Hamilton Public Works Committee: December 2, 2014 [Replay]

The Public Works Committee is holding their final meeting of 2013 and there is only one potentially contentious item on the agenda: Snow Event Response.

The five page report has taken nine months to complete, says based upon “anecdotal feedback”, citizens are not interested in slow plow locations and therefore there is no need to provide an implementation plan for Council’s consideration as directed. Staff promise that if “feasible”, the City’s website may be updated during snow events this year.

There are two great staff reports on today’s agenda as well. Forestry is following up and implementing changes presented by a resident in a delegation this summer, and the City’s bike share program is launching in April with a bid winner whose plan exceeds expectations.

Live video starts at 9:30am.



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PUBLIC WORKS AGENDA
Monday, December 2, 2014

CONSENT ITEMS
5.1 Hamilton Cycling Committee Minutes
(a) August 7, 2013 (b) September 4, 2013

5.2 Tree Health and Maintenance in the Hamilton and Dundas Downtown Areas (PW13089)

5.3 Correspondence from the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club (PW13095)

5.4 2014 Volunteer Committee Budget – Keep Hamilton Clean & Green Committee (PW13090)

5.5 2014 Volunteer Committee Budget Submission – Hamilton Cycling Committee (PW13091)

5.6 Correspondence from QPA Solar requesting a Resolution of support under the OPA FIT program version 3.0 for the installation of a solar PV ground mounted system 367 Highway #5 West, Dundas

DISCUSSION ITEMS
8.1 Hamilton Utilities Corporation Joint Advisory Committee – Report 13-002

8.2 Petition from West 19th Residents Regarding Road Improvements(PW13093)

8.3 Public Bike Share Implementation(PW13015(b))

8.4 Trash Tag System and Distribution Method for 2014 – 2015(PW13088)

8.5 Winter Control Program Snow Plow Tracking System (PW13096)

8.6 City of Hamilton/Metrolinx Multi-Year Governance Agreement(PW13092)

8.7 City Initiated Municipal Act Project – Extension of Municipal Sanitary Sewer on Chester Avenue (PW13094)

**MOTIONS
**9.1 Installation of Stop Controls at the Intersection of Glover Road and of Watershore Drive/Watercrest Drive

**DELAYED REPORTS
**Two-way Conversion Victoria Avenue North

CHANGES TO AGENDA
Notice of Motion: Cochrane Road Reconstruction
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Tree Health and Maintenance in the Hamilton and Dundas Downtown Areas

On June 3rd, Nicholas Schwetz delegated and presented his findings on the health of Hamilton’s downtown trees. Schwetz, an ecologist, was concerned about the poor conditions he saw of the trees downtown on his daily walk, and decided to do something about it.

The result: Staff are making changes to how trees are built into downtown sidewalks and proving that one citizen can make a difference.

**FULL STORY:

**Citizen gets results: City to Improve Health of Downtown Hamilton and Dundas Trees

City of Hamilton to Toronto Lynx Soccer Club: Thanks but No Thanks… At Least For Now

[![Toronto Lynx Logo](http://www.joeycoleman.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/227px-Toronto_Lynx_logo.png)](http://www.joeycoleman.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/227px-Toronto_Lynx_logo.png)Toronto Lynx Logo
The Toronto Lynx wrote City Council in August asking if Hamilton be interested in the USL Pro team relocating to the new stadium in 2015.

The answer from City staff: Thanks but no thanks, we’re looking for a higher level league anyway.

**FULL STORY:

**City of Hamilton to Toronto Lynx Soccer Club: Thanks but No Thanks… At Least For Now

Petition from West 19th residents

Residents of West 19th submitted a petition to Council about the state of their roadway and sidewalks.

City staff agree, the road and sidewalks are in poor condition.

However, they say there are insufficient funds to rebuild the street with current funding frameworks. Staff say they want to create a fund for local roadways and are trying to find a funding source for it.

Public Bike Share Implementation

[![Washington DC BikeShare](http://www.joeycoleman.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/BikeShare_JefNickersonPhoto-336x252.jpg)](http://www.joeycoleman.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/BikeShare_JefNickersonPhoto.jpg)Washington DC BikeShare
At a cost of $1.6 million, the City will purchase 650 bicycles to be located at 65 stations across Hamilton. The bike share program will be run by a local non-profit and will not receive any City funding beyond this initial capital investment.
**FULL STORY:

**Hamilton Getting a First-Class Bike Share, Hits the Road in April

Trash Tag System and Distribution Method

You’ll get your 2014/15 garbage tags in the mail this winter. The tags allow for extra garbage to be placed beyond the one bag per week per household limit.

This will be the second year of the tags. Last year, there was some confusion with residents mistaking the pamphlet containing the tags for junk mail.

Each household is entitled to 26 tags, only 12 of which are delivered by mail.

City staff say only 4% of households requested extra tags in 2014. If all 26 tags were mailed, there by 4,160,000 tags in circulation instead of the planned 1,920,000.

Cost of mailings: $105,000

Winter Control Program Snow Plow Tracking System

City Hall isn’t able to commit to updating it’s website during snow events, nor is it able to provide the public with information about where snowplows are during snow events.

Last winter, Hamilton’s snow plowing operations were significantly below expectations.

Councillors were upset, and vented at senior Public Works staff the during a tense Public Works Committee meeting in mid-January.

Staff were directed in March to create a plan for providing the public with snow plow information. In November, Councillors asked where it was. The result, a 5-page report that finds based upon “anecdotal feedback” citizens are not interested in snow plow information.

FULL STORY:

If “Feasible”, City Snow Response May Include Website Updates: Overdue Staff Report

City of Hamilton/Metrolinx Multi-Year Governance Agreement

A continuation of the status quo with Hamilton being part of Metrolinx and guaranteed one seat on the Board.

Delayed Reports

Two-way Conversion Victoria Avenue North

A report on implementing a two-way conversion of Victoria Avenue North is now deferred to the June 16, 2014 meeting. It was scheduled for today’s meeting.

Additions to Agenda

Cochrane Road Reconstruction

One addition to today’s agenda, Councillor Chad Collins is moving a notice of motion on Cochrane Road reconstruction. He wishes to use $600,000 from his area rating fund to completely reconstruct the row between Greenhill Avenue and Lawrence Road.