June 7/04 Report
Scheduled start time: 9:30 am, Actual start time: 9:35 am, Adjournment 11:45 am

Committee Members Present:

• Chad Collins (chair)
• Dave Braden
• Phil Bruckler
• Murray Ferguson
• Tom Jackson
• Margaret McCarthy
• Sam Merulla
• Dave Mitchell

Committee Members Absent:

• Tom Jackson

Non-Members Present:

• Brian McHattie

Media Present:

• Eric McGuiness (Spectator)
• Ken Mann (CHML)

1. Declarations of Interest

None

2. Changes to the Agenda

Addition of Item 7.2 - Delegation from Sergio Manchia requesting individual water meters for The Annex Lofts, 11 Rebecca Street, Hamilton

3. Approval of Minutes

Approved

4. Delegation Requests

4.1 Bob Steele, Project Coordinator, Niagara Water Quality Protection Strategy (NWQPS), Regional Municipality of Niagara.

4.2 Derek McClurg, President, DMC & Associates Inc., Environmental & Waste Management Solutions, 494 Orton Avenue, Ancaster, May 20, 2004, respecting Enviro Corp Inc

Approved

5. Items Referred from Council

None

6. Consent Items

6.1  Temporary Closure of Hess Street South between George Street and King Street - (PW04065) - (Ward 2)
(McCarthy/Ferguson)

6.2 To Incorporate Certain City Land into Various Streets by By-Law (PW04068) - (Ward 11)
(McCarthy/Ferguson)

7. Public Hearings/Delegations

7.1 Representative of Doug Dore, Paradise Lanes Development, 193 James Street South, April 28, 2004, respecting an Outdoor Boulevard Café for 27 - 29 Hess Street South. (Note: Request to appear approved by Committee on May 17, 2004)
www.hamilton.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Jun07/Item%207.1.pdf

7.2 Delegation from Sergio Manchia requesting individual water meters for The Annex Lofts, 11 Rebecca Street, Hamilton

Sergio Manchia's delegation was added to the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. His development firm is building the Annex Lofts at 11 Rebecca St and would like to install individual water meters in each unit. He has been encountering hurdles at the City as sky-rises are usually not allowed water meters within the actual unit. He wants more accountability and responsibility for water consumption from each resident and individual rather than group metering would accomplish this.

City staff advised that they have 2 major concerns:

1. technical: if the wiring breaks on the 25 th floor will this incapacitate all meters below?
2. liability: the meters are City-owned property and thus the City would be liable for property damage if it leaked inside the unit, also possibly damaging the units below.

Ferguson - staff should draft a new policy to address concerns with multi-level (vertical) metering since we all want more accountability and smarter water consumption.

Sergio Machia - but in the mean time, my construction schedule is being delayed until I can get approvals to put in vertical metering in each unit.

Braden - why don't you go ahead and install the wiring for the meters at your own cost as Council contemplates what to do next.

(Ferguson/Mitchell) CARRIED

1. That legal staff craft an agreement between the developer, Rebecca Street Holding (Hamilton) Inc. and the City of Hamilton which would address the City's legal concerns with the proposal to install 43 individual water meters at 11 Rebecca Street.
   
   
2. That the developer, subject to assuming full financial responsibility, be allowed to rough-in the wires required for installing the individual water meters at 11 Rebecca Street.
   
   
3. That staff investigate the feasibility of including individual water meters in future developments and prepare a new policy which would permit such installations.
   
   
4. That the proposed agreement with Rebecca Street Holding (Hamilton) Inc. and new City policy be presented to Committee and Council for approval.

Councillor McCarthy indicated that she wished to be recorded as OPPOSED to subsections (a) and (b) of this item. She would rather give time to staff to investigate the feasibility of individual water meters and prepare report to Council before any agreements are entered into with Rebecca Street Holding.

8. Staff Presentations

8.1 Cycling Infrastructure Initiatives - (PW03072a) - (City Wide) Public Works, Infrastructure & Environment Committee Outstanding Business Item (I)

Hart Solomon outlined the 12 proposed Cycling Infrastructure Initiatives in order of priority.

Daryl Bender, ACT Office, McMaster University spoke strongly in favour of moving ahead with the propsed cycling projects asap.

Ferguson - question the large amount of money (nearly half the cycling budget) being spent on Southcote Road paved shoulders and 403 overpass when this road may be reconstructed in the near future.

Solomon - Southcote will not be reconstructed within the next 5 years.

Ferguson - but it will be reconstructed some time around there and so we should just wait to upgrade cycling facilities at same time as upgrading road and devote this $577,000 to other cycling initiatives.

Solomon - will look into it.

McHattie - thanks to staff, this is a monumental moment for sustainable transportation in Hamilton. Question to staff: what staffing complement do we have on cycling right now?

Solomon - There is no fully dedicated staff, but maybe ½ FTE which is appropriate most of the time.

McHattie - I can only imagine what we could accomplish with a full FTE! Has there been any thought to promoting such end-of-trip facilities as showers? Lockers? Better racks? This is a bigger planning issue that we need to follow up on.

Solomon - in July Don Hull (HSR) will bring back some gas tax transit initiatives which may include bike racks on buses. But for now with our available funding of $1million, this would take us to item 11 (not enough to include item 12, contra flow bike lane on King from Macklin to Paradise).

Merulla - can we get better east end connections?

Solomon - trails master plan is being revised right now.

Buckler - as we reconstruct roads, can we do cycling upgrades at same time?

Solomon - we can investigate as we go.

Bruckler - east end ped and cycling connections between upper and lower Stoney Creek are seriously lacking. Can we look at those too?

(Mitchell/Ferguson) CARRIED

(a) That an Environmental Assessment be undertaken at an estimated cost of $15,000 from account 4039117124, and subject to a successful Environmental Assessment, on-street reserved bicycle lanes be installed on both sides of York Boulevard between Dundurn Street North and the City of Burlington boundary, at a cost of approximately $40,000 from account 4039117124, as per direction of Council in the previous report "Status of Cycling Infrastructure Initiatives in the City of Hamilton (PW03072).

(b) That the concept of future construction of a widened and extended off-street multi-use trail on the east side of York Boulevard from Dundurn Castle to Valley Inn Road or the Rock Garden entrance, be endorsed and supported, with the understanding that such improvements would be funded by outside providers.

(c) That the following bicycle projects be undertaken in the listed order, based on the availability of funding, successful land acquisition and/or leasing where required, and successful Environmental Assessment approvals where required, with the cost of all projects to be charged to account 4039117124:

1. Sterling Street on-street reserved bicycle lanes between King Street West and Forsyth Avenue (estimated cost $8,000);
   
   
2. Hunter Street on-street reserved bicycle lanes between Wellington Street South and Dundurn Street South (estimated cost $50,000);
   
   
3. The installation of bike racks in various B.I.A. (estimated cost of $50,000);
   
   
4. Longwood Road North on-street reserved bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways between Franklin Avenue and the Royal Botanical Gardens Princess Point entrance (estimated cost $3,000);
   
   
5. Preparation of Bikeway and Trail Maps (estimated cost $20,000);
   
   
6. King Street East on-street reserved bicycle lanes, between Nash Road North and Pottruff Road (estimated cost $287,000);
   
   
7. Upper Paradise Road on-street reserved bicycle lanes, between Mohawk Road West and Scenic Drive (estimated cost $3,000);
   
   
8. Stone Church Road on-street reserved bicycle lanes between Upper Wellington and Pritchard (estimated cost $20,000);
   
   
9. Canal Lift Bridge bicycle lanes, ramps, widened sidewalks and/or stairway troughs (estimated cost $30,000);
   
   
10. Canadian Pacific Rail Trail in West Hamilton (estimated cost for the preliminary design phase, $20,000);
    
    
11. Southcote Road new bicycle shoulders between Garner Road West and Highway 403 overpass (estimated cost $577,000);
    
    
12. King Street West contra-flow reserved bicycle lane between Macklin Road and Paradise Road North (estimated cost $25,000).

(d) That the installation of bike racks on Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) buses not be pursued at this time.

(e) That an Environmental Assessment (EA) be undertaken for the following projects, with the costs to be charged to account 4039117124:

1. Hunter Street between Wellington Street South and Dundurn Street South;
   
   
2. King Street West between Macklin Road and Longwood Road North.

(f) That the By-law for on-street bicycle lanes, Sterling Street, King Street West to Forsythe Avenue; Longwood Road, Franklin Street to Royal Botanical Gardens Princess Point Entrance; and Upper Paradise Street, Scenic Drive to Mohawk Road West, as outlined in Report PW03072A as Appendix "A" to amend the City of Hamilton Traffic By-law 01-215, be passed and enacted.

(g) That item I, "Cycling Issues", be deleted from the outstanding business list of the Public Works, Infrastructure, and Environment Committee.

(h) That Parking By-law 01-218 is amended accordingly, to reflect the necessary parking regulation changes as necessary to coincide with the bicycle lane implementations.

(i) That all future road reconstruction take into account the Shifting Gears initiative.

9. Discussion Items

9.1 Memo from Councillor Brian McHattie , dated May 14, 2004 respecting McMaster University Bus Pass Contract (Task Force)

McHattie - I have had some discussions with McMaster Students Union and Graduate Students Association and I would like to propose establishing a City task force to look at the sustainability of the McMaster U-Pass. Currently there is not enough service to meet the needs of members of the McMaster community. I think we can negotiate a higher price for the pass in return for guaranteed improved service.

2 key points:

1. what service levels do we need to provide quality levels of transit service?
2. What levels of funding do we need to get that level of service?

Merulla and Collins also to be on task force.

CARRIED

9.2 Award of Contract PW-04-15(W) - Highland Road Pumping Station WH-7 Site Proposed 750, 600 and 400 mm dia. Trunk Watermain and Appurtenances - (PW04067) - (Ward 9)

9.3 Ministry of Transportation & Red Hill Valley Project - (PW04062) - (City Wide)

Braden - Why is this already overworked department volunteering to take on more work?

Murray - This extra work will be handled by the Red Hill Project Office and, yes, it will be extra work but it is important work that has to get done.

Braden - we're always talking about how we want all this City business to function in a free, open, transparent process but frankly we're kept in the dark about such things. Now, this question isn't directly related but since we haven't had a meeting of the Expressway Implementation Committee for a while, I'm going to ask it. Is it true that the members of the Band Council didn't sign the agreements and that staff knew this the last time they presented to us but didn't tell us?

Collins - asked Braden to save this questioning for Implementation Committee meeting later this week.

Braden - Okay, I'll save it until then, but I just have to say that I find this a disgrace.

McHattie - I'm not quite clear whether the EA for the QEW interchange was ever given. It is my understanding that it was not considered in the Consolidated Board Hearing in 1985? This is important since the interchange impacts Class 1 Provincial Wetlands.

Murray - In 1996, Hamilton submitted an exemption order specifying the details of the QEW interchange. This defined the connection as well as its impact on wetlands. From a wetland perspective, we're replacing wetland at a rate of 2 to 1.

McHattie - And who will cover all of these increased costs? It's not really clear. We're seeing all of these incremental costs that we didn't originally foresee. I would like to see an update on the true costs of the road including in-kind costs of staff time because we really don't know the full costs at this point.

Murray - Our staff time is being covered by the Province.

McHattie - It is not apparent that our staff time is being covered in this report.

Mitchell - Since Councillor McHattie wants to know the true costs of the Expressway, could we include in those costs all of the legal fees and so on and so forth caused by all of the lawsuits and protests and delays? Because in my opinion, this road should have been built 20 years ago!

10. Motions

10.1 Recycling in City Facilities

11. Notice of Motions

Merulla will be bringing forward 2 motions:

1. consider a pilot project in a low income neighbourhood of lowering bus fares
2. make a commitment to use gas tax funds to improve public transit not to offset taxes

12. General Information/Other Business

13. Private & Confidential

14. Adjournment