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3. Rural summit – Transportation Committee Revised Terms of Reference Sommet Rural - Mandat rÉvisÉ du Comité des
transports |
Committee Recommendation
That
Council approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference as outlined in
Document 1.
Recommandation du comitÉ
Que le Conseil municipal approuve le mandat du Comité décrit dans le
document 1.
Committee Review
Date / Date d’examen par le Comité
5 April 2006 / 5 avril 2006
Present / Présences :
Chair / Présidente : J. Stavinga
Vice Chair/vice-président : C. Doucet
R. Bloess
A. Cullen
E. El‑Chantiry
J. Legendre
M.
McRae
D.
Thompson
Documentation
1.
Chief Corporate
Services Officer’s report dated 20 March 2006 (ACS2006-CRS-CCB-0024).
2. Extract of Minutes, Transportation Committee, 5 April 2006.
Report to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
20 March 2006 / le 20 mars 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : Greg Geddes, Chief Corporate Services
Officer/Chef des Services généraux
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : M. Rick O'Connor, City Solicitor
Legal Services/Contentieux
(613) 580-2424 x21215, Rick.OConnor@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
RURAL SUMMIT - Transportation
Committee REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE |
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OBJET : |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
That the Transportation Committee recommend Council
approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference as outlined in Document 1.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des transports recommande au Conseil municipal d’approuver le
mandat du Comité décrit dans le document 1.
BACKGROUND
In January 2005, Mayor Chiarelli announced that the City of Ottawa would
host a Rural Summit to identify ways in which the City could improve how it
delivers services to its rural constituents.
In preparation for the two-day event, six sub-committees were formed to
research, investigate and develop options for solutions that could be
considered by the participants attending on Day Two of the Rural Summit. The Governance Sub-Committee was established
to identify realistic and practical governance options including modifications
to both the City of Ottawa’s political infrastructure and its administrative
implementation of policy. The
Sub-Committee focused its efforts on identifying various options which
recognized rural residents as valuable members of the City of Ottawa.
Of great importance to the Governance Sub-Committee was the strengthening of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee by enhancing its existing Terms of Reference. In an effort to decentralize policy development for non city-wide issues in the rural areas and to improve consultation on any new or revised policies or services impacting the rural community, the Sub-Committee recommended that the Terms of Reference be expanded to include additional areas of policy development and service delivery that affect rural communities of the City of Ottawa. On November 19, 2005, Day Two of the Rural Summit, participants endorsed the recommendation of the Governance Sub-Committee, indicating that a strengthened Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee was a high priority for the participants. In the aftermath of the Rural Summit, the Mayor announced the creation of a Rural Summit Task Force. Briefly, one of the key functions of this group was to move forward the governance agenda and, in particular, the revisions to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee’s Terms of Reference. In its budget report submitted to City Council on December 9, 2005, the Rural Summit Task Force identified the recommendation of the Governance Sub-Committee as a priority to be funded out of the $1.9 million allotted for Rural Summit initiatives.
As a consequence of the Rural Summit Task Force recommendations, enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee’s Terms of Reference have had a corresponding impact on the Terms of Reference of other Standing Committees of Council. Generally speaking, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will be dealing with policy issues with a distinct rural component or impact in the rural areas as identified in Schedule A of the City of Ottawa’s Official Plan and defined as follows: that ‘part of the City not intended for urban development’, which ‘contains a number of important natural resources and is characterized by the dominance of the natural rather than the built environment’. Language has been incorporated into the Terms of Reference to reflect the division of urban/suburban and rural planning and environment issues.
In addition to the impacts of enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, there are various housekeeping items that have been previously approved by Council and have been included in the revisions to the Terms of Reference for all Standing Committees including the following:
Approval of the Annual Budget
On 28 September 2005,
City Council enacted and passed the Procedure By-law, being By-law No.
2005-431, which stipulated that the annual budget shall be considered by the
Committee of the Whole and not by the various Standing Committees of
Council. This specific amendment had
originally been in place in December 2004 for Council’s debate on the 2005
Budget process. As a result, the Terms
of Reference provision respecting the authority and approval process for
Standing Committees to review and recommend the annual operating and capital
budgets for their respective departments/branches is no longer correct. What remains within the purview of the
Standing Committee is the ongoing authority to review and approve budget
adjustments within existing funding envelopes for the relevant
departments/branches.
At its meeting on 11 February 2004, City Council considered a report from the Acting City Manager entitled “Budget 2004 – Opportunity Log – Corporate Restructuring”, and approved a number of recommendations concerning the reorganization and realignment to the Corporate Structure. Further, on 26 May 2004, City Council approved additional changes to the City’s organizational structure including the realignment of senior management (i.e. General Managers become “Deputy City Managers”). As a result, the Terms of Reference for all Standing Committees have been revised in order to reflect the existing corporate structure.
DISCUSSION
As a result of the initiatives or amendments previously approved by Council, either through endorsing the recommendations of the Rural Summit Task Force or as part of the Corporate Restructuring in 2004, staff have undertaken a review of the Terms of Reference for each Standing Committee. The Transportation Committee is particularly impacted by the proposed enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Terms of Reference with respect to rural transportation matters. In effect, the changes would mean that exclusively rural transportation matters would rise directly to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
Should Council approve these changes, it is acknowledged that the division of transportation matters between urban/suburban and rural is not likely one that will be easily achieved. In effect, many transportation issues will continue to be considered city-wide and addressed accordingly. Broadly speaking, those issues that have significant, city-wide implications will continue to report through the appropriate Standing Committee. Where possible, however, the Rural Issues Advisory Committee should be consulted to identify or evaluate any rural implications. Items with an overlapping impact or distinct rural implication should be dealt with, as much as possible, through joint meetings. Given the potential difficulty of dividing urban/suburban and rural issues in some cases, departmental staff and the City Clerk’s Office will endeavour to make use of the upcoming six-month period (from May to October 2006) to establish a routine for distinguishing between these types of issues.
The
proposed amendments that are summarized below have been highlighted in the
attached document for ease of reference:
· Revised Department and Branch titles;
· With respect to transportation, parking and transit matters, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will be responsible for those matters exclusively within the rural areas of the City.
CONSULTATION
The Chair of the Transportation Committee was
notified and consulted with respect to this Terms of Reference review. Additional consultation took place with the
City Solicitor, the City Clerk, the Financial Services Branch, and the Public
Works and Services Department. As this is an internal, administrative matter,
public consultation was not conducted.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications with respect to this report.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1- Revised Terms of Reference (amendments in bold and italic font)
DISPOSITION
Upon approval of this report by City Council, the Terms of Reference will become the mandate and governing authority for the Transportation Committee and the City Clerk’s office will implement same.
Terms
of Reference
City Council: 26 April 2006
The Transportation Committee is responsible for the provision of overall guidance and direction to the Public Works and Services Department for issues [excluding those matters within the City’s rural areas, as defined in Schedule “A” of the City’s Official Plan (Document 1)] relating to transportation, parking, and transit services.
Membership of the Transportation Committee shall consist of nine (9) members of City Council, appointed by the Nominating Committee and approved by City Council. The Mayor is an ex-officio member.
The Transportation Committee shall:
1. Be responsible directly to Council for those items within the City’s urban and suburban areas related to transportation, parking, and transit services emanating from:
a) the Public Works and Services Department;
b) the Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy Branch of the Planning and Growth Management Department (transportation planning and policy issues); and
c)
advisory committees that are within
the area of responsibility of the Transportation Committee.
2. Provide overall guidance and direction to the:
a) Public Works and Services Department with regard to issues of transportation, general right-of-way management and parking, and transit services; and
b) Planning and Growth Management Department with regard to transportation planning and policy issues that fall within the mandate of this Committee.
3. Monitor the associated activities and implementation of transportation, general right-of-way management, parking, and transit services programs and projects of the Public Works and Services Department.
4. Ensure active public participation by receiving delegations from the public, and holding public hearings as required by statute and Council.
5. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, review and approve all operating and capital budget adjustments that are within the existing funding envelopes for the Traffic and Parking Operations Branch, Infrastructure Services Branch (transportation projects), Transit Services Branch of the Public Works and Services Department (inclusive of fleet and real property (new, renovations, major rehabilitation) capital projects falling under the responsibility of this standing committee) and (ii) the Planning and Growth Management Department capital projects related to roads and transit growth.
6. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, consider, for recommendation to Council:
a) the policy direction and prioritization, but not the funding requirements, of new matters which are within the Committee’s mandate; and
b) matters which were not previously approved, but can be accommodated within the applicable departmental existing capital or operating budgets.
7. Pursuant to the Delegation of Authority By-law (Section – Conferences and Conventions), approve Councillors travel and attendance at conferences that are related to the Committee’s mandate.
8. Review and recommend to Council revisions to the Transportation Committee Terms of Reference, as required.
9. Review and recommend to Council matters related to
Advisory Committees under the Standing Committee’s responsibility, such as but
not limited to the Advisory Committee membership, the Terms of Reference,
annual work plans and reporting, and funding requests.
10. Recommend
to Council proposed by-laws that are under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
11. Recommend
to Council, the City of Ottawa’s participation in federal or provincial
cost-sharing programs or employment incentive programs for matters within the
mandate of the Committee.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
To encourage the development of a
safe, convenient, efficient and publicly oriented transportation system that
optimizes accessibility for all persons and goods with minimum disruption to
the environment.
In pursuing this goal, the Committee
will strive to attain the following objectives:
·
ensure
the City of Ottawa’s transportation system provides a range of modal choice,
including walking, cycling, transit and automobile, to accommodate all users
based on the principles and priorities of the Transportation Master Plan;
·
optimize
accessibility to employment, housing and all facilities in the City of Ottawa;
·
ensure
maximum efficiency for the movement of people and goods compatible with a
healthy environment and healthy communities;
·
develop
a system adaptable to emerging and probable changes in technology and capable
of expansion to accommodate growing needs;
·
identify
and consider the full costs and benefits of transportation alternatives to
maximize economic sustainability of the transportation system;
·
minimize
disruption and inconvenience to established and future neighbourhoods;
·
develop
a transportation network consistent with identified environmental requirements
and restraints;
·
examine
ways to increase the modal share of walking, cycling and transit;
·
improvements
to winter walking;
·
ensuring
the City of Ottawa rights-of-way are managed to ensure safety, accessibility
and support of the City’s overall transportation objectives; and
·
ensuring
high quality of operations and maintenance that support overall transportation
objectives.
Guidance and Direction
The Transportation
Committee shall:
·
provide
direction to staff for the implementation of the transportation goals of the
Official Plan;
·
recommend
to Council new transportation policies or revision of existing ones;
·
recommend
to Council revisions to levels of service for road-maintenance;
·
monitor
traffic-management programs, projects and activities carried out by staff;
·
recommend
to Council additions and/or deletions to the City of Ottawa road system and
other transportation matters which from time to time may be required by
Council;
·
ensure
effective public participation in transportation matters; and
·
conduct
public hearings under the Municipal Act.
To oversee the provision of municipal parking operations to ensure the needs of the community are met while minimizing the impact on the movement of traffic. To achieve this objective the Committee will:
· facilitate and address the demonstrated parking needs of the community;
· enforce parking restrictions to ensure a safe and efficient street network for the community; and
· monitor on and off–street parking needs.
The Transportation Committee shall:
· provide direction to staff for the implementation of municipal parking programs;
· recommend to Council new parking by-laws, policies and guidelines or revision of existing ones; and
· recommend to Council the establishment or adjustment of on-street parking meters rates and the parking rates at municipal parking lots.
In order to provide the best possible public
transportation service for all residents and visitors, within the resources
available, the Transportation Committee will pursue the
following objectives:
·
attract
an increasing number of customers to transit;
·
meet the
public transit needs of residents and visitors;
·
provide
excellent customer service;
·
provide
a transit service that is accessible and affordable;
·
enhance
the reliability of transit service;
·
ensure a
service that is safe for its passengers;
·
ensure
responsiveness to the customers of the transit service; and
·
support
policies that are consistent with the City of Ottawa Official Plan objectives.
The Transportation Committee shall:
· ensure the co-ordination of policies and programs in the area of transit services;
· monitor the activities and the implementation of transit services’ programs and projects;
· provide policy guidance and direction to staff on transit services’ programs and projects;
· exercise other specific responsibilities set forth by relevant statutes and City Council;
· ensure co-ordination and consultation with committees and departments where responsibilities overlap on issues of transit services; and
·
make recommendations to Council
concerning new transit services by-laws, policies, and guidelines or revision
of existing ones.
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Standing Committees Joint Report 2 Extract of Minutes 38 Transportation Committee 5 april 2006 |
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Comités permanents rapport conjoint 2 Extrait du procès-verbal 38 Comité des transports 5 avril 2006 |
RURAL
SUMMIT - TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE
SOMMET RURAL - MANDAT RÉVISÉ DU COMITÉ DES
TRANSPORTS
ACS2006-CRS-CCB-0024
Appearing before
Committee to answer questions on this matter was Rick O’Connor, City Solicitor.
Councillor Legendre was displeased with the significant changes being suggested to the Transportation Committee’s mandate resulting from the suggested changes to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee mandate, following the Rural Summit. In particular he was concerned that exclusively rural transportation matters would rise directly to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC), especially given the acknowledgement in the report that the division of transportation matters between urban/suburban and rural is not likely one that will be easily achieved. He also noted the statement, ‘Items with an overlapping impact or distinct rural implication should be dealt with, as much as possible, through joint meetings’, and he suggested this would be a more appropriate way of dealing with such matters. In response to questions raised by the Councillor, Mr. O’Connor provide the following clarifications:
· This is not a staff driven proposal; rather it comes from the Rural Summit Task Force as a direct result of the recommendations that came out of the Rural Summit, resulting in enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee’s Terms of Reference that, if approved by Council, will have a corresponding impact on the Terms of Reference of other Standing Committees of Council.
· All of the other Standing Committees have or will consider the proposed amendments to their respective Terms of Reference and all of those reports will rise together in one Joint Report to Council for its consideration on 26 April 2006.
· Staff acknowledges these amendments will pose some challenges with respect to the Transportation Committee and have been discussing the idea of shared jurisdiction. Given the potential difficulty of dividing urban/suburban and rural issues in some cases, departmental staff and the City Clerk’s Office will endeavour to make use of the upcoming six-month period (from May to October 2006) to establish a routine for distinguishing between these types of issues.
· If Council approves these proposals (or variations thereof), staff will monitor all of the Standing Committees, examining how many joint meetings are required, how many problems arise due to shared jurisdiction, whether or not a lot of decisions from the Standing Committees are overturned by Council, and so on. These issues will all be reported back to the new Council in November or December of this year when it deals with its governance structure, and that Council will decide whether or not these changes have been successful.
· Council approved a budget of $1.5 million in December with regards to Rural Summit Initiatives, approximately $100,000 of which was set aside to initiate both the enhanced ARAC (to meet twice monthly as opposed to once), and to start up a Rural Issues Advisory Committee. Staff will monitor the cost of this exercise over the next six months.
· The Chair of ARAC is meeting with staff later in the week to discuss the logistics associated with these changes.
Councillor Legendre advised he is supportive of the fact that things may need to be done differently for the rural areas than for urban, but he remained unconvinced that this proposal was the best solution. He did not support the report recommendation.
Councillor El-Chantiry, a member of the Rural Summit Task Force, advised that the group has considered the associated costs and staff resources that will be required. He felt that the proposal is a good one, and he reminded Committee that the associated issues would still have to come back to Council for a decision, and that the next 6-month period would allow time to monitor and resolve any issues that arise.
The Committee then considered the following recommendation contained in the Report dated 20 March 2006:
That the Transportation Committee recommend Council approve the
Committee’s Terms of Reference as outlined in Document 1.
CARRIED with Councillor J. Legendre dissenting.