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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-10-23, Page 7Wednesday, October 23, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 7 Policy clarifications for boat docking discussed Lynda Hillman-Rapley The Grand Bend docking issue again came back to council last week with clarifi- cation from staff needed so they could proceed. In a report from Brent Kin - mer, Director of Community Services, said staff asking if council is directing that , "All materials that were placed on municipal property in compliance with the Munici- pality's current requirements be permitted to remain until the Municipality has final - t,'d its new mooring agree- ent; All materials that con- travene the Municipality's current requirements are required to be removed. Step Downs" constructed on the side of municipal docks be permitted to remain, and all must be inspected by the Chief Building Official prior to the 2014 boating season and removed by the dock renter if they are found to be unsafe." Over the past several years the Ward 1 and Ward 2 Councillors have received complaints from adjacent property owners regarding the use of the finger docks and the associated public space located on the northern river wall in Grand Bend. Council discussed this matter during the "Notice of Motion" portion of the June 20, 2013 meeting and asked that staff be directed to devise a protocol that is legally defensible and appro- priately enforceable whereby persons signing rental agree- ments with the Municipality are cleanly informed in writing of the penalties of non-com- pliance and of the process that the Municipality will use to ensure compliance unci/or the option to terminate the agree- ment with proper notice. '1hen in August the clerk provided a report outlining staff's plan for tt new mooring agreement, and staff was directed to send a letter to those people leasing docks from the Municipality, reminding them of the rules and regulations in the dockage agreement, and that notice is provided that all personal property and/or materials/structures on the Municipal docks or adjacent property are to be removed by the end of the 2013 lease term, and noting that all items left at the end of the term of the lease will be removed and either disposed of or taken to Northville for collection. Carried The Clerks department mailed the requested letter to stip renters the week of August 5, 2013. As a result of this Wailing, a number of further concerns were raised by affected parties seeking clarification on future actions, and/or recommending a number of improvements to the docking infrastructure. Stuff presented those con- cerns to council September 5th and another motion was passed stating 'that staff report hack to Council before the end of '2013 with suggestions to improve (loth facilities and the user con- tracts for' 201.1 and beyond. "'iia date staff has met with both the concerned citizens who raised the original complaint, and the boaters who use the finger docks. 'the intent is to gather feed - buck, and present a solution that repre- sents a compromise balancing the con- cerns of adjacent property owners while still providing a reasonable level of service to the Municipality's stock tenants. lhe boaters who use (lock at the finger docks are primarily long term renters who return year over year. While meeting with the dock renters it became apparent that the renters require clarification on Coun- cil's motion to remove "Al.t:' personal property as they all intend to return for the 2014 and would prefer to not trove remove an item that will be permitted to reittrn.'lhe boaters have asked: 1. If deck boxes that are compliant with the size limitation imposed by the Municipality are allowed to remain? 2. lithe "step downs" constructed on the clucks so that butters can access their boats in low water are allowed to remain? Alteratives to Consider In Kittnaer's report he writes, "For question I, Council could direct that all deck boxes be removed. However, it is likely that any plan for the finger dock area presented by starlit) the future will 1econitmend that sante form ol'storage be approved for renters. At this point in time, those fleck boxes that sleet the municipality's current slze restrictions were placed in compliance with the Municipality's requirements and staff recommends that the compliant items he permitted to remain at the location until the Municipality has finalized the new mooring agreement. Staff further recommends that all non-compliant Items he removed. For question 2, the municipality has the option of allowing the "step downs" to remain so that boaters can access their boats, or has the option of lowering the docks. Staff has collected quotes to lower the docks and it is expected the value of the work Is in the order of $ 10,000. After meeting with the boaters who use these facilities, they are content to continue using the "step downs" rather than having the docks lowered. Staff has completed a preliminary inspection of these structures and all appear to be robustly constructed simi- lar to what the Municipality may have constructed. Allowing the step clowns to remain serves the sante purpose as low- ering the docks, and represents a cost avoidance of nut having to complete the work. As a result, staff recommends that the step downs be permitted to remain for the immediate near future, but adds the caveat that all must be inspected by the (thief Building Official prior to the 201,1 boating season and removed by the dock renter If they are found to he unsafe" Council agreed to Kittnu'r's rec- ommendations for clarifications so staff can deal with the policy under the Build- ing (:ode, over the next couple of months with restrictions and penalties Included. There Is no financial impact at this time. Lambton Shores adopts new roads policy Lynda Hillman-Rapley Lambton Shores have agreed to the new roads repair rehabilitation policy with a roads study every six years and one-sixth of the study costs collected each year and set aside in reserve for completion of the work. The policy is for all roads in Lambton Shores. Council had asked staff for this report to be brought for- ward to the October 17th )reeting. The financial impact, stays Brent Klttmer, Director of Community Services, is a proposal to present the 2014 operating budget with the costs of completing a roads needs study update. "'Phis would represent a profes- sional services cost of $60,000 to be included in the Community Services operat- ing budget. If Council adopts the financing plan recom- mended by staff the annual operating budget cost would be normalized to $ 15,000 (not accounting for annual inflationary increases) for 2015 and beyond." This policy outlines a clear process to be used when determining the capital resurfacing, repair, recon- struction and other rehabili- tation needs for the Munici- pality's road network. The policy provides a guiding framework for staff to follow when developing the annual road network capital plan, and sets standards to ensure best practices in asset man- agement are followed. In August 2012 the Munic- ipality applied a surface treatment of chip seal (or "tar and chip") to Lakeview Avenue In Southcott Pines. This method of surface treat- ment resulted in a signifi- cant volume of public com- plaints, with the primary perception of the public being that the service level of the roadway had been reduced from a traditional asphalt hard top. Due to public concern, Council directed staff to review the project and provide a report to Council. A report was pre- sented at the May 2, meeting and noted that the surface condition of Lakeview Ave- nue was found to score an out of 10 based on a "ride comfort rating" review com- pleted by a third party engi- neering firm. The following root causes were presented as to why the roadway did not score 10 out of 10: 02 The municipality's con- struction standards slid not include a detailed surface preparation require- ment prior to the application of the surface treatment. The surface treat- ment was applied late in the summer, rather than at the Ideal time in Jun'. There is no formol storm water man- agement system for the roadway, and heavy rains that occurred immediately after the surface treatment was applied affected the knitting process for the chip seal. In response to these rout causes Community Services has adjusted the Municipality's construc- tion standards as necessary. 'leo help build public confidence 111 the Munici- pality's process, Council requested that staff draft a roads repair/rehahilltatinn policy through the following motion at its May (6 meeting. Present Novemberfest and Parkinson's Fundraiser Featuring the Black Forest Band & Steamwhistle Brewing Company Sat. Nov. 2, 2013 Enjoy awesome German Food, Entertainment and Gemuetlichkeit..PROST! 11 Limited searing available. For tickets contact the Inn, 519 236 7707 • hessen@hessenland.com Staff has conducted significant research Into 1he current practices at the national, provincial, and local road authority levels as they relate to formal- izing a policy for road rehabilitation. 'there are many recent scholarly works and traffic engineering papers availa- ble, and a summary of staff's research was presented to council last week. (check out www.latnbtonshores. cu for the entire report from staff.) SUPPORT OUR WAIF'! LOCAL Jr ay-atom/lam& Grand Bond takosboro Advance Subscribe Today 519-238-5383