HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019-01-24_COW_Public Agenda Package (added 8.5 at COW Meeting Jan. 24, 2019Page 1 of 2 of Agenda Cover Page(s)
Committee of the W hole
AGENDA
Thursday,January 24, 2019
Chester Municipal Council Chambers
151 King Street, Chester, NS
1.MEETING CALLED TO ORDER.
2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ORDER OF BUSINESS.
3.PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (8:45 A.M.–9:00 A.M.)
4.MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
4.1 Committee of the Whole –December 20, 2018
5.MATTERS ARISING.
6.POLICY DEVELOPMENT/REVIEW.
7.CORRESPONDENCE:
7.1 Letter from Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Apartment Association dated
January 2, 2019 requesting consideration to waive permit and tipping fees for a
renovation project.
a)Request for Decision prepared by Administration Department dated
January 16, 2019 regarding Request for Waiving Fees –Shoreham Village
Senior Citizens Apartment Association.
7.2 Email from Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) dated January 14,
2019 regarding NSFM Spring/Fall Workshop Session Topics Request –Deadline
for responses February 7th.
7.3 Letter of thanks from FHCS Environmental Club received January 14, 2019
regarding the opportunity to meeting with Council and financial contribution
towards current project.
Page 2 of 2
8.NEW BUSINESS:
8.1 Municipal Stats Presentation –Erin Lowe, Economic Development Officer
(appointment at 9:15 a.m.)
8.2 Report for Information prepared by Information Services dated January 10,2019
regarding Laserfiche Software Assurance Plan.
8.3 Request for Decision prepared by Engineering and Public Works dated January
11, 2019 regarding Business Industrial Park.
9.IN CAMERA.
10.ADJOURNMENT.
APPOINTMENT
9:15 a.m.Erin Lowe, Economic Development Officer regarding Municipal Stats
Presentation.
REQUEST FOR DECISIO N
Prepared By:Jonathan Meakin,
Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
Date January 16, 2019
Reviewed By:Date
Authorized By:Malcolm Pitman, Acting CAO Date January 17, 2019
CURRENT SITUATION
The Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Apartment Association is planning on converting their
Health Resource Centre into four bachelor apartments. As a result, the Association has
requested that the Municipality waive its building inspection, development permit,sewer hook-
up, and waste tipping fees.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Committee of the Whole review the waiving fees request from Shoreham Village Senior
Citizens Apartment Association and recommend a Motion to Council to approve (in whole or in
part)or deny the request as outlined in Options below.
BACKGROUND
Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Apartment Association is a non-profit organization that
provides affordable housing to senior citizens. The Association currently has 58 rental units
housing approximately 78 seniors, and the planned renovation would increase the
organization’s capacity to house more of the seniors on the Association’s current wait list for
such apartments.
The Municipality is able to waive fees as indicated by Section 3.8 of the P -20: Fees Policy, which
states:
The Municipality may waive fees for non-profit organizations or groups that do not have the
ability to raise revenue via taxation, with the exception of Fire Commissions when applying for
Letters of Concurrence. Proof of non-profit status is required prior to the Municipality waiving
fees.
The Registry of Joint Stocks Companies online database confirms that th e Shoreham Village
Senior Citizens Apartment Association is a non-profit organization in good standing.
REPORT TO:Committee of the Whole
SUBMITTED BY:Office of the CAO
DATE:January 24, 2019
SUBJECT:Request for Waiving Fees
ORIGIN:Letter from Shoreham Village Senior
Citizens Apartments Association
2 Request for Decision
DISCUSSION
Based on the information provided in the letter from the Shoreham Village Senior Citizens
Apartment Association, approximate fees for the Municipality’s services required for the
renovation include:
Development Permit Fee (construction value over $5,000) =$60
Building Inspection Fee (construction value over $200,001 + $1.10 per $1,000 over
$200,001)=$360
Sewer Hook-Up Fee (application fee, hook-up & inspection for line re-use) = up to $300
NOTE:this estimate is based on the re-use of the existing sewer connection servicing the
Association’s property.However, if that existing sewer connection does not have suitable
capacity for proposed use,then revised sewer hook-up costs will have to be determined
and would require an additional report to Council as the sewer hook-up fees for a sewer
line replacement would be significantly more.
Waste Tipping Fees (mixed construction & demolition waste, within Municipality) = up to
$1,000
Although it is not unusual for the Municipality to waive Development Permit Fees, Building
Inspection Fees, and Waste Tipping Fees for non-profit organizations, the Municipality has, to
date,never waived Sewer Hook-Up Fees.
IMPLICATIONS
Policy
The Municipality’s Fees Schedule and provision for Waiving Fees are included in P-20: Fees
Policy.
Financial/Budgetary
Based on the information in the Association’s letter, an estimate of the financial implications in
terms of fees waived could be up to $1,720 in total.(Again, this estimate is based on the re-use
of existing sewer connection.)
Strategic Plan
N/A
3 Request for Decision
Work Program Implications
N/A
OPTIONS
The Committee of the Whole may:
1.Recommend that Council approve the request to waive fees
2.Recommend that Council deny the request to waive fees.
3.Recommend that Council approve waiving some of the estimated fees
ATTACHMENTS
NONE
COMMUNICATIONS (INTE RNAL/EXTERNAL)
N/A
R EPORT FOR INFORMATIO N
Prepared by:Cliff Gall, Director of
Information Services
Date January 10, 2019
Reviewed by:Malcolm Pitman, Acting CAO Date January 13, 2019
Authorized by:Malcolm Pitman,Acting CAO Date January 13, 2019
CURRENT SITUATION
Our Laserfiche Enterprise Records Management System provide staff, Council and the public
with access to electronic records at the Municipality of Chester. As part of regular ongoing
budgeted operations, we are required as a customer of Laserfiche to annually purchase the
Laserfiche Software Assurance Plan (LSAP) from a Laserfiche Service Provider.LSAP gives the
customer the following:
•New product releases and regular updates
•100% credit toward product upgrades
•Access to the Laserfiche Support Site and Laserfiche Answers
The 2018/19 Operating Budget includes $25,000 for LSAP renewal. As per Subsection 4.1 of
the Municipality’s Procurement Policy (P-04), an information report is required to be
provided to Council advising of all Low Value Procurement over $10,000. This report is to
advise that MODC has procured the 2018/19 LSAP from ThinkDox for $23,361 plus HST.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The Municipality of Chester started with Laserfiche Team 7.0 in 2006. Since 2006 we have
added the following modules and completed the following upgrades:
Laserfiche Weblink (Public Electronic Document Portal currently available on our
website)
Laserfiche Forms (used for internal and external service delivery. Some examples are
Employee Expense Form,Capital Investment Plan Form, FOIPOP request Form, dead
marine life Form)
Laserfiche Mobile (Access to electronic documents from mobility devices)
REPORT TO:Warden Webber and Members of
Committee of the Whole (Jan 24/19)
SUBMITTED BY:Cliff Gall, Director of Information
Services
DATE:January 24, 2019
SUBJECT:Laserfiche Software Assurance Plan
ORIGIN:2018/19 Operating Budget
2
Laserfiche Connector
Laserfiche RIO 10.3 Server Upgrade
Laserfiche Client 10.3 upgrades
Various workflows and process improvements
Our ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System program requires us to maintain this records
management system and to continually improve the quality of records we are using within
the system. As of January 10, 2019,we have roughly 2.55 million pages in our document
repository, which is growing daily.
Due to our requirement and ongoing commitment to our Records Management Policy we
require a Laserfiche Value added reseller that has records management consulting expertise.
We also require support from a vendor that is available 8am to 8pm EST. Thinkdox is the
only Laserfiche VAR that has these qualities.
IMPLICATIONS
Policy
P-04 Procurement Policy, Alternative Procurement
Financial/Budgetary
$23,361 plus HST from 2018/19 Operating Budget (Sole Sourced)
Environmental
Strategic Plan (Goal)
3.) Continually improve public satisfaction with municipal services
4.) Ensure sufficient infrastructure is available to best serve our residents and
businesses
Work Program Implications
Accommodated within existing work plan
OPTIONS
ATTACHMENTS
COMMUNICATIONS (INTE RNAL/EXTERNAL)
REQUEST FOR DECISION /DIRECTION
Prepared By:Matthew S. Davidson, P.Eng.Date January 11, 2019
Reviewed By:Malcolm Pitman, Acting CAO Date January 11, 2019
Authorized By:Malcolm Pitman, Acting CAO Date January 11, 2019
CURRENT SITUATION
On August 30th, 2018,Council directed staff (motion 2018-370)to procure engineering services
to complete the subdivision, design and a class A estimate for a new municipal road, based upon
a concept subdivision plan that would maximize land use (i.e. Lots) with onsite water and
wastewater services. Furthermore, staff were to commence the process for zoning the
Business/Industrial Park lands as Business Industrial in the revised planning documents.
RECOMMENDATION
It is respectfully recommended that Council, that for the selected site, staff:
1)Not proceed with a Business Industrial Park and ceasing work activities;
2)Not proceed with changing the zoning from the current or the proposed (Plan Review)
zoning;
3)To assess its potential for open space opportunities;
And
1)To proceed with the property boundary, topography survey and wetland delineation for
the Kaizer Meadow Industrial Park.
BACKGROUND
The development of a Municipal Business Industrial Park is listed as one of the Municipality of
the District of Chester’s (MODC) top strategic priorities for this fiscal year (2018-2019). In April,
MODC acquired lands on the corner of Wake-Up Hill Road and Highway 14 with this purpose in
mind. On May 11th, 2018, Municipal Council approved the 2018-19 Capital Budget, which
included a $380,000 budget to acquire, develop and marke t a Business Industrial Park.
To develop the lands for resale as a Business Industrial Park, NSTIR required the Municipality
complete a traffic impact analysis to determine the impac t the proposed development would
have on the provincial highway system.The Traffic Impact Analysis was completed by Stantec in
June 2018 at an estimated cost of $ 7,182.00 plus HST and NSTIR accepted the analysis and its
conclusions in August 2018.
REPORT TO:Municipal Council
SUBMITTED BY:Engineering & Public Works Department
DATE:January 24, 2019
SUBJECT:Business Industrial Park
ORIGIN:Strategic Priority Plan / Capital Project
2 Request For Decision
DISCUSSION
A Request for Proposals was issued in October for the Subdivision & Infrastructure Design, with
the work awarded to CBCL Ltd $32,479.00 plus HST.On November 13, 2018, a project start-up
meeting was held along with a preliminary site inspection.Afterwards,CBCL Ltd brought to staff’s
attention that the site may contain wetlands which could impact the plans to develop the
property since there is Provincial policy to conserve wetlands.Therefore, CBCL was directed to
delineate the extent of the wetlands by specialists within the proposed business industrial park.
It was determined that a significant portion (~60%) of the site is considered wetland , see attached
sketch.It should also be noted that the wetland continues to the North of the site, but its extent
was not mapped since this was not part of the scope or municipa l property. This is important
since design separation distances will be discussed later in report.
Since the plan is to develop the entire property; the extent of wetland alternation is estimated
to be 13 acres or 5.4 hectares.For any construction to proceed, approvals must be obtained from
Nova Scotia Environment pursuant to the Activities Designation Regulations made under the
Environment Act.The approvals to be obtained include an Environmental Assessment
Undertaking and a Wetland Alternation Approval.CBCL has estimated that the work to complete
the applications can vary in cost from $50,000 to $100,000, based on the significance of the
wetland. While, the land may not appear significant and unassuming, the work will still be
required and there is no guarantee that the approvals will be granted.If approvals were obtained,
the Municipality would then be responsible for the construction/reconstruction of wetland at a
2:1 or 3:1 ratio to help meet the provincial conversation goals.
Furthermore, there are issues with constructing within a wetland since working in wet areas is
more difficult, risky and costly to develop.Typically soils within a wetland are unsuitable to
support road or building foundations, requiring removal and replacement with structural soils. It
is unknown at this time how much material will need to be removed without doing a geotechnical
investigation. Additionally,the plan is to service these sites with on-site septic systems, but their
design and installation is dependent of topography, soil properties and groundwater depth.
Treating wastewater will be challenging, and thus costly, since there must be 30.5 m of separation
between the systems and wetlands and watercourses, and a vertical separation of 1 m from the
bottom of onsite system, and the high groundwater table, requiring infilling and possibly
additional pumping.
IMPLICATIONS
Policy
N/A
3 Request For Decision
Financial/Budgetary
The FY 2018-2019 Capital Budget included $380,000 net HST to acquire, develop and market a
Business Industrial Park.The following table provides information on the
expenditures/committed funds to date.
Description Total Pre-HST Total Net HST
Land Purchase $130,000.00 $135,572.05
Traffic Impact Study (TIS)$7,182.00 $7,489.83
TIS –Change Order (Scenario)$960.00 $1,001.14
Wetland Delineation $2,200.00 $2,294.30
Limited Tree Removal*$3,000.00 $3,128.59
Legal Surveying –Road*$3,500.00 $3,650.02
Subd. & Infrastructure Design*$32,479.00 $33,871.11
Total $179,321.00 $187,007.04
*Committed, but possibly only a portion of the funds expended to date, if any at all
If the Municipality proceeds with the development of the Business Industrial Park in the site
selected, beyond the typical costs for road construction (i.e . ~$175,000), there would be the
additional costs to obtain the necessary approvals, costs can vary from $50,000 to $100,000,
based on the significance of the wetland, as well cost of construction/reconstruction of wetland
at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. This cost of this compensation is unknown currently. Furthermore, the
potential developers would expect a higher development costs, due to the lots construction
unsuitability.Given the potential increase in capital costs to develop this site, it does not appear
to be prudent to proceed and unlikely the Municipality would see a return on its investment.
If the Municipality does not proceed with the development of the Business Industrial Park in the
site selected;there is an opportunity to use the some of the funds and the allocated staff time to
begin the Kaizer Meadow Industrial Park project that is slated for the 2019 -2020 fiscal year.Staff
would begin with having the lots surveyed and any wetlands formally delineated, subject to
weather conditions.
Environmental
The development of a business industrial park at the selected site will require an Environmental
Assessment Undertaking and a Wetland Alternation Approval , along with the
construction/reconstruction of wetland at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio within 2 years of altering the wetl and,
to help meet the provincial conversation goals.
4 Request For Decision
Included in the design of a new municipal road, surface water drainage will need to be reviewed
to ensure no impacts on existing infrastructure, which may require onsite surface water
management strategies to be designed and constructed.
Council has also directed that staff develop a Waste Water Manage ment District for the Business
Industrial Park. This will provide for municipal coordination of on-site sewage disposal. Costs will
be recovered by an area rate.
Strategic Plan
2. Continually improve public satisfaction with municipal services;
3. Ensure sufficient infrastructure is available to best serve our residents and businesses;
Work Program Implications
The current capital work program includes a workplan and associated budget ($380,000 net HST)
to acquire, develop and market a Business Industrial Park.The workplan did not anticipate
dealing with a wetland alteration. If the Municipality were to proceed the Engineering & Public
Work Departments would have to be reviewed.
OPTIONS
Road Design
1.Proceed with Subdivision & Infrastructure Design, as approved by Council, and p roceed
with necessary approvals, reporting as the work progresses;
2.Do not proceed, and cancel all work committed to currently;
3.Defer any decision on the matter and direct staff to bring back further information as
identified by Council;
Business/ Industrial Park –Zone
1.Commence the process for zoning the lands acquired for Business / Industrial uses as
Business Park
2.Not change the zoning from the current or the proposed (Plan Review) zoning
ATTACHMENTS
1.Wetland Delineation Sketch