CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Councillors Bellemare and Cantin indicated their questions posed and the answers provided by staff and the consultant during consideration of the Light Rail item should have been reflected in the Minutes. The Co-ordinator was directed to review the transcripts and resubmit the extract pertaining to this item.

1. NON-POLICE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

- Motion TC-1-98

- Regional Solicitor report dated 21 Jul 98

- deferred on 2 Sep 98

Councillor Legendre mentioned that a similar item had been on a recent agenda of the Police Services Board but the item was deferred at that time. He indicated he was waiting for a report from the Chief of Police related to this matter and until he receives it, he suggested the item be deferred.

Councillor Kreling agreed with this suggestion but further proposed that the matter be deferred until the Board has considered the matter. He stated that the proposal for non-police traffic enforcement is a major concern for police services and raises some very serious safety concerns for the general public. He preferred to have the Board comments before discussing this further.

Councillor Cantin recalled a situation where he witnessed two vehicles running red lights and took action against those drivers. He believed the public should know that if they put in a formal complaint to the police about a motorist running a red light and if they are willing to go to court, the police will lay charges.

Moved by H. Kreling

That the report be deferred until such time as comments are received from the Police Services Board.

CARRIED

2. WALKLEY ROAD - TRUCK ROUTE STATUS

The Acting Commissioner, Doug Brousseau advised that staff do not recommend deleting this portion of Walkley Road from the truck route system, based on Council policy that all Regional roads be truck routes. Further, when routes are removed, it has the potential for moving that traffic onto other roadways. He advised that the majority of trucks now on Walkley Road, which is in itself a small percentage, are there to make deliveries and would therefore still be on that section of road because the Traffic and Parking By-law permits truck drivers to make their deliveries along the shortest route.

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen questioned whether staff look at changes in traffic patterns when a new Regional road is built i.e. what roads were previously used, in order to determine whether or not there could be an opportunity to make some adjustments. D. Brousseau indicated that as part of the Environmental Assessment Process traffic studies are carried out to determine where the traffic will be attracted to, but staff do not recommend Council change the truck route system as a result of those new roads. The Committee Chair inquired where that traffic will go to if this portion of Walkley is deleted and was advised they would probably use Heron and Hunt Club instead.

Elizabeth Wylie, West Walkley Residents Action Committee (WWRAC) indicated that the revocation of this truck route would not be counter to Regional policy, but consistent with it. To verify this statement, she referred to the "Urban Goods Momvement Study" dated May 1991 where the summary report states: "In its entirety, Hunt Club Road will provide a third east/west link across the developing southern part of the RMOC urban area. Among other benefits, this would allow trucks to by-pass the Baseline/ Heron/Walkley corridor and the Queensway." She opined, therefore, that even as early as that time, it was clearly seen as a Regional policy that there would be a shift in traffic. Ms. Wylie understood there are some sensitivities when traffic is moved from one road to another, but in this situation, truck would not be moved to a road they would not otherwise be using and is in fact, more their destination. She questioned why these trucks are on Walkley in the first place because it is simply a residential street that got widened and is full of homes that front onto the street. And although there are not a lot of trucks on this section, it makes a lot of difference when a home is as close to the road as some of those homes are. In conclusion, she stated that by voting for revocation, Council will be making a positive contribution towards the quality of life for these residents.

Some councillors were sympathetic to the delegations’ concerns, although some opined that there are many other residential communities in the Region which suffer to an even greater degree from truck traffic. Ms. Wylie explained that she was sympathetic to those communities and did not want her proposal to in any way suggest they are trivializing the concerns of other neighbourhhoods.

Councillor Legendre made reference to the quote Ms. Wylie read out and explained that he did not see the relevance of the citation to this section of Walkley Road. Ms. Wylie explained that the only reason this portion was selected to be removed from the system was that it is purely residential and therefore it is more feasible to do so. She believed the people living upstream of this section in the Herongate area will feel an affect because if the trucks cannot go all the down Walkley to get to Riverside, they may not enter it at all i.e. they will look for another way to get to their destination.

The Regional Chair questioned whether there had been an origin-destination study carried out and which businesses would be negatively affected by the removal of this truck route. D. Brousseau explained that staff had not conducted such a study because it would be too costly a study for such a small volume of trucks. He estimated that half of the number of trucks would probably be making local deliveries. When questioned whether the businesses in the area were notified about this meeting, he advised that staff had not carried out extensive consultation. The Regional Chair thought that such consultation should be part of the process, especially if a decision may impact negatively on a community or a business. D. Brousseau confirmed that such consultation is normally part of the process, but again, because of the limited number of vehicles involved, staff did not feel it was necessary to conduct any extensive consultation.

When questioned what consultation took place within the ward, Councillor Stewart advised that she had been to several meetings of the WWRAC and had sent a copy of the report to the Hunt Club Community Association. She explained that this has been an initiative of Ms. Wylie and other residents since Hunt Club Road was extended. She acknowledged that the trucking industry had been notified of the proposal and that no comments had been received in response. She maintained that there would be few people in the area who would be unaware of this issue and as the report concludes, there would be minimal impact if this route was revoked.

Councillor Bellemare questioned whether the Ms. Wylies’ concerns focus more on large vehicles such as 18-wheelers, or whether all types of trucks were a concern. The delegation responded that residents are most concerned with the larger vehicles such as flatbeds, cement trucks, dump trucks, et cetera. The councillor then inquired whether staff would prefer to restrict the road to specific loads rather than removing it entirely from the truck route system and D. Brousseau indicated that restricting loads is a way of protecting the road bed itself and is not intended to deter heavier vehicles. With respect to the issue of removing this section of Walkley from the truck route system, he cautioned committee that this would set a precedent for other requests to come forward.

Joe Connolly was concerned about the noise and pollution that he and other residents have had to put up with over the years. He explained that some even have difficulty sleeping at night because of it and have gone so far as to put three panes of glass on their windows. He also explained that the noise makes it difficult for those wearing hearing aids. He stated that residents on Walkley Road stand to lose 10-20% of their property values as a result of living on such a busy, noisy road.

Fern Berthiaume explained that his home is situated very close to the road and he could not open his windows or sit outside because of the noise. He indicated that with the opening of Highway 417, the amount of trucks has increased tremendously. Since alternative routes exist for the trucks presently driving on this portion of Walkley and because the proposed ramp from the Airport Parkway will add more traffic to Walkley Road, he urged that it be deleted from the truck route system.

Hans Blokpoel remarked that he has lived at his home near Walkley for over 20 years and during that period, has seen a dramatic increase in vehicular traffic on the road. He agreed that the number of trucks to be affected is small, but it was the type of truck and the speed at which they are travelling which creates the potential disturbance in this residential area. He explained that it was like living next to a highway because of the noise and remarked that Walkley Road was never designed for this type of truck traffic.

Clarification was requested with respect to the last remark and staff advised that the roadway is constructed to carry heavy vehicles, but does not necessarily mean that "physically" the road was built that way, because it does travel through a large residential area.

In considering the item, Councillor Doucet did not understand what long term consequences would result from the deletion of this portion from the truck route system because there are only two roads coming from the south which end up coming through his ward. He believed that by removing Walkley, the trucks will be funnelled down to Heron Road, leaving them with only one choice if they want to go south and that is Bronson Avenue. He wanted to know where the truck traffic is going and where the growth possibilities are so that he could better determine what the impact would be on his community.

Councillor Byrne was concerned that this issue had not been through a very thorough public consultation process and was concerned about the residents who may not be aware of the issue, but may want to speak to it. D. Brousseau advised that staff would do more consulting if so directed by the committee, but requested specifics with respect to the radius of such consultation. The councillor remarked that staff should at least contact the businesses along Bank, Walkley, Hunt Club and Heron and the surrounding communities.

The following Motions were presented by Councillors Meilleur and Kreling respectively:

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen questioned what impact the additional trucks will have on the intersections of Bank and Heron and Bank and Hunt Club and D. Brousseau advised that these intersections are already at capacity and dividing up approximately 100 trucks between them will not decrease their efficiency.

Councillor Stewart recognized that there are many truck routes running through communities, but stressed that this portion of Walkley is not the same as King Edward or Kirkwood for instance. In this instance, staff have concluded in their report that because of the very low volume of trucks on this stretch, its removal will not make a difference; therefore, she saw this as an opportunity to do something good for the residents. While she would not argue against more public consultation, she stated this has been an issue in the community for many months and articles have been printed in the local papers, but she had not received any negative feedback. She urged committee to support revocation of this portion of Walkley Road from the truck route system.

Councillor Bellemare questioned what the scope and cost would be if the Motion proposed by Councillor Meilleur were approved. D. Brousseau explained that he did not have those figures because it would depend on how much consultation the Committee directed staff to do. He suggested the consultation could entail sending a letter to businesses in the area on Bank, Heron and Walkley and to the affected community associations and that these could be identified by the ward councillors.

Councillor Doucet was concerned that the diverted traffic would go through his ward which already has enough traffic and the community is already physically split by Regional roads to either side of them. He could not support revocation knowing it will divert traffic to his ward. Instead, he proposed that an origin-destination survey be carried out because he believed the information gathered would not only be useful for this request but for future ones as well.

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen made note of the fact that Hawthorne Road is currently being reconstructed and will connect to Highway 417 via Walkley Road by the end of 1999. In light of this, she was inclined to support the request to remove a portion of Walkley Road from the truck route system, at such time as that connection to Highway 417 is made.

Councillor Cantin stated that trucks leaving the industrial area of Walkley Road and heading west, will use Heron Road to Baseline Road or if they are travelling out of the Region, the majority will use Hunt Club Road to Highway 416. He believed the only trucks that should be on that section of Walkley are those doing local deliveries and did not see any inconvenience for those truckers if it was removed because the majority would be familiar enough with the area to find another route.

Taking into consideration the consultation staff and the ward councillor have done and the lack of response from the trucking industry and the fact that local businesses will still be able to access this section of Walkley Road, Councillor Kreling did not believe there will be a negative impact of removing this section from the system. He understood the concerns about the impact to other communities, but he believed there were a number of other truck routes available and did not feel the amount of trucks being discussed would place an undue burden on those routes.

While she was sympathetic to the residents, Councillor Meilleur believed that if the Region were to start removing truck routes there will be few left and more trucks on those left in the system. She referred to the flow of heavy vehicles through her community and while she did not believe that removing a portion of Walkley from the system will affect her community, she thought the spill-over affect would cause more requests to come forward to close other truck routes. She maintained that when there are a lot of truck routes, the truck traffic can be divided and no community is overburdened with its share. The Committee Chair suggested an amendment to her Motion to include reference to the "local" community. Councillor Meilleur agreed with this amendment.

Councillor Legendre indicated that as a result of the Transportation Master Plan and the new Regional Official Plan, he would have thought that a review of the entire network would have been a logical consequence to see if the network was still appropriate. D. Brousseau advised that the TMP also recognizes the paramount importance of goods movement and truck traffic and while it may seem appropriate to review the system periodically, there are costs involved with such study. The councillor agreed with the Motion proposed by Councillor Meilleur because the committee should, at the very least, consult with the people most affected, including merchants in the area of Bank Street and he suggested the consulation also include those that service the airport.

Reference was made to some roads on the truck route map which were not in fact truck routes and that corrections should be made. D. Brousseau believed the map illustrated the Regional road system as opposed to strictly truck routes and agreed to investigate.

Moved by M. Meilleur

CARRIED

YEAS: W. Byrne, L. Davis, C. Doucet, D. Holmes, J. Legendre, M. Meilleur....6

NAYS: M. Bellemare, R. Cantin, H. Kreling, M. McGoldrick-Larsen....4

Moved by C. Doucet

That an origin-destination study be completed for trucks using the Walkley corridor.

LOST

YEAS: W. Byrne, L. Davis, C. Doucet, M. Meilleur....4

NAYS: M. Bellemare, R. Cantin, D. Holmes, H. Kreling, J. Legendre,

M. McGoldrick-Larsen....6

- Environment and Transportation Commissioner report dated 20 Aug 98

The Regional Forester, Craig Huff made a brief presentation with respect to the impact the ice storm has had on the urban forest. He explained that he has worked with many professional organizations such as the Ontario Association of Landscape Architecture and the Ontario Professional Foresters Association to educate the public on what was happening with the trees and how to prune them. He indicated that approximately 120,000 trees have been pruned, as a result of the storm, primarily on rural roads and on Regional properties.

Councillor Cantin questioned whether there are trees that would survive being planted in medians such as those along King Edward Avenue and the Forester indicated that road salt can affect the long term health of a tree and they may not survive in such areas or perhaps be unable to obtain their true majestic form. The councillor wondered whether trees could be planted as an experiment in a central median in his ward and was informed that this could be a specific initiative, with the results brought back to committee.

Councillor Legendre inquired whether funds were put into the budget to assist in the recovery and clean-up following the ice storm and the Director of Infrastructure Maintenance, Bill Beveridge, explained that the clean-up program was funded on a joint basis between the senior levels of governments and the Region (the latter at approximately 20%). The councillor further questioned over what time span the $350,000 for the Lifecycle Management as shown at Annex A will be spent and Mr. Huff indicated it would be over a one-year period, but that some monies were recovered from the province for this.

The councillor requested clarification on the difference between the "Urban Tree Island Program" and the "Undercover in Ottawa-Carleton Tree Program". Mr. Huff explained that the former was an initiative started in the department two years ago and is something specific in the core area to enhance the green space on Regional Roads. It entails an agreement between the Region and a private property owner living in proximity to the Regional roadway, whereby staff would be empowered to plant trees on their property and which are within visible sightline of the road. The other is a new program intended to partner the Region with private property owners who were affected by the ice storm, but whose trees are not necessarily in proximity to a Regional road. He added that the Regional Official Plan calls for an increase in its forest cover from the existing 28% to 30%, so a tree planted anywhere under this program would be a contributer to that increase.

Councillor Byrne questioned whether there will be other initiatives considered for this year other than what is stated in the report. C. Huff responded by stating that the initiatives are the start of a 4-year process as a result of the interest expressed by community associations and other interest groups.

Councillor Doucet was somewhat concerned about the time it is taking to get these programs underway, especially in Old Ottawa South. He referred to a community meeting held approximately four months ago at which time the City of Ottawa was asked to approve an initiative to plant trees along Bronson Avenue, and yet nothing has been done to date. Mr. Huff explained that he had recently met with City staff who confirmed their participation and have slated this area for planting 25 trees this fall.

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen inquired whether there was a budget to market these programs and strongly believed there should be some promotion put in place. The Director advised that there is money for that purpose and it will be part of the consultation process.

RECEIVED

5. REDUCTION OF SULPHUR CONTENT IN GASOLINE

- Co-ordinator, Transportation Committee report dated 13 Aug 98

Councillor Holmes suggested that Council request the Regional Chair to write to the provincial and federal governments with a request that they adopt a sulphur limit that will provide the greatest health benefits to residents in Ontario. She referred to similar letters already sent by the cities of Toronto and Mississauga. Councillor Kreling asked whether the statement by Mississauga that "the gasoline refined by Ontario producers is the dirtiest in Canada" was true and the Acting Environment and Transportation Commissioner, Doug Brousseau, advised that it is a true statement, however, he believed it was a problem that was easy to fix. The Committee Chair made reference to the background information provided to all committee members from Mayor Lastman and the Toronto Board of Health and suggested this information be included in the report to Council.

Moved by D. Holmes

CARRIED

6. MINISTER’S RESPONSE TO RMOC RE INCOME TAX EXEMPTION FOR EMPLOYER-PROVIDED TRANSIT PASSES

- Co-ordinator, Transportation Committee report dated 13 Aug 98

Councillor Holmes indicated that this is a continuing debate with the federal government and at a recent meeting of the Transit Commission (26 August 1998), it was suggested that the Commission work with the Environment and Transportation Department to get all the facts available to continue with the debate with the Minister of Finance. She reiterated that staff should work with OC Transpo to ensure the Region gets an information package to go back to the MP’s and the Minister of Finance.

INQUIRIES

Traffic Calming Measures - Vibrations and Indemnity

Councillor Cantin made reference to the pilot projects for traffic calming which were recently approved by Council and questioned whether the Region would be seeking indemnity from adjoining property owners for any possible damage that may result from excessive vibration. The Solicitor advised that the Region is not in a position to seek indemnity from residents for something that it does on its own roads. The councillor believed, however, that since the initiatives were originally recommended by the community, the community should be willing to accept responsibility for damages caused. Councillor Davis was hesitant to pursue what the councillor was seeking, because she believed there was no recourse for a homeowner in this situation since buses and trucks are permitted on Regional roads. The Solicitor confirmed that each case would have to be examined individually before he could determine whether there would be any liability for the Region.

Councillor Davis inquired whether steps have been taken to provide detours for motorists while the traffic calming measures are being constructed, particularly at the corner of Scott and Churchill. The Director of Engineering advised that details such as re-directing traffic will be discussed with the contractor, but he assured the councillor that staff would report to her when those details have been worked out.

Champlain Bridge Reconstruction - Debris

Councillor Davis indicated that the National Capital Commission have requested that Parkdale Avenue be used by the trucks that will be hauling the concrete and debris from the Champlain Bridge during its reconstruction. Staff confirmed that although this road is not a truck route, the Region’s Traffic and Parking By-law permits trucks to make their deliveries along the shortest route.

The councillor further asked that Environment/Transportation and Planning Department staff take the necessary steps to ensure the Region does not get a disproportionate amount of this debris in its landfill. It was suggested that the contractor adhere to and follow provincial guidelines (Ontario and Quebec) when it comes to waste removal.

Congestion at Parkdale Exit Ramps

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen made reference to the recent congestion she witnessed at both eastbound and westbound Queensway exit ramps at Parkdale Avenue. She asked that while construction is ongoing on Parkdale, staff take steps to better manage the volume at those exit points, particuarly during the peak hours.

Blocked Intersection - McKenzie/Sussex/Wellington

Councillor Meilleur was concerned that westbound buses on Wellington Street are blocking the intersection at McKenzie and Sussex during the morning peak periods, causing congestion for motorists attempting to turn right from those streets. The Acting Commissioner advised that the primary focus is transit and as much green time as possible is being given to buses. He agreed that staff would attempt to balance the traffic flow through changes in signal timing. The councillor agreed that transit should have priority, but not at the cost of safety. D. Brousseau suggested staff would also contact OC Transpo with a request that their drivers be asked not to block the intersection.

On a general note with respect to blocked intersections, Councillor Cantin questioned whether the Region had the ability to fine those motorists and it was confirmed that under the Highway Traffic Act, they can be charged, but the revenues from those fines are not being transferred to the Region. The Acting Commissioner emphasized that enforcement appears to be the best solution to this major concern, but he recognized the difficulties in this area because of the demands on police resources. Councillor Kreling advised that this issue is one which Legal staff will be bringing forward to the Police Services Board and suggested the committee could receive the same information. The Committee Chair indicated that she had met with Legal staff about the Provincial Offences Act and suggested it might be appropriate to have an update at this committee in the near future.

Upkeeping of Roads

Councillor Meilleur noted that Murray Street was not being cleaned as often as other streets in the Byward Market and asked that it be given the same consideration. Staff advised that they have included an increased sweeping effort on Murray Street as a part of the 1999 budget estimates.

The councillor further indicated she has seen no street sweeping improvement on Beechwood Avenue north between the Vanier Parkway and McKay Street and staff advised that the same service supplier does both sides of Beechwood.

Intersection Modification - Fallowfield at Woodroffe

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen indicated that the signals at the intersection of Fallowfield and Woodroffe have failed several times over the past couple of months and while staff have taken measures to resolve the technical problems, she wondered whether the intersection would be upgraded as part of the design work for the park and ride lot at this location. The Commissioner for Planning and Development Approvals advised that the National Capital Commission is presently negotiating with Agriculture Canada on the Region’s behalf to obtain the land for that lot, and if successful, part of that design would include any impacts on the intersection, so there may be an opportunity for improvements at that time. Also, as part of the Transportation Master Plan and in relation to the increased growth in south Nepean, staff will be conducting an Environmental Assessment for Woodroffe Avenue south of Fallowfield Road and suggested that when that report comes forward, it may present a more appropriate time for the councillor to address this issue.

Stacking Difficulties - K-Mart Plaza (Robertson and Moodie)

Councillor McGoldrick-Larsen asked that staff investigate the stacking capacity on Moodie Drive for southbound motorists turning east onto Robertson Road. She indicated the traffic often exceeds the left-turn lane, effectively blocking the exit from the K-Mart Plaza.

Enforcement of Signs By-law

Councillor Holmes had an inquiry regarding posters on hydro poles and indicated she continues to receive complaints mainly from the merchants on Bank Street and Rideau Street. She asked that staff continue to investigate that in conjunction with those two BIA’s to determine whether some improvements in enforcement can be achieved.