The Corporation of the City of Kawartha Lakes

Minutes

Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting

CKLEAC2024-007

Thursday, October 17, 2024

2:30 P.m. - 4:30 P.m.

Electronic Participation Meeting

Members:

• Councillor Pat Warren
• Virginia Colling
• Josh Feltham
• Jamie Morris
• Santosh Patel
• Ola Pasternak
• Doug Paterson
• Deborah Pearson
• David Ryrie
• Barry Snider
• Christine Szabados

Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. The City of Kawartha Lakes is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Please contact [email protected] if you have an accessible accommodation request.

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1.

Call to Order

In attendance:  Virginia Colling, Josh Feltham, Fleming College, Ola Pasternak, KRCA, Deborah Pearson, David Ryrie, Barry Snider, Christine Szabados, Pat Warrren, Councillor

Absent:  Logan McInnis, Youth Advisor, Jamie Morris, Santosh Patel, Doug Paterson

Staff:  Robyn Carlson, Solicitor, Max Faulhammer, Planner II, Nancy Ord, Administrative Assistant

 

Chair Pearson called the meeting to order at 2:31 p.m.

2.

Administrative Business

2.1

Adoption of Agenda

• EAC2024.046
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By C. Szabados

  That the Agenda for the Environmental Advisory Committee of October 17, 2024 be adopted as amended to add Section 5.2 Youth Advisory Pilot Project and Section 6.7 In-Person Meetings.

  Carried

2.2

Declaration of Pecuniary Interest

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest disclosed.

2.3

Adoption of Minutes of Environmental Advisory Committee meeting of September 12, 2024.

• EAC2024.047
  Moved By C. Szabados
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That the minutes of the Environmental Advisory Committee meeting of September 12, 2024 be received and adopted as presented.

  Carried

3.

Deputations/Presentations

3.1

Tree By-law (R. Carlson, Solicitor)

R. Carlson provided an overview of Solicitor’s Report LGL2024-010 presented to City Council on September 24, 20240 and which recommended:

• Adoption of the City Tree Canopy Preservation By-law at Council’s October 22, 2024 meeting. The by-law had been amended to reflect public input summarized as an appendix to the report.
• Presentation of a revised Tree Preservation on Private Property Bylaw to Council by the end of 2024 with a narrowed scope applying only to development applications under the Planning Act.
• Report to City Council before the end of 2025 on recommended actions for woodlot conservation, in consultation with the Ontario Woodlot Association.
• Staff investigate potential partnerships with Fleming College to implement tree preservation efforts with report to Council by the end of 2025.

Discussion following on the need and importance of a Shoreline Preservation By-law to all Kawartha residents, to protect the City’s water resources and shorelines as “the ribbon of life”.  The Solicitor noted the shoreline portion of the by-law had been separated from the City Tree By-law due to public opposition from some sources and for referral back to CKLEAC.  CKLEAC members raised the following comments:

• Improving ways to reach out to the community in general and including Kawartha Conservation information sessions.

• An Encroachment By-law passed by City Council in 2018 prevents the cutting down of trees on municipal road allowances after comment that many roadside hedges have been destroyed by rural property owners/farmers and by ash trees dying.

• Definition of a shoreline as set out in the zoning by-law is 30.0 metres from the high water mark and that option for enforcement of by-laws could occur through the Municipal Law Enforcement Office.

 

The Solicitor left the meeting at approximately 3:15 p.m.

• 2024.048
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By C. Szabados

  That CKLEAC recommends to Council that it direct the City Solicitor to create a Shoreline Preservation By-law as in the Conservation Authorities' Lake Management Plans and Plan Implementation.

  Carried

4.

Correspondence

No correspondence was presented.

5.

Action Item Updates

5.1

CKLEAC Work Plan Updates by Project Team Leaders (Pollinator Action, Bird Friendly, Healthy Environment Subcommittees)

Pollinator Action Subcommittee 

C. Szabados reported on the following: 

• Closing of “Bee a Hero” contest on September 15, 2024 with only one garden registered. Discussion followed on the $50 prize, the direction of the contest and how to better engage the public directed to be an Agenda item for the November 21, 2024 CKLEAC meeting.
• Attendance by Bee City Kawartha Lakes’ volunteers to the Peterborough Monarch Festival on September 21, 2024 involving races, Indigenous drummers, musicians and guest speakers including Rebecca Wood’s presentation on pollinator conservation as a young person in Kawartha Lakes. Bee City participated with its information booth presenting seed packets, outreach and seed bomb workshop.
• Ordering of wooden posts for the Seed Library and J. Kennedy donation of seed aspirator for large-scale seed processing.
• Participation in the Showcase Kawartha exhibit at the International Plowing Match with information, pollinator hotels, bumblebee nesting boxes and pollinator friendly plants.
• Touring and meeting of CKLEAC representatives with Fleming College Professor of Invertebrates Erin McGauley on potential for future partnerships.
• Collaborating on the Lindsay Landfill naturalization project.
• Collaborating on Fleming College pollinator hotel project by assisting in distributing student research and by hosting one or two student presentations to the public. The following motion was approved to support a funding application and C. Szabados directed to prepare the letter of support.
• Maintaining and winter preparation of the Broad Street Pollinator Garden occurred on October 4^th with the installation of five yards of mulch. The Garden is well established and a small local event is proposed for local residents/school staff to thank partners and encourage educational use by garden groups/schools.
• Meeting of Bee City Kawartha Lakes on November 26 to review its past and coming projects and to prepare painted stones as signage to identify floral species in the garden.

Bird Friendly Subcommittee

In J. Morris’ absence, the Chair presented a summary of activities: 

• Distribution of bird conservation information at Kawartha Conservation’s September 28th Fall Festival
• Development of a Bird Friendly Kawartha Lakes logo.
• Commissioning of a pull-up banner and development of a “Birding in the Kawartha Lakes” brochure.
• Display for the City’s International Plowing Match showcase.
• Receiving $3000 grant from Nature Canada to develop, in partnership with the Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes, a campaign to encourage cat-owners to keep their pets indoors.
• Preparing a Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. grant application to treat all Lindsay bus shelters to prevent bird strikes with the application to be submitted October 25, 2024.

 Healthy Environment Subcommittee 

Councillor Warren reported that an Environmental Planner had been hired and will start employment with the City in November 2024. M Faulhammer added that:

• Work is underway to prepare an RFP for the updating of the 2019 Healthy Environment Plan.
• A municipal intern has been accepted by the City to focus for six months on the environment and to shadow Councillor Warren and City Staff.

• EAC2024.049
  Moved By Councillor Warren
  Seconded By V. Colling

  That CKLEAC supports a funding application by Fleming College for pollinator hotels research project.

  Carried
• EAC2024.050
  Moved By D. Pearson
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That $50 gift certificate be approved for this year's Bee A Hero winner.

  Carried

5.2

Youth Advisory Pilot Project

CKLEAC’s input was requested on a series of questions previously provided to assist Staff in preparing a report for Council on the Youth Advisor Pilot Project.  Members Pearson, Szabados, Colling and Councillor Warren agreed to review the questions and provide input to Staff before mid-next week.

6.

New or Other Business

6.1

Mosquito Spraying

C. Szabados provided an overview of ongoing research on the negative effects on aquatic environments and pollinators of several pesticides, chemicals and insecticides used in spraying. Discussion followed on:

• Control of spraying signage.
• Limitations to municipal and CKLEAC action where the Province regulates spraying.
• The need for action, as Kawartha Lakes is a Bird Friendly City, and for continued research on avenues to address spraying.

• EAC2024.051
  Moved By C. Szabados
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That select CKLEAC members reach out to the Health Unit on the mosquito spraying issue.

  Carried

6.2

Turtle Crossing Signage in 2025.

C. Szabados reported that review is ongoing and further report. Some discussion followed on options to protect turtles with J. Feltham to provide further review on potential for funding, collection of data and Fleming College student involvement.

6.3

Membership vacancies and thank you to retiring member.

D. Pearson reported that Staff are following up with the Clerk’s Division on posting procedures for new CKLEAC members in conjunction with advertising for vacancies in other committees of Council.

6.4

Kawartha Land Trust October 10th launch of new regional conservation and climate partnership.

Councillor Warren reported on her attendance at the October 10^th Kawartha Land Trust event and its efforts to seek partnerships in resurrecting a wildlife corridor plan.

6.5

Resolution on "willing host" for renewable energy.

Councillor Warren reported that Council approved a revised motion (which removed reference to wind turbines) and that further report will be presented to Council in the first quarter of 2025 once Provincial changes/requirements are known.

6.6

Municipal Climate Internship.

As introduced in Section 5.2, M. Faulhammer indicated the Internship application process has commenced with placement scheduled to start in January 2025.  CKLEAC members were asked to encourage potential applicants to apply and that advertising of the position is occurring through several sources.  J. Feltham indicated an email had been received at Fleming College.

 

6.7

In-Person Meetings

Some members expressed interest in holding in person CKLEAC meetings and the topic was deferred to a future meeting for discussion.

7.

Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 21, 2024.  The holding of the last meeting of the year on December 19th, 2024 to be reviewed at that time.

8.

Adjournment

• Moved By C. Szabados
  Seconded By D. Ryrie

  That the meeting be adjourned at 4:29 p.m.

  Carried