Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

12

Date:

Thursday, April 04, 2024

Time:

10:00 A.m. - 11:00 A.m.

Location:

Ben Franklin Place, The Chamber, Main Floor, 101 Centrepointe Drive, and by electronic participation

Present:

• Chair George Darouze, 
• Vice-Chair Clarke Kelly, 
• Councillor David Brown, 
• Councillor Catherine Kitts, 
• and Councillor Matt Luloff 

---

1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on Wedneday, April 17, 2024 in Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Report 12.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Wedneday, April 3, 2024, and the deadline to register by email to speak is 9:00 am on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

These “Summary Minutes” indicate the disposition of items and actions taken at the meeting. This document does not include all of the text that will be included in the full Minutes, such as the record of written and oral submissions. Recorded votes and dissents contained in the Summary Minutes are draft until the full Minutes of the meeting are confirmed by the Committee. The draft of the full Minutes (for confirmation) will be published with the agenda for the next regular Committee meeting and, once confirmed, will replace this document.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

ARAC Minutes 11 - Thursday, March 7, 2024 

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

ARAC-2024-01 -Warranted Traffic Signals & Funding

Direction to staff

Councillor Kelly (On behalf of Councillor Lo)

Direct Legal Services staff to provide broad information about potential increased exposure to liabilities as a result of warranted locations remaining on the list for a very long time, and to look at whether or not there have been any claims brought to the City that provided allegations the city was aware of a situation and did not take steps to correct it.

• Motion No. ARAC 2024-12-01
  Moved by C. Kelly

  That, pursuant to Subsection 89(3) of the Procedure By-law (being By-law NO 2022-410), the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approve that the Rules of Procedure be suspended to allow for the consideration of the item(s) listed as:
  RESPONSES TO INQUIRIES

  • ARAC 2024-01 – Warranted Traffic Signals and Funding
  Carried

5.

Presentations

5.1

Rural Summit 2024 Update

• Motion No. ARAC 2024-12-03
  Moved by C. Kelly

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee waive the Rules of Procedure (subsection 83(4)(a)) to receive the presentation from Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department, Natural Systems and Rural Affairs regarding an update on the Rural Summit at today’s meeting and dispense with the requirement to provide a separate written report on this presentation.

  Carried

6.

Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department

6.1

Rural Community-Building Grant Program – Grant Application Review

ACS2024-PRE-EDP-0034 - Rideau-Jock (21) Orléans South-Navan (19) West Carleton-March (5) Osgoode (20)

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approve the recommendations on the Rural Community-Building Grants Program applications as detailed in Document 1.  

  Carried

7.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

8.

Information Previously Distributed

8.1

Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department 2023 Delegated Authority Report

ACS2024-PRE-GEN-0003

9.

Open Mic Session

There were no open mic session.

10.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

• Motion No. ARAC 2024-12-04
  Moved by D. Brown

  WHEREAS sewer connection charges for certain properties on West River Drive are calculated based on Schedule A, Schedule 1 to By-law 2003-513; and

  WHEREAS a portion of these charges includes consideration for inflation; and

  WHEREAS inflation has increased significantly since the enactment of the relevant by-law; and

  WHEREAS the current high costs are in part a consequence of inflation rates in recent years; and

  WHEREAS these high costs are prohibiting some residents from considering connecting, which diminishes recovery of construction costs; and

  WHEREAS the City has already paid the full cost of the project back when the initial pipeline was constructed, and as such, a reduction in the inflation calculation would not negatively impact the City.

  THEREFORE be it resolved that Agriculture and Rural Affairs recommend Council approve that Schedule A, Schedule 1 to By-law 2003-513, as enacted by By-law 2010-330, be amended to state:

  All charges imposed or continued by this Schedule “A” shall be indexed annually on January 1st by the increase in the Statistics Canada Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index for the preceding October 1 to September 30 period. 

  Despite the provision immediately above, for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, the indexing to take place on January 1 subsequent to each year shall be 2.59 per cent for each of these years.
• Motion No. ARAC 2024-12-05
  Moved by D. Brown

  WHEREAS Ashton Station Road serves as the boundary between the City of Ottawa and the Township of Beckwith within the Village of Ashton; and  

  WHEREAS the Township of Beckwith has indicated its intent to implement a 40km/h speed limit in the area roughly between Ashton Creek Crescent and Beckwith 9th Line Road and on the southbound portion of Ashton Station Road; and  

  WHEREAS the northbound portion of Ashton Station Road, which is within the boundary of the City of Ottawa, maintains a speed limit of 50km/h; and  

  WHEREAS these speed limit changes were implemented or are intended for implementation by their respective municipalities in response to residents’ concerns regarding operating speeds on those portions of the roads in question; and  

  WHEREAS the Councillor’s office in Ottawa has received concerns from residents regarding the legal operating speed limit on those portions of the roads in question; and  

  WHEREAS the City of Ottawa currently maintains 50km/h limits on its portions of the roads in question; and  

  WHEREAS it is best practice to harmonize speed limits on roadways to ensure coherence.  

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve that if and when the Township of Beckwith implements a 40km/h speed limit between Ashton Creek Crescent and Beckwith 9th Line Road and on the southbound portion of Ashton Station Road, staff be directed to implement a similar speed limit change on the same road segment for northbound traffic on Ashton Station Road so as to bring the roadway into coherence; and  

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT City staff be directed to monitor similar speed limit changes on segments of roadways that lead into the City of Ottawa or border the City of Ottawa and, where appropriate, provide notice to the Ward Councillor about such changes; and  

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT where deemed appropriate in consultation with the Ward Councillor, staff exercise their delegated authority to ensure that speed limits at the boundary of the City of Ottawa are coherent with speed limits posted in neighbouring municipalities.   

11.

Inquiries

There were no Inquiries.

12.

Other Business

There was no other business.

12.1

Motion - Georgina Falls Trust Fund Allocation

• Motion No. ARAC 2024-12-02
  Moved by D. Brown

  That the following Motion be added to the Agenda pursuant to Subsection 89 (3) of the Procedure By-law such that it may rise to Council quickly in order to accommodate for early planting season.

  WHEREAS the Georgina Falls Trust Fund was established for the purposes of funding improvements to the Manotick Arena and Centennial Park; and

  WHEREAS Bylaw 85-92 of the former Rideau Township governs the administration of this Trust; and

  WHEREAS in accordance with the Bylaw the amount expended from the Trust shall be limited to the interest earned and the Fund shall not be reduced to less than the bequeathed amount of $65,628; and

  WHEREAS Financial Services have confirmed that the Trust has a current balance of $70,651.64

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council approve an allocation from the Trust Fund of $2,500 to the Manotick Community Parks and Recreation Association for landscaping improvements at the Manotick Arena; and

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services be delegated to approve further allocations from the Trust Fund that are in compliance with its intended uses, and with the concurrence of the Ward 21 Councillor.

  Carried

13.

Adjournment

Next Meeting

Thursday, May 2, 2024.

The meeting adjourned at 11 am.