Agenda
Parks and Environment Committee
- Meeting No.:
- 16
- Contact:
- Dela Ting, Committee Administrator
- Meeting Date:
- Monday, October 15, 2012
- Phone:
- 416-397-7769
- Start Time:
- 9:30 AM
- E-mail:
- pec@toronto.ca
- Location:
- Committee Room 1, City Hall
- Chair:
- Councillor Norman Kelly
Parks and Environment Committee | ||
Councillor Norm Kelly, Chair Councillor Raymond Cho, Vice Chair | Councillor Ron Moeser Councillor James Pasternak | Councillor Michelle Berardinetti Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon |
Members of Council and Staff: Please keep this agenda and the accompanying material until the City Council meeting dealing with these matters has ended.
Special Assistance for Members of the Public: City staff can arrange for special assistance with some advance notice. If you need special assistance, please call 416-338-5852, TTY 416-338-0889 or e‑mail pec@toronto.ca.
Closed Meeting Requirements: If the Parks and Environment Committee wants to meet in closed session (privately), a member of the Committee must make a motion to do so and give the reason why the Committee has to meet privately (City of Toronto Act, 2006).
Notice to people writing or making presentations to the Parks and Environment Committee: The City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the City of Toronto Municipal Code authorize the City of Toronto to collect any personal information in your communication or presentation to City Council or its committees. The City collects this information to enable it to make informed decisions on the relevant issue(s). If you are submitting letters, faxes, e-mails, presentations or other communications to the City, you should be aware that your name and the fact that you communicated with the City will become part of the public record and will appear on the City’s website. The City will also make your communication and any personal information in it - such as your postal address, telephone number or e-mail address - available to the public, unless you expressly request the City to remove it.
The City makes a video record of committee and community council meetings. If you make a presentation to a committee or community council, the City will be video-recording you and City staff may make the video record available to the public.
If you want to learn more about why and how the City collects your information, write to the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto ON M5H 2N2 or by calling 416-397-7769.
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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
Speakers/Presentations: A complete list will be distributed at the meeting
Confirmation of Minutes:September 14, 2012
Communications/Reports
PE16.1 - Toronto Botanical Garden - Request for Funding
- Consideration Type:
- ACTION
Summary
Presentation will be given to the Parks and Environment Committee from the Executive Director, Toronto Botanical Garden.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-50640.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/comm/communicationfile-32353.pdf
PE16.2 - Community Fundraising for Park Enhancements
- Consideration Type:
- ACTION
- Wards:
- All
Origin
Recommendations
The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that:
1. This report be received for information.
Summary
The purpose of this report is to respond to the Parks and Environment Committee's request that the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation report back on opportunities that enable communities to suggest ideas and fundraise for park enhancement projects and to report on guidelines for the fundraising activities undertaken by community groups in support of park enhancement projects.
Financial Impact
There are no financial implications resulting from the receipt of this report.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-50636.pdf
Communications
(September 14, 2012) E-mail from David Arnold, Guildwood Village Community Association (PE.Main.16.2.2)
(October 11, 2012) Letter from David Harvey, Director, Toronto Park People (PE.New.16.2.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/comm/communicationfile-32319.pdf
PE16.3 - Wood Waste - Opportunities for Cost Recovery
- Consideration Type:
- ACTION
- Wards:
- All
Origin
Recommendations
The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that:
1. This report be received for information.
Summary
As a by-product of tree maintenance operations, Urban Forestry produces a large volume of wood chips, as well as tree limb and stem wood. This report outlines the nature of these by-products, current uses, recycling and disposal practices, as well as options for potential revenue generation.
Financial Impact
There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-50590.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/comm/communicationfile-32354.pdf
PE16.4 - Core Service Review - Revising the Timeframe to achieve the City's Tree Canopy Goals
- Consideration Type:
- ACTION
- Wards:
- All
Origin
Recommendations
The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that:
1. City Council approve the revised Urban Forestry Service Plan, conditional on funding availability, that will extend the timeframe to fully implement the financial and service delivery strategy to achieve the City's tree canopy goals by seven (7) years; and
2. The proposed Consolidated Funding Plan outlined in this report be referred to the 2013 Operating Budget Process for consideration.
Summary
The purpose of this report is to respond to City Council's request that a review of the Urban Forestry Service Plan be conducted and that a report with recommended changes to extend the timeframe to achieve the City's tree canopy goals be submitted to the Parks and Environment Committee. This report presents a revised financial strategy which when implemented, will contribute to the achievement of a healthy, diverse and sustainable urban forest.
The consolidated funding proposed takes into consideration the financial pressures resulting from the management of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), and will extend the timeframe to implement the Service Plan by seven (7) years, from 2016 to 2023. From 2013 to 2019 resources will be diverted to manage EAB. Focus on implementing the Service Plan will begin in 2017 as EAB subsides. This funding strategy will enable Urban Forestry to maintain the 2011 service levels for the next four years while providing Urban Forestry with the resources to implement the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) strategy.
This report also responds to Parks and Environment Committee's request that staff report back on replenishing or adding money to the Environment Protection Reserve Fund – Tree Canopy Allocation XR1718. The Environment Protection Reserve Fund was established to provide one-time funding only, towards enhancement and protection of the City's tree canopy. Urban Forestry does not have the means to replenish the Environment Protection Reserve Fund.
Financial Impact
See table in the staff report for financial information.
The Consolidated Funding Plan is a combination of the EAB funding plan and the revised Service Plan. The Consolidated Funding Plan requires $7.2 million less in funding from 2013 onwards when compared to the original Service Plan approved by Council in 2008 ($231.1 million vs. $238.3 million).
The Consolidated Funding Plan, as outlined in Figure 1 below, includes $48 million in reserve funding from the Environment Protection Reserve Fund (XR1718) approved in 2008 and $61.3 million in one-time funding for which the funding source is yet to be identified. The Consolidated Funding Plan also requires $152.4 million in base budget property tax funding and results in an incremental increase in property tax funding of $17.6 million phased in over 10 years reaching the total additional base funding requirement of $22 million in 2023.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-50591.pdf