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PELHAM: Town Council news

Double mask bylaw in effect As expected, Pelham Town Council voted in its own municipal mask bylaw during its Aug. 10 meeting, one that effectively mirrors the Niagara Region’s existing COVID-19 bylaw.

Double mask bylaw in effect

As expected, Pelham Town Council voted in its own municipal mask bylaw during its Aug. 10 meeting, one that effectively mirrors the Niagara Region’s existing COVID-19 bylaw. Pelham residents will be required to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces until Oct. 1, at which point the bylaw could be extended. Those who fail to comply will face a $250 fine.

Fire Chief and Chief Bylaw Enforcement Officer Bob Lymburner, however, said that those who are “unable” to wear masks will not have to provide evidence why, such as a doctor’s note.

“Anybody that has a reason not to wear a mask is exempt,” Lymburner told council before the matter was voted on. “If someone just says I’m not able to wear a mask, then that’s where it’s going to lie.”

As promised, Mayor Marvin Junkin voted against the measure, and was the only present member of council to do so. Marianne Stewart abstained from the vote as she has profited from the sale of masks she’s stitched on her own time.

“I voted for masks at the Region,” the Mayor said.

While two other Niagara municipalities enacted their own bylaws before the Regional measure came into effect on July 31, Pelham becomes the only one to institute their own mask rules after that— something Junkin said amounts to unnecessary duplication.

“We’re the only municipality after the Region has instituted their bylaw that has seen fit to bring one forward. The rest of the municipalities are piggybacking on the Region. My own personal feeling is that’s more than adequate.”

Lymburner explained his preference for a Pelham bylaw at the July 27 council meeting, saying that a municipal law can be extended on its own if the Region’s expires— while essentially also becoming a potential revenue stream through the AMPS monetary penalty system.

Lymburner also admitted that the challenge might be properly communicating the rules— specifically that masks are only mandated in indoor public spaces, such as stores.

“I was confronted by a resident today. I was outside and a resident approached me and asked me why I didn’t have a mask on,” Lymburner said. “I think it’s just a matter of us focusing on the education portion and getting the message out there to where everyone is comfortable where they have to wear a mask and where they don’t have to wear a mask.”

Townhouse concerns

Prior to the regular meeting, council convened for a public meeting under the Planning Act regarding a proposed townhome development at 1307 Haist Street in Fonthill. Several neighbours have complained about the proposal, which would convert an existing single-detached residential lot on the northeast corner (listed incorrectly in Town reports as the “north west corner”) of Haist and Pancake Lane into three townhouses, with the authorization to build “accessory dwelling units” which could double the capacity through basement apartments or secondary suites.

The consultant for the developer, however, conceded that this idea was included because provincial development guidelines encourage higher density.

“It is the intent of my client, who is a homebuilder, to build three townhouse dwellings and sell them off to three separate people,” Matt Kernahan of Upper Canada Consultants said, referring to the developer, an Ontario numbered company.

“The addition of permissions for accessory dwelling units was quite frankly done at the suggestion of myself as a planner because from a planning perspective we think that’s a positive thing. If that is something that council would like us to bring back to my client and discuss with him, I’d be happy to do that.”

Councillor John Wink encouraged this.

“Could you do so please?” he asked Kernahan.

However, the spectre of basement apartments didn’t appear to be the only issue councillors had. Councillor Ron Kore lamented that neighbourhoods currently made up of single homes could one day be overrun by townhouses.

“Is this the future of our community?” Kore asked Director of Community Planning and Development Barb Wiens. “Developers are going to come into our community, purchase all these properties, knock down the old buildings and put townhomes.”

Wiens replied that Town staff is required to address all applications, but reminded Kore that the final decision on such matters belongs to council.

“When we receive applications, we are obligated to process those — ultimately it is council’s decision to make,” Wiens said. “There might be opportunities that property owners see where they would like to see if they can get approval for that, and that’s exactly what this application is. There’s no decision being made tonight.”

Marianne Stewart, meanwhile, took aim at the developer, opining it was an example of interlopers trying to make money in a community they don’t live in.

“This isn’t someone who’s lived in the neighbourhood for a long time that’s looking to subdivide their land,” Stewart told Kernahan. “This is simply an opportunity for the company you work for to make money without the actual regard for the existing community. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be townhouses anywhere, but I find it distasteful, to say the least, to see this kind of development disrupting a stable community.”

Kernahan clarified to Stewart that he is merely a consultant, not an employee of the development firm. Wiens noted that the developer is, in fact, from Pelham.

Wink worried about rising gypsy moth costs

Council heard from Public Works about what has been called a highly effective gypsy moth spray program this year, with eyes toward 2021.

“The areas that were sprayed as part of the 2020 spray program, we had a very successful spray,” Director Jason Marr said. “The defoliation … was very minimal.”

Next year’s program will begin with egg mass surveys during the winter months to determine what areas may be affected in the future.

Councillor Wink, however, took issue with the budget for 2021 being pegged at $170,000 — which is $20,000 more than this year.

“I hate like heck to start seeing creep in an increase in this line item,” Wink said. “We have to start being a lot more responsible to our residents so we’re not going to affect taxes as greatly. So, I’m going to be taking a hard position on the 150 [thousand] going forward for the next operating budget.”

Marr said that the increase is because egg mass surveys were not included in last year’s budget.

“It should be included in, not in addition to,” Wink retorted.

Transit on demand

Councillor Bob Hildebrandt took issue with language in a memorandum of understanding between Pelham and the Region regarding a pilot project for on-demand transit service set to begin this week. The item in question says the Region has the sole right to terminate the agreement after 90 days.

“I think it should be [reciprocal],” Hildebrandt said, meaning Pelham should also have the right to terminate.

Director of Culture, Wellness and Recreation Vickie van Ravenswaay stressed it was a one-year pilot study.

“That doesn’t answer the question why the Region has a one-way agreement,” Hildebrandt replied.

Town Treasurer and Director of Corporate Services Teresa Quinlin chimed in to say that it was likely legalese regarding the bus provider.

“I think the reason why it’s written this way is the Region has an agreement with the service provider,” Quinlin said. “So just in case something’s not going well with the service provider.”

The service will provide Pelham residents the ability to get an on-demand ride to anywhere in Grimsby, Lincoln, Wainfleet and West Lincoln. The majority of funding is covered through revenues from the gas tax.

Big pavement problems down the road?

Council heard a report by ARA engineer Shila Khanal regarding the pavement quality of Pelham’s roads. Using a formula called “PCI” (pavement condition index), multiple roadways in the town were graded on the quality of their pavement. While only 14 percent of roads tested were classified as “poor” or “fair,” the firm painted an expensive picture of maintaining quality pavement for the next decade.

Assessed pavement condition in Pelham, as presented to Town Council during its Aug. 10 meeting. YOU TUBE

Khanal said that the Town’s current budget of $450,000 a year will only yield poorly conditioned pavement ten years from now. To maintain “good” quality roads, $10.3 million would need to be spent over the next decade on pavement alone.

Wink was taken aback.

“What gets me is how much it’s going to be to even maintain,” the Ward 2 councillor said. “If we do an additional $2 million a year for road servicing we’re looking at a 14.8 per cent tax increase, which I’m not sure the residents of the community will be too pleased with.”

Council voted to receive the report.

CAO lauds council for reopening of MCC

In his brief report, Chief Administrative Officer David Cribbs credited council for deciding to open the main ice pad at the community centre last month. Revenues are climbing, he said.

“Since Accipiter opened on July 27, as the result of your direction, I can tell you it’s been used between 12 to 14 hours every single day,” Cribbs said. “The summer program has gone extremely well and it was very much the right decision to open up.”

The Mayor asked Cribbs if he had yet partaken in another recreational pursuit by taking a dip in the Town pool.

“I jumped in and it splashed so much water everywhere,” joked Cribbs, who is of stocky stature, “I was asked not to do it again.”

Plaudits for a local paper

The Mayor opened the meeting by congratulating the Voice for its recent Ontario Community Newspaper Association awards.

“One of the stories the Voice won, was on a drainage lawsuit between the Town and some Fenwick residents which dragged on for way too long,” Junkin said. “I’m proud that one of this council’s first actions was to settle that issue and end the long nightmare for those residents involved. As elected officials, we always are weary of the press because they make sure what we do is publicized, and sometimes this doesn’t feel good. I know I still have bruises from the kicking over the Library Board meeting. But lest we get lost in our own little bubble of friends and advisors, the media makes sure that we hear about things that get overlooked. Seeing as all of us on council are greyheads getting greyer, we’re all old enough to remember when the Pelham Herald caved in. How blessed we are that in its place, 50 residents put together enough money to start up a new community paper, still owned by the community today.”

   


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John Chick

About the Author: John Chick

John Chick has worked in and out of media for some 20 years, including stints with The Score, CBC, and the Toronto Sun. He covers Pelham Town Council and occasional other items for PelhamToday, and splits his time between Fonthill and Toronto
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