City Hall

Ckl Council Highlights

The following are highlights of the Committee of the Whole meeting on June 6, 2023. All recommendations made at Committee of the Whole will return to Regular Council on June 20, 2023 for review and/or adoption.

Happy Pride Month

Prior to the meeting, Mayor Elmslie, Council, municipal staff and residents gathered in front of the flag poles at City Hall to raise the Pride flag.

“I am proud to celebrate our diverse and growing community. With a lot of growth coming to Kawartha Lakes in the next few years, I look forward to welcoming new residents with open arms. I think they will appreciate our commitment to inclusivity and respect, and to creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone,” Mayor Elmslie remarked.

Short Term Rentals Update

Aaron Sloan, Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement and Licensing, along with Councillor Charlie MacDonald, Chair of the Short Term Rental (STR) Licensing Program Task Force presented the findings of the Task Force.The role of the Task Force was to review the proposal and the Short Term Rental draft By-law. The Task Force met five different times from April to May to review and discuss the program and balance the needs of various stakeholders in the community.

Highlights of the Task Force:

• A soft rollout of the program that ends January 1, 2024; it will run for the remainder of the year and data will be collected and provided back to Council in early 2024. At that point, adjustments can be made to the program and the By-law.

• Demerit Point System; seven demerit points will be a six-month license suspension, 15 demerit points and you’re the STR license will be revoked.

• Municipal Law Enforcement Officers will work later into the evenings, buy-in from the OPP to work with Municipal Law Enforcement, and buyin from Kawartha Lakes Police Service to assist during the peak months of July and August on weekends and long-weekends this year if needed.

• Hire a third-party service to receive and track customer service and complaint calls regarding STRs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Develop a red flag system; example: any STR with four bedrooms or more might need an inspection before a license is approved.

• Develop a license fee for both hosted and unhosted accommodations; the fees will ensure that the program is self-sufficient.

Victoria Manor Capital Plan update

Victoria Manor’s consultant, Colliers Project Leaders, presented an update on the Victoria Manor Master Plan, which is meant to guide investment decisions for the rest of the facility’s useful life. An overview of the project’s progress to date was given, which includes 10 steps. The asset inventory, facility condition assessment, capital cost forecast, maintenance program and property appraisal steps have been completed, while stakeholder consultations and the examination of service level steps are currently ongoing. Steps that have yet to be initiated include benchmarking, growth-related capital needs and recommendations.

The project group is on track to complete the Master Plan on schedule with the draft set to be submitted for review by August and the final version set for completion by September 2023.

Roads Challenges

The Life Cycle Management program is a collaboration between the Engineering and Corporate Assets department and the Public Works department. The two groups work together to identify what the roads challenges are, and they prioritize those challenges based on funds available.

The program’s intent is to maintain and preserve road sections in Kawartha Lakes through local asphalt paving, local surface treatment, micro-resurfacing, slurry sealing, and crack sealing. The program uses these methods to sustain road section segments in a reasonable state until a future capital project is implemented.

This year the program is focusing on crack sealing, local asphalt paving and slurry sealing. A list of roads set to be included in this year’s program can be found on the City’s website.

Source Separated Organics (SSO) Program update

Staff provided Council with an update and options on the Source Separated Organics (SSO) program. SSO is essentially food and organic waste; 30% or more of household waste is considered SSO. Staff estimate that households in Kawartha Lakes generate 4500 tonnes of SSO waste per year which takes up 28,000 cubic metres of landfill space per year. The provincial government has mandated municipalities to divert 50% of SSO from single family residences in urban areas (Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Omemee) by 2025. Nine options for an SSO program in Kawartha Lakes have been reviewed by staff and were presented to Council with pros, cons and estimated costs of each one. Council unanimously recommended Option 1 –Curbside collection in urban areas only.

Procurement Policy Presentation

The Procurement Policy, which was last amended in 2021, governs the manner in which Kawartha Lakes purchases goods and services. Major recommended changes include removing dollar values, explaining how promoting “buy local” is against the Discriminatory Business Practices Act, having complicated purchasing agreements reviewed by the City Solicitor, and changing requirements around Council approval and reports to Council. The motion to adopt the changes was passed.

Release of Fenelon Falls C.H.E.S.T. Funds

The Fenelon Falls Turkey Trot has requested funding in the amount of $6,000 from the Fenelon Falls C.H.E.S.T. Reserve. The Fenelon Falls Turkey Trot is an inclusive health and wellness fitness fun run that has been in operation since 2016. The mission statement of the organization is to provide an opportunity for the local community to engage in a fitness event that is available for all ages.

The release of funds was approved by Council with the amendment that the funding released be changed to $5,000 instead of $6,000 as it is a finite fund, and the maximum funding is usually in the $5,000 range. The motion with the amendment passed.

Off-Leash Dog Park update

At the September 27, 2022 Council Meeting, Council requested that City staff review our off-leash dog park practices. The report to Council states that staff have recognized a slight increase in requests for off-leash dog park opportunities on municipal property. The areas that have generated the most interest in having an off-leash dog park include Fenelon Falls, Norland, and Lindsay.

In Fenelon Falls, staff continue to consider locations as ideas and requests are presented by the community. In Norland, staff are working with the community on the possibility and funding model for an off-leash dog park at Ward Pard. In Lindsay, staff have reviewed several potential locations presented by the community; a design process is already underway for the redevelopment of Pioneer Park, an off-leash dog park could be included in the redevelopment design. The report was moved as printed.

Winter Use of Municipal Parks update

Municipal Park properties are currently open and maintained from April to October with some exceptions; Logie Park in Lindsay, Bobcaygeon Beach Park in Bobcaygeon and Garnet Graham Park in Fenelon Falls, as well as parks with active Outdoor Rinks remain open with full or limited maintenance year-round.

At the September 27, 2022 Council Meeting, Council requested that City staff review the feasibility of maintaining more Municipal Parks during the winter. Staff reported an increase in demand for park properties to be maintained during the winter months for walking and staying active.

Parks and Recreation staff recognize the benefit access to parkland has on mental and physical health for our residents. The report stated that the expanded use of parks would require additional staffing, funding and equipment resources for snow removal, garbage