicesCommittee DATE OF MEETING:September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Jana Miller, Director, Corporate Customer Service, 519-741-2200 x 7231 PREPARED BY:Jana Miller, Director, Corporate Customer Service WARD (S) INVOLVED:AllWards DATE OF REPORT: September 3, 2019 REPORT NO.:CSD-19-029 SUBJECT:On-Demand Multi-Language Interpretation Support _____________________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the proposal for on-demand multi-language interpretation support at a total cost of $101,700 ($81,700 operating/$20,000 capital) be referred tothe 2020 budget processfor consideration. BACKGROUND: In March 2019, City Council received the results of a comprehensive Customer Service Review, which included input from 3,500members of the community and 1,700staff members. One of the 15 recommendations included in that review was to provide on-demand multi-language interpretation support to residents. Additionally, providing on-demand support for customer service requests inmany languages by 2020 is one of five strategic actions identified under the ‘Great Customer Service” theme within the City’s new Strategic Plan. The introduction of on-demand language interpretation support, for telephone and in-person inquiries, will enable staff across the organization – and in all City facilities – to ensure a more consistent and equitable customer experience for all customers. Through a pay-per-use platform, in less than 30 seconds, staff will be able to connect customers to an interpreter in the language of their choice to assist them in navigating City services and information. Connecting to an interpreter will be possible either on the telephone or, in some locations, face-to-face througha pilot of additional technology. Interpretation services will be available 24-7. RE PORT: Current State: As the city grows, Kitchener’s population continues to become more diverse. For example, according to the 2016 Census: 14% of Kitchener’s population (overall, nearly 32,000 Kitchener residents and 1 in 8 Waterloo Region citizens) reports speaking a language other than English home. Citizens from homes where English is not the first language spoken are more likely to experience language barriers when interacting with the City for services and information. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 1 The top 10languages – other than English – spoken at home in Kitchenerby those who are immigrantsinclude:Spanish, Arabic, Serbian, Romanian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Persian, Punjabi, Portuguese and Polish. Forrecent immigrants arriving in Kitchener, the most common countries of origin are: India, Syria, Iraq, China, Eritrea and the Philippines. Currently, the City’s customers do notreceive consistent, on-demand interpretation support in the language of theirchoice when it is required. Staff report using a range of methods to attempt to provide this support to customers, the most common being: the use of staff interpreters, the use of community members as interpreters, or requiring customers to bringor call in witha family member or friend who caninterpret. These methods often result in frustration anddelays for customers with language barriers because: Staff and community members who speak additional languages are not always available on demand – for example they may be busy or located at another City facility – leaving no option for interpretation support. The City’s service levels for citizens are inconsistent. Having their interactions resolved at first-point-of-contact – the gold standard ofgreat customer service – isn’talways possiblefor customers with language barriers. Customers sometimes go home without service and have to make a return appointment – or a second phone call – to deal with their transaction so that they can ensure that they have an interpreter (a family member or friend) with them. The small number of additional languages spoken by staff no longer meets the diverse language needs of the community today. Staff Engagement To date, there has never been anyformal tracking done ofthe volume ofcustomerrequestsfor language interpretation support during customer interactions.With no formal data availableon request volumes,staff from the Corporate Customer Service Division conducted interviews with staff in 19of the City’s most popular frontline customer serviceareasto determine current need. Service areas participating in interviews included:Bylaw, Pools,The Aud), Fire Dispatch, Kitchener Utilities, Cemeteries, Inclusion Services, Human Resources, Corporate Contact Centre, Office of the Mayor and Council. Interviews werealso conducted with staff that support several City Hall service counters, including: the Information Centre(in the Rotunda), Revenue, Legislated Services, Building, Community Services and Engineering. Results of this staff engagement confirmed the need for interpretation support for customers with language barriers continues to increase. Based on staff feedback, approximately 400 customer interactions per month – across the organization – would benefit from language interpretation support. The sixhighest-volume areas that make up the bulk of the anticipated monthly requests, include: *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 2 Service AreaEstimated Monthly use Community Centres220 requests (Highest volume centres include: Victoria Hills, Chandler-Mowat, Kingsdale, Centreville Chicopee) Bylaw30 requests Inclusion Services30 requests Legislated Services (Clerk’s counter)20 requests Pools20 requests Revenue Counter20 requests Staff have used an estimate of 400 requests monthly to determine the potential cost of providing multi-language interpretation support. The additional request volume – over and above the six highest volume areas – accounts for a small amount of additional requests currently coming through other City service areas. Additionally, it provides room for some growth once a comprehensive public awareness campaign is launched – in the City’s top 10 languages – to ensure that those who require the service are aware of its availability. Recommended Approach In 2020, staff propose introducing on-demand multi-language interpretation support for customers consisting of two components: On-demand telephone conferencing – providing the ability for any staff member in any City facility(including the Corporate Contact Centre)to conference in an interpreter in the language of the customer’s choice (200+ languages) within 30 seconds through a 1-800 number. This can be usedfor both telephone and in-person inquiries and is charged on a per-use, per-minute basis. On-demand “rolling interpreter”pilot – providing the ability, in fivepilot locations with the highest volume of walk-in/in-person requestsfor interpretation, forcustomers to speak face- to-face to an interpreter in the language of their choice. Service will be available within 30 seconds via an “iPad on wheels.”Pilotting the “rolling interpreter”option is intended to enable theCity to standardize service consistency across channels (in this case, offering the same level of support towalk-ins as to callers). Additionally, it will provide flexibility for customers who would prefer to speak to someone face-to-face in their language, orforthose customers who would prefer privacy to speak with staff and an interpreter. These units also provide an additional level of convenience to customers who require American Sign Language. This service is also charged on a per-use basis. A decision about the pilotbeing made permanent – based on data reporting on theusageof the rolling units – would bemade after one year. Toensure residents are aware this new interpretation support is available, staff will develop and implementa comprehensive public awarenesscampaign(print, online and within facilities) – in the City’stop 10 languages – to ensure that customers who would benefit from thissupport know that it is available to them. Additionally, staff will develop an awareness and training plan for City *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 3 staff who will use the service with customers – focusing on onboarding the highest-use areas first. Data regarding the usageof the new interpretation support, as well as customer satisfaction with the servicewill betracked by the Corporate Customer Service teamso thatneeded improvements can be madein the future. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Based on research and staff engagement about current need foron-demandmulti-language interpretation support, the cost of providing this service(including telephone and in-person pilot options) – based on 400 interactions per month – is estimated at $81,700 annually with start-up costs of approximately $20,000 for public awareness activities and set up charges for the rolling interpreter units. This is a pay-per-use service that is charged per minute depending on the length of the call. The City will be charged only when the service is accessed and reporting on usage will be available. There is no minimum annual chargefor the provision of the serviceand there are no additional annual licensing fees. The City will lease rolling interpreter equipment to pilot in five facilities to determine whether it is a viable option to be made permanent and in which locations it is needed most. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council/committee meeting. ENGAGE – More than 5,000 citizens and staff provided input into the Customer Service Review over several months in 2018.Fifteen recommendations emerged from the review, one of them being theintroduction of on-demand multi-language interpretation support for customer requests.Additionally, staff from 16 frontline customer service areas were consulted about the current volume of customer requests requiring interpretation services. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority:Great Customer Service Strategic Action:Provide on-demand support for customer service requests in many languages by 2020. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO Community Services *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 4 REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure ServicesCommittee DATE OF MEETING: September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Alain Pinard, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7319 PREPARED BY:Alain Pinard, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7319 WARD(S) INVOLVED:ALL DATE OF REPORT:September 5, 2019 REPORT NO.: DSD-19-226 SUBJECT:Fence and Sign By-law Variance Process Review RECOMMENDATION: THATthe processand feesfor reviewing and approving variances to the Fence By-law and Sign By-law be revised as outlined in Report DSD-19-226;and THATLegal Services staff be directed to prepare the necessary by-laws to amend Chapter 630, Article 13 of the Municipal Code (Fence By-law) and Chapter 680, Article 26 of the Municipal Code (Sign By-law) to reflect the revised variance processes;and further, THAT Legal Services staff bedirected to prepare the necessary by-laws to amend Chapters 375 and 380 of the Municipal Code to implement the new rates for Fence and Sign By-law variance requests. BACKGROUND: During the 2018 budget deliberations, Council directed Staff to review the fees for processing fence and sign by-law variances. In carrying out this review, it was found that Kitchener’s process for considering such variances is cumbersome and that a fee reduction can be supported if the process is streamlined. As a result, this report recommends a new process for reviewing and approving applications for variances to the fence and sign by-laws. The recommended process is more efficient, less cumbersome to administer, and less onerous and costly for applicants. If implemented, the fees would be reduced. REPORT: Introduction The fence and sign by-laws regulate the location and dimensions of fences and signs on private property. Municipalities have the authority to regulate fences and signs by by-law under the Municipal Act. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 7 - 1 Current Process Kitchener’s current process for considering variancesto the fence and sign by-lawsinvolves many stepsby staff and decision-makers. Each application requires the involvement of the Legislative Services Division, the Planning Division, the Committee of Adjustment and Kitchener City Council. Occasionally other divisions are also involved. For example, the Building Division reviews variance requests for sign types that may have Ontario Building Code implications, and Legal Services is involved in situations where there are property encroachments. In summary, the current processfor variances to both by-lawsis as follows: 1.Fenceand sign variance requests are considered by way of applications to the Committee of Adjustment(COA), which is administered by the Legislative Services Division. 2.Applicationsarereceived by Planning Division staff, checked for completeness and assigned to a file planner for review and preparation of a staff report. At this stage the application is also forwarded to Legislative Services for inclusion on the next COA agenda. Depending on the context, the Planning Division may consult other divisions in the corporation prior to finalizing the report. 3.The report is then considered by the COA, which makes a recommendation to Kitchener City Council. Unlike Planning Act matters where the Committee of Adjustment has an approval role, in the case of fence and sign by-law variances, they function as an advisory body. 4.Notice is given by way of newspaper advertisement and posting on the city’s website. 5.The process takes approximately eightweeks, and during the summer months, the process can take up to 12 weeks depending on the timing of the August Council meetingrelative to the July COA meeting. 6. The 2019 application fee is $1,165. 7.The vast majority of sign and fence by-law variance requests are approved without any concerns or objections. The City of Kitchener typically receives 15-25fence and sign by-law variance requestsper year. The table below summarizes the volume of requests in the last three years. Furthermore, the volume of sign variance requests is expected to decline considerably given recent changes to regulations for fences on corner lots. YearFence VariancesSignVariances 201687 2017318 2018515 Summary of Issues Processing Time The current process takes approximately 8 weeks.Committee of Adjustment applications must be received a minimum of 5 weeks in advance of a meeting, and a final approval is not 7 - 2 obtained until considered by Council the following week or later depending on the meeting schedules. Process is Confusing It is confusing to the many members of the community that the Committee of Adjustment is an approval body for some applications(applicationsunder the Planning Act) and an advisory body for variances to the fence and sign and by-laws under the Municipal Act. It is not typical to involve the Committee of Adjustment in the consideration of sign and fence by- law variancesunless the regulations are embedded in the zoning by-law(not the case in Kitchener), in which case the Committee of Adjustment has an approval role and the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) resolves appeals. Fees Some applicants have complained about the fees, especially for variances to the Fence By-law. While opposition to fees of any kind is not new, a comparison with other municipalities indicates that Kitchener fees are high for fence by-law variances and in the mid-range for sign by-law variances. Analysis Involvement of the Committee of Adjustment, whichincludes advertising notices of all variance applicationsin the newspaper,affects the processing timeline more than any other factor. Involvement of the Committee of Adjustmentalso contributes to operating costs and corresponding fees. There is nostatutory requirementto involve the Committee of Adjustment with fence and sign by-law variance requests, nor to give notice of these applicationsin the newspaper. Processes and procedures vary widely among municipalities. In the case of variances to fence by-laws there are too many variables for a summary in table form. However, based on staff research it would appear that Kitchener is the only municipality that requires fence bylaw variances to be considered by both the Committee of Adjustment and Council, and the only municipality to involve the Committee of Adjustment where fence regulations are not embedded in the Zoning By-law.Several municipalities delegate approval authority to staff if the fence regulations are not embedded in the Zoning By-law. A comparison of fence variance fees is provided below. Fence By-law Variance Fees CityFee ($) Waterloo589 Cambridge375 Guelph826 Kitchener1,165 7 - 3 In the case of Sign By-law variances, Kitchener is the only known Ontario municipality that involvesthe Committee of Adjustment. A summary of processes and fees is provided in the following table. Sign By-law Variances CityAdvisory Approval authorityFee ($)Appeal body body WaterlooNone Sign Variance Committee1,250Council GuelphNoneCommittee of the Whole 1,100COTW / Council CambridgeNoneStaff1,590Council HamiltonNoneDirector of Planning910Council LondonNoneChief Building Official700Hearings Officer MiltonNoneDirector of Planning & Dev.1,877Council BurlingtonNoneAsst. Dir of Planning&Dev.variableCouncil OakvilleNoneDir. of Municipal Enforcement 1588Appeals Committee KitchenerCofACouncil1,165Council Proposed Process and Fees – Fence By-law Variances The Planning Division would administer the process and the Director of Planning or one of the Managers would be delegated authority to approve Fence By-law variances where there are no objections. All abutting property owners would receive written notice of a fence by-law variance request and be invited to express comments. In the case of a variance request for a fence in a street flanking yard, written notice would be given to all owners within 30 metres. If there are objectionsfrom the community, staff would attempt to address the concerns or seek a compromise. If the community concerns cannot be resolved or if staff do not support the requested variance, community members or applicants would have the opportunity to appeal the staff decision before Council. In cases where there are no objections, the process would take approximately 3 weeks. The 2020 fee would be $600for FenceBy-law variances which ismid-range compared to other municipalities. It is proposed that the new process take effect January 1, 2020.The Fence By-law (Municipal Code Chapter 630, Article 13) would have to be amended to reflect the revised variance process. The General Fees By-law would have to be amended to reflect the new rate. New Fee of $600 and New Process would take effect January 1, 2020 7 - 4 Proposed Processand Fees – Sign By-law Variances The Planning Division would administer the process and the Director of Planning or one of the Managers would be delegated authority to approve Sign By-law variances where there are no objections. Planning staff would circulate and receive input from Divisions deemed to have an interest (e.g. Building Division for signs with Ontario Building Code implications,Economic Development for significant signs in the downtown,Transportation Services were there are transportation movement/sightline issues, and Legal Services where there are property encroachments). All property owners within 120 metres would receive written notice of a Sign By-law variance request and be invited to express comments. Notice would also be posted on the city’s website. Planning staff would circulate and receive input from Divisions deemed to have an interest. If there are objectionsfrom the community, staff would attempt to address the concerns or seek a compromise. If the concerns cannot be resolved or if staff do not support the requested variance, community members or applicantswould have the opportunity to appeal the staff decision before Council. In cases where the variance request is deemed minor and there are no objections, the process would take approximately 4 weeks The 2020 fee would be $ 900for Sign By-law variancerequests,which is in the low-to- mid range compared to other municipalities. If in the opinion of the delegated authority, a variance request is deemed worthy of consideration but not minor, the application would be processed as a by-law amendment that would be considered by Council. Council decisions on amendment requests would be final (no further appeals). It is proposed that the new processes take effect January 1, 2020. The SignBy-law (Municipal Code Chapter 680, Article 26) would have to be amended to reflect the revised variance process. The General Fees By-law would have to be amended to reflect the new rate. New Fee of $900 and New Process would take effect January 1, 2020 ALIGNMENT WITH CITYOF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommended process improvementsimplement Section 5.2 of Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, which iscited below: 5.2Improve the design and delivery of city services so that they provide what citizens want inthemost reliable, convenient and cost-efficient way. 7 - 5 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The simplified process would reduce operating costs, which would offset minor revenue losses due to the reduced fees. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM- This report will be posted to the City’swebsite with the agenda in advance of the Committee meeting. Although no additional engagement was undertaken during the review, the proposed changes address feedback received from community members in past years. Staff is certain that the fee and approval time reductions will be well received. REVIEWED BY: Christine Tarling - Director, Legislated Services/CityClerk Jeff Bunn - Manager, Council/CommitteeServices/Deputy City Clerk Janine Oosterveld - Manager of Site Development and Customer Service Della Ross - Manager of Development Review Juliane vonWesterholt, Senior Planner Eric Schneider, Junior Planner Tim Seyler, Junior Planner Sheryl Rice-Menezes, Planning Technician (Zoning) ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman - General Manager, Development Services 7 - 6 REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee th DATE OF MEETING:September 30, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Claire Bennett, Corporate Sustainability Officer, x7322 PREPARED BY:Claire Bennett, Corporate Sustainability Officer, x7322 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All th DATE OF REPORT:September 12, 2019 REPORT NO.:DSD19231 SUBJECT:Waterloo Region Community Climate Adaptation Plan ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: THAT Council receivethe Draft Community Climate Adaptation Plan, completed by the Region of Waterloo,for information. BACKGROUND: ActionPlan was endorsed by Council in April2019 (DSD -2019-094corporate plan includesgoals and actions for climate adaptation to confrontthe effects of climate change on Cityassets, operations, and services that are the direct responsibility of the City.corporate plan, the Region of Waterloo has been developing acommunity-leveladaptation plan, which is the topic of this report. REPORT: The overall goal of the Community Climate Adaptation Plan is to improve the resiliency of Waterloo Region to the impacts of climate change. Theadaptation plan includes community-wideactions that can be carried out by various community stakeholders across Waterloo Region. As alocal municipality, the City of Kitchener will play a key role in helpingimplement the RegionalPlan. The City will participate in working groups and incorporate the recommendations of theplan into the Cityexisting and future strategic plans and projects, where feasible and appropriate. One of the primaryroles of the City will be to continue staff- level involvement in the Community Partners Group an inter-agency working group. As the intent has always been to explore integrated solutions where there is joint interest, capacity, pexisting strategic plans. Appendix A includes theas well as a link to the full plan, which was recently presented to the Regional Planning and Works Committee. ***This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. IF1 - 1 ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority:Environmental Leadership FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: As a community partner, the City will play a role in helping will generally take the form of staff hours through participationin working groups and existing and planned City projects and practices,where feasible and appropriate. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The Region created a stakeholder groupof a variety of stakeholders, whichincluded applicable City of Kitchener representatives;theprimary representative isSteve LaRochelle, Manager: Emergency Management & Business Continuity. INFORM council / committee meeting. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, GM Development Services IF1 - 2 The purpose of the Community Climate Adaptation Plan (CCA Plan)is to continually through increased local adaptive capacity and collaboration among community stakeholders. This document provides a high-level overview of the draft Plan including the following: the key features of the Plan development process; an explanation of the way in which climate change impacts were assessed and prioritized, and the way in which solutions were identified; and highlights of next steps and implementation considerations. For more details on these processes and on the resulting proposed Objectives and Actions, please see the full draft Community Climate Adaptation Plan, posted on the Climate Change and Extreme Weather website. The following list of Objectives and Actions outlines an action plan for the community as a whole to adapt to a changing climate here in Waterloo Region. The list is arranged into the following four impact areas: Health and Community, Built Environment, Natural Environment and Water, and Energy and Economy. Health and Community Ob©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐȀ (¤«¯ µ´«¤± ¡«¤ ¯®¯´« ³¨®² µ®¨£ ®± ±¤£´¢¤ ³§¤ §¤ «³§ȃ±¤« ³¤£ ±¨²ª² ®¥ ¤·³±¤¬¤ ¶¤ ³§¤± £ ³¤¬¯¤± ³´±¤²ȁ Action 1.1: Raise awareness of policies and practices to protect workers from extreme temperatures and weather conditions Action 1.2: Explore opportunities to expand current Cooling and Warming Centre programming Action 1.3: Explore opportunities to offer improved access to cooling and hydration in public spaces and at public events during hot summer months 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Њ IF1 - 3 Action 1.4: Continue ongoing work to provide supportive and affordable housing as a means of reducing climate related impacts Action 1.5: Coordinate local efforts to address excessive indoor temperatures in rental housing Action 1.6: Include mental health considerations as part of emergency preparation and recovery-related information, and in overall climate adaptation messaging registries to guide emergency responders and/or other assistance programs to reduce health impacts in extreme weather events /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΑȀ )¬¯±®µ¤ ³§¤ ¯¤±²® « ¯±¤¯ ±¤£¤²² ®¥ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ ¬¤¬¡¤±² ³® ±¤²¯®£ ³® ¤¬¤±¦¤¢¨¤² Action 2.1: Coordinate public outreach and education on the personal risks and best practices for responding to climate change and extreme weather impacts Action 2.2: Increase the uptake of household emergency kits /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΒȀ %¢®´± ¦¤ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ȃ¡ ²¤£ ¨¨³¨ ³¨µ¤² ³® ¨¬¯±®µ¤ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ ¬¤¬¡¤±²͒ ±¤²¨«¨¤¢¤ ³® ¤·³±¤¬¤ ¶¤ ³§¤± ¤µ¤³² Action 3.1: Continue to update existing municipal and regional emergency preparedness and response plans with increased emphasis on protecting, communicating with and helping vulnerable populations during weather-related emergencies Action 3.2: Establish buddy systems/help-your-neighbour programs to implement during extreme weather events /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΓȀ -®¨³®± £ ¯« ¥®± ³§¤ ¯®³¤³¨ « ¨³±®£´¢³¨® ®¥ ¤¶ µ¤¢³®±² £ µ¤¢³®±ȃ¡®±¤ ¨««¤²²¤² ³® ³§¤ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ Action 4.1: Develop and promote educational tools and resources concerning disease vector recognition and prevention 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Ћ IF1 - 4 Built Environment /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΔȀ )¢®±¯®± ³¤ ¢«¨¬ ³¤ ¢§ ¦¤ ¨³® ¥´³´±¤ « £ ´²¤Ǿ £¤µ¤«®¯¬¤³ £ ¢®²³±´¢³¨®Ǿ £ ¨¬¯±®µ¤ ³§¤ ±¤²¨«¨¤¢¤ ®¥ ¤·¨²³¨¦ ¡´¨«£¨¦² ³® ¢«¨¬ ³¤ȃ ±¤« ³¤£ ±¨²ª²! Action 5.1: Collaborate with local partners on available mapping tools, and share best practices for creating, interpreting and utilizing localized heat- and flood-risk maps to guide adaptation policies and programs Action 5.2: Explore opportunities for increased climate resiliency of new buildings through local adoption of upcoming national or provincial building standards Action 5.3: Seek opportunities to incorporate shade features in new development and on existing properties to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect Action 5.4: Seek opportunities to reduce flood risks by considering Low Impact Development (LID) features, green infrastructure, and building upgrades Action 5.5: Encourage homeowners and landlords to improve the climate resilience of residential buildings through upgrades and/or retrofits Action 5.6: Encourage local businesses and managers of commercial properties to proactively improve the climate resilience of their buildings /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΕȀ )¬¯±®µ¤ ³§¤ «®¦¤µ¨³¸ £ ±¤²¨«¨¤¢¤ ®¥ ¨¥± ²³±´¢³´±¤ ³® ¤·³±¤¬¤ ¶¤ ³§¤± £ ³¤¬¯¤± ³´±¤² Action 6.1: Periodically review materials, design options, and best practices for new climate-resilient infrastructure, and share best practices between municipalities and other key stakeholders across Waterloo Region Action 6.2: Encourage property owners and managers to keep storm drains clear of leaves and other debris to reduce the risk of flooding /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΖȀ 2¤£´¢¤ ³± ²¯®±³ ³¨® £¨²±´¯³¨®² £´¤ ³® ¤·³±¤¬¤ ¶¤ ³§¤± ¤µ¤³² £ ¨¬¯±®µ¤ ² ¥¤³¸ ®¥ ³± µ¤« ® ±® £²Ǿ ²¨£¤¶ «ª² £ ³± ¨«² Action 7.1: Promote safer travel practices, choices and alternatives throughout the region Action 7.2: Explore how traffic flows and communications across municipal boundaries can be enhanced to better facilitate emergency response and business continuity in severe weather events Action 7.3: Improve winter travel conditions for pedestrians 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Ќ IF1 - 5 Natural Environment and Water /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΗȀ %·¯ £ ³§¤ ´²¤ ®¥ ³´± « ¥¤ ³´±¤² £ ¦±¤¤ ¨¥± ²³±´¢³´±¤ ³® ¡¤³³¤± ¬ ¦¤ ²³®±¬ ¶ ³¤± ±´®¥¥ £ £¤¢±¤ ²¤ ¥«®®£ ±¨²ª Action 8.1: Continue seeking opportunities to protect riparian zones, wetlands and other natural areas to help manage storm water and flood risk Action 8.2: Continue seeking opportunities to acquire or dedicate land and natural areas for conservation, and to enhance the management and restoration of existing natural areas /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΘȀ #®²¤±µ¤ £ ¯±®³¤¢³ ²´±¥ ¢¤ ¶ ³¤± £ ¦±®´£¶ ³¤± ±¤²®´±¢¤² ¥±®¬ ´±¡ ±´®¥¥ ¯®««´³¨® Action 9.1: Explore opportunities to improve snow- and ice-clearing response methods to reflect changing weather patterns, and aim to effectively clear roads, parking lots and walking surfaces with less salt Action 9.2: Enable residents and landowners to adopt landscaping practices that improve water infiltration or reduce the need for watering /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΏȀ -®¨³®±Ǿ ¢®®±£¨ ³¤Ǿ ¯« ¥®± £ ¬¨³¨¦ ³¤ ³§¤ ²¯±¤ £ ®¥ ¨µ ²¨µ¤ ²¯¤¢¨¤² ¨ ³§¤ ³´± « ¤µ¨±®¬¤³ Action 10.1: Encourage and support broad community participation in the detection and management of invasive species /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΐȀ -®¨³®±Ǿ ¬ ¨³ ¨ £ ¨¬¯±®µ¤ ³§¤ £¨µ¤±²¨³¸ £ ±¤²¨«¨¤¢¸ ®¥ ´±¡ ³±¤¤² £ ¥®±¤²³² Action 11.1: Work with local partners to explore opportunities for tree planting, tree maintenance, and other strategies to improve tree coverage in urban areas /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΑȀ - ·¨¬¨¹¤ ¤¥¥¤¢³¨µ¤ ´³±¨¤³ ¬ ¦¤¬¤³ £ ±¤³¤³¨® ³® ±¤£´¢¤ ±´®¥¥ ¥±®¬ ¦±¨¢´«³´± « ¯± ¢³¨¢¤² Action 12.1: Continue to support and explore opportunities to enhance or improve the Rural Water Quality Program Action 12.2: Explore opportunities to better understand and share best practices to address agricultural water quality issues and risks 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Ѝ IF1 - 6 Energy and Economy /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΒȀ )¬¯±®µ¤ ³§¤ ±¤²¨«¨¤¢¤ ®¥ ¤¤±¦¸ ¨¥± ²³±´¢³´±¤ ³® ¶¤ ³§¤±ȃ ±¤« ³¤£ £¨²±´¯³¨®² Action 13.1: Explore opportunities and feasibility of decentralized energy generation, storage, and distribution in Waterloo Region Action 13.2: Increase the resilience of electricity distribution infrastructure to extreme weather events through strategic planning and retrofits /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΓȀ % ¡«¤ «®¢ « ®±¦ ¨¹ ³¨®²Ǿ ¡´²¨¤²²¤² £ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ ¬¤¬¡¤±² ³® ¡¤ ¬®±¤ ±¤²¨«¨¤³ ³® ¯®¶¤± ¨³¤±±´¯³¨®² Action 14.1: Encourage critical and important services in the community to have adequate, working backup power /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤ ΐΔȀ %¢®´± ¦¤ «®¢ « ¡´²¨¤²²¤² £ ®³§¤± ®±¦ ¨¹ ³¨®² ³® ¨£¤³¨¥¸ £ ¯« ¥®± ¢«¨¬ ³¤ȃ±¤« ³¤£ ±¨²ª² £ ®¯¯®±³´¨³¨¤² ³§ ³ ¬ ¸ ¥¥¤¢³ ³§¤¨± ¡´²¨¤²² ¢³¨µ¨³¨¤² £ȝ®± °´ «¨³¸ ®¥ ²¤±µ¨¢¤ Action 15.1: Encourage community organizations and businesses to develop their own climate adaptation plans and to include climate adaptation in emergency response plans Action 15.2: Increase the availability and accessibility of climate-related datasets to assist developers, local businesses and other organizations This section outlines the role the Community Climate Adaptation Plan plays in local climate change efforts, and the details of the plan development process. Where the CCA Plan fits in local climate change efforts The Community Climate Adaptation Plan will play a crucial role in the diverse climate change planning happening across Waterloo Region. The Plan focuses on what the community as a whole needs to do to adapt to a changing climate here in Waterloo Region. Many individual stakeholders are completing corporate and organizational climate adaptation planning work to prepare their organizations for climate change, including municipalities While this crucial work must be done to adapt to climate change, additional work continues to mitigate climate change by reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that Waterloo Region produces. Community-level work to mitigate climate change is led by Climate Action Waterloo Region through the Climate Action Plan. Municipalities and 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Ў IF1 - 7 businesses continue to address their GHG emissions through corporate-scope plans and targets. Key features of the Plan development process Three key features are foundational to the development process for this draft Plan: the ICLEI BARC Framework, the community-wide focus, and the Community Partners and community stakeholders. )#,%) "!2# &± ¬¤¶®±ª To complete the climate adaptation planning process, the Region retained ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI Canada) in June 2017 for facilitation and technical support under their Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities program or BARC,a framework developed specifically for municipalities to undertake climate adaptation planning. The Region has completed the first two milestones of the ICLEI BARC framework, and the completion of the Community Climate Adaptation Plan will fulfill Milestone 3. Table 1: ICLEI BARC Adaptation Framework Milestones ICLEI BARC MilestoneOverview of Tasks Identify stakeholders, buildcore 1)Initiateteam, inventory existing actions, gain initial council support Prepare climate projections, identify impacts, conduct 2)Research vulnerability and risk assessments Identify options and Actions,, 3)Plan Develop and launch ActionPlan Solidifysupport from Community 4)ImplementPartners and Council, implement Action Plan Assess new information, review 5)Monitor andReview and revise Action Plan #®¬¬´¨³¸ȃ¶¨£¤ ¥®¢´² Local municipalities, including the Region of Waterloo, are working toward adapting their own operations to address the impacts of climate change. The Community Climate Adaptation Plan aligns with and builds on these efforts, to focus on impacts and risks 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Џ IF1 - 8 that affect people and organizations across Waterloo Region and that must be addressed with participation from across the community. The Region has played a foundational role in facilitating the development of the draft Plan, working to ensure that the perspectivesandadaptation Actions contained in it are community-wide in scope. Participation and leadership from diverse actors across the community informed both the process used to develop the Plan and the Actions that it identifies. #®¬¬´¨³¸ 0 ±³¤±² £ ¢®¬¬´¨³¸ ²³ ª¤§®«£¤±² Due to the community-wide focus of the plan,the Community Partners group served as a guiding force through the key steps involved in assessing the potential problems climate change will create for our community and identifying solutions. Their contributions and expertise were central to the inputs and outputs of all stages of the process. The Community Partners group includes individuals from key public sector, academic, and community organizations. In addition to the focused and continuing work of the formal Community Partners, consultation of and engagement with a broader range of community stakeholders and members of the public has contributed a breadth of perspectives to the process and fostered awareness of diverse priorities. Assessing the problem Potential climate impacts The climate adaptation planning process began with an assessment of the possible impacts of climate change on Waterloo Region,followed by assessments of how vulnerable we are, how likely it is to happen, what consequences it would have. The Community Partners provided their expertise and guidance, and a broader group of community stakeholders and municipal staff were engaged to provide their perspectives, contributing to a multifaceted understanding of vulnerability and risk rse communities. )¬¯ ¢³ ²³ ³¤¬¤³² A selection of 40 impact statements were identified based on local climate projections developed at the University of Waterloo. These impact statements were identified by the Region and representatives from the GRCA and Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, with guidance from ICLEI Canada and validation/revisions by the Community Partners in future planning stages. Impact statements described how the climate projections for Waterloo Region might affect the community, such as extreme precipitation events can lead to road washouts, bridge closures, and 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА А IF1 - 9 6´«¤± ¡¨«¨³¸ ²²¤²²¬¤³ In the vulnerability assessment, each impact statement was assessed to indicate how much the community would be affected by each impact (our local capacity the community would have to address such an impact (our indicate how vulnerable the community would be to the impact. Each impact was scored on sensitivity and adaptive capacity, producing a vulnerability score ranging from V1 to V5. Of the 40 impacts, 36 were selected to continue into the risk assessment, based on higher vulnerability scores and the assessment of local experts. 2¨²ª ²²¤²²¬¤³ For the risk assessment, the 36 impact statements were assessed based on the perceived likelihood and consequences of their occurrence. Likelihood was assessed on a scale of 1 (Rare: unlikely in the next 25 years) to 5 (Almost Certain: could occur several times per year). Consequences were assessed across twelve (12) factors, with ratings from 1 (Negligible consequences) to 5 (Catastrophic consequences). These 12 criteria fall under 3 categories as presented in Table 1. Table 2: Consequence Categories Social FactorsEconomic FactorsEnvironmental Factors Public Health & SafetyProperty DamageAir DisplacementLocal Economy & GrowthSoil & Vegetation Loss of livelihoodCommunity LivabilityWater Cultural AspectsPublic AdministrationEcosystem Function The risk score for each impact was calculated by adding the consequences scores together, and then multiplying by the likelihood score. Each impact was assigned three category-specific risk scores and one overall risk score. The category-specific scores helped to ensure that impacts with high risks in one category but low risks in others would still be captured, even if the overall risk score was lower. Each impact received three risk scores one for each consequence category on a scale out of 100, and a cumulative risk score was assigned for each impact out of 300. 0±¨®±¨³¨¹¨¦ ¨¬¯ ¢³² Impacts were prioritized as a result of the risk scores. Impacts were identified as priority impacts if they received an overall risk score of Medium or higher (123 or more out of 300). This identified 14 priority impacts. 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА Б IF1 - 10 Additional impacts were included if they received a single category score of Medium or higher (41 or more out of 100), and if they were also identified by subject-matter experts or community members as being of considerable concern. This process prioritized 6 additional impacts, for a total of 20 impacts prioritized for consideration in the action planning stage. Identifying solutions Adaptation actions To identify potential ways to avoid or reduce the 20 identified priority impacts, a list of Objectives and corresponding adaptation Actions were created. These would need to purpose to weather and climate change impacts through increased local adaptive capacity and collaboration among community stakeholders. To ensure this, the Actions would need to meet the Guiding Principles set early in the process, and the Goals and Objectives identified in response to the Risk Assessment. '´¨£¨¦ 0±¨¢¨¯«¤² Four Guiding Principles were identified by the Community Partners and the Region of Waterloo. These Principles were selected to inform brainstorming, planning and implementing any of the Actions in the CCA Plan: 1. Identify adaptation Actions that are equitable and responsive to the most vulnerable in our community 2. Maximize long-term sustainability and co-benefits of adaptation Actions for local economic, social and environmental priorities 3. Build awareness, understanding and ownership of adaptation Actions throughout the community 4. Enable a collaborative and innovative environment for the community to learn by doing and adopt a continuous improvement approach '® «² Based on the identified priority impacts, the Community Partners identified one Goal for each of the four impact areas to serve as ahigh-level intention for the community to strive for, and to provide a framework for the eventual structure of the Plan: Table 3: Goals for the CCA Plan Impact AreaGoal 1)Health and Community extreme weather impacts and changing climate conditions 2)Built EnvironmentImprove the climate resiliency of the built environment in terms of its long-term durability and functionality 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА В IF1 - 11 Impact AreaGoal 3)Natural Environment Preserve, restore and enhance local biodiversity and the and Waterresilience of the natural environment and water resources throughout the region 4)Energy and EconomyIncrease the resilience of local energy systems and businesses in a changing climate to enable a thriving regional economy )£¤³¨¥¸¨¦ £ ±¤¥¨¨¦ /¡©¤¢³¨µ¤² £ !¢³¨®² Following the selection of the Goals, the Community Partners identified three to five Objectives per goal. The Objectives identify the general ways in which our community intends to overcome the priority impacts. There were 15Objectives identified by the Community Partners. Following the selection of Objectives, several meetings were held with diverse stakeholder groups and community members to brainstorm and refine possible actions. In addition to several workshops with the Community Partners, events included a community forum and a business breakfast. To reach people using other formats, consultations were conducted online using EngageWR, and questions on climate change adaptation were included in a telephone and online survey of members of the public. Meetings were also conducted with municipal staff at the Region of Waterloo and Area Municipalities whose work is connected to the Objectives and Actions. To address the first Guiding Principle regarding equity, the Sustainable Societies Consulting Group was retained to explore the needs of marginalized community members with respect to climate change adaptation. They conducted outreach to social service providers, community/neighbourhood groups, people with lived experiences of marginalization, and Indigenous people living in the community. The collaborative process to refine and target the Objectives and Actions has been ongoing, and has been informed by the desire to ensure that they are locally feasible and effective. Next Steps and Implementation As outlined in the ICLEI BARC framework, finalization of this plan will be followed by work toward Milestone 4 (Implement) and Milestone 5 (Monitor and Review). The next steps involved in implementing each Action take one or more of the following four main forms: 1. Researching and collecting data 2. Communicating and educating 3. Collaborating and building partnerships 4. Changing policies and practices 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА ЊЉ IF1 - 12 The community has played a central role in the development of this Plan, and will continue to play a central a role in its implementation. This focus on community involvement is due both to the vision of the Plan and to the complex challenges and threats of a changing climate. As a result, the Community Partners group that provided crucial guidance during plan development will continue to provide guidance through the life of the Plan during ongoing implementation and monitoring cycles. The Region of Waterloo will also play a central role in these phases, serving as the institutional home for the community-wide Plan. The primary roles filled by the Region will include general staff support, convening the Community Partners, Action monitoring, and mid-term and five-year reporting. 4¨¬¤«¨¤² £ 3¢§¤£´«¤² As detailed in the Actions section of the Plan, the ultimate success of the CCA Plan will rely on the continuing work of potential partners identified for each Action. Due to the community focus of this plan and the need for the adaptation Actions to be completed by diverse actors across the region, this plan does not prioritize certain actions over others for order of implementation. Timelines and schedules for implementation will be unique to each individual Action, and will be determined collaboratively with potential partners considering their current and future plans and capacity. Work to implement the Actions identified in the plan will be assessed on a 5-year monitoring cycle. Every 5 years, the plan will be revised to reflect the work completed to date and the climate change adaptation challenges that remain for our community. Through this ongoing implementation and periodic monitoring, the Plan will fulfill its mandate to climate change impacts through increased local adaptive capacity and collaboration among community stakeholders. 5ƚĭǒƒĻƓƷ bǒƒĬĻƩʹ ЌЉЎЊЊБА ЊЊ IF1 - 13 COMMUNITY & INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 1 UNFINISHED BUSINESS2019-09-30 DATE TARGET SUBJECT (INITIATOR)INITIALLYDATE/STAFF CONSIDEREDSTATUSASSIGNED David Bergey Drive Bike Lane Implementation deferred pending completion of the Region of Waterloo’s Ottawa May 1, 2017B.Cronkite 2019 Street South Reconstruction project scheduled for Report INS-17-033 2018/2019 IF2 - 1