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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-128-02 .0.'''. 'r Cl!Jl#]gton REPORT PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: COUNCIL Date: Monday, December 9,2002 Report #: PSD-128-02 File #: PLN 23.5.12 By-law #: Subject: HIGHWAY 407- COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TRANSPORT A nON CONSULTING ASSISTANCE RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that Council approve the following recommendations: 1. THAT the Terms of Reference for the Clarington Highway 407 Community Advisory Committee, attached to this Report as Attachment 1, be approved; 2. THAT the Clerk be directed to advertise for the positions on the Clarington Highway 407 Community Advisory Committee and report back to Council; 3. THAT the Clarington Board of Trade, the Clarington Agricultural Advisory Committee, and LACAC be requested to appoint representatives to the Highway 407 Community Advisory Committee; 4. THAT a member of Council be appointed as the Council representative on the Community Advisory Committee; 5. THAT the Minister of Transportation be requested to provide the necessary funding to enable Clarington to retain a consultant that would assist in reviewing the terms of reference; and 6. THAT a copy of this Report and Council's resolution be forwarded to Ms. Linda Gasser, Mr. John Slobodozian of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Doug Allingham of Totten Sims Hubicki, and the interested parties listed in this report. Submitted by: Reviewed by: o ~-v~, Franklin Wu, Chief Administrative Officer JAS"DJC'sh December 6, 2002 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1 C 3A6 T (905)623- 3379 F (905)623-0830 , ..' \ , t' REPORT NO.: PSD.12S-D2 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 Ms. Linda Gasser, in a presentation to the November 18, 2002 General Purpose and Administration Committee, noted that Clarington, of all the area municipalities in Durham Region, has the potential to be the most affected by the Highway 407 East Completion. She requested Committee to consider two processes to assist Clarington in developing a municipal position on Highway 407: . Retaining a transportation consultant . Creating a Community Stakeholders Advisory Committee to provide advice from a community perspective. Ms. Gasser also provided a package of material regarding the process used by the City of Burlington to address the many complex issues related to the Mid-Peninsula Highway, which is currently proposed to run through that city. 1.2 Committee resolved to refer Ms. Gasser's delegation to staff for the preparation of a report. On November 25, 2002, Council also considered correspondence from John Waters and W.G. Paterson supporting Ms. Gasser's presentation. Council resolved to refer the correspondence to staff. 2.0 COMMENTS 2.1 The Ministry of Transportation is establishing a Community Advisory Committee of stakeholders to provide input to the EA process. We have been advised that the Committee will comprise approximately 17 members comprising of the following: . One member selected by each area municipality in Durham . Two members from the Durham Environmental Advisory Committee . One member from the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee . One member from the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce . One member from the Canadian Automobile Association . One member from the Ontario Trucking Association . One member from the Ajax/Pickering Social Planning Council . One member with environmental interests . Two members at large Two of the 15 members are confirmed as being from Clarington: Linda Gasser, Council's appointee and Steve Wilson, previously a member of the Community , .. ~' REPORT NO.: PSD.128.02 PAGE 3 Advisory Committee for the Durham Transportation Master Plan. However, approximately 44 % of the preferred technical alignment is within Clarington. 2.2 The Ministry's Community Advisory Committee will provide input to MTO's consultants providing comment on the reports and recommendations. A Clarington Community Advisory Committee would provide staff and Council with the opportunity to receive direct citizen input into formulating a position on the Highway 407 project. It is important that this committee be broadly based and appointed with people who can examine the merits and problems associated with this project with an open mind. 2.3 In accordance with Council's direction, staff prepared Terms of Reference for the Clarington Highway 407 Community Advisory Committee, as attached to this report as Attachment No.1. The Committee will provide advice to Council on the proposed Highway 407 from a community perspective. Representation on the Committee is intended to be broad-based and specific groups will be invited to appoint representatives. The Advisory Committee may also recommend to Council that other agencies be invited to participate on the Committee where there is a benefit to sharing data and reviewing issues of common concern. It is also anticipated that MTO and its consultants would be invited to attend at least some of the meetings. 2.4 Council should be cognizant that the establishment of a community advisory committee will require a dedication of staff resources. 2.5 Retaining a transportation consultant with specific expertise in major highway projects would be beneficial to assist Staff, Council and the Community Advisory Committee in effectively addressing the many complex issues related to the extension of Highway 407 through Clarington. The Municipality's transportation consultant, Totten Sims Hubicki, has been retained by the Ministry of Transportation and cannot undertake this work. Staff would recommend that the consultant's role be limited and that not all reports be peer reviewed. The most critical stage occurs ," ,. REPORT NO.: PSD.128.02 PAGE 4 over the next two months when the Terms of Reference for Highway 407 Environmental Assessment are being finalized. It is anticipated that the cost of retaining the consultant through both stages of the Environmental Assessment will exceed $50,000.00. Staff estimate the cost of reviewing the Needs and Justification component and the Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment to cost in excess of $15,000.00. 2.6 Both the Government of Canada and Ontario Power Generation have provided funds for peer reviews of the Terms of Reference and the Environmental Assessments for the Port Granby Project and the Used Fuel Dry Storage respectively. It is appropriate to request the Province to provide a similar funding commitment for Clarington to allow the municipality to participate effectively in the Highway 407 Environmental Assessment process. It should be noted, however, that it is very unlikely that the Ministry would fund a consultant. 2.7 Given the many other fiscal pressures on the Municipality, the Chief Administrative Officer has advised that the issue of retaining a consultant for this project should be reviewed in conjunction with other budget priorities. Even with an early budget approval, this would be too late for the Terms of Reference portion of the Highway 407 Study Process. Council needs to provide staff with direction on this matter. Attachments Attachment 1 - Terms of Reference for Clarington Highway 407 Committee ~ '. REPORT NO.: PSD-12S-D2 PAGE 5 List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision: Ms. Linda Gasser P.O. Box 300 Orono, ON LOB 1 MO Mr. John Slobodzian Ontario Ministry of Transportation 301 St. Paul Street St. Catharines, ON L2R 7R4 Mr. W.G. Paterson 1909 Bloor Street East Bowmanville, ON L 1 C 3K3 Mr. John E. Waters 1882 Bloor Street East Bowmanville, ON L 1 C 3K3 Mr. Doug Allingham, P. Eng. Totten Sims Hubicki 300 Water Street Whitby, ON L 1 N 9J2 ,~ ATTACHMEINT 1 TERMS OF REFERENCE CLARINGTON HIGHWAY 407 COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE Backaround The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has initiated the Environmental Assessment study for the Highway 407 East Completion. The highway extension is proposed to start at the current terminus at Brock Road in Pickering and run eastward to connect with Highway 35/115 in Clarington. The section of Highway 407 through Clarington will be approximately 48 kms. As well, a north-south highway to connect Highway 407 with Highway 401 is also proposed in the vicinity of Solina Road. Due to the scale of the project through Clarington, the Highway 407 extension has the potential to significantly affect the entire community. In order to facilitate public input on the project, Clarington Council is establishing a Community Advisory Committee for the Highway 407 East Extension. Mandate The Clarington Highway 407 Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will provide advice to Clarington Council, from a community perspective, regarding the need and justification for the highway, the proposed Terms of Reference, and the environmental, social, cultural and economic issues associated with the proposed highway. Scope of Activities The Community Advisory Committee, in fulfilling its mandate, is to provide advice to Council and communicate information back to their respective stakeholder groups, where appropriate. The Committee will review information associated with the proposed highway and provide strategic advice to Council on these matters. While individual members of the CAC may represent various interest groups, the opinions and positions taken by the members and the CAC are not binding, in whole or in part, on either Clarington Councilor the groups they represent. Membership The Community Advisory Committee is a volunteer Committee consisting of 10 citizen members. Council shall seek to appoint members representing a variety of interests from across the Municipality, including, but not limited to: . Residents within the study area · agriculture . industry and business . social/cultural environment . natural environment. Members may represent a specific committee or group. In particular, the following groups will be invited to nominate members to sit on the CAC: Clarington Board of Trade (2 members), Clarington Agricultural Advisory Committee (1 member), and LACAC (1 member). One member of Council shall also be appointed to sit on the Committee. Staff representatives from both the Planning Services Department and the Engineering Services Department shall sit on the Committee as non-voting members, In addition, the Committee may recommend to Council that Durham Region staff, Conservation Authority staff and staff of other municipalities be invited to attend as non-voting members. Members appointed to sit on the Committee must be willing to commit the time required to understand and evaluate the information provided, as well as be open-minded to various opinions and perspectives on the Project. Openings for membership shall be publicly advertised and all residents of the Municipality are eligible to apply. Applicants will submit applications to the Municipality of Clarington Clerk's Department. Members will be formally appointed by Council. The Council representative shall sit as the interim chair. The Committee will select a Chair and Vice-Chair from among its membership. The chair shall provide leadership to the Committee, ensure that the Committee carries out its mandate, and act as the primary liaison between the Committee and Staff. ..... ' , If a member representing an identified group is unable to attend a meeting, he/she may request permission from the Chair to send an alternate, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. The Chair shall advise the Clerk of any member who is absent for three consecutive meetings, and may request that the member be removed from the Committee. The Chair shall also advise the Clerk of the resignation of any member. Council shall appoint new members to the Committee to fill any vacancies as required. Technical Support Municipal staff will provide clerical, administrative and technical assistance to the Committee. Staff and any consultants, including consultants hired by the Ministry of Transportation, will share technical information and assist in the interpretation of this material. Meetinas Committee meetings shall be held in the Municipal Administrative Centre. The Committee shall generally meet a minimum of once per month; however, the chair may schedule additional meetings or cancel meetings after consulting with the other members of the Committee. The Chair shall set the agenda for each meeting in consultation with Municipal Staff. A majority of the Committee membership (6) shall constitute a quorum. Recommendations and decisions reached by the CAC will be based on consensus, wherever possible. In the event that a consensus cannot be reached and there are divergent opinions on issues, formal votes may be called by the Chair, with each member having one vote. Decisions will be carried by a majority of the members present. Reportina to Council The Community Advisory group shall report to Council as follows: . The recording secretary shall submit the minutes of all Committee meetings to the Municipal Clerk for inclusion in the Council agenda for information; . All recommendations from the Committee shall be submitted to the Clerk for inclusion in the Council agenda for direction; · The Committee Chair will submit reports to Council prior to key decisions being made by Council on the proposed highway. ~ . Term of the Committee The term of the Committee shall coincide with the term of Council. The Committee will disband upon completion of the Environmental Assessment for the Highway 407 East Completion or at such other time as Council may determine.