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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEGD-018-16 Addendum Claringtm Engineering i Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Municipal Clerk at 905-623-3379 ext. 2102. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: June 20, 2016 Addendum to Report Number: EGD-018-16 Resolution: File Number: By-law Number: Report Subject: Long Term Plan for the West Beach Waterfront Recommendations: 1. That Report EGD-018-16 be received; 2. That Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 be received; and 3. That all interested parties listed in Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. Municipality of Clarington Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 Page 2 Report Overview This Report was prepared as an addendum to Report EGD-018-16 which was presented to the March 17, 2016 General Government Committee meeting. Subsequent to the presentation of that report, Resolution #GG-119-16 was passed which referred the report back to staff"to address the following issues regarding the West Beach Waterfront Park [parkette]: • The long term plan; and • Pedestrian safety, in particular unauthorized night time use." This Report and previous Reports EGD-022-12, EGD-027-12 and EGD-018-16 provide responses to the questions raised and address concerns over night time activities at the parkette. 1 . Background 1.1. At the Municipality's March 7, 2016 General Government Committee meeting, Staff presented Report EDG-018-16 with respect to the West Beach Parkette as requested by Council at the January 25, 2016 General Government meeting. Specifically, the report was to address: The long term plan for the West Beach Parkette; Solutions to the problems associated with unauthorized night time use of the parkette; and Solutions to address the safety issues associated with the West Beach Parkette parking lot, including (but not limited to): • Pedestrian Safety, particularly, those walking along West Beach Road, • Visibility for drivers backing out of spaces in West Beach Parkette lot, • Visibility for drivers exiting West Beach Road and turning north, and • The absence of a three way stop sign, especially during peak season. 1.2 Subsequently, Council ratified Resolution #GG-119-16 that the report be referred back to Staff "to address the following issues regarding the West Beach Waterfront Park: - The long term plan; and - Pedestrian safety, in particular unauthorized night time use." Municipality of Clarington Addendum to Report EGD-016-16 Page 3 a Long Terra Plan for the West Beach Waterfront 2.1 Port Darlington West Beach Park Clarington's Waterfront Strategy (1993) was prepared to provide a long-term vision for Clarington's waterfront. The Strategy identified the lack of active and passive/recreation opportunities along the waterfront. Much of the Lake Ontario shoreline was impeded by large land owners, such as St. Marys Cement, Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, Wilmot Creek Retirement Community and large agricultural operations. To provide greater public access to the waterfront the Strategy recommended, among other things, the acquisition of land for a Waterfront Park in Port Darlington on both sides of the Bowmanville Creek. During the conceptual design for Port Darlington Waterfront Park it was recognized that the park on each side of the creek would be distinctly different based the characteristics of each site. Port Darlington East Beach Park, constructed in 2014, was designed to be more active with a large central gathering node to be used for special events such as concerts in the park, fireworks displays, art exhibits, etc. East Beach Park includes a nautically themed children's playground, water play area, washroom building, small beach, and a paved promenade along the lake. There is also abundant green space for picnicking or informal play. The Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail passes through this section of the park. The first phase of Port Darlington West Beach Park, constructed in 2013, was designed to be much more passive to complement the character of the beach, sand dunes, and marsh that dominate the landscape on the west side of the creek. The long stretch of beach is the primary feature of West Beach Park and the first phase of development was intended to provide the public with access to the beach through the installation of a gravel parking lot and boardwalk linking to the beach. The north portion of West Beach Park will include nature trails along the edge of the marsh as well as interpretive signage and opportunities to launch non-motorized boats and canoes in the creek and open water of the marsh. Those works will be completed by CLOCA in conjunction with the construction of the Bowmanville Marsh water level control structure starting later in 2016. The existing West Beach Park is 2.5 ha in size. Attachment 2 shows all of the properties currently owned and maintained by the Municipality along West Beach Road, including the property at the west end of the beach known as West Beach Parkette. The Municipality's long term plan as identified in Clarington's Land Acquisition Strategy is to acquire all of the private properties along the south side of West Beach Road from West Beach Parkette to the existing West Beach Park on a willing seller/willing buyer basis. Although no master plan has been approved for the future parkland it is anticipated that the expanded park would also be designed to complement the natural features of the site, primarily the marsh and beach. It could contain playgrounds, shade structures, a network of walkways and boardwalks, and additional parking. West Beach Park could also be expanded incrementally with these types of features when additional properties are acquired adjacent to its west side. Municipality of Clarington Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 Page 4 There are 8 cottages remaining on the existing West Beach Park site. In May 2014 Council approved a lease extension for those cottages until December 31, 2018. 2.2 West Beach Parkette The municipal site located at the 90 degree bend in West Beach Road, adjacent to 103 West Beach Road is known as West Beach Parkette. This .25 ha site is comprised of the West Beach road allowance and two properties along its east edge previously acquired by the municipality. Along the north edge of the parkette there is space for 5 or 6 cars to park (Attachment 3). Prior to the construction of West Beach Park this site was the best public access point to the beach in Port Darlington and it remains a popular destination for residents to access the water's edge or sit in their car to look out over the lake. It is common to see vehicles parked along the north edge of the parkette. The current and former owner of 103 West Beach Road (directly west of the parkette) have both made requests to eliminate the parking at the parkette to help discourage night time use. The current owner of 103 West Beach Road has also requested that the municipality build a wood privacy fence between the parkette and 103 West Beach Road. Municipal By-law Number 2011-45, Fence Cost Sharing, requires the municipality to share the cost of a 4' chainlink fence between public and private property. If the private owner wishes to upgrade the standard of the fence the municipality's share of the cost will be based on 50% of the cost of a 1.2m (4ft) chainlink fence. Section 7.8 of the By-law states "Where an owner wishes to construct, reconstruct or repair a division fence bordering municipally owned lands other than those listed in Section 3.1 the Director of Operations shall represent the Municipality's interest in such matters." The long term plan for West Beach Parkette is to maintain its current function as a public park with access to the waterfront. The acquisition of the remaining private properties along the south side of West Beach Road could take decades, if/when that occurs the site would be the west edge of a consolidated Port Darlington West Beach Park. 3. Pedestrian Safety and Unauthorized Night Time Use As previously reported, West Beach Rd. is a non-standard rural forced road. Sidewalks are not typically constructed in rural areas and, as stated in Report EGD-027-12, "the forced road section of West Beach Rd. is approximately 22 ft. [6.7 m] in width and can only accommodate the driving surface of the road." This area is not unlike many rural areas in Clarington, and pedestrians are encouraged to exercise caution here and in all areas of the Municipality where there are no sidewalks. The advantages that this area has are that the speed limit has been set at 40 kph on both West Beach Rd. and Cove Rd., both of which are dead end roads, and there is low traffic volume. Staff cannot find any record of any residents who have requested that the Municipality construct sidewalks in this area. Staff have discussed night time activity in the parkette with Municipal Law Enforcement and Durham Region Police Services (DRPS) on a number of occasions. As Committee will recall, parking is prohibited at the parkette from dusk to dawn. A light pole was installed in 2012 to improve public and police surveillance of the parkette. Most recently, Municipality of Clarington Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 Page 5 the Municipal Clerk, acting Manager of Municipal Law Enforcement and the Manager of Development Engineering and Traffic met with the acting Sergeant in the Community Resource Unit at DRPS on May 19th to discuss the matter. The Sergeant was aware of past complaints involving the parkette, and he acknowledged that many calls have been received in the past six years which have all been generated from one address. One of the complaints involved a neighbour who was smoking in the park. The sergeant stated that this parkette is not unlike any other park in Clarington. DRPS has not found any illegal activity in the area in the past six years (with one relatively minor exception). There is no evidence of any partying, excessive garbage or bon fires. The calls have not been about any nefarious activity or bad behavior, but have been about the presence of a vehicle after hours. Most of the calls were received in the evening very shortly after dusk. When DRPS has attended the site in response to a call, there has been no enforcement required. The sergeant advised that he has sent the message to DRPS resources that this is an "area of community concern", but mass resources are not warranted in this area. Municipal Law Enforcement has committed to include this area in their night time patrols when staff resources permit, and they will call DRPS if and when they observe any activity that requires a police presence. Further, DRPS advised that they will be launching a "Parks Project" this summer to enforce Park By-laws and criminal offences. The West Beach Parkette will be included in the program. Staff have also set up the Miovision camera adjacent to the parkette at different times throughout April and May. The camera was set to record activity in the parkette from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (approximate times of dusk to dawn) over a total of nine nights. Through the nine nights, a total of seven cars stopped (never more than one at a time) for anywhere from three minutes to forty-five minutes. No activity of concern was recorded over the nine nights. While parking is prohibited from dusk to dawn, this level of after- hours access is not out of the norm for any park in Clarington. As previously reported, staff do not recommend eliminating parking at this parkette. Because the parkette is not located in an urban area, many people who enjoy the parkette drive to the spot. Eliminating parking will only result in people parking on the side of the road which is too narrow to accommodate on-street parking. In response to the neighbour's concerns, staff would consider placing bollards or armour stone adjacent to the west boundary in order to prevent parking immediately beside the residence, but only recommend that this be done after a decision has been made regarding a fence between 103 West Beach Road and the parkette after the west boundary has been established. 4. Concurrence This Report has been reviewed by the Municipal Clerk and Director of Operations who concur with the recommendations. Municipality of Clarington Addendum to Report EGD-018-16 Page 6 5. Conclusion In conclusion, staff continue to stand by the recommendations made in Reports EGD- 022-12, EGD-027-12 (both of which were endorsed by Council) and EGD-018-16. Engineering staff convened a meeting with DRPS and Municipal Law Enforcement and discussed this matter. The neighbouring resident's concerns have been noted, and Municipal Law Enforcement and Durham Region Police Services will continue to patrol the area and respond to any issues that need enforcement. Engineering Services staff will continue to monitor that area with the Miovision camera. The request for a fence along the joint property line between 103 West Beach Road and the parkette will be followed up by the Director of Operations as per the Fence Cost Sharing By-Law. 6. Strategic Plan Application Enhanced access to our unique natural environment through continued development of parkland along the waterfront. Submitted by: Reviewed by: 14� Anthony S. Cannella, C.E.T. ranklin Wu, Director of Engineering Services Chief Administrative Officer Staff Contact: Leslie Benson, Manager, Development and Traffic, 905-623-3379 ext. 2304 or Ibenson@,clarington.net Attachments: Attachment 1 -Report Number EGD-018-16 Attachment 2- Municipally-owned Land along West Beach Rd. Attachment 3- West Beach Parkette photos The following is a list of the interested parties to be notified of Council's decision: Susan Dixon ASC/RA/LJB/nl/jb Attachment 1 to Addendum to EGD-018-16 Off- Engineering services Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Municipal Clerk at 905-623-3379 ext. 2102. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: March 7, 2016 Report Number: EGD-018-16 File Number: By-law Number: Report Subject: Long Term Plan for the West Beach Parkette Recommendations: 1. That Report EGD-018-16 be received for information. Municipality of Clarington Report EGD-018-16 Page 2 Report Overview This Report was prepared in response to a request from Council at the January 25, 2016 General Government meeting to provide information regarding the use of the West Beach Parkette, future plans as well as some safety concerns raised by an area resident. This Report and previous Reports EGD-022-12 and EGD-027-12 provide responses to the questions raised and a course of action to address concerns over night time activities at the parkette. 1 . Background 1.1 At the January 25th General Government meeting the following resolution was passed• That Staff be directed to provide a report on the following, with respect to the West Beach Parkette, by the March 7, 2016 General Government Committee meeting: The long term plan for the West Beach Parkette; Solutions to the problems associated with unauthorized night time use of the parkette; and Solutions to address the safety issues associated with the West Beach Parkette parking lot, including (but not limited to): • Pedestrian Safety, particularly, those walking along West Beach Road, • Visibility for drivers backing out of spaces in West Beach Parkette lot, • Visibility for drivers exiting West Beach Road and turning north, and • The absence of a three way stop sign, especially during peak season. 1.2 Previous Reports EGD-022-12 and EGD-027-12—West Beach Park and Parkette In 2012, staff reviewed the need for and use of the West Beach Parkette. For many . years Council has been committed, through its Strategic Plan, to provide improved public access to the waterfront on both the East and West Beach sides of Bowmanville Creek. The West Beach Parkette is a popular place which is enjoyed by residents who prefer this area because of the relatively short distance to the lake, its mature trees and sandy beach. In a report to GP&A in Oct. 2012, staff reviewed the parkette parking lot in the context of ongoing development of the Port Darlington West Beach Waterfront Park. The report states, "in the interim [prior to full development of the waterfront park], the parkette parking lot should remain in place at its current location as it provides accessibility to the waterfront for the driving public, cyclists as well as for easier waterfront access to those with accessibility or mobility issues. As the waterfront park develops in the future and further features are added that attract greater numbers of visitors to the area, it may well be appropriate to do a complete review of the parking and access to the waterfront. When that time comes [staff] will look to see if the parking at the parkette should be expanded, relocated or removed in its entirety." As there has been no Municipality of Clarington Report EGD-018-16 Page 3 substantial change at the parkette, the recommendations and information from the previous 2012 reports are still relevant. 1.3 Agency Comments Engineering staff have conferred with the Clerk's Department, Operations Department and Durham Region Police Services (DRPS) regarding any issues that their staff have encountered at the parkette since this matter was addressed in 2012. The Clerks Department has advised that 15 parking tickets have been issued in the area in the last two years, mostly pertaining to fisherman parking on the boulevard and in the No Parking zone on West Beach Rd. The search did not reveal any tickets specific to the parkette. A search for general complaints in the area did not reveal any complaints specific to the parkette. Other complaints such as reports of poison ivy have been recorded by this department. The Operations Department has advised that there have been two complaints in this area since 2013: one regarding damage during the ice storm in 2013, and one garbage complaint in 2015. DRPS has advised that they have received "several calls (in this area) over the last few years" pertaining to loitering and mischief. 2. Solutions 2.1 Solutions to the Problems Associated with Unauthorized Night Time Use of the Parkette In June 25, 2012, staff reported to GP&A (Report EGD-022-12) with respect to night time activities in the parkette. The report stated, "The Municipality does not intend to allow any night time activity in the parkette and associated parking lot", and staff recommended that the parkette be closed at night. Council approved the recommendation in the report that the Traffic By-law be amended "to prohibit parking 'from Dusk to Dawn' adjacent to the West Beach Rd. parkette". Subsequent to that report, staff have posted No Parking From Dusk to Dawn at the parkette, have posted No Parking on the bend of West Beach Rd. which is applicable at all times, have trimmed overhanging limbs to increase visibility in the parkette and parking area, have installed bollards to prevent vehicular access to the beach, and have installed a streetlight immediately adjacent to the parking area to illuminate the area at night. Unauthorized use of a park which is closed at night and illegal parking are enforcement issues. Staff propose to set up a meeting with Engineering Services staff, Durham Region Police Services (DRPS) and Municipal Law Enforcement to discuss this matter. At that meeting, staff will commit, within the resources available, to increased night time Municipal Law Enforcement patrols, and to increased presence by DRPS. In discussions in 2012 (and since) with DRPS, they were clear that if any one suspects illegal activity or unauthorized night time use of the park, DRPS should be contacted. Municipality of Clarington Report EGD-018-16 Page 4 2.2 Solutions to the problems associated with the parkette parking lot (in order of the resolution) West Beach Rd. is a non-standard rural forced road. Sidewalks are not typically constructed in rural areas and, as stated in Report EGD-027-12, "the forced road section of West Beach Rd. is approximately 22 ft. [6.7 m] in width and can only accommodate the driving surface of the road." This area is not unlike many rural areas in Clarington, and pedestrians are encouraged to exercise caution here and in all areas of the Municipality where there are no sidewalks. The advantages that this area has are that the speed limit has been set at 40 kph on both West Beach Rd. and Cove Rd., both of which are dead end roads, and there is low traffic volume. Backing out of parking spaces at the parkette is not unlike any other place where cars park perpendicular to the direction of travel. Traffic volumes here are much lower than most shopping centre parking lots, and all drivers should exercise care when backing out of the space. The intersection of West Beach Rd. and Darlington Blvd., again, is a typical rural low volume intersection. The stop control for eastbound drivers on West Beach Rd. is appropriate, and drivers must follow the rules of the road when entering the intersection and turning north. Staff were requested to undertake an all-way stop control warrant in 2012 at West Beach Rd. and Cove Rd. This was also reported in Report EGD-027-12. The volumes required were well below (only 25% of) those required to install this type of traffic control at this intersection. Traffic would not have significantly changed since that warrant was undertaken. It is staff's experience, and those of a vast number of traffic engineers, that where all-way stop control is installed at an unwarranted intersection, drivers tend to ignore the signage. Those who do stop are often frustrated by the unwarranted delay and tend to speed as they leave the intersection. Staff do not support the installation of all-way stop control where it is not warranted. 3. Concurrence This Report has been reviewed by Anne Greentree, Municipal Clerk, who concurs with the recommendations. 4. Conclusion In conclusion, staff continue to stand by the recommendations made in Reports EGD- 022-12 and EGD-027-12 (both of which were endorsed by Council). Engineering staff will convene a meeting with DRPS and Municipal Law Enforcement to discuss this matter and plan a strategy for improved presence, patrolling and enforcement of prohibited activities in the area. Municipality of Clarington Report EGD-018-16 Page 5 5. Strategic Plan Application Not applicable. /7 Submitted by: 4,CZJ,4"� Reviewed by- Anthony Y:Anthony S. Cannella, C.E.T. Franklin Wu, Director of Engineering Services Chief Administrative Officer Staff Contact: Leslie Benson, Engineering Services, 905-623-3379 ext. 2304 or lbenson@clarington.net ASC/RA/LJB/nl/jb There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision. Q 0 w Z 0 120 Z tl' l � Q 1 0 — a. �1 B.OWMANVILLE MARSH 41 WEST BEACH ROAD Ln I ID Ln Lo lo a c r CO M W (D In In a p. O � r Cfl V Legend Existing West Beach Park Existing West Beach Parkette LAKE ONTARIO ® Other Clarington Lands \ f � II BOWMANVILLE H"'y 401 `-- "I,* = E w ° s DRAWN BY: o Ra CD,� c �. ��� E.L. ,N °- d DATE: June 13, 2016 East Beach Rd. ADDENDUM TO ( REPORT EGD-0.18-16 I ATTACHMENT No.2 FILE NAME: KEY MAP West Beach Property Ownership.mxd ll' f fJ;61 5f R 1 .40 ���; • OM1. �' r ,; }. q5y e . s 'LL AL 10 June f, S fIT� F�� � yf''� r 9�♦♦��A p M 1 y_ tl in 0 • 2016 1 ADDENDUM TO REPORT . . ' PropertyATTACHMENT No.3 FILE NAME: West Beach • 2. /