The Corporation of the City of StratfordPlanning and Heritage Committee

Open SessionAGENDA

 

 

 

Date: Monday, September 24, 2018

Time: 7:15 P.M.

Location: Council Chamber, City Hall

CommitteePresent:

Councillor Ritsma - Chair Presiding, Councillor Ingram - Vice Chair, CouncillorBeatty, Councillor Brown, Councillor Bunting, Councillor Clifford, CouncillorHenderson, Councillor Mark, Councillor McManus, Councillor Vassilakos

Staff Present: Rob Horne - Chief Administrative Officer, Joan Thomson - City Clerk, EdDujlovic - Director of Infrastructure and Development Services, MichaelHumble - Director of Corporate Services, Carole Desmeules - Director ofSocial Services, David St. Louis - Director of Community Services, JacquelineMockler - Director of Human Resources, Jeff Leunissen - Manager ofDevelopment Services, John Paradis - Fire Chief, Tatiana Dafoe - DeputyClerk, Mike Beitz - Corporate Communications Lead

Pages

1. Call to Order

The Chair to call the Meeting to Order.

Mayor Mathieson provided regrets for this meeting.

2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

The Municipal Conflict of Interest Act requires any member of Council declaringa pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof, where the interest of amember of Council has not been disclosed by reason of the member’s absencefrom the meeting, to disclose the interest at the first open meeting attended bythe member of Council and otherwise comply with the Act.

Name, Item and General Nature of Pecuniary Interest

3. Delegations

None scheduled.

4. Report of the Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer

4.1 Royal Canadian Legion, Stratford Branch 8 Request for Light StandardBanners (PLA18-024)

3 - 11

* This item is also listed for consideration on the September 24, 2018reconvene Council agenda.

Motion by ________________

Staff Recommendation: THAT the request by The Royal Canadian Legion,Stratford Branch 8, to erect up to twenty-four commemorative bannersfrom light standards in the downtown core on an annual basis, from theend of October to mid-November for the next ten years (2018-2027) beapproved.

5. Adjournment

Meeting Start Time:Meeting End Time:

Motion by ________________

Committee Decision:  THAT the Planning and Heritage Committee meetingadjourn.

2

Page 1

Infrastructure and Development Services Department

MANAGEMENT REPORT

Date: September 19, 2018

To: Planning and Heritage Committee

From: Rob Reinecker, Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer

Report#: PLA18-024

Attachments: Banner Locations, Banner Design, Letter from Loreena McKennitt, Letter from Royal Canadian Legion

Title: Royal Canadian Legion, Stratford Branch 8 Request for Light Standard Banners

Objective: To consider an exemption (Sign Variance) to the Sign By-law to permit The Royal Canadian Legion, Stratford – Branch 8, to erect up to twenty-four commemorative banners in the downtown core on an annual basis from the end of October to mid-November for the next ten years.

Background: The Royal Canadian Legion, Stratford - Branch 8 , located at 804 Ontario Street (Unit 3C), is requesting that they be granted permission to erect up to twenty-four 1.7’x 5.5’ (9.1sq.ft.) banners from light standards in the downtown core using the existing mounting brackets – see map attached. The reason the Stratford Legion is requesting the exemption is outlined in the attached letter. To summarize their request, the banners would be erected to commemorate the sacrifice made by local individuals who served and died in the Great War, the Second World War, and other past conflicts. Furthermore, the proposed banners would help mark the 100th centennial of the end of the First World War and is of particular importance to many veterans and families of service people in the Stratford area.

Analysis: In accordance with the City of Stratford Sign By-law 159-2004, Section 4.2 Prohibited Signs – Any sign not expressly permitted by this By-law is prohibited and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following signs are specifically prohibited: (ii) a banner other than a banner located within a public road allowance and approved by the City. The agents for the Stratford Legion – Branch 8 have indicated that they will work with Lange Bros Ltd. and the City of Stratford Infrastructure and Development Services

3

Page 2

Department to ensure that the banners are erected safely and in accordance with any provisions/policies. As well, a By-law officer has reviewed the intended mounting locations as per the submitted map and there appears to be no issues. In considering an application for a variance, the Planning and Heritage Sub-Committee, Planning and Heritage Committee and Council shall have regard for:

(i) Special circumstances or conditions applying to the land, building or use referred to in the application;

(ii) Whether strict application of the provisions of this By-law in the context of the special circumstances applying to the land, building, or use, would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary and unusual hardship for the applicant, inconsistent with the general intent and purpose of this By-law;

(iii) Whether the sign that is the subject of the variance will alter the essential character of the area.

The criteria stated above have been reviewed. The City of Stratford downtown core is relatively a large area and by erecting these commemorative banners, it would not alter the essential character of the core or surrounding area. Furthermore, in the interest of the City of Stratford and the Stratford Legion, the erected banners would greatly assist in honouring and recognizing our fallen local heroes. It is recommended that the sign variance request be granted based on obtaining a sign permit on an annual basis; thus the banners will be reviewed by applicable City staff.

Financial Impact: The applicable fees are as follows:

$571.00 Sign variance fee $211.00 Sign permit fee

Staff Recommendation: THAT the request by The Royal Canadian Legion, Stratford Branch 8, to erect up to twenty-four commemorative banners from light standards in the downtown core on an annual basis, from the end of October to mid-November for the next ten years (2018-2027) be approved.

__________________________ Rob Reinecker, Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer

4

Page 3

__________________________ Ed Dujlovic, Director of Infrastructure and Development Services

__________________________ Rob Horne, Chief Administrative Officer

5

6

7

8

Q U I N L A N R O A D L T D . BOX 933 STRATFORD ONTARIO CANADA N5A 7M3

PHONE +1-519-273-3876 FAX +1-519-273-4553

Q U I N L A N R O A D L T D .

Loreena McKennitt Box 933 Stratford, ON N5A 7M3

Office of the Mayor P.O. Box 818 Stratford ON N5A 6W1 September 19, 2018 Dear Mayor Mathieson, I am writing to inform you that my colleagues Errol Fischer, Mark McCauley and I are working along with Rick Boon and Legion Branch 008 in mounting this year's Remembrance Day Ceremony and Parade. As you likely know, Mr. Art Boon and his family, along with Legion Branch 008, have been responsible for this undertaking in past years. Mr. Art Boon however, is understandably looking to be relieved of this responsibility as of this year. One of our intentions is to assist in drafting a manual which will serve as the basis for the mounting of this event for future years. In addition to this and given that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, we have initiated an effort to see this commemorated by producing banners which would be mounted around the City Centre and are intended to honour local veterans from this period. (Please see attached application and letter) Various individuals have agreed to assist us and donate their time and efforts in this initiative including John Kastner, Heidi Holdsworth and Lange Brother. We are also finalizing quotes regarding the manufacturing of these banners with the hope and intention of seeking sponsors for each. It has been brought to our attention however, that an application of this nature would have needed to be submitted some time ago, and we are asking that special consideration be given when this comes before the appropriate committees for approval. I am writing to alert you to the broader context of this application and will be grateful for any consideration you and the City of Stratford can give this initiative. Sincerely yours, Loreena McKennitt

9

The Royal Canadian Legion

Stratford, Branch 8 Unit B1 – 804 Ontario Street

Stratford, Ontario N5A 3K1

(519) 271 4540

stratfordlegion008@gmail.com Web: www.legion.ca

D2 Sept14-2018 EF

September 14, 2018

Mr. Jeff Leunissen Manager of Development Services Infrastructure & Development Services Department City of Stratford

Dear Mr. Leunissen,

This year marks the 100th centennial of the end of the First World War and is of

particular importance to many veterans and families of service people in the Stratford area.

Given the significance of this anniversary, and as part of the 2018 Remembrance Day Parade,

we are proposing to create a small number of banners (12-24) commemorating the sacrifice

made by local individuals who served and died in the Great War, the Second World War, and

other past conflicts. It is our hope to have these banners displayed on City of Stratford lamp

posts in the BIA and Heritage Districts in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day, as well as

for the duration of Remembrance Day itself.

A proposed design is attached to this application showing that each banner would

include a historical photo, the conflict in which they served, and relevant dates related to that

individual person’s service on a consistent template. Historical information on each individual

is being researched and provided to us by the Stratford Perth Museum and Stratford Archives.

As you are most certainly aware, the City of Stratford By-Law 159-2004 pursuant to the

Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, C.25 denotes that banners are “specifically prohibited” with the

exception of “a banner located within a public road allowance and approved by the City”. As

such, we are writing today to ask that the City of Stratford give consideration to a minor

variance request to display these particular banners in memory of those who have paid the

highest price in the service of their country. We would also ask that the City of Stratford give

further consideration to approving this minor variance request such that would allow the

annual display of these banners to coincide with future Remembrance Day events for a period

of 10 years inclusive of this year’s event. With this permission, we could endeavor to build

upon community support year over year by adding additional banners in the effort to

encompass as many fallen service members as may be possible.

Lange Bros Ltd. has most graciously offered to donate the installation and removal of

these banners on our behalf this year. They have noted that it would be most efficient to put

these banners up at the same time that the Poppy Drive banners are installed at City Hall each

10

The Royal Canadian Legion

Stratford, Branch 8 Unit B1 – 804 Ontario Street

Stratford, Ontario N5A 3K1

(519) 271 4540

stratfordlegion008@gmail.com Web: www.legion.ca

D2 Sept14-2018 EF

year. We trust that you will find Lange Bros Ltd. a more than capable partner in this regard and

we are grateful for their contribution.

In closing, we wish to express our appreciation for the time and efforts of your staff in

assisting us with this application. While we appreciate that this request falls outside the scope

of permitted signage according to By-Law 159-2004, we hope that you agree that honoring our

fallen service members is befitting of an exception to the rule, and deserving of our support in

whatever way we are able.

Most Sincerely,

Errol Fischer

Production Manager;

On behalf of the 2018 Remembrance Day Parade Committee

cc: Dale Bast President - Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 8

HCol Loreena McKennitt CM OM Event Coordinator - Remembrance Day Parade Committee

Rae Lange Owner – Lange Bros Ltd.

John Kastner General Manager - Stratford Perth Museum

Rick Boon Legion Coordinator – Remembrance Day Parade Committee

Mark McCauley Administrative Assistant – Remembrance Day Parade Committee

11