Council Highlights - June 1, 2020
Pelham pool to open this summer
The Pelham pool at Marlene Stewart Streit Park will open this summer, though an opening date is not yet known. Council passed a motion on June 1, 2020, approving the pool’s opening, pending Provincial and Regional permissions and guidelines.
Staff proposed the facility be prepared for the season, and when the Province lifts the restrictions, move forward with opening the facility. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has stated “There is no evidence that the virus COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas or water play areas. Proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine and bromine) of these facilities should inactivate the virus in water”. This statement supports the opening of the pool.
Annually, the pool sees 4,500 users, including those who come for swimming lessons, lane swims, aquafit classes, swim teams, and public swims. Swimming lessons are currently registered on a waiting list.
When the pool opens, new operating procedures will be implemented and staff training would be provided in COVID-19 Aquatic Procedures, such as First Aid and Resuscitation Protocols; and personal protective equipment for aquatic and facility staff.
Short-term accommodations report deferred
Council referred a report on short-term accommodations back to staff for July 13, 2020.
The report is a culmination of the work done by staff dating back to September 2018 when the first public consultation occurred; this process was designed to inform the policy and regulatory changes for the Town to undertake relating to short term rentals.
A licencing bylaw was included in the report, requiring all short term accommodations to obtain a licence. It also:
- details the information that must be provided with an application (insurance, fire safety plans, floor plans, etc.);
- requires inspections by Fire and By-law Enforcement staff every two (2) years for non-principal residence dwelling short term accommodations and two (2) years for principal residence dwelling short term accommodations;
- requires that the owner of a Short Term Accommodation premises shall ensure that there is a responsible person available to attend the Short-Term Accommodation premises at all times within a period of no greater than one (1) hour from the time of contact by way of telephone or e-mail;
- maintain a record of the renter that includes all pertinent information regarding the renter’s name and address, length of stay, and confirmation of receipt of the Renter’s Code; and
- requires posting of information for renters relating to emergency egress, noise by-laws, parking, etc. establishes a process for enforcement, penalties and appeals.
Master parking study for 2020
Councillor Lisa Haun introduce a motion to bring a master parking study to Council for 2020. The motion, passing 4-2, read:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council hereby rescinds the Committee of the Whole recommendation of March 23, 2020 approving inclusion of a parking strategy for the Town to be included in the 2021 budget considerations, which was subsequently ratified by Council on April 6, 2020;
AND THAT the Town of Pelham should approve the hiring of independent planning, engineering or parking consultants to provide a master parking study to Town Council in 2020. Staff have written multiple reports on this issue, and Town Council has now assessed multiple potential land sales and potential development applications where the adequacy of parking has been a flashpoint issue. The cost of such a study is estimated at between $45,000 - $60,000. As this item was originally deferred to 2021 it is an unbudgeted expenditure for 2020, and whereas some opportunity to partially fund the study can be attained in-year, so I would ask that staff advise as to the funding available for the balance of this initiative;
AND THAT Section 4.3(a)(i) of the Reserves and Reserve Funds Policy be and is hereby suspended and that the balance of the unfunded expenditure will be added to the 2021 budget.