Council passed a motion to request that the Government of Ontario thoroughly review the land use appeals process conducted by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), for the benefit of the future development of Richmond Hill and its residents, based on guiding principles set out in the Official Plan. Council is also requesting that a new process be developed for appeals, which recognizes and supports the rights of municipalities to make decisions that adhere to municipally-approved Official Plans, local community needs and aspirations, reflected in those plans. Within the current process, planning applications can be appealed to the OMB prior to sufficient time being given for meaningful negotiations. Council supports the similar motion made by Aurora (January 26, 2016) to limit the jurisdiction of the OMB to questions of law or process and not municipal planning decisions. For more information, contact Gloria Collier, Acting Clerk at 905-747-6363 and Ward 4 Councillor David West at 905-771-2480.

 

Richmond Hill is committed to being an accessible community and is working towards removing barriers that prevent residents and visitors from accessing our programs, services and facilities. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005 requires municipalities to create a multi-year Accessibility Plan and to report on the progress of measures taken to make their services accessible. Richmond Hill’s 2013-2017 accessibility plan was approved by Council in February 2013. The Plan outlines key activities and initiatives that its departments are carrying out to make programs and services more accessible, such as implementing a new accessibility planning process, adopting a new Accessibility Policy, launching new accommodation procedures and revising current accessibility training offerings. People with disabilities are a significant and growing part of the population in Ontario. More than 15 per cent of Ontarians have a disability and this number will increase as the population ages. Moving forward, Richmond Hill will continue to meet the accessibility requirements outlined in both the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. To learn more, visit RichmondHill.ca/Accessibility. For more information, contact Gloria Collier, Acting Clerk at 905-747-6363.

 

Council received an update on the recommended solution for the Elgin Mills Greenway Restoration Project. Extreme storm events and high-flowing water through the Elgin Mills Greenway in 2013 and 2014 caused severe erosion in the creek channel resulting in a partially collapsed trail and structurally unsound pedestrian bridge. To ensure the safety of residents, a temporary wood chip trail was constructed to redirect pedestrian traffic around the damaged area. To create a permanent solution, the Town undertook an Environmental Assessment Study to assess restoration options for the damaged infrastructure, open space area and the Elgin West stormwater management pond. A preferred solution was chosen after extensive investigation into the natural, social, technical and economic factors influencing the area. The preferred solution consists of: relocating the stormwater management pond to the north end of the Elgin Mills Greenway at Shaftsbury Avenue; constructing a small, dry detention pond near the existing stormwater management pond; adding an oil-grit separator to the existing storm sewer system at Larratt Lane to improve the quality of the water entering the stream; restoring the existing stormwater management pond to a natural wetland; and, incorporating new and existing trails and lookouts into the design. Work is expected to begin during the summer of 2017. The Elgin Mills Greenway is a Town-owned parcel of open space near Twickenham Park just south of Shaftsbury Avenue, between St. Theresa of Lisieux School and the Elgin West Community Centre. For more information, visit RichmondHill.ca/ElginGreenway or contact Jeremy Wychreschuk, Manager, Water Resources, Environment and Infrastructure Services at 905-771-5495.

 

At its meeting on Monday, February 22, 2016, Council advised that as a result of several months of negotiations with property owner Corsica Development Inc., ownership of both the Observatory Dome facility and Administration Building on the DDO lands will be transferred to the Town. With this recent achievement, the Town can finalize the DDO Park Master Plan that will provide active and passive recreation opportunities including access to the Observatory Dome and Administration Building. Town staff will bring forward a final draft of the Master Plan for Council’s consideration in the coming months. The Town will begin negotiations with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Toronto Centre), regarding a continued arrangement to operate the telescope and host the highly popular public viewing nights, which they have undertaken since 2008, For more information, contact Patrick Lee, Director of Policy Planning at 905-771-2420.