Council Meeting

THAT the presentation by the County Accessibility Coordinator re Joint Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2022-2027 and Annual Accessibility Status Report be received; AND THAT the Joint Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2022-2027 as endorsed by the County of Middlesex be approved.

THAT Council adjourn its regular meeting at 1:28 p.m. and reconvene as a Public Meeting under the Planning Act.

THAT consent application B11/22 to facilitate this disposal of a residence surplus to a farming operation with the lands to be conveyed having an area of approximately 1.17 hectares and requested by Lynalwood Farms for lands legally described as Part of Lot 6, Concession 5 (geographic Township of West Nissouri), Municipality of Thames Centre and known municipally as 20664 Heritage Road, be approved, subject to the following conditions: 1. That the Certificate of Consent under Section 53(42) of the Planning Act be given within two years of the date of the notice of the decision for each consent. 2. That the applicant initiate and assume, if required, all engineering costs associated with the preparation of a revised assessment schedule in accordance with the Drainage Act, RSO 1990, as amended, with such costs to be paid in full to the appropriate engineering firm prior to the stamping of the deeds, all to the satisfaction of the Drainage Superintendent. 3. That all applicable property taxes be paid to the Municipality prior to the stamping of the deeds. 4. That all outstanding work orders or by-law enforcement issues be resolved to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official. 5. That the applicant be required to satisfy all requirements with respect to on-site private sanitary waste disposal system and the potable water supply on the lands to be conveyed to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official. 6. That the applicant be required to remove the eastern portion of t

THAT the Public Meeting adjourn at 1:35 p.m. and Council reconvene its regular meeting in order to continue with its deliberations.

THAT the minutes of the regular meeting of Council, held on June 27, 2022, be approved as circulated.

THAT Consent Agenda Items 7.2 to 7.6 be received as information.

THAT Report No. CLERK-04-22 be received for information; AND THAT the base pay rate for the Mayor be set at $31,461, equivalent to the 55th percentile; AND THAT the base pay rate for Deputy Mayor be set at $20,002, equivalent to the 55th percentile; AND THAT the base pay rate for Councillor be set at $17,465, equivalent to the 55th percentile; AND THAT an annual adjustment be applied to rates using the cost of living increase equivalent to the Non-Union Salary Grid beginning January 1, 2023; AND THAT rates be effective beginning January 1, 2023; AND THAT the practice of reviewing Council Compensation be continued by reviewing once per term of council; AND THAT a by-law be adopting these changes be presented at the next regular meeting of Council.

THAT Report Clerk-005-22 be received for information.

THAT Report No. F-008-22 be received for information; AND THAT the 2021 Annual Development Charge Report be made available to the public on the Municipality of Thames Centre website to fulfill Council’s obligation under Section 43 (2.1) of the Development Charges Act, 1997.

THAT 291 Construction Ltd. be awarded the tender for the Hamilton Road / Oakwood Drive – Sanitary Trunk Sewer Construction & Oakwood Place – Road Reconstruction, in the amount of $4,000,621 including contingencies and non-rebated HST; AND THAT The Director of Public Works be authorized to enter into an agreement with 291 Construction Ltd. for the work contained in the tender documents; AND THAT Council approve funding of the allocation of project costs related to stormwater from the Stormwater Capital Reserve, municipal roadworks from the Transportation Capital Reserve, water from the Water Capital Reserve, and sanitary from the benefitting properties through connection charges, noting that the County of Middlesex will fund the County roadworks portion of the project.

THAT Application for Zoning By-law Amendment (Z10-22) submitted by Rasha Nasser for lands legally described as Part of Lot 12, Concession 3 SRT (geographic Township of North Dorchester) and designated as Part 1 on Reference Plan 33R-5967 and Part 1 on reference Plan 33R-1719, Municipality of Thames Centre, be approved in principle and the implementing by-law be forwarded to the next regular meeting of Council limited to two readings with third and final reading provide once: a. That the applicant be required to obtain any applicable permit to ensure private servicing for the metal clad building located at 4086 Elgin Road, which is to be wholly contained on one property to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official. b. That site plan approval be required given the commercial use of the lands at 4086 Elgin Road and to ensure consistency with the Municipality’s Site Plan Area By-law.

THAT the Urban Growth Boundary for Dorchester remain status quo (does not change); AND THAT the Chief Administrative Officer and Mayor be directed to write a letter to the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, and our Member of Provincial Parliament, Rob Flack, with regards to our concerns with meeting the current housing targets in relation to the current Provincial Policy Statement restrictions.

THAT Council confirm its regard for all submissions received through the Thames Centre Official Plan Review 2021/2022 process and adopt in principle Amendment No. 27 to the Thames Centre Official Plan and declare that the Amendment does not conflict with any provincial plans, is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and has regard to matters of provincial interest under Section 2 of the Planning Act; AND THAT the implementing by-law to adopt Amendment No. 27 be prepared and forwarded to the next regular meeting of Council for consideration of approval; AND THAT staff subsequently forward Amendment No. 27, as adopted, to the County of Middlesex for consideration of approval; AND THAT staff be directed to revise proposed Amendment No. 27 by redesignating the Jackson lands from Agricultural to Rural Industrial, being Part of Lots 23 and 24, Concession 1 SRT (geographic Township of North Dorchester), Municipality of Thames Centre and known municipally as 3100 Westchester Bourne and 3124 Westchester Bourne.

THAT Report No. CS-008-22 be received for information; AND THAT changing the scope of the municipal office “paving and curbing parking lot” capital project, at 4305 Hamilton Road, to include a Request for Tender for engineering, using a portion of the 2022 parking lot budget to cover this engineering/design cost in 2022 be approved.

THAT Report No. CS-009-22 be received for information; AND THAT the proposed Facility License Agreement between the Municipality and the Boys & Girls Club of London be approved.

THAT Report No. AIAC-006-22 be received for information; AND THAT a by-law adding the third day of Diwali as another permissible annual event for the sale and discharge of fireworks be approved.

WHEREAS there are widespread benefits of the use of naturalized pollinator gardens that are in the best interests of the environment, pollinator species, as well as the mental health of humans; AND THAT a naturalized pollinator garden can be defined as “a landscape area that has been deliberately implemented to produce ground cover which consists of one or more species of wildflowers, perennials, shrubs and grasses or a combination thereof”; AND THAT Thames Centre’s current Property Standards bylaw (Bylaw 109-2004) is restrictive for residents wanting to implement naturalized pollinator gardens; AND THAT Thames Centre’s Property Standards bylaw (Bylaw 109-2004) should be amended to permit naturalized pollinator gardens, as long as these gardens do not contain noxious weeds named in the Province of Ontario’s Weed Control Act including, but not limited to, Canada Thistle, Common Buckthorn, Glossy Buckthorn, Dog-Strangling Vine, Garlic Mustard, Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed, Phragmites, Poison Ivy, Purple Loosestrife, and/or Ragweed; AND THAT naturalized pollinator gardens cannot restrict driver and pedestrian sight lines at intersections, driveways, sidewalks, walkways or visibility to all traffic control devices; AND THAT naturalized pollinator gardens cannot encroach above or onto any adjacent property, including sidewalks and roadways; THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Municipality of Thames Centre direct the Bylaw Enforcement Officer to bring back an amend

THAT By-laws 59-2022 to 64-2022 and By-laws 66-2022 to 72-2022 be adopted as presented.

THAT By-law 65-2022 be approved as presented.

RESOLVED THAT the meeting adjourn at 3:41 p.m.