HomeMy WebLinkAboutEcon Dev Adv - 2006-03-22ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
March 22, 2006 City of Kitchener
The Economic Development Advisory Committee met this date commencing at 11:00
a.m. with the following members in attendance: Councillor John Smola, Councillor
Christina Weylie, Donald Zehr, Robert Denton, Ian Cook, Glen Woolner, Len Carter,
Mark Paleczny, Adrian Conrad, Peter Benninger, Howie Budd, Sunshine Chen, Dan
Peidra, Sheryl Petricevic.
Regrets: Hans Pottkamper, Lawrence Bingeman, Ed Brooker and Henrick Nosegaard
Staff in attendance: Rod Regier, Kathy Weiss, Hans Gross, Carla Ladd, Mayor Carl
Zehr, Shelley Adams, Patricia Bacon, Valerie Bradford, Janette MacDonald, Sandy
Curzon,
1. UNFINISNED BUSINESS
1.2 Approval of Minutes January 25, 2006
Approval of January 25, 2006 minutes was deferred
2. NEW BUSINESS
2.1 Approval of Minutes February 22, 2006
On motion by Peter Benninger, it was resolved that the minutes of February 22,
2006 be accepted as written. Minutes will be posted on the city's website
www. city. kitchener. on. ca
3. DISCUSSION
3.1 KW Art Gallery -Connecting Economic Development with the Arts
Alf Bogusky, Executive Director and Caroline Oliver, Director of Development &
Marketing for the K-W Art Gallery provided Committee with an update on
current initiatives at the Gallery and to begin dialogue on exploring connections
between art and economic development.
Mr. Bogusky, by using powerpoint, presented an overview of:
• Current Programs & Services
• Exhibitions
• Permanent Collection
• Programming Philosophy
• Museum Stereotype vs KWAG's New Vision
• Partnerships
• Next Steps
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Minutes: March 22, 2006
In summary, Mr. Bogusky proposes that the Region and its municipalities
should collaborate to promote cultural wellbeing and provide guidance on how
this might be understood and applied in their communities. Members were
encouraged to visit the gallery's website www.kwarg.on.ca.
3.2 Corporate Visitation Program Update
Valerie Bradford advised Committee that 142 businesses have been identified
as being automotive related manufacturing, of which 51 (36%) visits are
complete and 45 (32%) who have chosen not to participate for various
reasons. Of the completed visits, the main issues that keep coming up are
vandalism, power surges that create havoc with equipment, and hefty deposits
required by Kitchener Utilities for new businesses. In order to complete the
visitations, it was decided to extend the visitation period until mid April. Data
entry has begun -results will be heard at the Mayor's Breakfast scheduled for
June 6tn
Action:
Committee members were asked to contact Ms. Bradford should they wish to
assist in the remaining visitations.
3.3 Bill 51: Proposed Provincial Planning & OMB Reform
Terry Boutilier, Brownfield Coordinator and Senior Planner of Special Projects
presented Committee with an overview of Bill 51 which, if passed, will give local
councils and residents more say in how their communities will grow and
prosper. The Act received its first reading in the Legislature on December 12,
2005. Mr. Boutilier reviewed nine key areas of interest:
i) Discourage conversion of employment lands
ii) OMB to be appeal body -not approval authority
iii) Additional mandatory public meetings
iv) Regions can participate in Community Improvement
v) Zoning can have minimum and maximum densities and heights
vi) Conditional zoning
vii) Site planning
viii) Environmental sustainability a matter of Provincial interest
ix) All decisions to conform on the date the decision is made
Mayor Zehr advised Committee that the Minister of Municipal Affairs, recently
expressed interest in moving the Bill to 2nd reading within next few weeks, with
the hopes of having everything in place by the end of the year so new Council
can deal with the new rules.
3.3 Who Are You Kitchener
Due to time limitations Shelley Adams, Director of Community Programs gave
Committee a quick overview of the program and had members complete pages
3 and 17 of the workbook. It was decided that Ms. Adams will complete the
exercise with Committee at their next scheduled meeting of April 26, 2006.
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Minutes: March 22, 2006
Action:
That 45 minutes be set aside at the next scheduled EDAC meeting of April
26, 2006 to complete the exercise.
Committee members were asked to review the following pages from the
workbook, in order to be ready for further discussion on April 26tH:
(a) Section 1: page 9. - Q3
(b) Section 2: page 10. - Q2
(c) Section 4: page 13. - Q1
(d) Section 7: page 16. - Q1
(e) Section 8: page 16. -Identity Statement
On motion by Kathy Durst, the meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.
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Minutes: March 22, 2006