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Nov 15/04 Report
Attendance
Collins, Mitchell, Braden, Bruckler, Ferguson, McCarthy, Merulla, Jackson
Absent
Whitehead
Others
Bratina, Kelly
Staff
S. Stewart D. Hall G. Peace
Media
Brabant, Spectator
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
4.1 Letter from Taro East Landfill Community Liason committee
4.2 Letter requesting standing Hamilton BIA
13.1 In Camera Report
6. CONSENT ITEMS
6.1 Intersection Control List, November 15, 2004 (PW04038(g))
6.2 To Incorporate Certain City Land Into Various Streets by By-law (PW04123) - (Affects Wards 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13)
Carried without discussion
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS/DELEGATIONS
None
8. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
8.1 Transportation Master Plan City-Wide - Stage 2, Development of 23 Transportation Policy Papers (PW04124) (City Wide) http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04124.pdf
"The Transportation Master Plan is part of the GRIDS process. The overall purpose of the Transportation Master Plan is to develop policies and strategies for the transportation network over the next 30 years. Results of the Transportation Master Plan will be used during the City's Official Plan Review and the Development Charges Bylaw Review. It will also serve as a support document for the City's capital budgeting." . Recommendations include: "That Council endorse the four key themes, Promoting a Strong and Vibrant Economy, Building Liveable Communities, Providing a Balanced Transportation Network and Improving Public Transit," and "That Council endorse each of the policy recommendations and implementation strategies contained in the 23 policy papers developed during Stage 2 of the City-wide Transportation Master Plan".
Power Point presentation was conducted by Brian Hollingsworth from IBI Group on the Phase 2 of the Transportation Master paln. Brian stated the staff recommendations gathered from the 23 policy papers were "realistic and achievable to reflect vision 20/20."
McCarthy asked staff to investigate or negotiate if Burlington Transit buses could go into Waterdown to provide a link to the
Go Station in Aldershot. Staff replied this was outside of the Master plan but could be done.
Merrulla asked about planning and development being intergrated with transportation. Staff replied this was part of the presentation and flipped back to the first slide in the presentation that shows Vision 20/20 Official Plan and GRIDS (Growth Intergrated Development Strategy) connected with arrows leading to the Transportation Master Plan.
Bruckler offered his support for the plan and Heritage Green Areas.
Marylou (staff) reminded Councill they will have to aprove different implmentation policies as they come forward.
Bratina (is on the GRIDS committee) pointed out that mention of Rail was absent and that currently "16 % of the city budget is dedicated to road maitainance." He also mentioned that Provincial and Federal Governments both support rail and have subsidies available. Bratina also stated "Hamilton lost Via service from poor planning"
Marylou replied the Goods Movement Strategy was looking into this more for the Golden Horseshoe.
Mitchel asked for a definitive line on Rural/Urban greenbelt boundaries and what Roads were the boundary lines. He cited Hamilton's current development at the outer edges while leaving pockets of greenspace as not efficient.
Braden liked the content of the report and said he would like to see air quality and energy use emphasized more in the performance indicators. He also asked staff to be "less polite more forceful" to councill as in past there has been "no money for the implementation, only for the study."
Ferguson inquired about Ferry service.
Merulla pointed out the study list Hamilton as the 3 rd highest per capita ownership of cars and the 3 rd lowest in ridership.
Asked if a reduction in fares would increase ridership. Staff responded there is a correlation. Merrulla asked about traffic calming specifically "speed humps." Merrulla asked why his requests for humps have not been replied to in past. Apparently the city has a speed hump policy that has not been implemented. Peace and stewart both said they would look at it and his requests.
McCarthy added an amendment that Burlington Transit form Aldershot to Waterdown be looked at.
8.2 Conventional Transit Fleet Purchase (PW04126) - (City Wide) http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04126.pdf
Recommendation to purchase 14 diesel low floor buses this year and 14 more next year at a net cost (after provincial subsidy) of $260,000 per bus. Shift in policy away from natural gas buses because of costs. But likely shift to hybrid buses in 2006. Their net purchase cost is $330,000. "The City of Hamilton led Canadian municipalities with the first introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuelled engines for transit buses in 1985 as an environmentally friendly alternative to diesel in the transition from trolley buses. Toronto and other large Canadian cities followed. . CNG technology has some risk associated with Hamilton being the only major Canadian transit organization continuing with this technology: competitive fuel prices may be difficult to achieve in the future; fuel station maintenance costs, a major component of CNG costs, may escalate as a result; and there is a requirement for at least one additional bus Mechanic for every 20 CNG buses . Staff recommends the purchase of Hybrid in the alternative to the report recommendation due to significantly lower fuel consumption and tail pipe emissions, and reported lower operating noise, better acceleration and better brake life, than either Diesel or CNG with an anticipated lower risk than normally associated with the introduction of new technologies."
Merrulla inquired about bike racks for the back of the new buses as they are not currently included and could some of the Gas Tax money be used for there purchase. Yes G Tax money can be used, but the garage for the buses cannot accommodate the bicycle racks and needs to be looked at further.
Jackson asks for a summary of the report, Don Hall obliges by paraphrasing the Background section from the printed committee agenda that all councillors have in front of them.
Jackson asks about fuel costs Diesel vs GNC and why Hybrid buses can not be purchased. Hall replies with the same sentences from the summary he just gave: costs of the 2 fuels are the same and hybrid buses require Ultra Low Sulphur diesel that is not currently available in Hamilton and will not be until 2006.
Bruckler asks if the new diesel buses will be able to burn biodiesel. they can. The current bus ratio is 60% GNC and 40% Diesel, the purchase of new diesel buses will reverse that.
Ferguson asks about cost the Province will pay for 33.3% of the price. Don hall says we are below budget on the costs.
Braden asks staff if they have any reservations or negatives about the buses and points out they "purchased GNC buses for all the right reasons but they did not turn out to mechanically" Staff replies they can not predict technology.
9. DISCUSSION ITEMS
9.1 Hamilton's Water and Wastewater Operations Contract - Transition Report (PW04001(b)) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04001b.pdf
Transition costs expected to be slightly lower than expected - $1.3 m instead of $1.4 m, but there is also a one-time expenditure of $837,000 for vehicle replacement. Expected operating budget in 2005 will be $27.7 million instead of $27.5 million previously predicted. Staffing will increase from current 56 to 62 (less than predicted).
Carried no Discussion
9.2 Implementation of AVL (Automatic Vehicle Locating) Program in City Owned In-House Winter Control Program Equipment (PW04125) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04125.pdf
Cost is $84,000. "Automated Vehicle Locating (AVL) is an advanced method of remote vehicle tracking and monitoring. Targeted vehicles are equipped with an AVL unit that receives signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. The GPS receiver determines the current location, speed, direction, material application rates, and plow position of AVL equipped units which is stored or transmitted for analysis. Use of the AVL equipment allows proponents to protect and monitor mobile fleet assets (like cars, trucks), no matter where the location. The central tracking station monitors vehicle 24 hours per day for unauthorized intrusion, theft, breakdown, accident or even for any unforeseen emergency assistance."
Some of the councillors questioned if this was really necessary and inquired about cost. But it was quick and Carried with no discussion.
9.3 Proposed Land Lease with The Royal Hamilton Yacht Club- 479 Bay Street North, Hamilton (PW04121)/(PD04297) (Ward 2) http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04121.pdf
Lease term is 14 years. Rent will be: Year One (1) - $716.66 per month, Year Two (2) - $1,016.66 per month, Year Three (3) - $1,316.66 per month, Year Four (4) - $1,616.66 per month, Year Five (5) - $1,916.66 per month, Year Six (6) - $2,216.66 per month, Year Seven (7) - $2,516.66 per month, Year Eight (8) - $2,816.66 per month, Year Nine (9) - $ 3,116.66 per month, Year Ten (10) - $3,416.66 per month, Year Eleven (11) - to Fourteen (14) -$3,750.00 per month"
Carried no discussion
9.4 Business Improvement Areas (B.I.A.) Wayward Signing (PW04128/PD04304) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2004/Nov15/PW04128.pdf
"...sign policy that will allow for gateway or directional signs to a B.I.A. or other organized retail business district . will phase in the implementation of gateways for the remaining eight B.I.A.s through the capital budget process. The gateway features will act as "doorways" and a point of arrival to the business improvement areas. . Each B.I.A. will pay 100% of the cost of fabricating and erecting the signs."
Carried no discussion
10. MOTIONS
10.1 To delete Item L, City Hall Accommodations from the Outstanding Business list. Moved by Dave Mitchell.
Carried no discussion
NEW MOTIONS
10.2 elimination of the CLC
10.3 Direct staff towards bike racks for city buses (Merulla, Carried)
11.0 Notice of Motions
Speed on Hwy 52 (Braden, Carried)
12 General Business/Information
Committee Chair Collins added the need for the committee to vote on adding $70,000 for the enforcement of Sidewalk Snow Removal. The city has just harmonized snow removal form sidewalks as there were 3 levels of service; Anacaster had all sidewalks cleared and Stoney Creek had public areas and major walkways cleared by city staff. Harmonization will have NO sidewalks cleared by city workers except for the Downtown Hamilton BIA. Discussion of this went on for 45 minutes, the topic was also discussed August 03 by COW for 45 minutes. This service is not area rated thus Ancaster and Stoney Creek have been receiving a level snow removal not enjoyed by other parts of the city and have paid no additional taxes for said service.
Scott Stewart stated the city has no policy on enforcement and and no policy on hardship
Mitchell had concerns this would be seen as another reduction in service levels and an increase in cost. Also wanted to know how Hamilton compares to other similar cities. He also asked if animal control could look after enforcement. Animal control currently assists in reporting but not issuing fines.
Many councillors had concerns about the elderly and disabled people not being able to clear the snow and thus being fined (this took up a lot of discussion)
Braden did not want to make it complicated "we spend a lot of time on areas that do not require it, let's not create a new department to determine who is needy."
Brucler wanted to know why only the Downtown Hamilton BIA gets sidewalks cleared. "Why is this?"
Chair Collins reminded the committee they were discussing the need for money for enforcement and not the Snow Clearing policy as it had already been decided. Collins had to do this a few times as councillors were determined to debate the Harmonized Sidewalk Snow Clearing policy and not the enforcement issue.
Motion to spend $70,000 on enforcement carried with Mitchell and Bruckler opposed.
Jackson asked for a report from staff for all BIA's if they wanted sidewalk snow removal.
Mitchell asked if staff could look into the possibility of having the service area rated.
Committee adjourned at 11:50 to go in camera regarding Sewage Treatment and Red Hill expressway.
Committee came back at 1:10 and a number of motions were in the process of being carried.
Braden asked in regards to the Expressway "What are the costs compared to the projected costs, there are to many numbers floating around."
Staff subsequently provided a copy of the expressway resolution:
Resolution adopted by Public Works, Infrastructure and Environment Committee of City Council
Monday, November 15, 2004
Red Hill Valley Project - Legal actions - (LS04021) - (City Wide)
- That Council hereby ratify the actions taken by staff in commencing Court Action No. C-383/04 against the federal government, its Ministers and employees;
- That the City Solicitor be instructed to continue with Court Action C-383/04, as against the federal government, its Ministers and employees;
- That the City serve an Offer to Settle in Court Action C-383/04 in form and content as set out in Appendix A to Report LS04021;
- That the City commence a Court Action against all identifiable individuals who, during the summer of 2004, participated in activities in contravention of the City's Injunction Order, seeking to have them held in contempt of Court.
- That for the purposes of continuing to represent the interests of the City on the Red Hill Valley Project the City Solicitor be authorized to continue the ongoing retainer of Gowlings, with all legal fees and disbursements to be reviewed and approved by the City Solicitor, and charged to Public Works' Capital account no. 52425-4060087009.
- That the City Solicitor provide reports to the Public Works Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no less than annually, setting out the projected annual budget for legal services for the Red Hill Valley Project, and providing a summary of the monies expended for legal services in the preceding year.
- That the staff power point presentation be presented to Council while In Camera, at its next meeting and an amended hard copy version of the presentation be released to the public.
Committee adjourned 1:12.
It should be noted that there are over 37 issues outstanding some dating back to March 2001, most have been referred back to staff and are waiting for reports to be completed before the committee cam carry a mottion.
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