Richmond Hill Council Meeting Wednesday November 10, 2021at 9:30am
View Agenda here and Meeting Video Part 1 and Part 2
After months of escalating disruption and discord at Richmond Hill Council Meetings there were zero Points of Order called in today's meeting! Given the embarrassing and childish behaviour of the past 8 months this sudden spirit of collaboration must have something to do with the race for the Mayor's seat.
Recap:
2021 Fire Services Master Fire Plan - Received
The consultant stated that the Richmond Hill Fire is "a very highly effective well-led organization but it's also very lean"
They are also recommending the hiring of "an additional 20 firefighters to be deployed on an additional fire engine so that that covers 24 hours a day seven days a week staffing by having 20 firefighters deployed to an engine" and "you need that fire engine now"
When asked the City Treasurer stated "we're proposing (two members of council) a five-year phased-in approach for the 16 firefighters to use one of the reserves. the Community Enhancement Economic Vitality Reserve, to phase in over five years the full cost the first year of the cost being impacting the 2023 operating budget"
Delegate Pat Pollock, Mayvern Area Residents Association, presented a petition and spoke regarding the nature and rate of infill development in their area
Main concerns "the planned nature of the neighborhood is compromised when these large houses that are not a good fit are placed within an existing uniformly planned and built neighborhood"
"There is a change in the affordability of these newly built homes in comparison to the existing homes the new homes are over double the cost of the existing homes, those more affordable homes which only require renovation are demolished I know you talk about affordable housing yet you are destroying it"
Urbacon Properties Ltd. - Request for comments data centre for the construction of a two storey data centre and warehouse - Also approval of proposed 16' by 100' mural sign to be included as part of the development proposal - Site Plan Application and Mural were not approved
Several delegates spoke in opposition to the 90' tall hydro poles to power the data centre that are being erected near their houses without any consultation
Motion that was approved read "that the site application not be approved until such time that Alectra, York Region and other entities find other ways for power to be supplied to the power center and be the approval of the design of the mural be deferred to allow a public meeting to be held by the local ward councillor"
The by-Law to establish the Land Acknowledgement was not approved - Referred back to Staff for additional consultation with the community
After listening to Richmond Hill resident Jay Shea, who was delegating on behalf of RH Indigenous Peoples, Council voted unanimously to refer the Land Acknowledgment back to staff for further consultation with the local Indigenous communities. There are concerns with the wording of the Land Acknowledgement that was approved at the last meeting.
Shea stated "what was created is not a land acknowledgement it is a treaty acknowledgement our land acknowledgement predates colonization as and and the Williams Treaty is considered to be one of the most fraudulent treaties created with an open settlement of around a billion dollars for its wrongdoings while the other treaty, Treaty 13, is responsible for one of the largest land grabs from the first nations in Ontario"
Council also approved the plans for the Richmond Hill 150 celebration happening in 2022
Items of Interest include:
Correspondence and Petition regarding the nature and rate of infill development in the Sanderson and Mayvern Crescents area
2021 Fire Services Master Fire Plan
The 2021 Fire Services Master Plan provides forty-five (45) short, medium and long term recommendations that will guide Fire Services for the next ten (10) year period. This fire services master plan is an all-encompassing strategic look at the immediate (0-1 year) short term (1-3 year), medium term (4-6 year) and long-term (7 – 10 year) and ongoing priorities relating to equipment, response, resources, staffing and station locations.. The plan measures today’s abilities against approved community planning,
future population figures and community sprawl both horizontally in future development
and vertically in the City core.
Recommendations include a staffing level increase of 20 suppression firefighters was a recommendation of the 2016 plan. As stated in this report, Council approved 4 of the 20 staff and those staff have been recruited. The 2021 plan also recommends these additional firefighters.
The City’s 2022 Operating Budget will contain a staff request for the 16 remaining firefighters for Council’s consideration and a 5 year phased in funding model not impacting the 2022 tax rate.
Read staff report here and 2021 Fire Services Master Fire Plan here
See below if you want to make or submit any comments regarding the agenda items.
Public Comments: The public may submit written correspondence regarding agenda matters by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca. Written correspondence must be submitted by 12 p.m. Tuesday November 9th.
Electronic Delegations: The public may apply to appear as an electronic delegation by video conference or by telephone. Applications to appear as an electronic delegation must be submitted by 12 p.m. Tuesday November 9th by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca or by using the on-line form. The Office of the Clerk will provide instructions on appearing as an electronic delegation.
Public Forum: Any person who wishes to speak to Council on a matter not on the agenda must pre-register with the Office of the Clerk by 12 p.m. Tuesday November 9th by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca or by using the on-line form. Public Forum will be by video conference via the internet or telephone only. A maximum of five persons will be allowed to register for the Public Forum on a first come first serve basis.