MINUTES FROM THE FIRST MEETING OF THE

MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE IN 2007

Town of Markham

York Room - Civic Centre

January 17, 2007 – 5:30 p.m.

Members Regrets

Helen Walter Judy McIntyre

Keith Thirgood Dianne More

Peter Ross David Black

Jonathan Mingay Amy Pialagitis

Frankie Rose

Michelle Sukul-Chan

Councillor C. Moretti

Councillor J. Webster

Guest

Shahid Mahmood

Staff

Regan Hutcheson, Heritage Planning

Bev Shugg Barbeito, Committee Clerk

The meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee meeting convened at 5:40 p.m. with Councillor J. Webster in the Chair.

1. WELCOME

Shahid Mahmood, President of the Greensborough Community Ratepayers Association, was welcomed to the committee.

Councillor J. Webster announced that that he and Councillor C. Moretti had been confirmed as co-chairs of the Main Street Markham Committee.

Councillor J. Webster reminded Committee members that, in the months prior to the Environmental Assessment and consideration of the Town Square and other projects, it will be very important to remind longtime residents as well as to educate newcomers and the next generation about the Main Street Markham vision. It will also be important for the Main Street Markham Committee to recruit new members and create effective strategies to bring the Main Street Markham vision to fruition.

2. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE NINTH MEETING OF THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE IN 2006

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the minutes of the Main Street Markham Committee meeting held on December 6, 2006, be adopted.

CARRIED

3. UPDATES

a) Incoming Planning Applications

Regan Hutcheson, Heritage Planning, advised that Town staff are working with developers of a multi-storey retail and residential development on the northwest corner of Edward Jeffreys Avenue and Highway 48 to resolve differences between the conceptual drawings first presented and actual drawing plans. Other applications have been received for proposed additions to buildings on Main St. and Princess St.

Councillor J. Webster advised the Committee about an application received by the Development Services Committee from Krashnik Investments that will entail a zoning change from Warehousing to Major Commercial. Mr. J. Mingay will review documents associated with the proposal and make a recommendation to the Committee regarding the stance it should take at the Public Hearing on the proposal.

ACTION: J. Mingay

b) Highway 48 Transfer of Jurisdiction Discussions

Regan Hutcheson advised that Town staff had indicated they expect total transfer to be completed by March 2007.

c) Environmental Assessment – Highway 48

Regan Hutcheson advised that the Town is currently at the stage of selecting a consultant for this project. He also advised that Town staff hope that, when the transfer of Highway 48 is complete, background material regarding the roads and their construction will also be transferred to the Town; these materials will augment other research to be conducted as part of the assessment. Lloyd Fernandez is leading the project; he will be asked to attend a future meeting to update Committee members.

ACTION: R. Hutcheson

Councillor C. Moretti offered to distribute the Environmental Assessment Project - Terms of Reference to Committee members.

ACTION: Councillor C. Moretti

d) Master Plan Environmental Sub-Committee

Mr. J. Mingay reported that benches and receptacles have been on order for some time. The Committee was also advised that a bench was destroyed as the result of a recent vehicular accident. Mr. Mingay will follow up regarding the status of the items on order, and a replacement for the destroyed bench.

ACTION: J. Mingay

e) Promotion of Main Street Sub-Committee

It was reported earlier that Ms. D. More would arrange a meeting with Mr. K. Thirgood and Ms. M. Sukul-Chan on this matter. Ms. M. Sukul-Chan will contact Ms. D. More about the meeting.

ACTION: M. Sukul-Chan

f) Tannery Pond

Mr. K. Thirgood reported that repeated efforts have failed to locate the project designer, Glen Herrington of Herrington & Hoyle.

Mr. Thirgood advised that funds are required for interpretative signage and Phase 2 (Meandering) of the Tannery Pond Project. Mr. Hutcheson reported that a Town department budget has $14,500 assigned to the project. Budget figures distributed to the Committee in Fall 2006 indicate $33,342 for the Meandering Project.

The Committee was advised that funds need to be quickly determined for this project because the Town is currently in the process of finalizing its 2007 budget. In an effort to determine what the funds noted above had been reserved for, what funds have been reserved for Phase 2 of the project and what additional funds could be allocated to the Phase 2, Mr. Thirgood will speak with staff, and Mr. Hutcheson will review past Committee minutes for any information relating to the budget for this item.

ACTION: K. Thirgood, R. Hutcheson

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the Main Street Markham Committee request that the Town determine all budgeted funds associated with the Tannery Pond Project, pool all such funds, and move forward with Phase 2 (Meandering) of the Tannery Pond Project immediately.

CARRIED

g) Official Plan and Zoning Sub-Committee

Mr. P. Ross and Mr. Hutcheson will meet to prepare a report for presentation to the Committee at the next meeting.

ACTION: P. Ross, R. Hutcheson

h) Update on Bypass Signage

It was reported that signage will reflect both the former and current names of the Bypass.

This item has been completed and will be removed from future agendas.

i) Merge Lanes on Main Street South

Mr. P. Ross reported that York Region officials were to study this issue, but have not done so as yet. Mr. Ross will follow up on this matter.

ACTION: P. Ross

j) Budget Update/ Review of Unspent Budget

The Committee advised that it would like to receive information about budget amounts and the Committee’s ability to spend the funds. Mr. K. Thirgood, Ms. H. Walter and Mr. J. Mingay will meet with Councillor C. Moretti to develop a Committee budget that Councillor C. Moretti will submit as part of the Councillor’s budget request for the Town’s 2007 budget.

ACTION: K. Thirgood, H. Walter, J. Mingay, Councillor C. Moretti

k) Newspaper boxes on Main Street

It was reported that there are some boxes that do not conform to the design standards. Ms. M. Sukul-Chan will review Markham Village BIA bylaws and minutes and make recommendations at the next meeting.

ACTION: M. Sukul-Chan

Councillor J. Webster reported that York Region Transit plans to install standard garbage receptacles at each of its facilities and transit stops region-wide. There are two such stops in the Markham Village Heritage district; for these stops, York Region Transit has sourced receptacles in an “old-fashioned” cast iron style. The Committee expressed disappointment that the design of these receptacles is not in keeping with design guidelines already in place to maintain continuity. Ms. M. Sukul-Chan will check the two locations to determine if there are any Town of Markham receptacles there.

ACTION: M. Sukul-Chan

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the Main Street Markham Committee accepts the new receptacles planned by York Region Transit for two transit stops on Main Street Markham and would prefer that York Region Transit not place the new receptacles along Highway 48; however, if York Region Transit plans to change receptacles along Highway 48, then the Main Street Markham Committee would prefer that a total of four receptacles be installed: at two transit stops on Main Street Markham and on two corners of the intersection of Highways 7 and 48.

CARRIED

l) Trees on Private Property

Ms. M. Sukul-Chan reported that she had met with Town staff and determined several areas where it would not be appropriate to plant trees. Ms. Sukul-Chan will meet with Town staff again soon to determine the type and quantity of trees to order.

ACTION: M. Sukul-Chan

m) Status of Town Square Feasibility Study

It was reported that there may be a possibility to develop a Town Square with the sale of appropriate property to the Town; this would support the Main Street Markham vision of creating a “people friendly” street. It was also reported that the Markham Village Conservancy has had specific plans developed by Ken Hoyle at a cost of $18,000. The Main Street Markham Committee had previously discussed supporting only a feasibility study proposed by the Markham Village Conservancy.

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

That the Main Street Markham Committee allocate $10,000 in the 2007 budget to further the aims of developing a Town Square, closely monitor spending of this amount, but not take definitive action at this time, and further that the Main Street Markham Committee defer discussion of this subject to the next meeting.

CARRIED

n) Heritage District Event Notification Signage

Mr. Hutcheson reported he is meeting with the Markham Village BIA about the proposal and the possibility of sharing cots. The proposal calls for adding up to two separate panels below existing district entry signs to eliminate the need for temporary event signage, create consistency in event signage and increase the ability to promote events. Final details and costs will be presented at a future meeting.

4. NEW BUSINESS

It was agreed to add two topics to the agenda for future meetings: the Mural at 107 Main Street and Budget Update.

Committee members discussed a number of issues relevant to the process of Main Street Markham Committee meetings. It was agreed to have a “meet and greet” period from 5:30 – 5:45 PM, with meetings starting promptly at 5:45 PM. Meetings will be limited to two hours, with an option to extend the meeting time if necessary. Meetings will continue to be held at Markham Town Centre. During meetings, Committee members will indicate to the Chair that they wish an opportunity to speak in meeting discussions, and will wait to be recognized by the Chair for their turn to speak.

5. NEXT MEETING

The next scheduled meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee is February 21, 2007.

6. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee adjourned at 8:45 p.m.