HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - 2021-08-23 SSPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 23, 2021 CITY OF KITCHENER
A special electronic meeting of City Council was held at 12:40 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor B.
Vrbanovic with all members present.
Notice of this meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant
to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code.
1. STRATEGIC SESSION
a. INS -2021-5 — PLACES & SPACES: A PARKS AND OPEN SPACE STRATEGY FOR
KITCHENER
Council considered Infrastructure Services Department report INS -2021-5 (N. Lobley), dated August
18, 2021, requesting input from Council on Places & Spaces: A Parks & Open Space Strategy. Niall
Lobley, Director Parks and Cemeteries; Rosa Bustamante, Director of Planning; Tim Donegani, Senior
Planner; and, Amy Purvis, Associate Landscape Architect, were in attendance to respond to questions
from Council.
N. Lobley provided opening remarks and explained that staff were seeking high-level direction from
Council to help inform engagement and future recommendations regarding Places & Spaces: A Parks
& Open Space Strategy, which takes the place of the Open Space Strategy identified in the Corporate
Strategic Plan and the Parks Master Plan update. N. Lobley polled Council on their impression and
priorities regarding parkland provision targets, discounts to developers against parkland dedications,
targets for Kitchener parkland; and then reviewed next steps for engagement with the public and
Council.
Steve Burrows presented to Council regarding Victoria Park, comparable parkland in London, England,
public access to parkland, and community interest in purchasing or maintaining lands for park spaces.
N. Lobley advised that staff are especially interested in receiving Council input on the following
questions:
1. Places: Are there elements on this list that Council feels should be included or excluded?
2. Spaces: Does Council feel that staff should pursue an approach to Places and Spaces that
seeks to address equity through identification of Critical Needs at a Planning Community level?
3. Park Provision: Should the City establish a revised "target' for local parkland provision, and if
so, what should that target be?
The meeting recessed at 2:08 p.m. and reconvened electronically at 2:15 p.m. chaired by Mayor B.
Vrbanovic with all members present.
b. DSD -2021-121 — PRIORITIES FOR THE PLANNING DIVISION (POLICY & RESEARCH AND
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE & PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAMS)
Council considered Development Services Department report DSD -2021-121 (R. Bustamante), dated
August 9, 2021, requesting input from Council on priorities for the Planning Division. Rosa Bustamante,
Director of Planning; Janine Oosterveld, Manager, Site Development and Customer Service; and,
Margaret Love, Manager Service Coordination and Improvement, were in attendance to respond to
questions from Council.
R. Bustamante provided opening remarks regarding the recent re -organization within the Planning
Division which resulted in three sections, Policy and Research, Development Review, and Customer
Experience and Project Management. R. Bustamante explained that staff were seeking feedback on
the priorities and workplans of the Policy and Research and the Customer Experience and Project
Management teams. R. Bustamante reviewed the work of the Policy and Research team and their
workplan prioritization criteria.
R. Bustamante advised that staff are especially interested in receiving Council input on the following
questions:
1. Are the prioritization criteria listed above the right criteria for prioritizing future workplan project
ideas? If not, what is missing?
SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 23, 2021 - 2 - CITY OF KITCHENER
2. Are there other city -building policy -related initiatives that Council would like to see on future
workplans?
In response to Council's questions, staff spoke to workplan project prioritization, staffing, and
sequencing, including the Comprehensive Review of the Zoning By-law, Residential Intensification in
Established Neighbourhoods Study, heritage designations, the downtown sign study, public
engagement and development application processes.
J. Oosterveld reviewed the work of the Customer Experience and Project Management team and their
workplan prioritization criteria.
M. Love polled Council on their priorities for the Customer Experience and Project Management team.
J. Oosterveld advised that staff are especially interested in receiving Council input on the following
questions:
1. Please rank the other potential 2021 — 2023 opportunities for the Customer Experience & Project
Management team (1 being highest priority).
2. Does Council have any other priorities that they'd like staff to consider for the new Customer
Experience & Project Management team?
2. IN -CAMERA MEETING AUTHORIZATION
Moved by Councillor K. Galloway-Sealock
Seconded by Councillor S. Marsh
"That an in -camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following the special council
meeting this date to consider three matters including a labour relations & solicitor/client
privilege, litigation/potential litigation matter, and information supplied in confidence by
another level of government as authorized by Sections 239 (2) (d) (e) (f) and (h) of the
Municipal Act, 2001, respectively."
Carried.
On motion the meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
AA"Wij�'s,-
MAYOR
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CLERK