Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

Agenda

Meeting #:
13
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Ben Franklin Place, The Chamber, Main Floor, 101 Centrepointe Drive, and by electronic participation
Councillors:
  • Chair George Darouze, 
  • Vice-Chair Clarke Kelly, 
  • Councillor David Brown, 
  • Councillor Catherine Kitts, 
  • and Councillor Matt Luloff 

Kelly Crozier,
Committee Coordinator
(613) 580-2424, ext. 16875
Kelly.Crozier@ottawa.ca


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 Wednesday, May 15, 2024 in Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Report 13.


The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, and the deadline to register by email to speak is 9:00 am on Thursday, May 2, 2024.

ACS2024-PDB-PS-0065 - Orléans East-Cumberland (1) West Carleton-March (5) Orléans South-Navan (19) Osgoode (20) Rideau-Jock (21)

  • Report recommendation(s)

    That the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve the amendment to By-law 2004-293 respecting fence-viewing fees, to refer to By law 2024-33, as outlined in Document 1.  

ACS2024-PRE-PS-0021 - Osgoode (20)

  • Report recommendation(s)

    1. That Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 5494, 5500 and 5510 Boundary Road; and 5900 Thunder Road, as shown in Document 1, to permit a truck transport terminal and warehouse, as detailed in Document 2.
    2. That  Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approve the Consultation Details Section of this report be included as part of the ‘brief explanation’ in the Summary of Written and Oral Public Submissions, to be prepared by the Office of the City Clerk and submitted to Council in the report titled, “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of May 15, 2024,” subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.

ACS2024-PDB-PS-0066 - Osgoode (20) West Carleton-March(5) Rideau-Jock (21)

  • 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.  

ACS2024-OCC-CCS-0049 - Citywide 

  • Report recommendation(s)

    That the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee receive this report for information.

ACS2024-OCC-CCS-0042 - Rideau Jock (21)

  • Report recommendation(s)

    That the Agriculture and Rural Affairs recommend Council approve:

    1. 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. 
    2. That 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.
  • That the Rules of Procedure be Suspended to consider this motion such that it may rise to Council in a timely manner.

    WHEREAS the objective of the Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) is to encourage property owners to maintain, occupy or rent their properties, thereby increasing the housing; and, 

    WHEREAS the net revenue from this tax is used to support affordable housing initiatives in line with the City’s Housing Long Range Financial Plan; and, 

    WHEREAS the goals of the VUT are in direct support of City Council’s strategic priority: a city that has affordable housing and is more livable for all; and, 

    WHEREAS staff have determined that the annual mandatory declaration is the most effective approach in capturing the maximum number of vacant units to apply the Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) to encourage property owners to return vacant units to the market; and, 

    WHEREAS the VUT has prompted residents to update outdated property assessment information with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) leading to fairer taxation; and, 

    WHEREAS staff will be reporting back on the VUT program in the Fall of 2024 with updates to the program.

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve that staff report back with options to exempt, or exclude, century homes that have been abandoned for decades or hunt camps that are recreational in the rural area from the VUT declaration process; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff develop and report back in the Fall VUT update with an exemption to exclude properties in the rural area that are not fit for occupation, such as properties with no access to services or properties that can only be used seasonally and cannot be occupied full time for the purpose of residential housing.

Thursday, June 6, 2024