Item - 2016.PW12.10

Tracking Status

PW12.10 - Coordinated Street Furniture Program - Status Update Year 8 and Publication Box Licensing Program Review

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Wards:
All

City Council Decision

City Council on May 3, 4 and 5, 2016, adopted the following:

 

1.  City Council approve an in-year budget adjustment to establish a new capital account ("Transit Shelter Property Acquisition") in the amount of $100,000, fully funded from the Public Realm Reserve Fund (XR1410), for the purpose of acquiring property to support the installation of full transit shelters in areas with limited City-owned property.

 

2.  City Council direct that the results of the acquisition program be added to the annual reporting requirement for the Street Furniture program.

 

3.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to migrate all publications boxes into multipublication kiosks or box corrals with a target completion date of December 31, 2020.

 

4.  City Council direct that the General Manager, Transportation Services, undertake measures to improve and increase the use of existing multipublication kiosks, and to report back on their use with the Year 9 Street Furniture report in the second quarter of 2017.

 

5.  City Council amend § 743-3, Publication dispensing boxes, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, by:

 

a.  deleting Subsection 743-3G(2)(k) and inserting instead a new Subsection 743-3G(2)(k) as follows: 

 

Within 2.1 meters of any entrance to the Toronto Transit Commission subway system so that an unobstructed access to or from the subway system entrance is maintained;

 

b.  deleting Subsection 743-3G(7);  

 

c.  deleting the phrase: "30 days" from Subsection 743-3H(2) and inserting instead the phrase: "60 days"; 

 

d.  inserting a new subsection (6) in Subsection 743-3I as follows:

 

All fees specified in Subsection 743-3I are non-refundable; and

 

e.  inserting a new subsection (7) in Subsection 743-3I as follows:

 

The fees specified in Subsections 743-3I(1) and 743-3I(3)(a) apply to annual terms which constitute the entirety of a calendar year. These fees shall nonetheless be paid in full for the entirety of the calendar year term for any calendar year or part thereof which the publication dispensing box, unit or kiosk is placed and maintained on a street of the City.

Background Information (Committee)

(March 30, 2016) Report and Appendices A-D from the General Manager, Transportation Services on Coordinated Street Furniture Program - Status Update Year 8 and Publication Box Licensing Program Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-91674.pdf

Communications (Committee)

(April 18, 2016) Letter from Grant Humes, Executive Director, Toronto Financial District BIA (PW.New.PW12.10.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/comm/communicationfile-59946.pdf

Motions (City Council)

Motion to Adopt Item (Carried)

PW12.10 - Coordinated Street Furniture Program - Status Update Year 8 and Publication Box Licensing Program Review

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee recommends that:

 

1. City Council approve an in-year budget adjustment to establish a new capital account ("Transit Shelter Property Acquisition") in the amount of $100,000, fully funded from the Public Realm Reserve Fund (XR1410), for the purpose of acquiring property to support the installation of full transit shelters in areas with limited City-owned property.

 

2. City Council direct that the results of the acquisition program be added to the annual reporting requirement for the Street Furniture program.

 

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to migrate all publications boxes into multipublication kiosks or box corrals with a target completion date of December 31, 2020.

 

4. City Council direct that the General Manager, Transportation Services, undertake measures to improve and increase the use of existing multipublication kiosks, and report back on their use with the Year 9 Street Furniture report in the second quarter of 2017.

 

5. City Council amend § 743-3, Publication dispensing boxes, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of , by:

 

a. Deleting Subsection 743-3G(2)(k) and inserting in lieu thereof a new Subsection 743-3G(2)(k) as follows:

 

"Within 2.1 meters of any entrance to the Toronto Transit Commission subway system so that an unobstructed access to or from the subway system entrance is maintained;"

 

b. Deleting Subsection 743-3G(7);

 

c. Deleting the phrase: "30 days" from Subsection 743-3H(2) and inserting in lieu thereof the phrase: "60 days";

 

d. Inserting a new subsection (6) in Subsection 743-3I as follows: "All fees specified in Subsection 743-3I are non-refundable"; and

 

e. Inserting a new subsection (7) in Subsection 743-3I as follows: "The fees specified in Subsections 743-3I(1) and 743-3I(3)(a) apply to annual terms which constitute the entirety of a calendar year. These fees shall nonetheless be paid in full for the entirety of the calendar year term for any calendar year or part thereof which the publication dispensing box, unit or kiosk is placed and maintained on a street of the City."

Origin

(March 30, 2016) Report from the General Manager, Transportation Services

Summary

The Coordinated Street Furniture Program is a partnership with Astral Out-of-Home to install, operate, and maintain over 24,500 pieces of street furniture over a 20-year period. The agreement with Astral began in 2007, and follows a fiscal year of September 1 to August 31. This report covers Year 8 of the agreement, for the 2014-15 fiscal year. The Agreement has resulted in the installation and maintenance of 16,855 elements to date, and has provided the City with more than $126 million in revenue.

 

As directed by City Council, the annual report outlines the revenues received by the City from the Program, an update on the rollout of the inventory of street furniture elements, and an overview of maintenance performance and issues. The deployment of new street furniture pieces is on schedule. Maintenance of street furniture continues to be a challenge, particularly cleaning vandalism and maintaining litter bins. Staff and Astral are working to continuously improve both effectiveness and response times for these issues.

 

Moving forward, staff are requesting funding for the purchase of private property where insufficient space exists for the installation of full transit shelters. Minor adjustments to the management of the publication box licensing program are also recommended.

Background Information

(March 30, 2016) Report and Appendices A-D from the General Manager, Transportation Services on Coordinated Street Furniture Program - Status Update Year 8 and Publication Box Licensing Program Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-91674.pdf

Communications

(April 18, 2016) Letter from Grant Humes, Executive Director, Toronto Financial District BIA (PW.New.PW12.10.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/comm/communicationfile-59946.pdf

Motions

Motion to Adopt Item moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council