REPORT ON COUNCIL:
March 31, 2014
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 am –2:14pm,
Confidential Closed Session: 12:23pm-1:22pm
Regular Meeting: 7:00 pm – 7:31 pm
Mayor Millar, Deputy Mayor Lawrence, Councilors Warren, Wishart, Claire
New Municipal Staff Member
Mr. Henk Blom, Manager of Public Works, introduced Mr. Jim Tettmar, the Township’s new Roads and Parks Superintendent.
R. J. Burnside Comprehensive Parking Strategy
R. J. Burnside & Associates Limited (Burnside) was retained to prepare a Comprehensive Parking Strategy for the Township of Tiny in response to concerns raised by the Township Fire and Emergency Services with respect to on-street parking and interference with access for emergency operations. A proposed work plan was accepted by Council on December 9, 2013, for the development of criteria to assess on-street parking feasibility. On-street parking is primarily a concern along the local roadways that service shoreline and cottage properties. The original study area proposed by the Township Fire and Emergency Services included all local residential roads west of County Road 6 which covers the majority of the Township’s shoreline.
Burnside developed the following criteria to assess on-street parking:
Roads with No Ditches
a) No parking will be permitted on either side if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is less than 8.5 meters.
b) Parking will only be permitted on one (1) side if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is greater than 8.5 meters, less than 11.0 meters
c) Parking will be permitted on both sides if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is 11.0 meters or greater and the minimum parking width is provided on both sides.
Roads with a Ditch on One (1) Side
a) No parking will be permitted on either side if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is less than 9.0 meters.
b) Parking will only be permitted on one (1) side if the “shoulder to shoulder’ width
is greater than 9.0 meters, less than 11.5 meters and the minimum parking width is provided.
C) Parking will be permitted on both sides if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is 11.5 meters or greater and the minimum parking width is provided on both sides.
Roads with Ditches on Both Sides
a) No parking will be permitted on either side if the “shoulder to shoulder width is less than 9.0 meters.
b) Parking will only be permitted on one (1) side if the “shoulder to shoulder’ width is greater than 9.0 meters, less than 12.0 meters and the minimum parking width is provided.
c) Parking will be permitted on both sides if the “shoulder to shoulder” width is
12.0 meters or greater and the minimum parking width is provided on both sides.
All Conditions
a) No parking will be permitted unless there is a continuous parking lane for a minimum length of 100 meters.
Each roadway within the study area will have the pavement and gravel shoulder widths measured. Vegetation (grassed or treed / brush), grading / cross-slope and the presence of utilities, structures and ditches will be noted in order to determine the “shoulder to shoulder” width. Existing parking restrictions will be recorded. On May 26 a presentation will be made to Council. The presentation was received as information.
Public Works Report on Comprehensive Parking Strategy
Public Works Report PWR-06-14 dated March 31, 2014, from Henk Blom regarding the 2014 Comprehensive Parking Strategy was received and R.J. Burnside and Associates Ltd. was authorized to proceed with the investigation analysis and reporting as per the presentation “2014 Comprehensive Parking Strategy, Parking Criteria Report” March 31, 2014.
Brenda Armstrong, Safe Water Program Manager, Simcoe County district Health Unit.
2013 Recreational Water Surveillance Program
The mandate of the Public Health Unit is the prevention and reduction of water-borne illness and injury related to recreational water use at public beaches through the delivery of comprehensive public beach management programs which include surveillance and inspection, management and response and the reporting of data.
Ecolab is the most suitable and specific indicator of fecal contamination. The sources for E. coli are the feces of seagulls, geese, cattle, pig, wild animal, human and beach sand. E. coli is always present at the shoreline and in the swash zone where small children swim the count is much higher than further from the shore. Higher temperatures and more rainfall leads to an increase in recoil counts. Poor water clarity, increased wave action correlates with higher counts. The Health Unit sees a 3-8% increase in the risk of acute GI illness for people involved in recreational water use. Blue green algae is common during the summer months where the water is shallow, slow moving and warm. It may pose a health risk if algae produce toxins. There is the potential for gastrointestinal illness if the water is swallowed and itchy eyes and irritated skin if swum in. The MOE is responsible for testing areas of suspected blooms. It is very difficult to eradicate because if you kill the blooms the toxins are released.
Type E botulism toxin is produced by a bacterium that naturally lives in lake bottom sediment as harmless spores. Under certain conditions the bacteria begin to grow and produce toxin. The toxin enters the aquatic food chain, affecting fish and birds that eat fish or mollusks. The toxin is destroyed with cooking. Dead fish and birds should be handled with gloves. The presentation was received as information.
Keith Sherman Severen Sound Environmental Association, Woodland Beach Stream Investigation
In 2013 elevated counts of EPlan 779. coli in tamarack Creek were detected. The association looked at South Creek as well as the storm management system on Lawson Rd. They mapped streams in the area and examined the water sheds. They looked for evidence of pollution and took samples for testing. The Association found no direct link between the quality of the stream and the quality of the beach during monitoring. The sources of bacteria were identified and the Association found that the elevated levels of bacteria were not entirely due to streams. Something is coming into Tamarak Creek at the lower section and there is an increase in bacteria and chemicals in South Creek nearer the Bay. The higher levels of phosphorous could be due to sewage systems or the treatment of lawns. The presentation was received as information.
Dr. Clare Robinson Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Western University Groundwater and water quality (nutrient and E. coli) at Tiny beaches
A field study was conducted to examine the groundwater discharge rates to the lake, and nutrient and microbial (E. coli) concentrations at two beaches in Tiny Township from June – September 2013. The study was part a larger research project aimed at evaluating the contribution of groundwater to nutrient and fecal pollution at beaches of the Great Lakes.
Two beaches in Tiny were selected for our study, representing different beach conditions. The first field site was Balm Beach South (end of Sand Rd), and the second field site was Mountain View Beach (Concession Road 8).
The microbial water quality was very good at both beaches with water samples collected at ankle and chest depth only exceeding 120 CFU/ 100ml on one day at both beach sites (9 samplings of ground water and swash zone water June – Sept 2013). E. coli concentrations in the groundwater (pore water) near the shoreline were consistently higher than ankle depth water at both beach sites. E. coli concentrations decreased offshore with chest depth water having lower concentrations than the ankle depth water. E. coli concentrations in the lake water (ankle- and chest-depth samples) were generally increased on days with high wave action and concentrations in the pore water near the shoreline were reduced. This indicates that high E. coli levels in the lake may be due to sediment resuspension and mobilization of E. coli that accumulates in the pore water and sand near the shoreline. While E. coli concentrations associated with the sand were higher at Mountain View, compared with Balm Beach South, the concentrations were relatively low at both beaches compared with other urban beaches studies. At Mountain View Beach the upshore sand had the highest mean E. coli concentrations; however there was significant variability associated with the concentrations in the foreshore sand. The high E. coli in the up shore sand at Mountain View beach may be associated with animal (geese, gulls) feces and favorable moisture conditions in the sand for the persistence of bacteria.
Strong ground water discharge seemed to be the driving force to moving pollutants into the Bay.
Nitrate and phosphate concentrations and e coli levels were found to be low at Tiny Beaches compared with urban beaches. Nitrate levels were higher in the summer and decreased in the fall. This may be due to poorly performing septic systems. Dye tracing from nearby septic systems would verify this. The report was received as information.
Deferred Motion 051/14 — Plan 779 deferred January 27, 2014 Regular Meeting of Council
As a result of a Boundaries Act application, certain information came to light creating conditions of uncertainty with respect to ownership involving plan 779. This uncertainty can only be resolved in a Court.
The confidential correspondence dated January 20, 2014, from Mr. John Barzo, LLB, Barrister and Solicitor, regarding Plan 779, along with the Court Application was received. Council directed the Township Legal Counsel, John Barzo to initiate the process of the Notice of Application to be served on all named respondents (140) regarding Plan 779 and that Mr. Barzo seek an immediate certificate of Pending Litigation, to be registered against the properties purported to have been transferred by a “quit claim deed” regarding Plan 779, along with the beach lands between the westerly boundary of Plan 779 and the water’s edge and that the Survey Report prepared by Chester Stanton, OLS, dated December 17, 2013 be released to the public.
Mayor Millar voted against this motion. He is indifferent to the outcome but using a cost benefit analysis he came to the conclusion that significant costs will be incurred by the township and the owners in plan 779 with a lack of net benefit accruing to the citizens of the municipality. Millar believes that the costs will be significant and the benefits negligible, if any.
Communication Guide – Plan 779
Council adopted the “Communication Guide – Plan 779” and appointed the Chief Administrative Officer as the spokesperson for communication regarding Plan 779; and brought the Communication Guide out of the In Camera Agenda of March 31, 2014 and made it available to the public.
