This is the link to the livestream of the April 11th meeting - remember that it will only be live for two weeks.
Mayor's Comments
• King Community Clean-Up for Earth Week – April 22nd 10-11:30am - Get outside and celebrate Earth Week by taking part in the King Community Clean Up. Do your part and help pick up litter to keep our parks, streets, ditches, and neighbourhoods clean and green. Getting involved is easy! Select a public space you would like to clean up. Invite your friends, family and neighbours to join the clean-up. Register your clean up location and receive clean up supplies or visit Tasca Park, Memorial Park or Dufferin Marsh to help clean up a community park – a great way for high school students to earn volunteer hours.
• Frog Watch Hike at Cold Creek – April 21 6:30-8pm - Celebrate Earth Week and listen to the sounds of spring! We will hike near wetlands and learn to identify frogs and toads by their unique calls. Along the way, we will submit our observations to FrogWatch Ontario an online platform to help track the health of frog populations!
• Astronomy Night in partnership with York Simcoe Astronomers group – April 21 8pm-11:30pm - In celebration of Earth Week, join us to explore the night sky at Cold Creek Conservation Area. All equipment and telescopes will be provided and knowledgeable astronomers will be available to point out interesting features in the night sky. Please be aware that this program is weather dependent.
• Polinator Cards - Come to the King Township Public Library to make pollinator cards! Plant them in a pot at home or give them as a gift and watch them grow! This is for children ages 8 and up of all skill levels. Registration is required, as there is limited space for this free program. You can register by coming into your local branch, calling or emailing info@kinglibrary.ca
• Green Yard Program - Take a step towards greening your yard this spring and supporting pollinators by purchasing a wildflower kit, rain barrel or backyard composter. Residents and non-residents can purchase a native wildflower kit, rain barrel and/or backyard composters at an affordable cost. Preregistration opens Monday, April 17 and closes Monday, May 15. Order pick-up will be on Thursday, May 18th at the Parks Depot, parking lot (251 Western Avenue, Schomberg) from 10am -12pm.
• Yard Waste Collection in the Township of King starts the week of April 10 and ends the week of December 4th. Material should be placed at the curb in paper organic yard waste bags, or open rigid containers, clearly marked as yard waste, before 7 a.m. on the collection day specified in the waste calendar, available at www.king.ca/waste.
• King Library – Adele Reid was appointed the new CEO of King Library. Ms. Reid has been acting CEO since June 2022 and has also worked as the Manager of Administrative Services at the library for the last sixteen years.
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
1) Memorandum of Understanding with Toronto Region Conservation Authority As a result of Bill 23, the role of Conservation Authorities (CAs) has been significantly curtailed in terms of permits and planning. Previously, municipalities could enter into agreements with CAs to review and comment on environmental matters for development applications. As of the beginning of this year, however, CAs are no longer able to review or mandate changes to development applications that could impact things like significant woodlots, valley lands, fish habitat or species at risk. Nor can they review or mandate changes to development applications impacting any natural heritage system, such as waterways, ravine trails and farmland including applications that could impact significant protected areas such as the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine. Their review and commentary on development applications is now limited to what could cause flooding, erosion or other natural hazards.
CAs can still, however, provide valuable support to the township in many other areas. Council has approved this MOU which will allow TRCA to continue to provide a wide variety of programs and services including erosion control and restoration planning and works, trail planning, design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure, forest management, project management, invasive species and wildlife management, biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring, environmental audits, impact studies, environmental assessments, community education and outreach, and more.
2) King Climate Action Plan Engagement Strategy In 2019, Council declared a State of Climate Emergency to address the ongoing climate crisis and the draft King Climate Action Plan (KCAP) was created in 2020. Between January 2020 and August 2021 consultation was conducted virtually as the pandemic limited in-person engagement. Now, council has approved the KCAP engagement strategy which was created to provide additional opportunity for community consultation with an emphasis on youth (youth is defined as ages 12-29).
The engagement will include in-person workshops with the Mayor’s Youth Action Team (MYAT), secondary and post- secondary institutions; in school educational programming at participating local schools; and climate focused activities with King Camps and recreation and nature-based programming.
The next major steps include: a. Incorporating Council feedback into KCAP Engagement Strategy (end of April 2023) b. Implement Strategy in alignment with Environmental Action Team (EAT) engagement (March - September 2023) c. Incorporate Feedback from strategy into KCAP (July – August 2023)
3) Community Group Affiliation Policy
First discussed at the February 27th Council meeting, Council approved King’s new Community Group Affiliation Policy. This policy provides Community Services Staff with a framework for determining subsidy levels in an equitable manner and will give financial breaks and other support services to King’s many community groups.
Staff will be making minor updates to ensure that environmental groups are expressly included as a qualifying group and will soften the language regarding financial statements and budgets in the final version.
To complete the rollout, staff will now: • Develop an information package for community groups to guide them through the process of becoming an ACG (end of April 2023)
• Circulate the policy, application and information guide to all current community groups (end of May 2023) • Host workshops for interested groups (June 2023) • Implement the policy for the 2023/24 booking season • Allow a one-year compliance window for groups that don't meet policy criteria begins September 2023 • Monitor the policy during the first year of implementation to effectively respond to community needs • Review the policy every 5 years, at a minimum
4) Metrolinx Whistle Cessation Public Works has been working with Metrolinx and feels confident that the train whistles along Station Road, Dufferin Street and 15th Sideroad will be stopped by the end of the year.
5) Request for Demolition - 342 Kettleby Road
A demolition permit application has been received to remove the dwelling occupying the subject property located at 342 Kettleby Road. The lot is one of the largest in Kettleby, and the owner would like to tear down building which is "Listed" on the Township's Heritage Register in order to build a new house that is in keeping with village aesthetics.
On the one hand, it is Staff’s opinion that the property contains cultural heritage value that would be worthy of protection and conservation. As noted in the original Staff report, the heritage attributes found with the building continue to be unaltered and reflective of the building design and architectural style that was found in the late 19th century (i.e. decorative bargeboard, bay window, wooden windows) and is reflective of the contextual value representing early settlement within the Hamlet of Kettleby (i.e. setbacks of buildings, mix of architectural styles and buildings in the Hamlet, etc.).
One the other hand, a substances and hazardous building materials report was submitted, the highlights of which note: the presence and concern of asbestos, mold, lead, mercury and silica was detected within the dwelling.
As a compromise, it was determined that Staff and the owner will investigate whether it is possible restore the significant parts of the building while removing those parts that are not. The decreased footprint of the listed property may then make way for a new primary residence. A new report will be presented to council in one month.
Additionally, Staff will also be looking into what measures the town can take to support the owners of heritage properties - perhaps through tax breaks to help with the costs to maintain these pieces of King's history. Staff will also be looking at what by-laws can be enacted to create property service standards to prevent the decline of these properties.
NEW BUSINESS
Mary Asselstine/Ward 4 – Earth Week clean-up day at the Dufferin Marsh is on April 22nd. The group will also be starting a frog monitoring program shortly. Also, the Art Society of King is hosting their annual Studio Tour April 22 and 23rd.
Debbie Schaefer/Ward 5 – Committee of Adjustment will remain a virtual meeting while staff works out the tech issues around the new hybrid meeting system. COA will transition to hybrid shortly.
Avia Eek/Ward 6 – Sign up to be part of Team King at the Run/Walk for Southlake on Sunday April 30th to help keep that wonderful standard of care close to home. Register at Runforsouthlake.ca
Mayor Pellegrini – For the upcoming season, Hockey Canada requires that kids under 9 years of age play on half-ice which requires the purchase of mini boards. In the past, the concession stands at arenas raised money for new equipment, but COVID and other issues have depressed sales which has created a gap in funding. The Mayor asked for and received council’s support to use funds raised at the Mayor’s Golf Tournament to supplement any financial shortfall the hockey club may have for the purchase of these boards.