HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council Minutes March 25, 2022 CAPE BRETON REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY
Council Meeting Minutes
Friday,
March 25, 2022
10:00 a.m.
Via Videoconferencing
Mayor Amanda M. McDougall called the meeting to order.
Council: Mayor Amanda M. McDougall
Councillor Gordon MacDonald
Deputy Mayor Earlene MacMullin
Councillor Steve Gillespie
Councillor Eldon MacDonald
Councillor Glenn Paruch
Councillor James Edwards
Councillor Ken Tracey
Councillor Darren Bruckschwaiger
Councillor Darren O'Quinn
Councillor Lorne Green
Staff. John MacKinnon, Deputy Chief Administration Officer
Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer
Deborah Campbell Ryan, Municipal Clerk
Demetri Kachafanas, QC, Regional Solicitor
Wayne MacDonald, Director of Engineering &Public Works
Michael Ruus, Director of Planning & Development
Paul Burt, Manager of Building, Planning & Licensing Laws
Sheila Kolanko, Property Manager
Sharon MacSween, Senior Administrative Assistant
Angela Ross, Recording Secretary
Absent: Councillor Cyril MacDonald (Regrets)
Councillor Steve Parsons (Regrets)
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 2 of 9
Summary of Decisions
Land Acknowledgement
Roll Call
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Motion to approve the March 25, 2022, Council Agenda as circulated. Carried.
2. BY-LAWS & MOTIONS:
2.1 By-laws:
a) Second/Final Reading—Public Hearing:
i) Amendments to the Taxi By-law:
Motion that the amendments to the Taxi By-law to implement a 30% rate increase to all
rates outlined in Schedule C of the Bylaw, be approved for second/final reading as
presented. Carried.
3. CORPORATE SERVICES ISSUES:
3.1 Request for Street Closure: District 12 -Portion of a Honey Lane, off
Borden Street, Sydney(Portion of PID 15716301):
Motion that the Legal Department be directed to initiate a formal street closure pursuant
to Section 315 of the Municipal Government Act,for thatportion of the honey lane outlined
and crosshatched red on the map in attachment "A" of the Issue Paper dated March 8a'
2022, with the intention of deeming it surplus for sale at market value. Carried.
Continued...
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 3 of 9
Summary of Decisions (Cont'd)
CORPORATE SERVICES ISSUES (Cont'd):
3.2 Request to Deem Property Surplus: Portion of PID 15282296—District 8
Campbells Lane, Birch Grove Road area:
Motion that a portion of PID 15282296 — Campbells Lane, Birch Grove Road area as
shown crosshatched in red on the map in attachment "A" of the staff Issue Paper dated
March 8, 2022, be declared surplus to the needs of the municipality and be sold at market
value to the applicant, John Shannon Campbell. All costs will be the responsibility of the
proposed purchaser and subject to survey approved by staff, lot consolidation and
compliance with Lane Use By-law and issuance of a building development permit.
Carried.
3.3 Low Income Tax Exemption Policy:
Motion to refer the staff Issue Paper regarding the proposed amendments to the Low-
Income Tax Exemption Policy to the budget process. Carried.
4. BUSINESS ARISING:
4.1 Special Council—October 26, 2021:
a) CBRM Wildlife Feeding Bylaw Request:
Motion to approve the staff recommendation to continue non-regulatory options as
available to regulate the feeding of wildlife in public parks and CBRM grounds. Carried.
5. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
5.1 CBRM to January 31, 2022:
For Information Only.
5.2 Port of Sydney Development Corporation to January 31, 2022:
For Information Only.
Continued...
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 4 of 9
Summary of Decisions (Cont'd)
6. Review of Action Items from this Meeting:
Mayor McDougall reviewed the action item from this meeting and provided an update on
support for the victims of war in Ukraine from the March 8a' Council meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 5 of 9
Land Acknowledgement
Mayor McDougall advised that Council meetings will be held in Council Chambers
commencing in April, however videoconferencing may still be used for certain committee
meetings.
Roll Call
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Motion:
Moved by Councillor Green, seconded by Councillor Bruckschwaiger, to approve the
March 25, 2022, Council Agenda as circulated.
Motion Carried.
2. BY-LAWS & MOTIONS:
2.1 By-laws:
a) Second/Final Reading—Public Hearing:
i) Amendments to the Taxi By-law:
Paul Burt,Manager of Building,Planning, and Licensing Laws,reviewed the updated Issue
Paper in the agenda package. He advised that at the time the report was written, no formal
public hearing submissions were received. There were discussions with taxi owners who
shared concerns about the in regards to the rate increase.
Mr. Burt provided the options as outlined in the Issue Paper and recommended that the
Amending By-law to implement a 30% increase to all rates in Schedule"C"of the Tax By-
law be approved as presented.
Mayor thanked Council and Staff for their work on the issue.
During discussion, Mr. Burt provided a timeline for the final approval for the Taxi
Bylaw.
Continued...
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 6 of 9
BY-LAWS & MOTIONS-By-laws- Second/Final Reading—Public Hearing-
Amendments to the Taxi By-law (Cont'd):
Several Councillors raised concerns regarding out-of-town rates and the impact of higher
fares on low-income customers. It was clarified that Council could make minor changes
to the proposed By-law amendments at this meeting as long as they are less stringent.
After discussion, the following motion was put forward:
Motion:
Moved by Deputy Mayor MacMullin, seconded by Councillor Bruckschwaiger, that the
amendments to the Taxi By-law to implement a 30% rate increase to all rates outlined in
Schedule C of the Bylaw, be approved for second/final reading as presented.
Public Hearin,:
The Manager of Building,Planning, and Licensing Laws noted there were no formal public
submissions received on this matter.
Motion Carried.
Mayor McDougall thanked Councillor Gillespie for his participation and hard work on
the Taxi Bylaw Review Working Group.
3. CORPORATE SERVICES ISSUES:
3.1 Request for Street Closure: District 12 -Portion of a Honey Lane, off
Borden Street, Sydney(Portion of PID 15716301):
Sheila Kolanko, Property Manager, reviewed the Issue Paper in the agenda package.
Staff is asking Council to consider the applicant's request and to pass a motion directing
the Legal Department to initiate a formal street closure.
Motion:
Moved by Councillor Green, seconded by Councillor O'Quinn, that the Legal Department
be directed to initiate a formal street closure pursuant to Section 315 of the Municipal
Government Act, for that portion of the honey lane outlined and crosshatched red on the
map in attachment "A" of the Issue Paper dated March 8a', 2022, with the intention of
deeming it surplus for sale at market value.
Discussion:
Following Council discussion, the Mayor called for the vote.
Motion Carried.
Continued...
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 7 of 9
Corporate Services Issues (Cont'd):
3.2 Request to Deem Property Surplus: Portion of PID 15282296—District 8
- Campbells Lane, Birch Grove Road area:
Sheila Kolanko, Property Manager, reviewed the Issue Paper in the agenda package.
Staff recommended that a portion of PID 15282296 be deemed surplus to the needs of the
municipality and be sold at market value to the applicant.
After Council discussion, the following motion was put forward:
Motion:
Moved by Councillor Edwards, seconded by Councillor Tracey, that a portion of PID
15282296 —Campbells Lane, Birch Grove Road area as shown crosshatched in red on the
map in attachment"A" of the staff Issue Paper dated March 8, 2022, be declared surplus
to the needs of the municipality and be sold at market value to the applicant, John Shannon
Campbell. All costs will be the responsibility of the proposed purchaser and subject to
survey approved by staff, lot consolidation and compliance with Lane Use By-law and
issuance of a building development permit.
Discussion:
Following Council discussion, the Mayor called for the vote.
Motion Carried.
3.3 Low Income Tax Exemption Policy:
Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer,reviewed the Issue Paper in the agenda, noting
that during draft budget workshops, staff advised they were proposing amendments to the
Low-Income Tax Exemption Policy in order to implement an increase to the rebate amount.
She recommended to increase the low-income tax exemption rebate to $240/year and
approve the amended Low Income Tax Exemption Policy as presented.
During discussion, the Chief Financial Officer advised that the amount could be increased
to $300/year.
After discussion, the following motion was put forward:
Motion:
Moved by Councillor Bruckschwaiger, seconded by Deputy Mayor MacMullin, to refer
the staff Issue Paper regarding the proposed amendments to the Low-Income Tax
Exemption Policy to the budget process.
Discussion:
Following Council discussion, the Mayor called for the vote.
Motion Carried.
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 8 of 9
4. BUSINESS ARISING:
4.1 Special Council—October 26, 2021:
a) CBRM Wildlife Feeding Bylaw Request:
Mayor McDougall introduced the issue and advised that she had granted permission for a
member of the Port Morien Wildlife Association to speak on the issue following the
presentation by the Director of Planning and Development.
Michael Ruus, Director of Planning and Development, reviewed his Issue Paper in the
agenda package which included a comparison of non-regulatory options to a municipal by-
law that included enforcement, administration, and financial implications.
Jeff McNeil, President of the Port Morien Wildlife Association (PMWA), provided
information on the Association's Bylaw request on feeding wildlife and discussed the need
to address the issue by regulatory options as the experts recommended.
After discussion, the following motion was put forward:
Motion:
Moved by Deputy Mayor MacMullin, seconded by Councillor Green, to approve the staff
recommendation to continue non-regulatory options as available to regulate the feeding of
wildlife in public parks and CBRM grounds.
Discussion:
Following Council discussion, the Mayor called for the vote.
Motion Carried with three Councillors voting in the negative.
5. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
5.1 CBRM to January 31, 2022:
For Information Only.
5.2 Port of Sydney Development Corporation to January 31, 2022:
For Information Only.
Special Council Meeting- Minutes
March 25, 2022 Approved April 26, 2022 9 of 9
6. Review of Action Items from this Meeting:
Mayor McDougall noted the need for conversations to take place with staff in regards to
the scheduling of timely reviews of CBRM fees, programs, and services.
Mayor McDougall provided an update on support for the victims of the war in Ukraine
from the March 8a'Council meeting. She advised that conversation have been taking place
between the Mayor and the Consular General for Poland regarding support and noted that
at this point, the collection of food and clothing may not be the most effective way to
provide support due to transportation logistics. A Polish community group started
fundraising working through the Consular Office and with CBRM's sister city in Poland,
we will work to find the most direct way to provide financial aid.
Meeting adiourned at 12:03 p.m.
Mayor Amanda M. McDougall Deborah Campbell Ryan
Municipal Clerk
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