HomeMy WebLinkAboutCIS Agenda - 2021-02-08Community &Infrastructure Services Committee
Agenda
Monday,February 8, 2021
2:00 p.m. -3:30 p.m.
Office of the City Clerk
Electronic Meeting
Kitchener City Hall
nd
200 King St.W. -2
Floor
Kitchener ON N2G 4G7
Page 1Chair -Councillor B. IoannidisVice-Chair -Councillor D. Schnider
Due to COVID-19 and the Province of Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order, which is in effect for all of Ontario, City
Hall is not open except for very limited services by appointment only. Members of public are invited to
participate in this meeting electronically by accessing the meeting live-stream video at
kitchener.ca/watchnow.
While in-person delegation requests are not feasible at this time, members of the public are invited to submit
written comments or participate electronically in the meeting by contacting delegation@kitchener.ca.
Delegates must register bynoononFebruary 8, 2021, in order to participate electronically. Written
comments will be circulated prior to the meeting and will form part of the public record.
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-21-009-Removal of Holding Provision -ZBA20/014/S/JVW
-Strasburg Road at Rockcliffe Drive, Hallman Construction
2.DSD-21-019-On-Street Parking Regulations
3.CSD-21-003-Amendment to Administrative Penalty By-law –IdlingControl
Please note: Any recommendation arising from the Committee regarding this matter will be considered at the
special Council meeting scheduled for later this same date.
4.COR-21-001-Housekeeping Amendments to Payday Loan Establishments Schedule
5.DSD-21-018-Assignment of Lease -200 King Street West
Delegations
Pursuant to Council’s Procedural By-law, delegations are permitted to address the Committee for a maximum of five
(5)minutes.
None
Discussion Items
6.DSD-21-021-Stormwater Market Incentive Program(30min)
(Staff will provide a 5-minute presentation on this matter)
7.DSD-21-020-Continued Supports for Businesses Impacted by Provincial Restrictions(30min)
(Staff will provide a 5-minute presentation on this matter)
Please note: Any recommendation arising from the Committee regarding this matter will be considered at the
special Council meeting scheduled for later this same date.
** 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 **
Community & Infrastructure
Services Committee Agenda Page 2February 8, 2021
Discussion Items(Cont’d)
8.DSD-21-006-Development Services Review Project Close-out Report(10 min)
(Staff will provide a 5-minute presentation on this matter)
Information Items
None
Dianna Saunderson
Committee Administrator
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take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 **
REPORT TO:Committee
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February8, 2021
DATE OF MEETING:
SUBMITTED BY:Bustamante, Rosa Director of Planning 519-741-2200ext. 7319
PREPARED BY:von Westerholt,Juliane,SeniorPlanner,519-741-2200ext. 7157
WARD(S) INVOLVED:Ward(s)4
DATE OF REPORT:January 8, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-009
SUBJECT: ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENTAPPLICATION ZC20/014/S/JVW
Removal of Holding Provision
RECOMMENDATION:
That Zone Change Application ZC20/014/S/JVW for Strasburg Road, (Hallman
Construction)for the purpose of changing the zoning by removing Holding
Provision 73H from the lands specified in the attached Map No.1, in the form shown
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posed By-February 8, 2021, attached to the Report DSD-21-
009as Appendix A, be approved.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report i
that was placed on the lands to ensure that the construction of both the extension of
Strasburg Road as well as the South Strasburg Trunk SanitarySewer to Rockcliffe Drive
was completed prior to permitting residential development.
BACKGROUND:
The subject lands were rezoned after significant public consultation to permit more intensive
redevelopment of the subject lands.
Applications were originally received in 2008 and proposed to re-designate and rezone the
lands to High Rise Residential with Residential Nine Zone (R-9) in order to support a
development proposal comprised of three 15 storey residential towers with a total of 540
units. In 2012, following the second circulation of the applications, and based on the content
of the comments, the owner revised the application to permit two residential towers both 12
storeys in height with a total of 288 units. This revised concept was subsequently
recirculated once more to the agencies and the neighbourhood for comments. In response
to the second circulation comments and concerns raised, the first of three Neighbourhood
Information Meetings (NIMs) was held on November 18, 2014.Subsequent consultation
opportunities occurred including a small working group comprised of residents, city staff and
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the applicant and his consultant. The plans were finally revised to permit a development
comprised of Stacked Townhouse and/ or up to 4storey walk-up style built formwith a total
of 200 units. The matter was subsequently referredtothe OMB to settle an appeal of the
by-law, a holding provision forthe extension of the Strasburg Road and the South Strasburg
Trunk Sanitary Sewer was applied to the lands toprohibit the residential development until
the services were in place.
REPORT:
In June 2017the applicant received endorsementfrom the Cityfor a Zoning By-law
Amendment, proposing the redevelopment of the subject lands with200 low rise residential
units in the form of stacked townhouses or small 4 storey walk up buildings. The application
was appealed to the Ontario MunicipalBoard (OMB) for indecision and amending bylaw
was finally approved by the OMB on November15, 2017.
At the time of the abovementioned zoning by-law amendment Holding Provision 23HSR
wasretained within the zoning of the property to prohibit any developmentuntil such time
as the holding provision represented by the letter symbols K\[(S)(R)\] as established in
Section 3.5.7 of the Zoning By-
Director of Planning is in receipt of a letter from the City
that the Strasburg Road Extension to Rockcliffe Drive and the Strasburg Road Trunk
Sanitary Sewer to Rockcliffe Drive have been satisfactorily completed.
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On June 30, 2020, the CityPlanning Directorreceived notification from the
of Engineering which confirmed that the extension of Strasburg Road and the related
sanitary sewer was completed to Rockcliffe Drive. Consequently, the applicant is requesting
removal of Holding Provision 23HSRthrough the subject zone change application in order
to allow the site to be developed (see Map No.1 of Appendix A).
In this regard, Planning staff recommends removing Holding Provision 23HSR from the
lands shown on Map No.1 contained within Appendix A.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital BudgetThe recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget.
Operating BudgetThe recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM-Notice of the intention to pass a by-law to remove the holding provision will be
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placed in The Record on January 15, 2021(see Appendix B),Under the Planning Actno
statutory public meeting is required for zone change amendments to remove holding
provisions, and no neighbourhood circulation is required
INFORM
the council / committee meeting.
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PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authoritiesrelated to this matterbesides the settlement of
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the original appeal at the OMB on November 15, 2017
APPROVEDBY:Justin Readman General Manager,Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A -Zoning Map 1
Attachment B -Record Notice
AttachmentC-Approval Letter from the City Director of Engineering Services
AttachmentD-Holding Provision 23HSR
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PROPOSED BYLAW
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February 8,2021
BY-LAW NUMBER ___
OF THE
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
(Being a by-law to amend By-law 85-1, as amended, known as
the Zoning By-law for the City of Kitchener
the Zoning By-law for the City of Kitchener Hallman
Construction Strasburg Road)
WHEREAS it is deemed expedient to amend By-law 85-1for the lands specified above;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener enacts as
follows:
1.Schedule Numbers 153, 154, 163 and 164 of App-law Number 85-1 are
hereby amended by changing the zoning applicable to the parcelsof land specified and
illustrated as Area 1 on Map No. 1, in the City of Kitchener, attached herein from
Residential Six Zone (R-6) with Special RegulationProvisions 680R, 681R and 682R,
Holding Provisions 78H and 23HSR and Property Detail Schedule No. 41toResidential Six
Zone (R-6) with Special Regulation Provisions 680R, 681R and 682R, Holding Provisions
78H and Property Detail Schedule No. 41.
PASSEDat the Council Chambers in the City of Kitchener this day of
,2021.
_____________________________
Mayor
_____________________________
Clerk
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SCHEDULE 164SCHEDULE 163
SCHEDULE 153SCHEDULE 154
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NOTICE OF INTENT TO REMOVE HOLDING PROVISIONS
PROPOSED AMENDMENTTO THE KITCHENER ZONING BY-LAW
UNDER SECTION 36OF THE PLANNING ACT
StrasburgRoad at Rockcliffe Drive
Thepurpose of thisZoning By-law Amendment is toremove Holding Provision23HSRfrom the zoning ofthe
above notedlands. This holding provisionprohibitsresidentialland useon the property until suchtimeasthe
City of Kitcheners Director of Planning is in receipt of a letter from the Directorof Engineering Servicesthat the
Strasburg Road Trunk Sanitary Sewerandthe StrasburgRoad Extensionto Rockcliffe Drive is completed.
The applicant is now requesting removal of thisHolding Provisionasthe road and sanitary sewerworks have
been completedhas been released by theDirector ofEngineering.
In keeping with physical distancing measures recommended by Public Health due to COVID-19, anelectronic
meeting will be held by the Community & Infrastructure ServicesCommittee, a Committee of Council on:
Monday, February 8, 2021
(live-stream video available at kitchener.ca/watchnow)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONis available by contacting the staff person noted belowor byviewing the report
contained in the meeting agenda (posted 10 days before themeeting at www.kitchener.ca-click on the date in the
Calendar of Events and select the appropriate committee).
Juliane vonWesterholt,Senior Planner-juliane.vonwesterholt@kitchener.ca
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1 - 7
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REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services
519-741-2200 ext. 7738
PREPARED BY:Ivan J Balaban, Traffic Technologist, (519) 741-2200 x7302
WARD(S) INVOLVED:Wards 3,4,5,7,10
DATE OF REPORT:January 14, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-019
SUBJECT:On-Street Parking Regulations
RECOMMENDATION:
That parking be prohibitedon the south (odd-numbered) side of Wilson Avenue from
Woodhaven Road to a point 25 metres west of the intersection of Wilson Avenue and
Woodhaven Road; and,
That parking be prohibited on the south (odd-numbered) side of Hidden Valley Road
from the north intersection of Hidden Valley Road and Wabanaki Drive to a point 300
metres west of the north intersection of Hidden Valley Road and Wabanaki Drive; and,
That on-street parking be prohibited on the north side of Old Carriage Drive from
Homer Watson Boulevard to a point approximately 100 metres west thereof; and,
Thatparking be prohibited on the east (even-numbered) side of Sienna Street from
Sienna Crescent to Fischer-Hallman Road; and,
Thatstopping be prohibited from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday-Friday on the west (odd-
numbered) side of Autumn HillCrescent from Westheights Drive to a point 35 metres
south thereof; and,
That parking be prohibitedon the north (even-numbered) side of Dekay Street from a
point 41 metres west of Shanley Street, to a point 10 metres west thereof; andfurther,
That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report isto amend the Traffic Bylaw to include six changesmade to
on-street parking regulations
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These include changes on Wilson Avenue, Hidden Valley Road, Old Carriage Drive,
Sienna Street,Autumn Hill Crescent,andDeKay Street. Key maps for each location are
attached for reference.
The financial implications areapproximately $3,900
Ward 3 - Wilson Avenue bylaw changes will improve intersection sightlines
Ward 3 - Hidden Valley Road bylaw change is safety related and on an unpopulated
segment of roadway.
Ward 4 - Old Carriage Drive bylaw change is required to align with new signage
previously installed toimprove driveway/intersection sightlines
Ward 5 - Sienna Street bylaw change is bylaw clean up and does not result in loss of
street parking.
Ward 7 - Autumn Hill Crescent bylaw change is safety related and has no impact outside
of school hours.
Ward 10 - DeKay Street bylaw change is accessibility related and only affectsthe
addressthat requested it.
This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
The changes to on-street parking are detailed below.Each location is detailed separately.
REPORT:
Wilson Avenue
Wilson Avenue is a Major Community Collector roadway with primarily residential land use,
with parking permitted on the south side of the roadway, and with bike lanes on both sides
of the roadway. Woodhaven Road is a Local roadway which intersects Wilson Avenue at a
stop-controlled intersection with the stop control being on Woodhaven Road; Wilson Avenue
being the through street. Transportation Services has received numerous requests to
improve sightlines for vehicles entering the intersection from Woodhaven Road by
prohibiting parking near the intersection on Wilson Avenue.
Currently, as outlined in the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic By-law No. 2019-113, on-street
parkingis permitted at anytime on the south side of Wilson Avenue.
A review of the intersection found the sightlines to be inadequate when vehicles are parked
on Wilson Avenue in the parking spaces closest to Woodhaven Road (both east and west
of the intersection). A Turning Movement Count was conducted on July 22, 2020 to
determine if an All-Way Stop would be warranted at this location. An All-Way Stop would
remove the sightline concerns by requiring all vehicles to stop at the intersection. The All-
Way Stop warrant was not met based on the volume split, with 77% of traffic through the
intersection entering on the major road (major volume must not exceed 65%). As a result,
an All-way Stop is not recommended at this location, and a parking prohibition removing the
two parking spaces closest to Woodhaven Road (one east of Woodhaven road, one west of
Woodhaven Road) is being implemented to address the sightline concerns.
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road is a Local roadway with primarily residential and rural land uses, with
parking permitted for up to 3 hours on both sides as per the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic
By-law No. 2019-113.
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Transportation Services has received a request to review parking on Hidden Valley Road
near the T-intersection with Wabanaki Drive (the northintersection between these two
roadways). The request cited concerns withlargetrucks parking in the area on the inside of
the curve causing sightline issues for vehicle traffic.
A review of the concern found the sightlines to be inadequate when large vehicles are
parked on the inside of the curve. With no nearby businesses or residents, a parking
prohibition along this section of roadway is not expected to haveany major impacts. The
safe operation of the roadway would be improved with the parking prohibition.
Transportation Services recommends prohibiting parking for 300 metres on the south (odd-
numbered) side of the street.
Old Carriage Drive
Old Carriage Drive is a local roadway in the Doon area of Kitchener, extending from Homer
Watson Drive to Pioneer Drive. The roadway is mainly residential, with single-family homes
and semi-detached homes on one side, and apartment building complexes on the other.
Transportation Services received numerous requests to review the existing on-street
parking regulationsnear its intersection with Homer Watson Boulevard.
Upon review, Transportation Services has determined that the large volume of vehicles
entering and exiting the apartment buildings at 200 and 225 Old Carriage Drive, in
conjunction with three GRT bus routes, and the residential traffic from the rest of the street
may cause operational issues and sightline issues on Old Carriage Drive near Homer
Watson Boulevard. As a measure to mitigate these concerns, Transportation Services
removedon-street parking from the north side of Old Carriage Drive between Homer Watson
Boulevard and a point 100 metres west thereof. This change is intended to improve
sightlines for vehicles in the area and help prevent vehicles from encroaching into oncoming
lanes.
Sienna Street
Sienna Street is a local roadway with parking permitted on the west (odd-numbered) side of
the street and prohibited on the east (even numbered) side of the street.
Transportation services have received a concern regarding sightlines for vehicles exiting the
two private roads in the area (Rachel Crescent and Jessica Crescent). Specifically, the
concern cited that vehicles parked too close to these intersections were impeding sightlines
for exiting drivers.
Transportation Services staff attended the site and found that signing a corner prohibition
would alleviate the sightline concerns. However, it was discovered that the “No Parking”
signs on the east side of the street were incorrect; being Fire Route signs meant for private
roadways. When constructed Sienna Street was a private roadway and the signs would
have been appropriate at that time, but when the street was transferred to the City the signs
and bylaw were never updated. Transportation services recommends adding the east side
of Sienna Street to Schedule 1 of the Uniform Traffic Bylaw and installing the correct OTM
compliant signs. This change has no impact on parking in the area.
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Autumn Hill Crescent
Autumn Hill Crescent is a Local Street with primarily residential land use and one elementary
school (St Mark Catholic). Transportation Services received a request to review the existing
parking and stopping regulations along the roadway. The request cited concerns that the
current parking and stopping regulations contribute to congestion in the area, making it
difficult for residents near the elementary school to exit and enter their driveways. The
congestion is limited to school bell times and is directly related to school traffic.
Currently, between the school property and Westheights Drive, on-street parkingis
permitted on the west side of Autumn Hill Crescent and prohibited on the east side. As
stopping is permitted in No Parking zones, this has created a situation where school traffic
stops on both sides of the roadway at bell times, limiting the roadway to one lane of traffic.
Stopping is prohibitedat all timesadjacent to the school property, and stopping is prohibited
from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday, opposite the school property and for an
additional 118 metres south.
Transportation Services staff conducted site reviews during both morning and afternoon bell
times. A significant number of stopped and parked vehicles were observed on both sides of
Autumn Hill Crescent at the east intersection with Westheights Drive. This creates a situation
where only one lane of traffic can move through the area. Vehicles turning from Westheights
Drive onto Autumn Hill Crescent must wait for vehicles exiting Autumn Hill Crescent to
providea gap in traffic before being able to enter the roadway. This queue of vehicles has
the potential to impede traffic on WestheightsDrive.
Based on the results of these observations, Transportation Services is recommending That
stopping be prohibited from 8:00 AM to 4:30PM Monday-Friday on the west (odd-numbered)
side of Autumn Hill Crescent from Westheights Drive to a point 35 metres south thereof,
effectively extending the school stopping prohibition from the edge of the school property to
Westheights Drive.
DeKay Street
DeKay Street is a local roadway with primarily residential land use. Currently, as outlined in
the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic By-law No. 2019-113, on-street parking is permitted at
anytime on the north (even-numbered) side of DeKay Street and prohibited on the south
side.
Transportation Services receiveda request to create a “No Parking”zone on DeKay Street
in front of #4 DeKay Street. This request was brought forward to address issues with the
boarding and alighting of a student using a mobility device on a school bus. The request
was brought forward by the student’s guardian. Currently the school bus stops adjacent to
the curb to board and alight the student. If a vehicle is parked at this location, the boarding
and alighting occurs in the street. This arrangement is expected to be difficult when thereis
snow accumulation on the roadway. To this end, the request for a “No Parking” zone would
allow the school bus to board and alight the student from the sidewalk at all times. Snow
clearing of the sidewalk remains the responsibility of the homeowner.
Areview of the request found that the removal of one parking space directly in front of the
requestor’s house would have the desired effect. The presence of driveways on either side
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of the affected space would give the school bus additional room to pull in and pull out of the
space. The sidewalk in this area is curb-face. Transportation Services recommends
prohibiting parking for 10 metres in front of #4 DeKay Street.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget – The recommendations havenoimpact on the Capital Budget.
Operating Budget – The recommendation has the followingimpact on the Operating Budget.
Signs installations:Wilson Avenue, $400;Hidden Valley Road, $1400;Old Carriage Drive,
$200;Sienna Street, $1300;Autumn Hill Crescent, $300; DeKay Street, $300;for a total
estimated budget impact of $3,900. These costs can be absorbed in 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. Directly affected residents on Wilson Avenuewere notified
by mail regarding the proposed parking regulation change.
COLLABORATE – The parking regulation change on Old Carriage Drive was discussed with
residents during an open house meeting. The parking regulation change on DeKay Street
was discussed with the resident to find a suitable solution.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic By-law No. 2019-113
APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A –Key Map – Wilson AvenueProposed On-Street Parking
Regulations
Attachment B –Key Map – Hidden Valley Road Proposed On-Street Parking
Regulations
Attachment C –Key Map – Old Carriage Drive Proposed On-Street Parking
Regulations
Attachment D –Key Map – Sienna StreetProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
Attachment E – Key Map – Autumn Hill Crescent Proposed On-Street Parking
Regulations
Attachment F –Key Map – DeKay Street Proposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment A - Key Map
Wilson AvenueProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment B - Key Map
Hidden Valley RoadProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment C - Key Map
Old Carriage DriveProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment D - Key Map
Sienna StreetProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment E - Key Map
Autumn Hill CrescentProposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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Attachment F - Key Map
DeKayStreet Proposed On-Street Parking Regulations
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REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure ServicesCommittee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Gloria MacNeil, Director of Enforcement, 519-741-2200 ext 7952
PREPARED BY:Gloria MacNeil, Director of Enforcement, 519-741-2200 ext 7952
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:January 27, 2021
REPORT NO.: CSD-21-003
SUBJECT:Amendment to Administrative Penalty By-law – IdlingControl
RECOMMENDATION:
That Council approve the fine amount set out in Schedule A of the Administrative
Penalty By-law 2019- 039as it relates to Idling.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The AMPS By-law requires Council to approve fines as they relate to parking offences.
Staff have included the administrative penalty amount section for the new Idling Control
By-law and are suggesting a fine amount of $75 which will need to be approved by
Council.
Schedule A (as attached) will be amended to reflect the addition of the Idling Control
By-law.
Thereis a potential to generate revenue through fines with this by-law however staff
anticipate this will be minimal.
To help make the public aware of this new by-law staff have developed messaging
around the new Idling Control By-law that will be delivered over social media and on the
City’swebsite. In addition, staff have also developed an educational pamphlet which
incorporates a combination of sustainability language as well as details on the Idling
Control by-law.
BACKGROUND:
On January 25, 2021 Council passed the Idling ControlBy-law 2021-010which prohibits the
idling of vehicles which are stopped for a period longer than 3 consecutive minutes. Staff
are bringing forward an amendment to Schedule A of the Administrative Penalty By-law
2019-039which will beamended to include the idling regulations and have a set fine amount
approved.
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REPORT:
In December of 2020, staff brought forward CSD-20-007 – Anti-Idling By-law, also referred
to as the “Idling Control by-law,”recommending that Council direct staff to develop a by-law
which prohibits idling of vehicles. On January 25, 2021, Council passed the IdlingControl
By-law – 2021-010.
By-law Enforcement staff have been working with our Sustainability and Communications
staff and have developed messaging around the new idling by-law which will be
communicated via social media and the City’s website. Staff have also developed an
educational pamphlet which incorporates a combination of sustainability language, the
importance of not idling as well as some key points of the by-law. It is staff’s
recommendationthat we first take an education approach to the by-law as residents may
not be aware of the change.
As part of our review, staff looked at parking fine amounts currently imposed by other
municipalities and are recommending a parking fine amount of $75 for anyone found idling
longer than 3 consecutive minutes. Staff felt the fine amount should be reflective of our goal
to reduce unnecessary pollution and create a healthy and livable community.
The chart below outlines the research collected by staff of comparable municipalities and
provides a quick glance at the permitted idling timesand fine amounts established by each.
MUNICIPALITYIDLING TIME FINE AMOUNTS
PERMITTED
Ajax2 consecutive $38 (parking ticket)
minutes
Cambridge1 consecutive $40 (parking ticket)
minute
Guelph 10 min in a 60 $130 Provincial Offence
minute periodNotice
Hamilton3 consecutive $200 (parking ticket)
minutes
Kingston3 consecutive $25 (parking ticket)
minutes period
London2 consecutive $60 (parking ticket)
minutes.
Transit vehicles
5 consecutive
minutes
Oakville5 consecutive $75(parking ticket)
minutes
Waterloo3 consecutive $75 (parking ticket)
minutes
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STRATEGIC PLANALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:N/A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
By-law, Corporate Sustainabilityand Communications staff have developed messaging
and an educational pamphlet which incorporates a combination of sustainability language
and the by-law requirements.
PREVIOUS REPORTS:
CSD-20-007Anti-idling By-law
APPROVEDBY: Michael May, DCAO
ATTACHMENTS:Attachment A – Schedule “1”
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BY-LAW NUMBER______
OF THE
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
(Being a by-law toamend the parking administrative penalty by-law)
WHEREASthe Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener enacted By-law Number 2019-
039onApril 15, 2019(the “Parking Administrative Penalty By-law”);
AND WHEREASCouncil has passed an Idling Control By-law2021-010on January 25, 2021
containing an infraction designated as asection to which the Parking Administrative Penalty By-
law applies, and for which short form wording and administrative penalties were identified in
Schedule “A” to the Parking Administrative Penalty By-law;
AND WHEREASthe City desires that the sectionof Idling Control By-law2021-010containing a
parking infraction be designated as asection to which the Parking Administrative Penalty By-law
applies, and that the short form wording and administrative penalties for such this infraction be
identified in Schedule “A” to the Parking Administrative Penalty By-law;
NOW THEREFOREthe Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchenerenacts as follows:
1.By-law Number 2019-039is hereby amended by repealing Schedule “A” and replacing it
with the new Schedule “A”, attached hereto as Schedule “1”.
2.All other provisions of By-law Number 2019-039 remain unchanged.
3.This By-law shall come into force and effect on February8, 2021.
PASSED at the Council Chambers in the City of Kitchenerthis day ofFebruary, A.D.2021.
_____________________________________
Mayor
_____________________________________
Clerk
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SCHEDULE “1”
To By-law Number 2019-123
Being new Schedule “A”
To By-law Number 2019-039
DESIGNATED BY-LAWS, SHORT FORM WORDINGSAND ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES
1. The provisions of each by-law listed in Column 2of the following tablesare Designated
By-laws.
2.Column 3 in the following tablessets out the short form wording to be used in a Penalty
Notice for the contravention of the designated provisionslisted in Column 2.
3.Column 4 in the following tablessets out the Administrative Penalty amount that is
payable for a contravention of the designated provision listed in Column 2for the
matter(s) identified in Column 3.
CITY OF KITCHENER TRAFFIC & PARKING BY-LAW NUMBER 2019-113,AS AMENDED
FROM TIME TO TIME OR ANY SUCCESSOR THEREOF
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDING ADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
1Part V 1(a)Parked in Permit Only Parking $25.00
Area Without Permit
2Part V 2(a)Parked More Than 0.15 Metres $25.00
From Curb
3Part V 2(a)Parked Facing Wrong Direction$25.00
4Part V 2(b)Parked Facing Wrong Direction $25.00
On One Way Street
5Part V 2(b)Parked More Than 0.15 Metres $25.00
From Curb On One Way Street
6Part V 2(b)Failed ToPark Parallel To Curb $25.00
On One Way Street
7Part V 2(d)Parked On The Abutting $25.00
Roadway
8Part V 2(e)Parked In More Than One $25.00
Space
9Part V 3(a)(i)Parked (On/over) A Curb$25.00
10Part V 3(a)(ii)Parked (On/Over) Sidewalk$25.00
11Part V 3(a)(ii)Parked On Boulevard$25.00
12Part V 3(a)(iii)Parked In Intersection$25.00
13Part V 3(a)(iii)Parked on/over multi-use trail $25.00
3 - 5
3
14Part V 3(a)(iii)Parked Within A Roundabout$25.00
15Part V 3(a)(iv)Parked Within 3 Metres Of A $25.00
Fire Hydrant
16Part V 3(a)(v)Parked Within 15 Metres Of A $25.00
Railway Crossing
17Part V 3(a)(vi)Parked Within 9 Metres Of An $25.00
Intersection
18Part V 3(a)(viii)Parked Within 1.5 Metres Of A $25.00
Driveway
19Part V 3(a)(viii)Parked Preventing (Ingress $25.00
to/Egress From) Driveway
20Part V 3(a)(x)Parked Obstructing A $25.00
Crosswalk
21Part V 3(a)(xi)Parked Obstructing Traffic$25.00
22Part V 3(a)(xiii)Parked Longer Than 3 $20.00
Consecutive Hours
23Part V 3(a)(xiv)Parked On Highway Between $30.00
2:30 a.m. And 6:00 a.m.
24Part V 3(a)(xv)Parked For Repairing Vehicle$25.00
25Part V 3(a)(xv)Parked For Washing Vehicle$25.00
26Part V 3(a)(xv)Parked For Maintaining Vehicle$25.00
27Part V 3(a)(xvi)Parked For Soliciting $25.00
(Goods/Services)
28Part V 3(a)(xvi)Parked For Buying $25.00
(Goods/Services)
29Part V 3(a)(xvi)Parked ForSelling $25.00
(Goods/Services)
30Part V 3(a)(xvi)Parked For Loading/Unloading$25.00
31Part V 3(a)(xvi)Parked To Conduct Business$25.00
32Part V 3(a)(xvii)Parked Within 15 Metres ofBus $25.00
Stop
33Part V 3(a)(xvii)Parked Within 15 Metres of $40.00
Light Rail Transit Stop
34Part V 3(a)(xxv)Parked In A Bicycle Lane$25.00
35Part V 3(a)(xviii)Parked In A Reserved Lane$25.00
36Part V 3(b)Parked On The Highway During $25.00
An Emergency
37Part V 3(a)(xix)Parked Transit Bus On $25.00
Highway
38Part V 3(a)(xx)Parked School Bus On a $25.00
Highway
39Part V 3(a)(xxii)Parked A Trailer More Than 10 $25.00
Metres In Length
40Part V 3(a)(xxi)Parked Heavy Truck On $45.00
Highway
41Part V 3 (a)(xxiii)Parked Vehicle Which is $25.00
Unlicensed
42Part V 3(a)(xxiv)Parked Vehicle Which is $25.00
Leaking Fluids
3 - 6
4
43Part V 3(c)Parked In A Construction $25.00
Parking Area Without Permit
44Part V 4(a)Parked In Prohibited Area$25.00
45Part V 5Parked Over Time Limit$20.00
46Part V 6Parked Backed In At Angle$25.00
47Part V 6Parked At Wrong Angle$25.00
48Part V 7(i)Stopped In School Bus Loading $45.00
Zone
49Part V 7(ii)Stopped On Median$45.00
50Part V 7(ii)Stopped Adjacent To Median$45.00
51Part V 7(iii)Stopped Within 30 Metres Of $45.00
Bridge
52Part V 7(iii)Stopped Within 30 metres Of $45.00
Tunnel
53Part V 7(iii)Stopped Within 30 Metres Of $45.00
Underpass
54Part V 7(iv)Stopped Within A Roundabout$45.00
55Part V 8(a)Stopped In No Stopping Zone$45.00
56Part V 9Stopped In Loading Zone$45.00
57Part V 10Stopped In Taxicab Stand$45.00
58Part V 11(a)Stopped In A School Zone$80.00
59Part V 12(a)Parked (On/Over) Sidewalk $50.00
During a Special Event
60Part V 12(a)Parked On Boulevard During a $50.00
Special Event
61Part V 12(b)Parked Within 1.5 Metres Of A $50.00
Driveway During a Special
Event
62Part V 12(c)Parked Within 3 Metres OfA$50.00
Fire Hydrant During a Special
Event
63Part V 12(d)Parked In Prohibited Area $50.00
During a Special Event
64Part V 12(e)Stopped In No Stopping Zone $90.00
During a Special Event
65Part V 12(f)Parked On The Highway During $50.00
An Emergency During a
Special Event
66Part V 12(g)Parked Over Time Limit During $40.00
a Special Event
67Part V 12(h)Parked Longer Than 3 $40.00
Consecutive Hours During a
Special Event
68Part VI 1(b)Parked At Expired Meter$20.00
69Part VI (1) (a)(c)(e)Park in Parking Meter Zone –$25.00
fail to pay required fee
70Part VI (1)(c)Park in Parking Meter Zone -$25.00
longer than maximum permitted
time
3 - 7
5
71Part VI 1(e)Parked Not Wholly In Parking $25.00
Space
72Part VI 4(c)Parked Taxicab In A Metered $25.00
Space
73Part V 3(d)Parked on a Highway During a $80.00
Snow Event
74Part VI 3Parked in accessible space $300.00
without permit
75Part VI 3Stopped in accessible space $300.00
without permit
BY-LAW NUMBER 88-169, BEING A BY-LAW TO REGULATE THE PARKING OR LEAVING
OF VEHICLES ON MUNICIPAL PARKING FACILITIES
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDINGADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
13(b)parked not whollyin parking $25.00
space
23(c)parkedin other thanparking $25.00
space
33(d)parked vehicle longer than 6.1 $25.00
metres
43(d)parked vehicle wider than 2.3 $25.00
metres
53(i)parked buying (goods)(services)$25.00
63(i)parked selling (goods)(services)$25.00
73(i)parked displaying $25.00
(goods)(services)
83(i)parked displaying vehicle for $25.00
sale
93(i)parked washing vehicle$25.00
103(i)parked maintaining vehicle$25.00
113(i)parked repairing vehicle$25.00
125(a)parked at expired meter$20.00
CITY OF KITCHENERPRIVATE PROPERTY BY-LAW NUMBER 2010-190
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDINGADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
3 - 8
6
1Section 3parkedon private property $25.00
2Section 4parked on private property-$25.00
municipal
3Section 5parked in an unauthorized $80.00
area
BY-LAW NO. 88-171, AS AMENDED, BEING A BY-LAW TO DESIGNATE PRIVATE
ROADWAYS AS FIRE ROUTES, AND TO PROHIBIT PARKING THEREON
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDINGADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
1Section 6parked onfire route$75.00
BY-LAW NUMBER 2008-117, BEING A BY-LAW TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN ON-STREET
AND OFF-STREET PARKING OF VEHICLES FOR USE BY PERSONS WITH A
DISABILITY, AND THE ISSUING OF PERMITS IN RESPECT THEREOF
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDINGADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
1Section 6(park)(stop)in space$300.00
designated for disabled person
BY-LAW NUMBER 2021-010,BEING A BY-LAW TO CONTROL THE IDLING OF
VEHCILES
COLUMN 1COLUMN 2COLUMN 3COLUMN 4
ITEMDESIGNATED SHORT FORM WORDINGADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONPENALTY AMOUNT
1Section 2(a)Idle on (highway) (private $75.00
property) (municipal property)
3 - 9
REPORT TO: Community & InfrastructureServices Committee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY: Christine Tarling,Director, Legislated Services & City Clerk,519-741-
2200 ext. 7809
PREPARED BY:Helen Fylactou,Manager, Licensing,519-741-2200 ext. 7854
WARD (S) INVOLVED:ALL
DATE OF REPORT:December 15, 2020
REPORT NO.: COR-21-001
SUBJECT: HousekeepingAmendments to Payday Loan Establishments Schedule
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
ThatSchedule 17.1 of the Business Licensing By-law 2017-139, be amendedto update
the list of recognizedaddresseswithinthe Payday Loan EstablishmentSchedule
(Schedule 17.1), as attached as Appendix ‘A’ to and outlined in Corporate Servicesreport
COR-21-001;
BACKGROUND:
On June 24, 2019,Council approved amendments to the Business Licensing By-law to include
aPayday Loan Establishment schedule.The schedule regulates the location and the number of
payday loan establishments. The maximum numberof establishmentspermitted is 10 citywide.
At the time the By-law was approved, there were 18 licensed payday loan establishments
operating in Kitchener. These existing establishment are permitted to remain in operation as
long as each one applied under the new approved schedule, continues to operate as a Payday
Loan Establishment, annually renews the licence, does not move locations, and continues to be
in compliance.
REPORT:
Staff is recommending that the Payday Loan Schedulebe amended to include one additional
address of a Payday Loan Establishment that is operating at 324 Highland Road West. The
application for this location was not included on the original Schedule as it was submitted
between the time that Council received the report andthe time thatBy-law cameinto effect. The
Payday Loan Establishment has met all the conditions of the by-law, including the submission
of an application under the new schedule.
In addition to including the new address, Staff are recommendingthatanylocations no longer in
existence be removed from the Schedule.These locations have closed since the Schedule
came into effectand have been confirmed to no longer be in operation.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance.
4 - 1
With the recommended changes, the overall number of Payday Loan Establishment will
decrease from 18 locations to14 locations. Thechange of addresses within the Payday Loan
EstablishmentScheduleinclude:
Address to be Added:
324 Highland Rd West
Addresses to be Removed:
215Highland Rd West;
2880 King Street East;
78 King Street West;
1087 Weber Street East; and
1335 Weber Street East
The Payday Loan Establishment Schedule proposes to eventually reduce the total number of
establishments within the city by limiting the number of licences via attrition to a maximum of 10
citywide and with no more than 2 establishments per ward. These 14 existing andlicensed
payday loan establishments will be recognized within the scheduleandbe permitted to remain
in operation as long as each onecontinuesto meet criteria outlined in the By-law.
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:
There are no financial impacts.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services
4 - 2
APPENDIX A
SCHEDULE 17.1
PAYDAY LOAN ESTABLISHMENTS
1.In addition to the licensing requirements set out in Article 4 of this Chapter, an Applicant
for a Payday Loan Establishment Licence shall supply the following:
a)Planning Approval;
b)Police Record Check;
c) Proof of current and valid licence as a lender or loan broker under the Payday
Loans Act, 2008; and
d)Proof of Insurance.
2.Every Payday Loan Establishment Operator shall have a separate Licence for each
Payday Loan Establishment location.
3.No more than ten (10) Payday Loan Establishment Licences shall be issued in the city
of Kitchener.
4.Nor more than two (2) Payday Loan Establishment Licences shall be issued in any one
ward of the city of Kitchener.
5.No new Licence shall be issued for Payday Loan Establishment if the proposed location
is:
a)located within 150 metres of another Licensed Payday Loan Establishment;
b)Located within 150 metres of anyGaming Establishment; or
c) Located within 150 metres of any addiction or gambling counselling service.
6.Despite sections 3, 4, and 5 of this Schedule, any Payday Loan Establishment existing
onJune 24, 2019may continue to operate in the same location provide:
a)The Operator had a current and valid Permanent Vendor Licence or Old Gold
Licence for the Payday Loan Establishment on June 24, 2019;
b)The Operator obtains a Payday Loan Establishment Licence by March 31, 2020;
c) The Business is operated continuously as a Payday Loan Establishment;
4 - 3
d)The Business is, at all times, operated in compliance with this Chapterand all
applicable municipal, provincial, and federal laws; and
e)The Payday Loan Establishment Licence is renewed annually as required by this
Chapter.
7.The Payday Loan Establishments existing on December 1, 2020are at the following
locations:
a)500 Fairway Road South;
b)25 Frederick Street;
c) 324Highland Road West;
d)370 Highland Road West;
e)465 Highland Road West;
f)525 Highland Road West;
g)625 King Street East;
h)1253 King Street East;
i)4396 King Street East;
j)648 King Street West;
k) 670 King Street West;
l)3101 Kingsway Drive;
m)725 Ottawa Street South;and
n)12 Water Street North.
4 - 4
REPORT TO:Community & InfrastructureServices Committee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Cory Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development,
519-741-2200 ext. 7065
PREPARED BY:Rob Morgan, Capital Investment Advisor, 519-741-2200 X7734
WARD(S) INVOLVED:Ward10
DATE OF REPORT:January 13, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-018
SUBJECT:Assignment of Lease – 200 King Street West
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute an assignment and amending
lease agreement with 2609699 Ontario Inc.and Feelings from the Heartallowing for
the assignmentof the existing City Hall wedding chapel leasefor a five year term,
with an option to renew for an additional five years and other minor amendments as
outlined in this report;said agreement to be satisfactory to the City Solicitor.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report isto request approval of the transfer of the existing City Hall
Wedding Chapel Lease to a new owner andamend the lease term to five years with an
option to renew foran additionalfive yearterm.
Financial implications:The lease rate would be set at$13.75/ sq. ft for Years 1 and 2,
with a 2%/year annual increase applied at the beginning of years 3,4 and 5.
This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
The City Hall Wedding Chapel has been a tenant in City Hall for 25 years, with the current
owner operating the business for the past 20 years. In 2018, the City entered into a new
lease with the current tenant which expires August 31, 2021. The current owner wishes to
retire and sell thebusiness and has found a purchaser. Under the terms of the current
lease, the owner retains the right to transfer the lease subject to Council approval. The
proposed purchaser wishes to invest in the space and as such has requested an extended
term from the current lease. The proposed business purchase is anticipated to take effect
in Marchof2021.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
5 - 1
REPORT:
Under the terms of the existing lease, the owner has the right to transfer the lease to a new
tenant, subject to City Council approval. The proposed new tenant is Maeck Weddings
(2609699 Ontario Inc.), owned and operated by a local wedding planning and officiating
team that have been coordinating and officiating weddings in Waterloo Region since 2012.
They intend to utilize the space in the same way that it has been used for the past 25 years
but intend to renovate and revitalize the space to make it more current and attractive.Staff
have determined that the potential purchasers are currently well regarded within the
communityand recommend support for the proposed transfer of the lease.
Lease Extension
When a lease is set to expire, the City’s practice is torenegotiate a new lease with the
existing tenant. Only if the existing tenant does not wish to continue operations would the
space be made available to other potential tenants.As such, should Council accept the
transfer, the City would normally renegotiate the leasewith the purchaserin August.
However, in order to achieve financing, the purchaser is requesting that the current lease
be extended to 2026 (a full 5-year term), with an option to extend the lease for an additional
5 years. Staff recommend approval of the lease extension subject to the lease rate
considerations below, as no other terms of the lease would change.
Lease Rate
In 2018, the City received a lease valuation to determine fair market value. The valuation
confirmed that a lease rate of approximately $13.75 - $14.00 per square foot represents fair
market value. Staff believe the 2018 valuation is still relevant.
Based on the foregoing, andgiven thecurrent economic climate, staff believe the current
rate of $13.75 + Common Area Maintenance feesis appropriate. The current lease does
not contemplate annual increases; however, the purchaser has agreed to anannual
increase of 2%per yearfor years 3, 4 and 5 should Council approve the transfer.The
purchaser has requested a clause in the lease that would allow the lease rates to be
renegotiated should, in they future,they wish to consider a major capital improvement to the
space that would benefit the City for the life of the facility (ex: a new washroom). Such
negotiations would be subject to Council approval at a future date.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget – The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget.
Operating Budget – The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget. Approval
of the transfer and extension ensures no disruption to the revenue generated by this space.
5 - 2
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of
the council / committee meeting.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authoritiesrelated to this matter.
APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Division
5 - 3
REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:February8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Claire Bennett, Corporate Sustainability Officer, x7322
PREPARED BY:Sarah Fries, Sustainability Office Associate, x7137
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
nd
DATE OF REPORT:January 22, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-021
SUBJECT:Stormwater Market Incentive Program
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT staff proceed with the development of a Market Incentive Program to encourage
implementation of source-control stormwater management practices on private properties
and report back to Council with recommended program details by December 2021.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to inform council on the statusandproposed approachof a
KitchenerStormwater Market Incentive Program (MIP) for private properties.
The Stormwater Utility has allocated capital funds towards the development and implementation
of a MIP.
A comprehensive communication and engagement plan to INFORM, CONSULT, and
COLLABORATE will be developed.
This report supports Environmental Leadership through disaster mitigation and improvements
to water quality and private-property runoff into the municipal system;Environmental Leadership
by implementing elements of the Corporate Climate Action Plan;A Caring Community in
improving green spaces and improving air and water quality;and A Vibrant Economy by
supporting local economic development.
BACKGROUND:
Kitchener completed the 2016 Integrated Stormwater Management Master Plan (ISWM-MP), to
advance a -of-the-
that solving deficient stormwater infrastructure would need to be a joint effort among public and
private landowners since the majority of impervious surfaces generating stormwater run-off is
privately owned. One of the core projects includes the development and launch of a market-based
incentive for private landowners to install green infrastructure on their property to manage
stormwater at its source and reduce runoffinto the municipal stormwater system. A market-based
program is an important strategyto reduce flooding given that the majority of land in Kitchener is
owned privately.
Impacts from extreme precipitation eventsare substantial and wide-ranging, from surface water
flooding and heavy rainfall overloading the capacity of the drainage systemto increasing wind events
and temperatures hovering around zero in winter months.Regional climate impact studies on risk
and vulnerability show total annual precipitationis projected to increase 4-6% by the 2020s and 8-
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
6 - 1
12% in the 2050s-2080s, with a 20% intensification of rainfall events. Studies show that Kitchener
is particularly vulnerable to flooding given its highly urbanized built formandis one of the largest
urban and designated growth areas in Canada which alsorelies primarily on ground water (80%)for
1
drinking water.
Presently, 75% of the City of Kitchener has no stormwater controlsandmore than half of this land
area isprivately-owned. As such,increasing the uptake of SCMson private property remains a
significant goal for stormwater management (SWM)programming. Through a market incentive
program, the City will leverage the market to shift behaviour and solutions towards resilient land
management practicesthat safeguard landowner assets against costly disaster responses, including
.
decreases.
Stormwater Credit program
The existingStormwaterCreditprogram will continue to operate as a supporting program within the
overall approach.Due to itslimited financial benefitto property owners,the uptake has been leveling
off and has not been expansive. As of 2020, 5%(4,317out of 78,848)of residential customers and
5%(125out of2,498) of non-residential customers implemented some on-site measures to reduce
stormwater runoff and pollutant loadings.
REPORT:
Market Incentive Program (MIP):AMarket-based Strategy
The MIP would deliver incentive through direct financial contribution towards amarket-supplierto
supplement added cost in going beyond traditional lot-level infrastructure solutions to implementing
SCMs (e.g., bioswales, porous pavers, dry riverbeds, increased vegetative cover, etc.) on privately
held property.
Guided by the ISWM-MP, the objective for a market-based approach is toprovide stimulus to
residents and local industry in supporting home and business expenses and economic development
during a time of heightened impacts from COVID-19 and climate change though a City-wide SWM
network. Following are some core goals:
Secure uptake of SCMs by private property ownersto help mitigate the immediate and long-
term effects of climate change;
Create adata driven program that leverages existing demographic data and flood mapping
for priority-based programming based on risk and accessibility (i.e. income and ability levels);
Integrate and coordinate related organizational policy and standards to improve shared
capacity;
Further diversify economic development through local partnerships, training and leadership;
Establish a City-wide system of integratedcentralized and distributed green and grey
stormwater infrastructure to achieve SWM goals at thegreatest cost-efficiency;and,
Achieve sustained transformation of the marketplace,wherein stormwaterrunoffreduction,
interactive community map to showcase progress and best practices.
1
Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change & University of Waterloo (2015). Localized Climate Projections for Waterloo Region.
https://uwaterloo.ca/climate-centre/sites/ca.climate-
centre/files/uploads/files/waterloo_region_climate_projections_final_full_report_dec2015.pdf
6 - 2
Service Provider Delivery Mechanism
Market-based programming leveragesindustry service and product providers as delivery agents.
2
Landscaping related sectors have particular prominence aslarge, established and trustedproviders
who are regularly sought out and paid for by end-users. As a result, the industrygainsnew training
and services offeringsandresidents gain home beautification, supportand knowledge, which all
works tomagnifyits SWM and climate
change action objectives.
Designing an effective market-based program requires a foundationthat represents internal city
standards and procedures and a clear understandingofthe specific target audiences and the
provider marketplace (including landscape designers,driveway installers,landscapers, roofing and
waterproofing contractors, nurseryand garden centres, hardwarestoresand specialty retailers) that
servicesthem.The program will realize decliningstaffparticipation and costs over time as the
marketplace takes over (versus broad-based programs that require continued influx of City
resources to sustain the initiatives).
Priority Subwatersheds
The City has access to high-quality data through Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities, Parks and
Cemeteries and Geospatial Data and Analytics (GDA), ensuring the City is well positioned to develop
a data-driven, purpose-based MIP that strategically targets the areas of highest need. Forreducing
stormwater runoff, the market-based approach proposes to focus on private property owners in
highly urbanized subwatersheds where public property suitable for SCMs is limitedand land is
predominately privately owned.
TheISWM-Implementation Plan (2016) applied evaluation criteria (e.g., runoff and flood
mitigation, water quality, stream health, etc.) to order recommended undertakings based on priority
subwatersheds,categorized as Priority 1 through 4. Priority 1subwatersheds are highly urbanized
and require a composite of SWM actions to realize pollution prevention, flood mitigation, source
water protection, sediment and erosion control objectives. Subsequent hydrologic modeling efforts
refined and identified the top five areas (below) in the City requiring a suiteof SCMs, with an
emphasis on mitigation of runoff and flooding. With additional flooding-specific modeling recently
completed, the City will be able to further focus the program towards areas experiencing the most
significant impacts.
SubwatershedRanking
UpperSchneider
1
Creek
Montgomery Creek2
Shoemaker Creek3
Sandrock Creek4
Voisin Creek5
Α
Market research conducted with single-family homeowners, service and product providers, specifically gardencentres
Research conducted byFreeman Associates for Halton Region (2005), Toronto Region Conservation Authority (2006),
City of Mississauga (2008), and the City of Toronto(2009), Peel Region (2012, 2017), Credit Valley Conservation (2015),
City of Kitchener (2016), York Region (2017), and City of Waterloo (2019).
6 - 3
Strategic Joint Ventures
Forming strategic joint ventures leverages expertise, provides economies of scale, enables
enhanced access to businesses,and identifies synergistic opportunities to deliver a cohesive
initiative with consistent and impactful marketing and promotion.
Internally, integrated management and implementation of ISWM-MP projects achieves the strategic
objectives of the City with greater impact and improved efficacy at lower cost than discrete
implementation.Internal alignment predominately includes Parks & Cemeteries and Geospatial Data
and Analytics, with collaboration opportunities withthe Neighbourhood Development Office and
Economic Development.
Externally, city staff will maintain the ongoing market incentive strategic joint venture with the City of
Waterloo and will engage other area municipalities and energy utilities who have launched similar
programs to builda comprehensive energy-water-stormwater demand-side management program.
Area service providers including contractors, designers, environmental non-profits, and horticultural
depots will be leveraged for install, administrative, promotional and engagement activities related to
the MIP. Staff will continue to explore opportunities for partnership with municipalities that have
implemented similar programming. The Regions of York and Peel, in partnership with Landscape
see Kitchener Utilities MIPwebpage for more information). The Fusion
program has been highly successful, and the groups are keen on expanding the program to other
jurisdictions,which would provide significant foundational materials, expertise and framework for
implementation and delivery of a made-in-Kitchener MIP.
The Opportunity: City Building & Sustainability
The programcomplementsother strategic work happening at the City, including urban forestry, road
and right-of-way improvements and park enhancements, DMAF work, and new trail and bike path
construction.In addition to the capital and operating efficienciesfrom leveraging economies of scale,
the directand indirect socialandenvironmental opportunities and impacts will be captured as part
of the work.The MIP supports urbanbeautification,quality of life,economic diversity, and
environmental sustainability for Kitchener residents. Thetransformativeapproachwillwork to ensure
the City meets SWM targets despite intensification of development, expanding upstream
urbanization,and increasing weather variability due to climate change.
Urban Beautification and Quality of Life
Investment in SWM and green infrastructure result in improvements of natural-based aesthetic,
positive health outcomes from improved air and water quality,enhanced recreational opportunities
and improved health of biodiversity. SWMprovides safeguardsagainst the negative impacts of
current and future flooding and extreme weather, including associated health and safety cases,
damage and disruption to property and infrastructure, erosion of streambanks and impairment of
water quality.
Economic Development & Diversity
While protecting owner assets and minimizing disruptions, a market approach supports residents
and businesses during a time of heightened need due to COVID-19 and climate change.
Compared to grey infrastructure, green infrastructure:
Provides a more affordable approach to SWM for the City and residents;
Providesmore accessible opportunities for local employment and business; and
Is more operating intensive and so supports job creation and circulatingmore investment
dollars within the local economy while improving property values.
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Environmental Sustainability
In addition to SWM, the MIPdirectlysupportsexisting City environmental initiatives:
Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy:By encouraging trees as a storm control, aco-benefit
of the MIPincludes contribution toincreasing the urban tree canopywhileproviding at-source
SWMimprovements, including greater maintenance of assets.
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Kitchener has committed to corporate and
regionalclimate change adaptation and mitigationplans.Green infrastructure supports:
o Adaptationenhanced adaptability and resiliency to extreme weather,improved
water and air quality, enhanced habitat and biodiversity for native species, and
reduced heat island effect,
o Mitigationcarbon sequestration,reduced/avoided emissions fromgrey
infrastructure.
Project Implementation
Timeline and milestones overview
TimelineMilestones
Completed to date
Data collection through extensive stormwater, urban forestry, and
GDA data
Research and benchmarking of best practices across
municipalities
Partnershipcreation; exploration ofstrategic joint ventures
opportunities; retained expert consultant to developroad map for
MIP development
February 2021
Program Overview to Council
February +
Program development
June 2021
Identification of preferred implementation plan and evaluation
criteria
Presentation to Corporate Leadership Team
September 2021
Program implementation blueprint, including selection of preferred
implementation plan and research findings
Presentation to Council
Remainder of 2021 and
Communications material development and implementation
Q1 (2022)
Service provider training
Q2 2022
Program launch via providers; public access to funding
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports:
Environmental Leadership by implementing elements of the Corporate Climate Action Plan,
Environmental Leadership by supporting the goals of the Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy
A Vibrant Economy by supporting local economic development.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
-year funding for the program, as outlined in the
10-year capital budget forecast.The primary use of funding will be for the storm-control infrastructure
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on private lands, with a portion of funding going towards internal program administration. Later in
2021, the recommended program will pe presented to council for consideration
The costs to develop the program in 2021 are estimated to be $285,000 for staff time associated
with program development and any technical studies required develop the program. Funding has
been allocated for this work in the approved capital budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
A suiteof tactics to INFORM, CONSULT, and COLLABORATE will be establishedand will include:
Consultation withlocal experts, service providers,community members in priority subwatersheds,
City staff (in particular those from Sustainability Office, SSU, Planning, Engineering and Geospatial
Data & Analytics), Council,the and Inclusionwilloccur in
2021 to develop the program.
INFORM
council / committee meeting.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
INS-16-047 Stormwater Management Master Plan Final Report
INS 12-025 Stormwater Credit Policy Public Consultation Follow-up
INS 12-020 Stormwater Credit Program
INS 12-001 Stormwater Credit Program
APPROVED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services
Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
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REPORT TO:Community andInfrastructureServices Committee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Cory Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development,
519-741-2200 ext. 7065
PREPARED BY:Cory Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development,
519-741-2200 ext. 7065
Saleh Saleh, Director of Revenue, 519-741-2200 ext. 7346
Rosa Bustamante, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200ext.7319
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:January 28, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-020
SUBJECT:Continued Supports for Businesses Impacted by Provincial
Restrictions
RECOMMENDATION:
1) That, as part of the City’s ongoing effortsto support businesses impacted by
Provincial restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City undertake the
following:
a)Continue to provide necessary resource supports in theWaterloo Region Small
Business Centreto continue to provide needed services where Provincial
funding is unavailable;
b)Utilize allrelevant andapplicable City of Kitchener communicationchannels to
ensure local businesses are aware of all funding supports, including Federal
and Provincial programs;
c)Continue to provide support to the KW Chamber of Commerce, Business
Improvement Areas and Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporationfor
their recovery initiatives, such as the Live: Ask an Expert webinar series;
d)Extend the waiving offees forportable signs until June 30, 2021, authorizing
staff to further extend the waiving of these fees until the end of the pandemic
if deemed necessary;
e)Extending 2021 Business Licensing due dates and deferring late feesuntil
June 30, 2021;
f)Continue to provide free parking in Downtown surface parking lots after 5pm
and on weekends until June 30, 2021, authorizing staff to further extend said
free parking until the end of the pandemic if deemed necessary;
g)Ensure an expeditious patio approval program remains in place in advance of
warmer weather, including the waiving of municipal patio fees;and,
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
7 - 1
h)Continue to support tenants of City of Kitchener facilities, such as the
Kitchener Market, with accessing applicable Federal and Provincial support
programs, such as rent relief subsidies.
2. That City staff continue with a phased and agile approach to industry consultation
and business recovery as outlined in Report DSD-21-020.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the City’s proposed approach to
Business Recovery, including immediate supports for consideration.
The key findingsof this report arethat many local businesses continue to be impacted
by the pandemiconly further perpetuated by the recent Provincial orders. Unlike the
initial lockdown, a significant and diverse array of funding programs are currently
available to support businesses. The City can play an effective role by complimenting
and leveragingthese relief programs with focused initiatives and by ensuring efficient
municipal services.
Community engagement (in particular local businesses and business associations) has
been ongoing throughout the pandemic. Full business recovery will take months and
even years for certain industries, depending on the degree of impact. This report
identifies a framework for a phased approach to ongoing industry consultation and
anticipated timing of future recommendations (additional business recovery efforts) for
Council to consider.
The financial impacts are as follows - including economic supports previously approved
by Council, the City will be providing an estimated total of $2.3million in unbudgeted
economic and financial supports to residents and businesses in the community. The
report recommendation includes consideration for the City to waive various fees and
charges.Future recovery efforts can be supported by the Make It Kitchener 2.0
Reserve.
This report supports a vibrant economy.
BACKGROUND:
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the City has provided a broad range of services and
supports to assist local businesses in responding to the challenges of the pandemic.
Initially, financial supports (such as the deferral of tax payments) were intended to give
businesses grace periods as the Federal and Provincial governments developed direct
financial support programs. Today, more than a dozen programs exist, most notably:
Employment Insurance Programs for displaced workers, such as the Canadian
Emergency Response Benefit (CERP) program;
Ontario Small Business Support Grant – grants of up to $20,000 to support
businesses impacted by the second shutdown;
Ontario Property Tax and Energy Bill Rebates – grants to cover taxes and energy
costs during periods of ‘Control’, ‘Lockdown’ or ‘Provincewide Shutdown’;
Recovery of costs for personal protective equipment (PPE) through one-time
grants of up to $1,000;
COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business and charitable
organizations, providing up to$1,500 towards utility bills;
Business Education Tax Reduction – rates were decreased from 1.25% to 0.88%;
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy – a subsidy of 75% of employee wages to
prevent job loss;
Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program, providing loans to businesses
of up to $1 million;
Canada Emergency Business Account – credit for small businesses to pay for
immediate operating costs; and,
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy – rent and mortgage supports to impacted
businesses.
It is clear that theFederal and Provincial governments have the financial capacity to
provide substantial supports to businesses. Municipalities simply do not have the financial
means to provide supports at a scale that will make or break a company’s ability to remain
in business. Rather, the City can play an effective support role ensuring businesses are
aware of available funding and are supported in accessing theseprograms. Likewise, the
City can leverage these programs by continuingto compliment funding programs with
agile and effective services/programs that allow local businesses to respond to the various
stages of the pandemic.
Similarly, local partners, such as the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, KW
Chamber of Commerce, Communitech, Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation
and BIAs are providing a series of support programs (training, grants, etc.) to local
businesses. The City can continue to play an important role in supporting local partners.
As part of the approval of Make It Kitchener 2.0, City Council earmarked up to $5 million to
support wide-spread business recovery. Given the extensive Federal and Provincial
programs available, this funding will be most effectively utilized to offer supports where gaps
exist and where localized opportunities exist.
For municipal supports provided during the pandemic, refer to reports DSD-20-064 and
DSD-20-067.
REPORT:
Many businesses have been significantly impacted by the physical distancing and
shutdown measures needed to combat the spread of COVID-19. The industries impacted
the most include non-essential service most reliant on in-person transaction, such as
entertainmentand tourism-based businesses (restaurant, retail, accommodation),
personal services and commercial landlords. For these businesses, there are at least 3
predominant phases of business recovery:
1- Immediate & Direct Supports during Restricted Phases
During this phase (Control,Lockdown & Shutdown), businesses are significantly restricted
from accessing their customers. They require direct financial support to cover immediate
expenses, payroll, rent, taxes, etc. The majority of Federal and Provincial programs are
established to support companies in weatheringthe impacts of revenue loss. During this
phase, there is limited financial supports the City can provide. In Spring 2020, the City
provided a series ofpropertytax and rent deferrals.Additionally, the City provided interest
and penalty charge waivers on utility, property tax and miscellaneous bills for up to 90
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days. Although this was effective during the initial phases of the economic relief supports
provided by the City,with existing relief programs now in place by the Federal and
Provincialgovernments, it is not expected that similar measures are needed at this time.
2- Adaptation Supports during Less-Restrictive Phases
During this phase (Prevent, Protect, Restrict), businesses can operate in a more normal
manner, but are often limited in the capacity of customers they can accommodate and are
required to implement physical distancing measures. They require assistance adhering to
public health requirements (ex: acquiring personal protective equipment), adapting their
businesses (ex: e-commerce, curbside delivery, expanded patios, etc.) and attracting
customers who are less comfortable with in-person patronization.Throughout the
pandemic, the City has provided a variety of supports to businesses(ex: patio expansion
program, Digital Service Squad). Staff anticipate many of these services will need to
continue as the Province emerges from the current lockdown.
3- Post-Pandemic Recovery
During this phase (post-widely available vaccine), the lifting of public health measures will
enable businesses to return to a new normal form of operations. It is unknown how
quicklyany given businesswill see theircustomer base fullyreturn. Many businesses
maybe challenged to re-attract previous customers and attract new customers.
Input from Businesses Thus Far
Staff have engaged with businesses in a variety of ways, both formally and informally, at
various points throughout the pandemic.For example, during the summer, the City (via
the Small Business Centre) provided a business outreach program, providing one-on-one
supports to businesses. During the Fall, the Small Business Centre’s Digital Service
Squad engaged with more than 1,500 businesses across the region. Many of the City’s
partner organizations (ex: BIAs, Waterloo Region Tourism and Market Corporation) have
engaged their membership and shared feedback with staff. The common themes to date
include:
a)The need for direct and easy-to-access financial supports from the Provincial and
Federal governments to assist with key obligations, such as payroll and rent.
These programs are particularly necessary during restricted phases;
b)The need for clear and easy to understand operating guidelines within each phase
(ex: capacity limits, health and safety practices). It should be noted that certain
restricted phases require modifications to businesses which many proprietors feel
make operating their business unsustainable;
c) A desire for all levelsof government to make re-opening and recovery phases as
easy to achieve as possible, through elimination of red tape or any restrictions that
might further impede customer access;
d)Support, when appropriate, with re-engagement of customers. To date, the focus
has been on providing digital supports to enable businesses to transition to e-
commerce and curbside service models. In the future, this could include mass
marketing efforts or programming that drives residents to support local businesses.
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While the Provincial and Federal government have the means and mandate to deliver on
(a), the City can play an important role, either directly or in support, of themes (b), (c) and
(d). As staff continue to engage businesses throughout the pandemic, these themes may
change and new needs and priorities may emerge.
Proposed Approach to Supporting Business Recovery
As part of the approval of Make It Kitchener 2.0, City Council earmarked up to $5 million to
support wide-spread business recovery,includingthe following:
1.Support to impacted businesses looking to pivot and adapt;
2.Support to displaced workers looking to transition to new industries;
3.Support to new entrepreneurs, small businesses, startups and scaling companies;
4.Ensuring our commercial, main street and downtown areas remain vibrant; and,
5.Supporting businesses and development through efficient services.
It is clear that full economic recovery will take years, with supports required on a variety of
fronts. It is also clear that the solutions needed are not all currently known or as easy to
predict as they may have been in a pre-pandemic era. As such, rather than attempting to
create a singular, one-time plan, the community will be better served by utilizing a ‘living-
document’ approach that is agile, adaptive and responsive. Staff willcontinuously engage
the business community andprovide Council with options for supporting recovery
throughout the coming 12+ months, as follows:
Area of FocusIndustry Focus Anticipated Anticipated
Consultation Recommendations
Timingto Council
1.Support to Suburban CommercialUnderway & This report +
impacted through the additional
businesses Springrecommendations in
looking to early Spring 2021
Downtown CommercialUnderway
pivot and (with subsequent
Personal ServicesUnderway &
adapt.reports as needed)
through the
Spring
Tourism / HotelWinter –Spring
Cultural Organizations & Winter -Spring
Creative Industry
Professionals
Festival & Event Winter-Spring
Organizations
2.Support to Consultation will initially Spring-Fall 2021
displaced include organizations which Summer
workers support a broad spectrum of
looking to labour force development /
transitionto employment services as well
new as educational partners.
industries.
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3.Support to Organizations which support Underway & Spring 2021 +
entrepreneurs, business development in the through the additional
small areas identified.Springrecommendations
businesses, as needed
Office companiesUnderway &
startups and
through the
scaling
Spring/Summer
companies.
Manufacturing Underway &
through the
Spring/Summer
4.Ensuring Business Improvement OngoingInitially in Spring
commercial, Areas & Industry 2021, with future
main street Associations recommendations
and downtown as needed
areas remain
Major commercial and office Underway
vibrant.
property owners/landlords through the
Spring
5.Support AllOngoingThis report + future
business and work through the
development Development
through Services Review
efficient
services.
Note – dates are subject to change based on the changing nature of the pandemic.
Initially, staff anticipated widespread business engagement throughout December,
January and February, providing valuable insights to inform recommendations on recovery
efforts. However, at the time, it was not known that the Province would return to
lockdown. As such, business engagement has been delayed as many business operators
are focused on immediate challenges, and less focused on recovery efforts (Phases 2 and
3 noted above). Staff’s current focus is ensuring businesses are fully aware of the current
supports available during lockdown.
Immediate Supports
The following identifies a comprehensive list of services and supports staff recommend
initiating or continuing to support businesses impacted by the second lockdown. The
proposed supports align with feedback heard to date. Additional recommendations for
support will come forward in the future.
A. Small Business Centre Supports
Throughout the pandemic, the Small Business Centre has played a lead role in providing
supports and services to business owners across the region. This includes 1-on-1
support, expert training sessions, peer-2-peer networks, information sharing, etc. Most
notably, the Centre has led the regional effort for the provision of the Digital Main Street
programming, offering training supports and grants to support businesses as they adopt
digital and e-commerce platforms. In addition, the Centre provides significant support,
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mentoring and guidance to startups. For example, the Digital Main Street Squad made
contact with 1,500 businesses during the Fall of 2020.
The efforts of the Small Business Centre have been aided by provincial funding which is
set to expire in March of 2021. Should this funding not continue, staff recommend
authorization of additional staff supports, including up to $50,000 from the Make It
Kitchener 2.0 reserve to ensure any necessary services can continue.
B.Communications Supports
Given the importance of the Federal and Provincial funding programs, the City can play a
significant role in ensuring businesses are aware of any opportunities. To date, the City
has supported communications through the following:
Social media and e-newsletter promotions through all applicable channels (ex:
Small Business Centre, Downtown social media, etc.)
Encouraging partner organizations to promote (ex: Business Improvement Areas,
Waterloo Region Tourism, etc.)
Direct emails to Kitchener businesses (ex: as part of Licensing renewal notices,
emails from the Mayor, etc.)
Direct reach outs by staff members to businesses
Assisting tenants of City facilities (ex: Kitchener Market, 44 Gaukel) with accessing
programs.
City staffwill continue to explore newopportunities to ensure all businesses are aware of
the funding opportunities and can access the necessary guidance to understand the
opportunities, benefits and implications of each program.
C. Support for the Effortsof Key Partners
Throughout the pandemic, the KW Chamber of Commerce has played a leadership role in
ensuring a coordinated response to the challenges of businesses. For example, they
established a new program called ‘Chamber Check’ – an online training platform to assist
businesses with adapting to new COVID-19 protocols and public health requirements.
Recently, the KW Chamber of Commerce created a free online advice series where, twice
a week, any business in the region can gain advice from, and ask questions of,expertson
the various funding programs.
The Downtown Kitchener BIA and Belmont BIA each facilitated the provision of supports,
such as business grants and digital training. Communitech is providing a component of the
Digital Main Street service delivery. Recently, the Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing
Corporation launched a new grant program to support tourism-based businesses as they
continue to adapt to changing operations.The City will continue to support these
organizationsas needed.
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D.Waiving of Portable Sign Permit Fees
In Spring 2020, application fees for temporary/portable signs were waived in order to support
business recovery during the pandemic. Although the fees were waived, Planning staff
continued to receive and process temporary/portable sign permit applications throughout
2020. There is value in continuing to review and process these applications, even with fees
temporarily waived, in order to ensure that temporary signs are located in appropriate
locations (e.g. not interfering with sight lines at intersections) and with permission from
property owners (e.g. on properties with multiple commercial tenants).
Based on the volume of portable sign permit applications that were received throughout
2020, the waiving of fees for portable signs results in moderate revenue loss for the Planning
Division. Staff recommend waiving the collection of fees for portable sign permits, City-
wide, until at least June 30, 2021, with discretion to extend furtherbased on the state of the
pandemic.
E. Deferral of 2021 Business Licensing Fees
While staff still deem it important to collect the necessary renewal fees, staff are delaying
sending out renewal notices and are extending the due date from March 31 to June 30.
During this time, staff will defer adding any late fees to business licenses. In previous years,
late fees were collected beginning April 1 but with the extended due-date and deferral, there
may be an impact on the overall revenues. For reasons of public health and safety,
nuisance control,and consumer protection, businesses may still be required to provide
documentation confirming their establishment is maintained in accordance with applicable
codes and bylaws.
F. Free Parking in Downtown Lots on Evenings and Weekends
Prior to the pandemic, the City offered free parking in City surface parking lots after 5pm
and on Sundays. In response to the pandemic, this has been extended to include free
parking on Saturdays.This willallow downtown businesses to promote ease of access to
their customers. Parking Enterprise staff will continue to extendfree parking until at least
June 30, 2021, with discretion to extend furtherbased on the state of the pandemic.As a
result of the pandemic,limiteduse of the City’s downtown parking lots was observed
during the Summer of 2020. As such, the proposed extension shouldresult in minimal
revenue lossbeyond what was experienced in 2020.
G. Patio Approvals for Spring 2021
The Province has confirmed that relaxed requirements for licensed patios will continue in
2021. Like 2020, staff will ensure an efficient process to expedite approvals.
H. Continue to Support City Tenants
The City has variety of tenants in various facilities who are eligible for Federal and Provincial
funding programs. City staff will continue to support tenants in accessing these programs.
7 - 8
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services and the Corporate Strategic Plan goal of
building a vibrant economy.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Details of the potential financial impacts included in this report include:
Sign Permit Fees – Waiving of fees could result in a loss of $100,000 in revenue until
th
June 30, and up to $200,000 if continued for the balance of 2021.
Business Licensing Fees – the deferral of late fees could result in a loss of revenue
of up to $28,000.
Free Parking on Saturdays – based on 2020 activity, offering free parking in 2021 will
result in minimal lost revenue. Economic Development has provided the Parking
Enterprise with a subsidy valued at $35,000 for free parking between 5pm and 6pm,
which was introduced during the construction of ION, based on pre-pandemic
customer volume.
Small Business Centre Support – additional staffing resources of up to $50,000 would
be funded either through the Small Business Centre’s reserve or the Economic
Development 2.0 Reserve.
Patio Fees - waiving of municipal permit fees for patios on municipal right-of-ways
will result in a loss of approximately $4,500 in revenue.
The consolidated cost to the City of the economic relief measures approved by
Council previously (DSD-20-064 and DSD-20-067)and the economic relief measures
recommended in this report, is estimated to total $2.3M.The table below shows a
detailed breakdown of the estimatedeconomic supports:
ABA+B
Dollar Impact of Dollar Impact of
Economic Relief Economic
Measures Relief Measures
Previously Proposed as Total Relief
Approved By part of the Provided/Proposed
Council (DSD-Initial Phase of
20-064 and DSD-2021Support
20-067)
Waiver of Penalty and Interest$1,050,000To be $1,050,000
determined
Adjustments to Lease related
obligations$10,000N/A$10,000
Business Licensing Fees$40,000$28,000$68,000
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Parking$250,000$35,000$285,000
Property Tax Deferral Program$250,000N/A$250,000
Investment Income$250,000N/A$250,000
Rent Deferral & Relief*UnknownN/AUnknown
Small Business Centre SupportN/A$50,000$50,000
Temporary Sign Permit Fees$150,000$200,000$350,000
Patio Fees$4,500$4,500$9,000
Total Estimated Relief
Provided$2,004,500$317,500$2,322,000
Where the economic support measures proposed in this reportcannot be offset by Divisional
savings, any outstanding deficits will be funded from the Make it Kitchener 2.0 Reserve fund
unless other financial supports are provided by other levels of government to offset these
impacts. It is also expectedthat the Federal and Provincial governments will continue to
provide financial support to residents and businesses in 2021 as part of the pandemic
recovery efforts.
As part of the approval of Make It Kitchener 2.0, Council earmarked up to $5.0 million ofthe
Make It Kitchener 2.0 Reserve fund be allocated to support broad business recovery. Staff
will continue to engagebusinesses and consider any additional relief, for Council approval,
to be provided in the future as we work together to help to supportbusiness.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of
the council / committee meeting.
CO
NSULT – City staff have been consulting with businesses, business associations and
the City’s Economic Development Advisory Committee throughout the pandemic, both
formally and informally. Additional formal consultation is anticipated in the coming months,
as noted in this report.
P
REVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
For municipal supports provided during the pandemic, refer to reports DSD-20-064 and DSD-20-067
APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Division
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REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure ServicesCommittee
DATE OF MEETING:February 8, 2021
SUBMITTED BY:Justin Readman, General Manager,519-741-2200 ext. 7646
PREPARED BY:Margaret Love, Manager of Service Coordination & Improvement,
519-741-2200 ext. 7042
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All Ward(s)
DATE OF REPORT:January 21, 2021
REPORT NO.:DSD-21-006
SUBJECT:Development Services Review Project Close-out Report
RECOMMENDATION:
ThatDSD-21-006, regarding Development Services Review Project Close-out Report,
be received for information
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purposeof this report istopresentthe results of the development services review
andformally close the project.
The key findingof this report isthat the development services review has resultedin
meaningful improvements as evidenced bystrengthening the City’scontinuous
improvement culture, feedback from customers,andearly indicatorsof success.
The financial implicationsarelimited to the existing approved capital budget allocated
to the development services review. The remaining balance will be used on the on-going
implementation of improvement projects.
A detailed community engagementplanwas developedand executedover the
lifecycle of the development services reviewusing a broad range of engagement tactics;
details are summarized in this report.
This report supports Great Customer Service.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Twoend-to-end Lean reviews wereundertaken between June and October 2019on public
engagement processes related to development applications and site plan approvals
processes. Thesereviewsresulted inthe creation ofa customer-informed workplan that
included18Kaizens (i.e. Lean improvement projects/events)that began in October 2019
and concluded in December 2020. Over 111 staff were engaged in these reviews viaa
bottom-up approach to problem-solvingand implementation.A detailed communications
and engagement plan was developed in collaboration with the City’s Corporate
Engagement Consultant and executed using a multi-pronged approach with touchpoints
throughout the entire process. BothLean reviews and resulting improvements wererooted
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
8 - 1
inunderstanding the voices of our customersand finding ways to add more value to the
City’sprocesses from thecustomer’s perspective.For public engagement, this involved
understanding who we’re currently engaging, who we’re not,and where there are gaps so
that equity-informed engagement plans can be created, and subsequently by
implementing improvements that work to addressand removethe identified barriers.For
the site plan process, this involved understanding a complex, multi-year approvals process
from the perspective of the applicant and finding improvements that streamline the
customer experience, ultimately resulting in a decrease in review and approvaltimelines
through better communication,coordination,collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
Early data shows that, on average,there has been a decrease of 60%in the time it takes
to obtain an approval in principle. Satisfaction ratings of 85% and 90% have also been
achieved for thenew pre-submission process and the new onsite certification process,
respectively. A summary of all improvements is provided in the body of this report and in
Attachments B and C.
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of the development services review wasto look at how development
functions interact and are coordinated, and to identify if that coordination can be improved
in a way that results in clearer accountability, stronger collaboration, and ultimately an
even better customer experience.
Fiveobjectives forthe reviewwere identified early in the process:
1.Establish a Shared Vision for Economic Growth, City Building, Sustainability,
and Development Interests:With a variety of disciplines involved in the delivery of
development services, representing functions with competing interests at times, it is
important that staff are working towards common goals and understand how their
contribution supports the results that we are trying to achieve within the city.
Starting from existing strategies, plans and policies, staff will need to establish
shared goals, objectives and principles to guide effective and consistent decision
making.
2.Align Work Processes to Support the Development Services Vision: Selected
development processes will be reviewed end-to-end on a prioritized basis using
Lean methodologies to ensure a clear and consistent focus on delivering customer
value, efficient services, and streamlined customer interactions.
3.Enhance Team Building, Collaboration and Creative Problem Solving:The
most challenging development opportunities require all stakeholders to work
together in trusting and respectful relationships that support the best results for the
community.
4.Take a Coordinated Approach to Development: Support less experienced
applicants to more easily navigate the process. Engage the community in a
coordinated way to build a holistic vision for their neighbourhoods. Coordinate staff
resources to reduce wait-times, hand-offs and work backlogs.
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5.Communicate Clearly and Effectively:Applicants and members of the public
should have a clear understanding of the requirements and expectations, the steps,
timelines and costs involved, and how they can engage constructively with the City
in the development process.
Engagement with stakeholders was instrumental in identifying two priority areas for the
review: the full site plan processandpublic engagement processeswithin
development services. These two focus areas and the shared vision for development
services were confirmed through Committee / Council in May 2019 (DSD-19-096).
REPORT:
This report serves asthe project close-outreportfor the development services review, which
commenced in June 2019 and was completed December 2020.
Key Milestones Completedas Part of the Development Services Review
Key project milestones include:
183 internal/external stakeholders engaged (Oct-Nov 2018)
Stakeholder Engagement Report prepared& shared(Jan 2019)
Three staff visioning workshops (Nov 2018 – Jan 2019)
Engage Kitchener staff page launched (Dec 2018)
SWOT analysis & Benchmarking with other Municipalities (Jan 2019)
½ day strategy session with CLT (Jan 2019)
Council Strategy Session (March 2019)
Developer engagement sessions (March 2019)
Community focus group sessions (March / April 2019)
Shared vision and project scope finalized (May 2019)
Committee and Council meetings (May 2019)
Environmental scan (May 2019)
Internal and external subject matter experts identified to participate in the detailed
review (April/May 2019)
Lean orientation and training forimprovementproject teams completed (June 2019)
Lean review completed (June 2019 – Sept 2019)
End to end process mapping of site plan and public engagement
processes
Current state process map complete
Value-added tasks identified
Data collection plans completed
Data collected and analyzed
Future state value stream map completed
Pinch points identified
Problem statements written
Root causes identified
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Problem statements and root causes confirmed by external
stakeholders
Joint internal/external solutions generation workshops (Oct 2019)
Organization and prioritization of improvements focusing on high impact/low effort
and high impact/high effort solutions (Oct 2019)
18 improvement projects identified and completed (Oct 2019 – Dec 2020)
Implementation (ongoing)
Data-driven monitoring and iterative improvements (ongoing)
Develop new workplans bi-annually for continuous improvement initiatives in
development services (ongoing)
Strengthening the City’s Continuous ImprovementCulture
Throughout the development services review, staffdevelopedautonomy in multi-
disciplinary team-based problem-solving. Understanding the experiencesof their
customers and working with their stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutionswere
central tothis review.
The review has helped create a framework, knowledge base, and build momentum for
continuous improvement initiatives in development services. Increasedemployee and
stakeholder engagement in improvementprojects is not only an empowering approach but
a necessary one, asprojects will have the highest chance of succeedingif they involve
those directly impacted by the outcomes. In total,111 staff were directly engagedin
completing 18 improvement (kaizen) projects. Further, 42% of staff volunteered to actively
participateand lead the improvementsto full implementation.In total, eight staff received
their Lean Green Beltcertification and 46staff received their Lean White Belt certification
throughout the reviewperiod.
Staff completed three replicatechange management surveysat the beginning, mid-point
and end of the development services review.This was done to establish a baseline for
change within our development servicesculture and then observe how the baseline
changed throughout the lifecycle of the project.One of the greatest success stories that
emerged fromthe development services review is the strengthening of aculturethat
supports change, which is evidencedbythe survey results.Overall, eight of nine
measures saw an increase in “yes” responsesand six of nine measures saw adecrease in
“no” responsesbetweenthe second andthird surveys. Seven of nine measures in the third
survey resulted in the highest “yes” responses out of all three surveys. Between 82% -
92% of staff responded that they areencouraged to come up with new or better ways of
doing things, they feel safe and supported in continual learning and making suggestions
for service improvements, they believe a continuous improvement culture is important and
that the development servicesreview has the potential to result in meaningful change.The
participant response rate also increased by 46% from the second to third survey.
Three of nine measureswere identified as areas requiring further work in 2021:
1.29% of staff feel that they have the time to explore new or better ways of doing
things within regular work hours(26% answered ‘neutral’). Moving forward,
continuous improvement needs to be viewed as part of core service delivery.
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2.55% of staff said that they believe failures are viewed as opportunities to learn
(39% answered ‘neutral’). This needs to be explored further to better understand
how to create safe spaces so that the neutral responses can shift to yes.
3.29% of staff feel that they are provided with the supports they need when
change occurs (61%answered ‘neutral’). Again, this needs to be explored
further to better understand where there are gaps and how to shift neutral
responses to yes.
A summary of the results is presented in Attachment A.
Improvement Highlights
Ahigh-level summary of improvements is providedbelow. Additional informationis
includedin Attachment Bofthis report.
Site Plan Process
Stakeholders were asked whatwould make the review a success, andthe top fivegoals
were:
streamline processes(i.e.improve workflow, reduce rework, reduce lead
time) (55%)
establish a collaborative/coordinated approach to delivering services (50%)
define and articulate processes and service levels (35%)
define roles/responsibilities and ensure there is accountability (34%)
improve communication (30%)
To deliver on these goals, the following list summarizes improvements that have
been made to the site plan processas part of the development services review:
Applicants and staff are spending less time and money pushing paper. The
introduction of BluebeamRevu softwarehas transformed digital submission,
circulation, review, and coordinating/consolidating feedback for the development
community. This improvement equipped staff for resilient service delivery during the
pandemic, and staff were well-positioned for accelerated implementation.
Conflicting comments from subject matter experts can now be eliminated: if
applicants commit to submitting a complete first submission fortheclearance of site
plan conditions, staff will commit to a joint comprehensive review session using
Bluebeam.
A 1-yearpilot Project Manager, Development Reviewposition to help customers
navigate approvals processes, compliance with standards, and issuesresolution.In
2021, this dynamic role will serve as a single point of contact for applicants, while
supporting a cross-section of high-profile/strategic applications as well as less
experienced applicants.
Process clarity will be provided through a new website redesign for site plan
applications. Improvements include articulation of the full site plan process, clear
actions, timelines,how-to format, and will serve as a model for other processes. All
requirements for site plan approval have been consolidated with plain language
descriptions, why it is required, links to detailed information, and the timing of the
requirement. This will help create predictability for customers in their project planning
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To deliver on these goals, the following list summarizes improvements that have
been made to the site plan processas part of the development services review:
and management.With a newly redesigned landing page already in place, website
traffic is up 211% over the previous format.
Using AMANDA data, anewdashboardsummarizeskey performance metricsfor
processes and milestones in site plan approvalsprocesses, which will allow
management to settargets for approvals,monitor progressand proactively respond
to files that are not achieving targets, and develop and prioritize future improvement
strategies.
Customerswill be better able to coordinate their clearances throughaccess to a new
daily status report, auto-generated and shared through the AMANDA public portal.
This will provide applicants and their consultants with up-to-date information on the
status of their approvals, including what has been cleared and what hasn’t, the
number ofre-submissions to-date,whether the next step is with the application or the
city, the contact info forthe subject matter expert overseeing each clearance, and
estimated review timeframes.
Increased accountability across allmanagers/directorsinvolved in the site plan
process will be achieved through revisions to job descriptions and the creation of
recurring site plan management meetings, which will focus on issues resolution,
greater collaborationand process improvements.
The pre-submission consultation processhas been reimaginedto createmore
efficient and effective meetingsthat are informative and constructive, resulting in
cleareroutcomesandnext steps for the submission of a complete application – 85%
of customers are satisfied with the new process.
Workflow distribution from onemanagerto ten staff has reduced wait time in the
queuereviewing applications for completenessand increased the amount of time for
the managerto focus on strategic items.
A new streamlined urban design scorecard replaces the former submission
requirement for an urban design report. This new fillable spreadsheet format will
result in streamlining the review process by improving quality and completeness,
minimizing review time/effort, greater collaboration, and a solutions-oriented
approach to meeting urban design guidelines. It is anticipated that this will act as a
model to streamlineadditional report-based requirements.
Moving goal posts have been eliminated from the re-submission process by ensuring
that a consistent staff reviewer is assigned in each area of expertise for their lifecycle
of anapplication.
Re-submissions are prioritized and reviewed within a 7.5-day window – a 25%
reductionin leadtime. Issues are escalated early to management.
To reduce the amount of incomplete submissions across the entire site plan process,
11 improvements were made to better articulate requirementsand streamline
submissions processes.
90% of customers surveyed to-dateappreciate the new proactive securities follow-up
and onsite certification process, helping them certify more quickly and get money
back in their pocket.
Refer to Attachment B for additional details.
Public Engagement Processes
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Staffheard specifically from community members that the following goalswere the most
important focus areas for the review:
transparency and access to information (54%)
meaningful, inclusiveengagement (39%)
closing the engagement loop (32%), and
eliminate technical jargon (29%)
To deliver on these goals, the following list summarizes improvements that have
been made to public engagementprocesses as part of the development services
review:
Technical letters for notices of application, neighbourhood information meetings
and public meetings were replaced with simplified, graphical postcards that are
impactful and easy to understand, helping to remove barriers to understanding
and engagement with the community. The postcards include a link to more
detailed information, including studies and reports that are now accessible at the
click of a button.
Consistent withthe council-approved recommendations in the City’s 2017
Community Engagement Review, staff created anew engagement
framework/toolkit with an easy to use 6-step guide and a suite of engagement
tactics that can be customized, supplementing the existing townhall method with
alternative approaches to engagement that are meaningful, inclusive and
equitable.
In an effort to reduce barriers to engagement and promote equity-informed
engagement plans, a post-engagement survey is administered after each
engagement event.The survey includes questions on satisfaction, comfort,
convenience, areas for improvement and demographics.
Outcomes of engagement are sharedwithengaged participantsthrough a new,
visual What we Heard summary after each engagement event.
The community is excited about the new user-friendly approach to access
information on development applications using an intuitive and visual map-based
interface, similar to a google map. With the click of a button, users can drill down
to more detailed information, including access to all studies and reportsand
information on engagement opportunities.
To reduce barriers to engagement, staff are equipping community members
through the creation of anew, easily digestiblePlanning 101 workshop which will
be delivered3 times per year.
Complementary to the Planning 101 content, a new video explainerseriesis
currently under development to help clarify and communicate aspects of planning
processes that often create roadblocks to understanding and meaningful
engagement. Key topicsinclude why zoning and policies change, roles and
responsibilities, and how the community canget involved.
Interactive walking and bike routesare beingdeveloped and integrated into a
digitalAppto create a fun and active way for community members to learnmore
about architecture and cultural heritage within the City of Kitchener, with a planto
build-out additionaltours in 2021.
Ageneral volunteer engagement group was set-upon the City’s Better Impact
platform as part of a 1-year pilot programin 2021.A total of 80deep engagers
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To deliver on these goals, the following list summarizes improvements that have
been made to public engagementprocesses as part of the development services
review:
have signed up to participate in focus groups, small group discussions, surveys,
and one-on-one interviews to help inform decisions and provide feedback on
future process improvements,the creation of new processes,policy development
and significantprojects.
Internal relationships have been leveragedthrough a partnership between the
Neighbourhood Development Office and Development Services to pilot 1-2
resident-led placemaking projectsin 2021within corporate capital design projects.
Through these pilots, a streamlined process willbe developed for broader
implementation.
Refer to Attachment Cfor additional details.
Status of Improvements
Table 1 summarizes the public engagement and site plan improvementsundertaken
between October 2019 and December 2020and their corresponding implementation
status. It is important to note that while there were 18 improvement projects undertaken,
some resulted in more than one improvement. For more information refer to Attachments
B and C.
Table 1: Public Engagement and Site Plan Improvement Implementation Status
Measuring the Success of Improvements
Measures of success will be tracked by staff on an ongoing basisin an effort tounderstand
how improvements are impacting processes. This information will be used by managers to
make both iterative improvements andidentify additionalfocus areas forimprovement
projects.
Site Plan
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Based on preliminary data from the site plan process, theaveragetimebetween pre-
submission consultation and receiving approval-in-principlehasdecreased by 202 days to
133 days on average – equivalent to a 60% reduction. This further breaks down to 50 days
on average to complete the pre-consultation process and 83 days from application
submission to approvalin principle.Table 2 showsCity of Kitchenerpost-improvement
averagetimelines for approval for key milestones in the site plan approval process. The
footnotes provide a comparison to both current state and best practices inOntario
municipalities.At 2.8 monthson average,Kitchener currently exceeds the best practice of
3-9 months to obtain approval in principle as well as the current state average of 18
months to obtain full site plan approval, which is on average16 months in Kitchener.
Table 2:City of Kitchener Timelines Compared to Current State and Best Practices
for Ontario Municipalities
Surveys were also distributed to customersto obtain feedback on the new pre-submission
andsite certification processesand the results show 85-90% satisfaction, respectively.
Staff have begun to track thenumber of re-submissions required until approval is granted,
which is directly relatedto the quality of submissions (i.e. incomplete applications, drawing
and report submissions).This measure of success will be monitored closely in 2021, with a
goal to achieve 3 or fewer attemptsprior to approval.
Staff will also use the data available through a new dashboard to make informed decisions
when setting approval targets and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Public Engagement
Focus groups were used throughout the review to test improvement concepts and ideas.
Community members unanimously supported multi-pronged diverse engagement options,
access to more information, hands-on and visualtools (e.g. map-based navigation to find
development information),as well as communications that weresimplified through the use
of visuals/graphicsand plain language.As staff and citizens saw value in using focus
groupsas a way to test process improvement ideas, inform the creation of new processes,
develop or amend new policies, or provide feedback on city-wide initiatives, a volunteer
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group, opento any City of Kitchener resident, was created and continues to grow in
interest and registrants (80and counting). While a detailedanalysis on the demographics
of this volunteer group has not yet been undertaken, it appearsthat there is diversity in this
growing group(based on a cursory review). Staff will work with the Equity, Diversity and
Inclusion office to continue to develop a roster of diverse individuals that reflect Kitchener’s
demographics.
The overarchingmeasure of success for the public engagement reviewis whether or not a
representative cross-section of the community is activelyengagedin the decisions that
impact them. A post-engagement surveywas launched in late fall 2019 in the
Transportation and Planning divisions. Early data suggeststhat staff are not hearing from
a representative community voiceat community meetings. For example, based on 120
responsesfrom five events:
o 94% of participants spoke English as a first language;
o 82% were white or white European; and,
o 76% said that both they and their parents were born in Canada.
Participants also answeredquestions related to satisfaction, comfort and convenience.
Prior to the pandemic staffhad an opportunity to run several meetings using an open
house format. Responses showed that open houses scored higher in satisfaction, comfort
and convenience when compared to the traditional townhall format. Over 50% of
participants also wanted to see more online engagement opportunities.The post-
engagement surveywas revised based on feedback and formally launched across the
entire Development Services Department in September 2020. The survey will continue to
be administered by all staff in Development Services on an on-going basisand,in
collaboration with the City’s new equity, diversity and inclusion office, staff will workto
identify and remove barriers usingan equity informed approach to engagement.
The focus of the City’s public engagement review has been on increasing the quality of
engagementso that barriers to engagement can be removed, resulting in an inclusive
process. The focus was not on decreasing overall review and approval timeframes for the
processes within which engagement takes place(this was out of scope).In parallel to the
development services review, Regional municipalities have been undertaking a joint
review of approval processes related to Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law
Amendment applicationsin an effort to streamline approval timelines. Topics of discussion
have included the timing and nature of public engagement and the impact on statutory
timelines. This review is ongoingwith recommendations to be finalized and shared at a
later date.
Next Steps
Key next steps are summarized below.
Processes that did not form part of the formal development services review will be
considered as part of an on-going body of continuous improvement work, which will
be consideredandprioritizedby the General Manager of Development Servicestwo
times per yearas part of regular business planning.
It is important to note that, where appropriate, opportunities to replicate the process
improvements identified as a result of these reviews should be identified and
assessed.
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Because the pandemic delayedthe development services review by 3 months,
there are two improvements projects that will carryover to 2021:the development of
a lecture series and a review of the feasibility of requiring a compositeand
functionalutility planearly in thesite planreview/approval process.
The public engagement review resultedin a variety of projects, includingbut not
limited to: the development of a new community engagement frameworkfor the
Planning Division; a new post engagement survey that includes demographic
questionsas well as questions on satisfaction, comfort, convenience,and areas for
improvement; increasing public circulationnotices to now include occupants and
owners of residences; doubling the legislated circulation distancefor statutory
notices; reimaginingnotification lettersinto a postcard format; and, reimagining
property signs and newspaper notices.All improvements noted above meet or
exceed statutory requirements for communication and public engagement.As
implementation wasdelayed due to the pandemic,staff will continue
implementation efforts, monitor the outcomes of these projects over the coming
months, and bring forward a recommendation related to Council Policy MUN-PLA-
1095 - Public Participation in the Planning Process. The next review date for the
policy is July 2021.
CONCLUSION:
The development services review hascreated a framework, knowledge base (i.e. through
trained, Lean Green Belt-designated staffand kaizen team members),and momentum for
an on-going body of continuous improvement workin development services.
There is evidencethrough survey resultsthat a continuous improvement culturefrom the
customer’s perspectivein development services has been strengthened throughout this
project, which is arguably one of the most significant outcomes from the review. The
strengthening of ourchange culture in development services is an asset thatwill help build
buy-in, support and momentum for future change initiatives.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports Great Customer Service. It was also a 2019/2020 Business Plan
project.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget – The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budgetbeyond what
was already approved in 2018. A balance has been carried over to 2021 for the
implementation of improvement strategies.
Operating Budget – The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
External stakeholders were informed of opportunities to engage in the development
services review through information on Facebook, Twitter, the City’s website, Engage
Kitchener, print form (cards at the front counters of engineering, planning, building,
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transportation, economic development), Council-supported outreach, targeted invitations,
emails to neighbourhood associations, and advisory committee meetings.
Figure 1:Photosfrom a cross-section of engagement opportunitiesthroughout the
review
INFORM
This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
A project presentation was delivered in Fall 2018 at Advisory Committee meetings
(including a question and answer period).
Project presentations were delivered in 2018and2019 at the AnnualWaterloo
RegionalHome Builders Liaison Workshop.
Project updates wereshared through a public facingEngage Kitchenerproject page
and emailthroughout the course of the project.
Engagement reports wereprepared and distributed, summarizing the outcomes of
the March/April 2019 and October 2019 Community and Development Community
engagement sessions.
CONSULT
30 citizensthrough one-on-one interviews and an online survey
34 members of the development community through one-on-one interviews and an
online survey
Eight organizations (e.g. Region of Waterloo, utilities, government organizations)
through interviews and an online survey
Sevencommittees (Economic Development Advisory Committee, Committee of
Adjustment, Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee, Downtown Action and Advisory
Committee, Environmental Committee, Heritage Kitchener, Arts & Culture Advisory
Committee)
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The Engage Kitchener platform wasused to engage stakeholders across the life
cycle of the projectand included the use of the survey tool and ideas boards.25
people engaged on Engage Kitchener through surveys, general comments and
ideas boards.
Attended Waterloo Regional Home Builders Association meetings throughout 2018,
2019, 2020and January2021to provide project updates and request feedback on
site plan and public engagement improvements
3 community members provided feedback on initial concepts for a video explainer
series (focus groups planned for 2021).
COLLABORATE
26 community members participated in three visioning sessions in 2019
15 development community members participated in visioning sessions in 2019
24communityand development community members participatedin joint
internal/external workshops to brainstorm solutions in 2019(80 participants,
including staff). Here’s a summary of whatexternalparticipants sharedabout the
engagement:
o Mix of attendees resulting in great dialogue
o Hearing opinions on all parts of the process – enjoyed moving to different
problem statements
o Understanding the frustrations of other stakeholders
o Learned that we have some similar concerns and challenges
o The amount of staff that attended was great – so many were present from all
departments
o Open conversation
o Rapid ideation
o The “everyone bring your ideas” approach
o Good discussion and collaboration
o The focus on solutions
o Having facilitators to keep us on track
o Transparency is key – more communication
o Meeting new people, sharing ideas, positive atmosphere
o A good way to cover issues in a short amount of time
40 community membersprovided feedback on threeengagement improvements:
Story Map, Postcards/Property Signs, Engagement Framework – there was
unanimous support for all three initiatives.
38 community participants joinedafocus groupand pilotpresentationin 2020 to
reviewPlanning 101 Workshopcontent and provide recommendations and assist in
refining the course content
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
DSD-19-048– Council Strategy Session: Council Input on the Development Services
Review (March 4, 2019)
DSD-19-096– Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee: Development Services Review
Update (May 13, 2019)
CAO-17-001 – Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee:Community Engagement
Review(January 9, 2017)
MUN-PLA-1095: Public Participation in the Planning Process Policy (Approved July 12,
1996; next review date July 2021)
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APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Staff Change Survey Results
Attachment B – Site Plan Improvement Project Highlights
Attachment C – Public Engagement Improvement Project Highlights
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ATTACHMENT A – Staff Change Survey Results
Table 1.Staff change survey results
Survey Questions Observations
(Response Options: Yes, Neutral, No) (n=38)
82% of respondents answered “Yes” and 16%
answered “Neutral”
Question 1. In my work area, I am
Between Surveys 2 & 3, 17% more respondents
encouraged to come up with new or
answered “Yes” (11.5% of respondents moved from
better ways to do things
“Neutral” to “Yes” and 5.5% from “No” to “Yes”)
This also represents a 15% increase from survey 1
87% of respondents answered “Yes” and 8%
answered “Neutral”
Question 2. I feel safe making
suggestions for new or better ways
Between Survey # 2 & 3, 18% more respondents
to deliver service
answered “Yes” (previously answered “Neutral”)
This also represents a 4% increase from survey 1.
29% of respondents answered “Yes”and 26%
answered “Neutral”
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response increased by
6% (“No” responses moved to “Yes”) and 7% (“No”
Question 3. During regular work
to “Neutral”)
hours, I have time to explore new or
Staff shared that their workflow is heavy and that
better ways to do things
time needs to be allocated as part of their core
service to work on continuous improvement
initiatives
This also represents a 9% increase from survey 1.
55% of respondents answered “Yes” and 39%
answered “Neutral”
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response increased by
Question 4. In my work area, we 9% (“No” responses moved to “Yes”)
view failure and mistakes as
Work needs to be done to create safe spaces to try
opportunities to learn
new things, even if they don’t result in the
anticipated outcomes; this is at the heart of
continuous improvement
This also represents an 8% decrease from survey 1.
82% of respondents answered “Yes” and 13%
Question 5. My team (supervisor or
answered “Neutral”
staff) supports the continual learning
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response increased by
and development of our skills,
17% (12% moved from “No” to “Yes”; 5% moved
abilities, and the ways that we do
from “Neutral” to “Yes”).
our work
This also represents a 9% increase from survey 1.
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Survey Questions Observations
(Response Options: Yes, Neutral, No) (n=38)
29% of respondents answered “Yes” and 61%
answered “Neutral”
Question 6. In my work area, when
There was minimal change between all three
change occurs (whether initiated by
surveys.
me or others) I am provided with the
Work needs to be done to understand where gaps
supports I need
may exist so that staff feel more supported in
implementing changes.
92% of respondents answered “Yes” and 8%
Question 7. I think a continuous
answered “Neutral”
improvement culture is important in
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response decreased by
the workplace
4% (moved from “Yes” to “Neutral”).
71% of respondents answered “Yes”and 18%
Question 8. Overall, I think my
answered “Neutral”
colleagues believe that a continuous
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response increased by
improvement culture is important in
13% (moved from “Neutral” to “Yes”).
the workplace
This also represents an 8% increase from survey 1.
92% of respondents answered “Yes” and 8%
answered “Neutral”
Question 9. I think the development
services review has the potential to
Between surveys 2 and 3, this response increased by
result in meaningful process
15% (12% moved from “No” to “Yes”; 3% moved
improvements
from “Neutral” to “Yes”).
This also represents a 25% increase from survey 1.
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ATTACHMENT B – SITE PLAN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The following attachment provides a summary of the site plan improvements from
the development services review.
=Improvement has been implemented
=Improvement is being piloted/tested
=Improvement is in the process of being implemented
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ATTACHMENT C – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The following attachment provides a summary of the public engagement
improvements from the development services review.
=Improvement has been implemented
=Improvement is being piloted/tested
=Improvement is in the process of being implemented
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