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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPUB-005-25Staff Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: May 5, 2025 Report Number: PUB-005-25 Authored By: Slav Potrykus, Traffic Engineering Supervisor Submitted By: Lee-Ann Reck, Deputy CAO, Public Services Reviewed By: Rob Maciver, Deputy CAO/Solicitor Resolution Number: By-law Number: File Number: Report Subject: Traffic and Parking By-law Delegation of Authority Recommendations: 1.That Report PUB-005-25, and any related delegations or communication items, be received; 2.That the By-law attached to Report PUB-005-25, as Attachment 1, to amend the Delegation of Authority By-law to authorize the Deputy CAO of Public Services to make minor changes to the Schedules of the Traffic and Parking By-law, be approved; and 3.That all interested parties listed in Report PUB-005-25, be advised of Council’s decision. Municipality of Clarington Page 2 Report PUB-005-25 Report Overview This report seeks Council’s approval to provide the Deputy CAO of Public Services with the authority to implement changes to specific schedules of the Traffic and Parking By-law 2014- 059, for the purpose of increasing safety, efficiency, and effectiveness in the municipality’s administration and traffic operations processes. 1. Background Current Process 1.1 Throughout the year, the Public Works Traffic Division continuously monitors the road network, documenting operational changes driven by evolving traffic patterns and behaviours, growth from new developments, or alterations to the roadside environment. Many of these changes are administrative, stemming directly from Council decisions made through other processes. With the introduction of the Traffic Calming Policy, staff anticipate a significant increase in administrative, operational, and adaptive changes to certain regulatory signage as part of the traffic calming implementation process. 1.2 Currently, if Staff want to make minor changes to the Traffic and Parking By-law 2014- 059, they are required to submit a Council report along with a corresponding amending by-law for Council approval. Once approved by Council, staff can initiate preparations for implementing the changes. This process demands considerable staff resources and Council approvals to make temporary changes or meet the evolving traffic operations efficiently. 1.3 The historical trend of Traffic and Parking By-law amendments, such as housekeeping items or recommendations for changes to traffic operations or traffic control, were approved by Council as presented. This demonstrates the correlation between staff’s conclusions and recommendations and Council’s understanding of the local road network needs. Municipality of Clarington Page 3 Report PUB-005-25 2. Analysis Municipal Benchmarking 2.1 Staff have reviewed the processes of several other municipalities in Ontario and found many examples of delegated authority relating to traffic operations. Some examples include:  City of Oshawa  Region of Durham  City of Kingston  City of Ottawa 2.2 Staff have noted varying degrees of delegated authority and have selected the following schedules of the Traffic and Parking By-law for consideration: Schedule 1 – No Stopping Schedule 2 – No Parking Schedule 3 – Parking for Restricted Periods Schedule 7 – Loading Zones Schedule 8 – One Way Highways Schedule 9 – Through Highways Schedule 10 – Stop Signs Schedule 11 – Yield Right-of-way Signs Schedule 12 – Maximum Rate of Speed on Highway (specific conditions only) Schedule 13 – Maximum Rate of Speed Passing Over a Bridge Municipality of Clarington Page 4 Report PUB-005-25 Schedule 14 – Highways Exempt from Weight Restrictions Schedule 15 – School Bus Loading Zones Schedule 16 – Accessible On-street Parking Schedule 17 – Turning Movements Prohibited Schedule 19 – Designated Turn Lanes Schedule 22 – Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Passing Over a Bridge Schedule 23 – No Heavy Trucks Justifications for Delegation of Authority 2.3 Sections 23.1 and 23.2 of the Municipal Act, 2001, provides that Council can delegate its legislative powers if, in Council’s opinion, the power being delegated is minor in nature. 2.4 Staff submit that changes proposed to be made by Staff to the schedules listed in section 2.2 are of a minor nature and are in line with other municipalities with d elegated authority to manage traffic operations. For further transparency, descriptions of these schedules and the changes that would be made by Staff, are described in the following paragraphs. 2.5 Schedules 1, 2, 3 – Amendments typically include changes to stopping and parking signage. These changes may be required along curves, at intersections, crosswalks, school crossings, fire hydrants, mailboxes, and other areas of concern identified by staff. These are often identified through traffic studies, observations and feedback from Municipal Law Enforcement Officers, changes in roadside environment such as new construction or change in type of establishments. This also includes new subdivisions, capital and infrastructure projects which were previously approved by Council. Another area involves modifications to signage required to accommodate changes to Public Transit operations and stop locations beyond our control. 2.6 Schedules 7, 15 – Amendments may include any signage modifications to loading zones and school bus loading zones, if found to require modifications due operational changes. 2.7 Schedule 8 – Amendments may include changes to the operation of the existing One Way streets. Examples may be due to construction, detours, special events. 2.8 Schedules 9, 10, 11 – Amendments often include updates to through highways, including intersections with stops and yield signs. These changes are identified when Municipality of Clarington Page 5 Report PUB-005-25 new roads and intersections are being added to the Traffic and Parking By-law. Examples such as changes to intersections where an All-Way STOP is being introduced by staff, the construction of a new roundabout, and road extensions (for example Lake Road to Bennett Road, or the future Longworth Avenue extension). 2.9 Schedule 12 (conditional) – Although this schedule contains the official posted speed limits on Clarington roads, staff recommend that the delegation of authority applies to the following housekeeping cases in this schedule:  Reduction of speed limit ONLY within any newly identified school zones, as previously approved by Council in 2023. Examples include one new school scheduled to open in September 2025, and any other future school zones.  Restoration of speed limits ONLY where the roadside environment initially requiring the speed limit reduction is no longer present. Example may include a school closure, and the 30km/h speed limit is no longer justified and appropriate.  Speed limit signage adjustments required for the future Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program to operate. 2.10 Schedules 13, 22 – Amendments include changes to posted speeds or vehicle weights when passing over a bridge. These changes are identified from bi-annual bridge inspections. 2.11 Schedules 14, 23 – Amendments include the temporary installation of No Heavy Trucks signage, as already delegated in the existing By-law 2024-042, Delegation of Authority. The related Highways Exempt from Weight Restrictions schedule may require updates to signage and locations in cases where new roads are constructed, or existing roads are reconstructed to suitable standards. 2.12 Schedule 16 – Amendments include housekeeping aspects such as new additions, or relocations of existing accessible on-street parking, as opportunities become available through staff studies or approved construction projects. It must be noted that an y changes to accessible on-street parking must first be approved by the Accessibility Advisory Committee. 2.13 Schedules 17, 18, 19 – Amendments are housekeeping in nature, and include changes to bicycle lanes, including stopping restrictions, turn lane designa tion signage. These changes may involve new intersections, intersection reconstruction projects, or signage prohibiting specific turning movements, such as No Left Turn, or No U-Turn. Municipality of Clarington Page 6 Report PUB-005-25 Communication 2.14 Staff will inform Council of amendments through Council Briefing Notes, including changes made to traffic operations such as new All Way Stops or restrictions on heavy truck movements. 2.15 By-law amendments will also be incorporated into the consolidated Traffic and parking By-law, which is linked on the municipal website and available to the public. 3. Financial Considerations Not applicable 4. Strategic Plan This recommendation for the delegation of authority aligns with the strategic plan components L.1.3: Empowering staff to identify opportunities for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, L.2.2: Utilizing technology and process improvements to modernize and optimize services, and C.2.3: Developing a traffic calming plan to address neighborhood speeding and parking concerns. Implementing these recommendations will yield significant efficiencies in amending the Traffic and Parking By-law by:  Minimizing liability through the expedited modification of signage and traffic operations as necessary,  Ensuring accountable leadership,  Enhancing administrative efficiency by reducing the number of staff and hours currently required for the drafting and processing of reports, which involves personnel from Public Works, Municipal Law Enforcement, Municipal Clerks, Planning and Infrastructure, and the Durham Regional Police Service. 5. Climate Change Not Applicable. 6. Concurrence This report has been reviewed by the Deputy CAO of Planning and Infrastructure and the Deputy CAO of Legislative Services who concur with the recommendations. Municipality of Clarington Page 7 Report PUB-005-25 7. Conclusion It is respectfully recommended that Council further amend By-law 2024-042, Delegation of Authority and authorize the Deputy CAO of Public Services, to amend the Schedules identified in section 2.2, of the Traffic and Parking By-law 2014-059. By doing so, Council will provide the Deputy CAO of Public Services with the ability to expedite the By-law amendment process required for safe and efficient movement of all types of road users. Staff Contact: Slav Potrykus, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, 905-623-3379 extension 2315 or spotrykus@clarington.net. Attachments: Attachment 1 – By-law to amend the Delegation of Authority By-law 2024-042 Interested Parties: There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision. Attachment 1 to Report PUB-005-25 By-law YYYY-NNN Amendment of the Delegation of Authority Page 1 of 2 If this information is required in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington By-law YYYY-NN Being a By-law to amend the Delegation of Authority By-law 2024-042. Whereas Subsection 23.1(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, authorizes a municipality to delegate its powers and duties under the Municipal Act or any other Act to a person or body, subject to the restrictions set out in the Municipal Act; And whereas Subsection 270(1)6 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, states that a municipality shall adopt and maintain policies with respect to the delegation of its powers and duties; And whereas Subsection 275(6) of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, states that nothing in this section prevents any person or body exercising any authority of a municipality that is delegated to the person or body prior to nomination day for t he election of the new council; And whereas the efficient management of the municipal corporation and the need to respond to issues in a timely manner require Council to entrust certain powers and duties to Committees and Staff while concurrently maintain ing accountability, which can be effectively accomplished through the delegation of legislative and administrative functions; And whereas, arising out of Report PUB-XXXX, the Council of the Municipality of Clarington has deemed it desirable and efficient to delegate certain powers to enhance the efficiency of its decision making and administrative processes; By-law YYYY-NNN Short Title Page 1 of 2 Now, therefore, the Council of the Municipality of Clarington enacts as follows: 1. That a new row, with the following wording, be added to Schedule “C” of By-law 2024-042: Short Description of Matter Delegate Specific Delegation of Authority Council’s Authority to Delegate Checks and Balances Traffic By-law – Minor Changes to Schedules for traffic control measures Deputy CAO Public Services To pass a by-law to amend any of Schedules 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, or 23 of the Clarington Traffic By-law 2014-059, or any successor by-law, in a form satisfactory to the Municipal Solicitor, and in exercising this authority the Deputy CAO Public Services shall have regard to public safety and the efficient and effective movement of traffic. Municipal Act, ss. 23.1, 23.2 As soon as practical after any exercise of this delegated authority, a Briefing Note will be prepared and distributed to advise Council of the by-law amendments. 2. That this by-law shall come into force and effect on the date of passing. Passed in Open Council this XX day of MMMM, YYYY. _____________________________________ Name, Mayor _____________________________________ Name, Municipal Clerk Written approval of this by-law was given by Mayoral Decision MDE-YYYY-XXX dated XXXX XX, YYYY.