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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-218-92 ',cy�'n.e�' t rt N' THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 1: TAXI.GPA REPORT General Purpose and Administration Committee File# `` Monday, October 19, 1992 Res.# , ; '° By-Law# , PD-218 -92 Fite AMENDMENT TO BY-LAW 74-72 TO LIMIT NUMBER OF VEHICLE LICENSES ISSUED BY THE TOWN iendafions: r It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and F ' Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report PD-218 -92 be received; , i THAT the attached amending by-law to the Taxi By-law 74-72 be approved; and A » THAT Bowmanville Taxi, Deluxe Taxi and ABC Taxi be advised of Council's decision and be forwarded a copy of the By- ' law. BACKGROUND .1 In January 1992, the owners of Bowmanville Taxi and Deluxerj� Taxi requested the Town Council to limit the number of taxi licences issued each year in view of the current economic ru„` situation. ''' .2 Council subsequently referred the matter to staff for review and to report back. CURRENT TAXI OPERATORS ` ±A' . 1 At present, there are three (3) taxicompanies operating in the Town. Bowmanville Taxi operates nine (9) vehicles and f Deluxe operates five (5) vehicles. A third company, ABC sir Taxi presently does not operate any vehicles. . . .2 7 ) J ✓ JJJ REPORT NO. : PD- 218-92 PAGE 2 2.2 There are also a number of limousine services. However, this is a specialized service and is not considered within the scope of this report. 3. CURRENT BY-LAW 74-72 3.1 The current Taxi By-law 74-72 was passed in 1974. Said by- law does not make any reference to the number of taxis that will be licensed by the Town. 3 .2 The practice in the past, therefore, was based on issuance of licence upon application, and presumably unlimited licences can be issued. 4. PRACTICES IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES 4. 1 Staff contacted other municipalities in Durham Region. In summary, Oshawa issues one licence per every 1500 population; Ajax issues one licence per every 950 persons; Whitby and Ajax have chosen a limit of 29 and 50 licences per year respectively. 5. COMMENTS 5. 1 Staff is of the opinion that the Town of Newcastle should impose a limit of taxi licences similar to our neighbour municipalities. As to the method to determine the number of licences, Staff favour the method of adopting a ratio between number of licenses and population. Such method would allow for automatic adjustment as population increases. 5.2 In examining the practice of our neighbour municipalities, Staff favour the ratio used by City of Oshawa at one (1) . . .3 _3 6 REPORT NO. : PD- 218-92 PAGE 3 licence per 1,500 persons. The population for the Town at year end 1991 is about 50, 000. Hence such a ratio will yield 33 licences. 6. THE AMENDING BY-LAW 6.1 The attached amending by-law has therefore incorporated the above requirements. 6.2 In addition, the amending by-law also deals with two related matters as follows: a) licences will be issued on first come first-served basis annually with renewal being given priority over new licences; b) to prevent hoarding of licences, any taxi that is off the road for more than 90 days will have the licence revoked. 7. CONCLUSION The operators of the local taxi companies have been contacted with respect to the proposed amendment. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P. Lawrence E. Kotseff Director of Planning Chief Administrative and Development Officer FW*j ip *Attach 8 October 1992 7, � j THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE BY-LAW 92- being a by-law to amend By-law 74-72, a by-law for licencing, regulating and governing taxi drivers, brokers and taxi vehicle owners and vehicles used for hire WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newcastle deems it advisable to further amend By-law 74-72; NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: 1. By-law 74-72 is hereby further amended by adding the following to section 4: 4 (iii) (a) Effective the first day of January 1993, the total number of vehicle licences issued each year shall be limited to the number established by the ratio of one such licence for each 1,500 residents of the Town of Newcastle based on the latest revised population figures available from the Assessment Department of the Ministry of Revenue; (b) Effective the first day of January 1993 no vehicle licences shall be issued to any new applicant except if the total number of such licences then in full force and effect is less than the said number established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a) and the number of new licences issued at any given time shall be such that the total number of the said licences in full force and effect does not at any time exceed the said number established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a); (c) Those vehicle owners possessing current vehicle licences shall have until January 31st of each year to renew their licences for the year and no new licences shall be issued which might adversely affect this renewal or exceed the number established by the ratio established in subsection 4(iii) (a) ; (d) Applications for new vehicle licences shall be dealt with in the chronological order in which they were received and shall be issued subject to all the provisions of this by-law; (e) Where the number of applications exceeds the maximum number of licences established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a) the remaining applications shall be placed on a Priority Waiting List, and where a licence becomes available the applications shall be dealt with in chronological order; (f) After January 31st all existing licences which have not been renewed shall be deemed to have been abandoned and shall be available to be issued to the next qualified applicants whose names appear on the Priority Waiting List; (g) Every taxicab owner shall be required to put the taxicab in respect of which a licence has been issued, into operation within ninety (90) days of the issuance of such licence and if the said taxicab is not put into operation within the said ninety (90) days the said licence may be suspended or revoked; 5 � 8 - 2 - (h) Every taxicab owner shall maintain each and every taxicab in respect of which a licence has been issued to him in operation on a full time basis at all times and if the said taxicab is not in full time operation for a period of ninety (90) days or more the said licence may be suspended or revoked; (i) Council may grant an extension of the ninety (90) day period mentioned in subsections 4(iii) (g) and 4(iii) (h) on application in writing being made to the Clerk prior to the end of the said time period and such application shall state the reasons for requesting such extension; (j ) Council may, at its discretion, refuse to grant the extension where it believes there is sufficient reason and shall so advise the taxicab owner of its decision in writing; (k) Where a licence has been revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsections 4(iii) (g) and 4(iii) (h) the said licence shall be made available to the next qualified applicant whose name appears on the Priority Waiting List. 2 . This by-law shall come into full force and effect immediately on the final passing of it. BY-LAW read for the first and second time this day of 19 . BY-LAW read for the third time and finally passed this day of 19 . MAYOR CLERK THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE BY-LAW 92- being a by-law to amend By-law 74-72, a by-law for licencing, regulating and governing taxi drivers, brokers and taxi vehicle owners and vehicles used for hire WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newcastle deems it advisable to further amend By-law 74-72; NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: 1. By-law 74-72 is hereby further amended by adding the following to section 4: 4 (iii) (a) Effective the first day of January 1993, the total number of vehicle licences issued each year shall be limited to the number established by the ratio of one such licence for each 1,500 residents of the Town of Newcastle based on the latest revised population figures available from the Assessment Department of the Ministry of Revenue; (b) Effective the first day of January 1993 no vehicle licences shall be issued to any new applicant except if the total number of such licences then in full force and effect is less than the said number established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a) and the number of new licences issued at any given time shall be such that the total number of the said licences in full force and effect does not at any time exceed the said number established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a) ; (c) Those vehicle owners possessing current vehicle licences shall have until January 31st of each year to renew their licences for the year and no new licences shall be issued which might adversely of fect this renewal or exceed the number established by the ratio established in subsection 4(iii) (a) ; (d) Applications for new vehicle licences shall be dealt with in the chronological order in which they were received and shall be issued subject to all the provisions of this by-law; (e) Where the number of applications exceeds the maximum number of licences established by the ratio set out in subsection 4(iii) (a) the remaining applications shall be placed on a Priority Waiting List, and where a licence becomes available the applications shall be dealt with in chronological order; (f) After January 31st all existing licences which have not been renewed shall be deemed to have been abandoned and shall be available to be issued to the next qualified applicants whose names appear on the Priority Waiting List; (g) Every taxicab owner shall be required to put the taxicab in respect of which a licence has been issued, into operation within ninety (90) days of the issuance of such licence and if the said taxicab is not put into operation within the said ninety (90) days the said licence may be suspended or revoked; 2 - (h) Every taxicab owner shall maintain each and every taxicab in respect of which a licence has been issued to him in operation on a full time basis at all times and if the said taxicab is not in full time operation for a period of ninety (90) days or more the said licence may be suspended or revoked; (i) Council may grant an extension of the ninety (90) day period mentioned in subsections 4(iii) (g) and 4(iii) (h) on application in writing being made to the Clerk prior to the end of the said time period and such application shall state the reasons for requesting such extension; (j) Council may, at its discretion, refuse to grant the extension where it believes there is sufficient reason and shall so advise the taxicab owner of its decision in writing; (k) Where a licence has been revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsections 4(iii) (g) and 4(iii) (h) the said licence shall be made available to the next qualified applicant whose name appears on the Priority Waiting List. 2. This by-law shall come into full force and effect immediately on the final passing of it. BY-LAW read for the first and second time this day of 19 BY-LAW read for the third time and finally passed this day of 19 MAYOR CLERK 539