City Council heard a presentation updating waterfront operations in Barrie. In summary, while there has been some over-crowding at smaller beaches, and parking challenges, there has generally been compliance from beach-goers when asked to take measures such as physical distancing.

There is no evidence of a community transmission spike of COVID-19 since Barrie’s beaches opened approximately one month ago. City parks never closed.

Health experts say the risk of COVID-19 transmission is lower outdoors than indoors.

A motion to receive the waterfront operations update presentation was approved by City Council.

This motion was amended six times by Council to restrict non-Barrie-resident parking on City streets near waterfront parks and beaches until Oct. 15, 2020, through the Emergency Order and applicable bylaws.

This will be done by extending Barrie resident waterfront pass only restrictions to these City streets, classifying them as waterfront parking lots; this means that only Barrie residents can park on these streets.

• Within a 500-metre walking distance of Wilkins Park, for example, these streets would be Capps Drive, Crimson Ridge Road between Capps Drive and Tamarack Trail, Royal Park Boulevard between Crimson Ridge and Tamarack, Bluewater Trail, Sandalwood Court and Valleyview Court.
• Near Centennial Park, the non-resident parking restrictions will be on Vespra Street, between Innisfil and Bradford streets, Victoria Street between Innisfil and Sanford streets, John Street between Sanford and Ellen streets, Sanford Street between Vespra and John streets and the west side of Ellen Street, south of Victoria Street.
• The non-resident parking restrictions near Tyndale Park and Dock Road Park will be on Dock Road between Turner Drive and Golden Meadows Boulevard, Turner Drive between Dock Road and Royal Park Boulevard, Bayshore Boulevard, Clearwater Court, Tyndale Road between Jean Street and Dock Road, Plunkett Court, Tyndale Road, Tollendal Mill Road between Cox Mill Road and Tyndale Road, and Jean Street.
• Within a 500-metre walking distance from Minet’s Point Park, the non-resident parking restrictions will be on Lismer Boulevard, Brennan Avenue between White Oaks and Southview roads, Southview Road, Cliff Road, Kempview Lane, Whitty Lane, The Boulevard and White Oaks Boulevard.
• Near Johnson’s Beach, there will be non-resident parking restrictions on Shanty Bay Road between Puget Street and Garrett Crescent, Puget Street between Barrie North Shore Trail and Blake Street, Johnson Street between Shanty Bay Road and Blake Street, Campfire Court, Indian Arrow Road between Johnson Street and Algonquin Trail, Vancouver Street between Kempenfelt Drive and Blake Street, Garrett Crescent, and Shoreview Drive between Garrett Crescent.

The cost of temporary signs for these non-resident parking restrictions, at these five locations, is $42,300 and that funding will come from the Council Strategic Priorities Reserve. Signs are expected to be up within one week.

Council also amended the motion to classify the Lakeshore, North Marina and Spirit Catcher parking lots as waterfront lots, increasing their parking rates to $10 an hour and $50 a day.

The City will also apply to Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General to increase the set fine to $100 for paid parking infractions, and increase the early payment of fines to $75, in all of these lots.

City Council approved a motion for bicycle lanes along Georgian Drive, between Johnson Street and Penetanguishene Road, and that parking be prohibited on both sides of Georgian Drive from Johnson to Penetanguishene. The objective of Barrie’s Transportation Master Plan is to reduce auto-dependency and give people increased mobility choices, focusing on active transportation such as walking and cycling. Georgian Drive is an arterial road servicing Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and Georgian College, two of this area’s largest employers.

A motion to adopt a design solution for the Dunlop Street corridor improvements, the Ferndale Drive to Anne Street Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, was approved by Barrie City Council. This design solution includes 6 lanes from Ferndale to Anne, along with extensive intersection improvements at Anne and Ferndale. This will also reflect improvements required to deal with forecasted traffic volumes to 2041. Ontario’s Transportation Ministry is planning to replace the Dunlop Street interchange and Highway 400 crossing. City staff anticipate this work will begin in 2024 or 2025 and take two years.

Council approved a motion that City staff and the Downtown Barrie Improvement Association (BIA) develop a ‘Downtown Pedestrianization Pilot Program’ and that affected City departments, downtown businesses and emergency services be consulted. The pilot program will close Dunlop Street, between Clapperton and Mulcaster streets, to automobile traffic during August 2020. The City will contribute as much as 50% of the costs, to a maximum of $10,000, to support road closure logistics and additional cleanup, funded from the Community Benefit Reserve.

A motion receiving the COVID-19 Barrie Economic Recovery Plan was approved by City Council. Its actions will support the acceleration of the re-opening of local businesses, post-isolation, as well as bringing employees and customers back to local establishments safely and efficiently. The pandemic’s impact on local businesses has been deep and severe. All levels of government - federal, provincial and municipal - have been working to help alleviate the fiscal impacts to both business and individuals.

City Council has approved a motion that effective June 30, 2020, the temporary ‘Loading Only Zone’ parking standard be extended to include side streets to the north and south of Dunlop Street between Poyntz and Toronto streets in Barrie. In May City Council implemented a temporary loading zone standard on Dunlop from Poyntz to Toronto streets, to support traffic movement and curbside pickup - along with physical distancing measures - as a result of COVID-19 impacts upon business operations there.

A motion that City staff be authorized to release almost $2.88 million in excessive capital project funding, and request additional project funds within the Capital Plan’s limits, was approved by Council. This will ensure that projects go ahead based on need and Capital Plan approvals. Also, that the Bayfield Street resurfacing, between Cundles Road and Livingstone Street, will be added to the 2020 Capital Plan. Several factors can result in excess funding, including economies of scale and a competitive bid process, better than expected market conditions, unused contingency funds in projects and cancelled projects.

Council approved a motion receiving an update of the environmental status of 65 Vespra St., along with 70 and 72 Victoria St. in Barrie, and seeking direction on the next steps in the City’s efforts to see affordable housing built at this location.

Also, City staff have been directed to explore closing Vespra Street, between Sanford and Innisfil streets, for the purpose of conjoining the road allowance with 65 Vespra St. and 70 and 72 Victoria St. for redevelopment.

Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy recommends ‘that the development of affordable housing be prioritized in considering the sale or acquisition of land by the City of Barrie.’ These properties were declared by Council to be surplus to the City’s needs in May of 2019.

A motion increasing non-resident parking rates to $10 an hour from $3 and the daily maximum parking rate to $50 from $20, effective July 2, 2020, in Barrie’s waterfront parking areas, was approved by City Council.

The motion also states that Enforcement Services Branch staff ask Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General to increase the early payment fine to $75 from $20, and increase the set fine to $100 from $30, for paid parking infractions in the waterfront area. These increases would better align Barrie with its neighbouring municipalities which have waterfront parking.

In addition, the City’s seasonal non-resident parking pass will increase to $130 from $90 - except for residents of Innisfil and the townships of Essa, Springwater and Oro-Medonte, who can continue to pay $90 for the annual pass.

City staff say approximately 35% of waterfront parking hours are used by non-Barrie residents, in lots which include Johnson Beach. Parking fine revenues are used to cover the cost of enforcement; the intent is to drive compliance by ensuring a financial incentive to pay for parking, rather than running the risk of receiving an expensive ticket.

The motion passed by City Council also suspends paid parking in downtown Barrie until September 8, 2020, to help support its economic recovery.

Barrie City Council approved a motion regarding the status of the McLean family’s request for an MZO in order to permit a mixed-use development at 121 Penetanguishene Rd. in Oro-Medonte Township.

The motion directs that correspondence from Mayor Jeff Lehman be sent to the minister to advise that the City is conducting a technical review of the McLean request for an MZO, to be completed by July 31, 2020.

The results of this review will be considered by Council at its Aug. 10, 2020 meeting, and that further correspondence advising of the City’s position on this matter will be sent after the August Council meeting.

This correspondence will also be sent to Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey.

A June 22, 2020 memorandum from A. Miller, Barrie’s General Manager of Infrastructure and Growth Management, says this MZO is essentially an end-run on local planning and transparent decisions made in the public interest. It also circumvents the technical report preparation and review process needed to establish development principles, the memo notes.

Council approved a motion to refer this memo to City staff and ask for a report back after the Tourism Master Plan has been considered by Council, to provide information on a potential exit strategy from the Fisher project.

This will include, but not be limited to, declaring this land surplus to the City’s needs and listing it for sale.

There would also be discussions with Smart Centres about the potential for a conference facility within its proposed development on Bradford and Checkley streets.

Confidential notes concerning the discussion of a confidential property acquisition matter at Essa Road, along with at Anne and Wellington streets, were received by Barrie City Council.

City Council approved a motion supporting the construction of 60-80 new supportive housing units by the end of 2022, to help address chronic homelessness in Barrie.

The County of Simcoe has also been asked to pursue similar opportunities, in collaboration with housing providers and the Mayor’s Office.

A motion to rezone 658 and 662 Mapleview Dr. E. in Barrie, to mixed-use from residential, to reflect the designation of this land as part of the Major Transit Station Node, was approved by City Council. Although no development concept is proposed at this time, this rezoning will help facilitate its future development as part of an integrated mixed-use concept. This 0.6-acre property is located on the north side of Mapleview Drive West, between Goodwin Drive and Yonge Street, and is in close proximity to Barrie South GO Station.

City Council approved a motion that 272 Innisfil St. in Barrie be rezoned to facilitate the future development of a 17-storey residential building, consisting of 154 apartments and 10 townhouses. Located at the southwest corner of Innisfil Street and Jacob’s Terrace, the 1.7-acre property is directly south of a Barrie Collingwood Railway line. This property is currently occupied by commercial uses (Barrie Antique Market) in an existing building.

A motion that the development charges and planning fees portion of the CIP funding, awarded to Lakhouse Development for as much as $323,725, be provided upon the execution of the program’s required agreement, was approved by City Council. It’s to support overall infrastructure improvements required to service the development, rather than a refund of development charges. Funding awarded through the CIP for the building permit fees would be provided in the form of a credit on future building fees owing.

City Council approved a motion that 829 Essa Rd. be rezoned to accommodate a two-storey block of 8 townhouses at the corner of Athabaska and Essa roads in Barrie. A previous plan had been for 10 units and three storeys.

The motion also states that a minimum interior side-yard setback of 1.5 metres is required for the end-of-street townhouse, whereas a maximum of 3 metres is the standard, and a maximum building height of 7.5 metres is permitted for each street townhouse, although a minimum of 7 metres and a 16.5-metre maximum is the standard.

The front-yard setback will be landscaped open space, with a maximum 50% of the front yard for each street townhouse permitted as a driveway and or parking space, where a fully paved surface is the standard.

This development will be constructed substantially in accordance with the concept plan illustrated and attached to the Zoning Bylaw.

This 0.35-acre property is designated residential in the City’s Official Plan and fronts on Essa Road, a designated intensification corridor. It is located on the west side of Essa Road, at the northwest corner of the Essa/Athabaska intersection, within the Ardagh Planning Area.

A motion to rezone 481 Yonge St. in Barrie to permit the development of a 67-unit apartment building was approved by City Council. Located at the northeast corner of the Yonge Street/MacMillan Crescent intersection, south of Little Avenue and north of Big Bay Point Road, it is almost 1.4 acres in size. Surrounding uses include singe-family homes, a restaurant, Inniswood Baptist Church and townhouses.

A motion that the City of Barrie confirm its commitment to LSRA’s runway expansion through project funding of $510,220 was approved by Council. LSRA’s runway is 6,000 feet by 100 feet, but this can be a constraint upon medium to large corporate aircraft. Expanding it to 7,000 feet by 150 feet would permit medium-sized aircraft such as the Learjet 45 to operate, along with the largest intercontinental corporate jets. This City funding would come from the Airport Infrastructure Reserve. On Jan. 1, 2020, the City reduced its ownership in LSRA to 10%.

Council approved a motion that City staff prepare the 2021 Business Plan with a cap of 1.95% for the tax-supported budget and identify service level changes needed to achieve this target. Staff will also review and recommend an additional amount for the dedicated Infrastructure Renewal Fund not to exceed 1%. These directions will be forwarded to affected agencies, boards and commissions - including Barrie Police Service, the County of Simcoe and Barrie Public Library. The annual Business Plan and Budget sets property taxes and service levels in Barrie.

A motion to lease the vacant restaurant space at 24 Maple Ave., Barrie Transit Terminal, to a new tenant was approved by Council. The City has received an offer to lease this space for use as a restaurant and boutique grocery store from the owners of The Mexican House, an established Barrie restaurant business. The vacant space is 3,110 square feet in size, plus the outdoor patio. The lease will be for five years, plus options for two five-year extensions. The City has received no other offers.

Council approved a motion that the City’s 2019 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements be received. They are a key accountability tool and provide valuable information about the City’s financial condition - an overview of the City’s finances at the end of the year, as well as indicate revenues, expenses, funding sources and uses. City staff are responsible for preparing the statements.

A motion that LSRCA be invited to City Council to provide a presentation concerning its 2020 Budget Companion document was approved by Council.

A motion that an Anti-Racism Task Force be established in the City Of Barrie was approved by Council. Its purpose would be to work with police, school boards, community groups, municipal organizations, social services, business, labour and government agencies in order to facilitate a stronger understanding of the needs of the City’s racialized residents. Its mandate and activities could include accountability, awareness and sustainability. The task force would receive $5,000 from the Mayor’s Office and the Barrie Police Service budget for its initial work.

City Council approved a motion that Shak’s World be invited to make a presentation to General Committee on Aug. 10, 2020, concerning its proposal for a pilot program for the delivery of basketball and off-court mentorship programming. Established in 2015, Shak’s World offers a variety of community-based activities to empower youth across Simcoe County. Its goal is to encourage and uplift youths, and to build resiliency.

A motion that the City Clerk schedule a Council Strategic Priorities session during the fall of 2020 was approved by Council. City Council’s 2018-2022 Strategic Priorities include growing the economy, fostering a safe and healthy city, building strong neighbourhoods, offering innovative and citizen-driven services, and improving the ability to get around Barrie.

Barrie City Council approved a motion that Operations Department staff make arrangements to install speed cushions at Dock Road and Plunket Court at a cost of $5,000, to be funded from the Community Improvement Program.

It is a $75,000 fund - or $7,500 for each of Barrie’s 10 wards - to help pay for community improvements projects this year.

Speed cushions are a traffic calming measure, to reduce vehicle speeds on City streets where lower speeds enhance safety and thus improve quality of life.

This Dock/Plunket intersection is located west of Tynhead Road, in southeast Barrie.

A motion that Operations Department staff investigate parking restrictions on Autumn Lane, in the area immediately in front of community Canada Post mail boxes, and report back to General Committee, was approved by City Council. Autumn Lane is located west of Garden Drive, east of Trillium Crescent, in Barrie.

City Council approved a motion that the Patios Everywhere Program be extended for an additional hour in Barrie.