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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 15, 2024 - Waterfront Advisory CommitteeTHE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAYHAM WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA TRACKLESS LOUNGE 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville, ON Monday, January 15, 2024 5:00 p.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. DISCLOSURES OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF 3. DELEGATIONS 4. ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING(S) A. Minutes of the Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting held October 16, 2023 5. MATTERS OF BUSINESS A. Memo WAC-01/24 re East Beach Bioswale Maintenance and Phragmite Control B. Memo WAC-02/24 re Education Event – East Elgin Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) Collaboration Nominated for Blue Flag International Award C. Memo WAC-03/24 re Waterfront Advisory Committee 2024 Meeting Schedule 6. ADJOURNMENT THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAYHAM WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES TRACKLESS LOUNGE 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville, ON Monday, October 16, 2023 5:00 p.m. PRESENT: CHAIR RAINEY WEISLER COMMITTEE MEMBERS SERGE PIETERS MARNI WOLFE ASHLEY CARDINAL ABSENT: EARL SHEA STAFF ATTENDANCE: CAO|CLERK THOMAS THAYER CLERK MEAGAN ELLIOTT MANAGER OF PUBLIC WORKS / DRAINAGE SUPERINTENDENT STEVE ADAMS 1. CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Weisler called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. 2. DISCLOSURES OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF No disclosures of pecuniary interest were declared. 3. DELEGATIONS 4. ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING(S) A. Minutes of the Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting held July 17, 2023 Moved by: Committee Member Wolfe Seconded by: Committee Member Pieters THAT the minutes of the Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting held July 17, 2023 be approved as presented. CARRIED 5. MATTERS OF BUSINESS A. Memo WAC-09/23 re Council Decisions – WAC Recommendations to Council 2 Moved by: Committee Member Pieters Seconded by: Committee Member Cardinal THAT Memo WAC-09/23 re Outcomes of Recommendations to Council be received for information. CARRIED B. Memo WAC-10/23 re 2023 Education Sessions / 2024 Blue Flag Application Moved by: Committee Member Wolfe Seconded by: Committee Member Cardinal THAT Memo WAC-10/23 re 2023 Education Sessions / 2024 Blue Flag Application be received for information; AND THAT consideration be given to the following types of educational programming in 2024:  Flag-raising  Partnerships with local schools  Ecodemy educational programming  Clean-up days with community partners  Increased Blue Flag program visibility and opportunities to access information CARRIED C. Memo WAC-11/23 re Committee Procedure and Terms of Reference Moved by: Committee Member Pieters Seconded by: Committee Member Cardinal THAT Memo WAC-11/23 re Committee Procedure and Terms of Reference be received for information. CARRIED D. Memo WAC-12/23 re 2024 Committee Meeting Schedule Moved by: Committee Member Pieters Seconded by: Committee Member Wolfe THAT Memo WAC-12/23 re 2024 Committee Meeting Schedule be received for information; AND THAT the first meeting of 2024 will take place on January 15, 2024. CARRIED 6. ADJOURNMENT Moved by: Committee Member Wolfe Seconded by: Committee Member Pieters 3 THAT the Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting be adjourned at 6:08 p.m. CARRIED CHAIR CLERK MEMO WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO: Waterfront Advisory Committee FROM: Thomas Thayer, Chief Administrative Officer DATE: January 15, 2024 MEMO: WAC-01/24 SUBJECT: EAST BEACH BIOSWALE MAINTENANCE AND PHRAGMITE CONTROL BACKGROUND At its July 17, 2023 meeting, The Waterfront Advisory Committee (WAC) conducted a tour of the Port Burwell East Beach and received Memo WAC-05/23 re Beach Tour. The WAC passed the following motion: Moved by: Committee Member Shea Seconded by: Committee Member Wolfe THAT Memo WAC-05/23 re 2023 Beach Tour be received for information; AND THAT the Waterfront Advisory Committee recommends to Council that a line item regarding annual bioswale maintenance be referred to the 2024 Operating Budget discussions; AND THAT the Waterfront Advisory Committee recommends to Council that staff be directed to provide an information Report to Council on the history of bioswale maintenance prior to 2024 Operating Budget discussions. At its August 17, 2023 meeting, Council received the above recommendations from the WAC and passed the following motion: Moved by: Deputy Mayor Weisler Seconded by: Councillor Chilcott THAT the recommendations to Council from the Waterfront Advisory Committee be received for information; AND THAT staff be directed to Report to Council with an informational report on the history of bioswale maintenance before the Operating Budget deliberations; AND THAT a line item regarding annual bioswale maintenance be referred to the 2024 Operating Budget discussions; AND THAT Council accepts the Waterfront Advisory Committee’s recommendation for no further considerations on a community BBQ at the Beach; AND THAT further discussion on a playground at the Port Burwell East Beach be referred to the Capital Budget Special Meeting. This was communicated to the WAC via Memo WAC-09/23 at the October 16, 2023 meeting. DISCUSSION In accordance with Council’s direction, Report PS-18/23 re East Beach Bioswale Maintenance was presented to Council at its December 7, 2023 meeting. This Report is attached hereto for information. Bioswale maintenance was also included in the 2024-25 Draft Operating Budget under Tourism line item 5015-5100 Salaries & Wages as the maintenance is generally performed by Municipal staff or volunteers rather than a third-party contractor. Council has since received and referred the budget back to staff for further consideration of discretionary cost savings. With respect to phragmite control and in accordance with the information relayed in WAC-09/23, Paul Gagnon, Lands & Waters Supervisor from the Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) and former Blue Flag Beach Advisory Committee member, will attend the January 15, 2024 WAC meeting as an external resource to provide additional information on the bioswale and/or phragmite control. ATTACHMENTS 1. Report PS-18/23 re East Beach Bioswale Maintenance, presented to Council on December 7, 2023. RECOMMENDATION THAT Memo WAC-01/24 re East Beach Bioswale Maintenance and Phragmite Control be received for information. REPORT PHYSICAL SERVICES TO: Mayor & Members of Council FROM: Steve Adams, Manager of Public Works|Drainage Superintendent DATE: December 7, 2023 REPORT: PS-18/23 SUBJECT: EAST BEACH BIOSWALE MAINTENANCE BACKGROUND At its August 17, 2023 meeting, Council received recommendations from the Waterfront Advisory Committee. Council passed the following motion, in part: Moved by: Deputy Mayor Weisler Seconded by: Councillor Chilcott THAT the recommendations to Council from the Waterfront Advisory Committee be received for information; AND THAT staff be directed to Report to Council with an informational report on the history of bioswale maintenance before the Operating Budget deliberations; AND THAT a line item regarding annual bioswale maintenance be referred to the 2024 Operating Budget discussions; In 2018, under Phase 1 of the Port Burwell Master Drainage Plan, part of the drainage system was upgrades by way of a new outlet. This outlet was created at the turnaround at the Port Burwell East Beach on Robinson Street, and was in the form of a bioswale. The Robinson Street bioswale was created as an important feature to Phase 1. The Municipal Engineer at the time had developed a naturalized area along the west side of the East Beach that would allow storm water outflows to be naturally treated before entering Lake Erie. Part of the process to allow such an outlet to the East Beach was to ensure that the Municipality followed the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) approval process. Design and background information was provided as part of the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) process and now will continue to be part of the process moving forward. DISCUSSION Bioswale Maintenance When the bioswale was created and designed, it was designed as a low-maintenance, naturalized outlet. Nearly 2500 trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses were planted on top of 30cm of free draining aggregates topped off with planting material for all the plants provided. Over the past six (6) years, many of the outer shrubs along the fences survived and only a few throughout the center of the bioswale were not overtaken by cattails or phragmites. To date, staff have only minimally managed the maintenance of the bioswale in regards to the plantings. Yearly operations has generally allowed for light weed removal along the fence lines and access soils removed from blocking the outlet which is generally sand material from the roadway storm sewers at the bottom of Robinson Street. Currently, staff have been working to utilize the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) offered at Aylmer’s East Elgin Secondary School as a start to create a maintained naturalized bioswale that still allows the outlet surface water to be treated and soaked up before entering Lake Erie. On November 1, 2023, we had the ELP class attend and work with staff to remove overgrowth and non-native species within the bioswales. Furthermore, the ELP would like to utilize this as a continuing maintenance event for the education of bioswales and their importance to the shores of Lake Erie, and they are willing to make this an annual event in the fall and possibly in the spring to apply mulch around the shrubs. This will provide annual benefit to the Blue Flag Beach program. The aggressive invasive phragmites have been an issue within the bioswale as their speed of growth outstrips native species for water and other nutrients, which means they tend overpower areas like the East Beach bioswale. Phragmites carry a toxin within the roots that will kill the surrounding plants and hinder the growth of shrubs and small trees. Continuous efforts by cutting or burning, or utilization of herbicides, can prevent the growth of phragmites in this naturalized application and allow native plants to re-root and push out the remaining phragmites. In 2022, staff conducted a late cutting of the phragmites before the seed heads were established, and in the summer of 2023 we found much more new growth of broadleaf cattails, which encouraged staff to conduct another late summer phragmites cutting. Municipal staff believe the east beach bioswale is working as designed. Water is not being released from the bioswale at a rapid rate and although the phragmite are not pleasing to the eye and indeed invasive, they too are working to create naturalized filtration system area for outflows from our storm water system. Staff believe that working with local groups and summer staffing we can slowly recreate the bioswale to a once designed piece of infrastructure that may also be ecstatically eye catching to the east beach. Municipal Bioswale Responsibilities Pursuant to the Environmental Protections Act, under the new 2023 amendments, our Municipal storm management systems and East Beach bioswale are included in the Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval (CLI-ECA). The Municipality’s East Beach bioswale is an engineered bioswale that will now require operator manuals that identify operating and maintenance schedules. On completion of these manuals, record-keeping and annual reporting will be mandatory. Staff have engaged in discussions with the Municipality’s Drainage Engineer regarding what the Municipality would require in regards to an operator’s manual for the bioswale. In response, the operations manual would identify the original design along with the function of the storm water facility and other related information. In future years, the Municipality will be faced with additional stormwater management systems that will also fall under the CLI-ECA. Recommendations would be made in regards to operation and maintenance of applicable structures for a variety of stormwater management facilities. Municipal staff will then have to work collaboratively to complete annual compliance and reporting under the ECA annual reporting requirements. To complete an overall Municipal Stormwater Management System Operations Manual, staff would recommend an additional $5,000 would be added to the 2024 Operating Budget to for this project. Also required by June of 2025, signage would be installed at the locations identifying the Storm Management Facility and the prescribed minimum information. STRATEGIC PLAN 1.2 Quality of Place > to develop policies, plan and strategies to continually enhance the visitor experience to Bayham, and increase the economic benefit of tourism to the community. Initiative(s): Enhance the Port Burwell East Beach 2.1 Quality of Life > to work collaboratively with community organizations of a diverse range of passive recreational, heritage, cultural and other community services that contribute to enriching Bayham’s value of quality of life. Initiative(s): Enhance the Port Burwell East Beach RECOMMENDATION THAT Report PS-18/23 re East Beach Bioswale Maintenance be received for information; AND THAT further discussions regarding funds for a Municipal Stormwater Management System Operations Manual be referred to 2024 Operating Budget discussions. Respectfully Submitted by: Reviewed by: Steve Adams Thomas Thayer, CMO, AOMC Manager of Public Works|Drainage Superintendent Chief Administrative Officer MEMO WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO: Waterfront Advisory Committee FROM: Thomas Thayer, Chief Administrative Officer DATE: January 15, 2024 MEMO: WAC-02/24 SUBJECT: EDUCATION EVENT – EAST ELGIN ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (ELP) COLLABORATION NOMINATED FOR BLUE FLAG INTERNATIONAL AWARD BACKGROUND As a component of the annual Blue Flag application, applicants identify at least five (5) anticipated activities for the upcoming calendar year, and five (5) from the previous year. Further details on 2023 events were provided in Memo WAC-10/23 re 2023 Education Sessions / 2024 Blue Flag Application. The WAC received this Memo at its October 16, 2023 meeting and passed the following motion: Moved by: Committee Member Wolfe Seconded by: Committee Member Cardinal THAT Memo WAC-10/23 re 2023 Education Sessions / 2024 Blue Flag Application be received for information; AND THAT consideration be given to the following types of educational programming in 2024:  Flag-raising  Partnerships with local schools  Ecodemy educational programming  Clean-up days with community partners  Increased Blue Flag program visibility and opportunities to access information Further, at its October 19, 2023 meeting, Council received Report CAO-55/23 re Benefits and Costs – Blue Flag Status at the Port Burwell East Beach, and passed the following motion: Moved by: Councillor Chilcott Seconded by: Councillor Emerson THAT Report CAO-55/23 re Benefits and Costs – Blue Flag Status at the Port Burwell East Beach be received for information; AND THAT staff be directed to submit the 2024 Blue Flag application. DISCUSSION Since receipt of Memo WAC-10/23 and Report CAO-55/23, staff were able to arrange with the East Elgin Secondary School Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) to attend the East Beach Bioswale and participate in end-of-season clean-up efforts to ensure functionality of the bioswale in preparation for next season. This program was identified in the 2024 Blue Flag application as completed in 2023 and proposed in 2024 – possibly for both spring and fall. In December 2023, Swim Drink Fish, a non-profit that represents Canadian Blue Flag applicants, reached out to staff for further information on the collaboration with the ELP as they were interested in nominating the activity to Blue Flag International for an award. Swim Drink Fish advises: “Every year Blue Flag International hosts a best practices competition for the environmental education activities run at the different Blue Flag sites. This year's themes are:  Biodiversity  Pollution prevention  Climate Action” Staff requested additional photographs and information on the project, which staff have since provided. If successful, the Municipality will receive a special certificate from Blue Flag International and be featured on their website and media channels. Staff will advise as more information becomes known. RECOMMENDATION THAT Memo WAC-02/24 re Education Event – East Elgin Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) Collaboration Nominated for Blue Flag International Award be received for information. MEMO WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO: Waterfront Advisory Committee FROM: Thomas Thayer, Chief Administrative Officer DATE: January 15, 2024 MEMO: WAC-03/24 SUBJECT: WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2024 MEETING SCHEDULE BACKGROUND In accordance with the Waterfront Advisory Committee’s (WAC) Terms of Reference, the Committee is to set the Regular Meetings at the first meeting of the year. The Terms of Reference states that the WAC meets quarterly. DISCUSSION It is recommended that the meetings take place in the first month of each quarter with the 3rd quarter meeting being on-site at the East Beach for an annual beach tour. Monday, April 15, 2024; Monday, July 15, 2024; and Monday, October 21, 2024 are being proposed. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the call of the Chair, if deemed necessary. RECOMMENDATION THAT Memo WAC-03/24 re Waterfront Advisory Committee 2024 Meeting Schedule be received for information; AND THAT the following meeting dates be the Regular Meetings for the Waterfront Advisory Committee for 2024:  Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5:00 pm (Trackless)  Monday, July 15, 2024 at 5:00 pm (Beach)  Monday, October 21, 2024 at 5:00 pm (Trackless) AND THAT the first meeting of 2025 be scheduled at the October 21, 2024 meeting.