MINUTES FROM THE THIRD MEETING OF THE

MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE IN 2007

 

Town of Markham

York Room - Civic Centre

 

March 21, 2007 – 5:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Members                                                                      Regrets

Keith Thirgood                                                             Councillor C. Moretti

Peter Ross                                                                    Frankie Ross

Helen Walter                                                                Michelle Sukul-Chan

Jonathan Mingay                                                           Dianne More               

Councillor J. Webster                                                  

 

Staff

Regan Hutcheson, Heritage Planning

Alida Tari, Committee Clerk

Bev Shugg Barbeito, Committee Clerk

 

 

The third meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee meeting in 2007 convened at 5:45 p.m. with Councillor J. Webster in the Chair.

 

 

1.         MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 21, 2007 MEETING OF THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE

 

            The committee identified the following corrections in italics:

 

 

            ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT – HIGHWAY 48

Mr. Lloyd Fernandes, Sr. Capital Works Engineer, was in attendance to present an update on the Highway 48 Environmental Assessment (EA) process. The Committee had before it a draft Terms of Reference for the EA. Mr. Fernandes highlighted central components of the draft indicating the consultant selection process was currently underway in which a final Request for Proposal  (RFP) would be released sometime in mid March 2007. The recommendation for the preferred consultant(s) would be reported to Council for approval following a four (4) week period where applicants would be asked to develop a submission based on the Terms of Reference.


 

The Committee suggested that section 3.8 of the terms of reference should indicate that the work of the consultants should build upon results of previous studies, including the Main Street Markham Streetscape and Traffic Management Study approved by Council in 2003. It was also recommended that the Committee be referenced within the Background portion of the final document. Members also suggested staff continue to liaise with the Main Street Markham Committee to ensure they are kept up to date and able to contribute when possible. The Committee expressed its wish that the next phase of construction, after 16th Avenue and Highway 7 intersection work, would involve the core village. The committee is opposed to widening Main Street (south of Highway 7) to four lanes (two lanes in each direction).

 

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the Minutes of the Main Street Markham Committee meeting held on February 21, 2007, be adopted, as amended.

 

CARRIED

 

The revised minutes on this item should be sent to L. Fernandes, Sr. Capital Works Engineer.

                                                                                                            ACTION:  A.Tari

 

2.         UPDATES:

 

a)                  Incoming Planning Applications

 

Regan Hutcheson, Heritage Planning, advised that no new applications had been received.

 

Mr. J. Mingay reported that he reviewed documents associated with the proposal from Krashnik Investments at 16th Avenue and Anderson Avenue that will entail a zoning change from Warehousing to Major Commercial. He advised that there were no major issues with the proposal provided that the development followed established guidelines regarding the streetscape et al.

 

Councillor Webster advised that whenever he reads an application that may be of interest to the committee, he distributes it to committee members for their review.

 

b)         Highway 48 Transfer of Jurisdiction Discussions

 

Regan Hutcheson advised that Town staff had indicated they expect the transfer to be completed in April 2007.

 

c)         Environmental Assessment – Highway 48

 

Regan Hutcheson advised that the Terms of Reference would be submitted for approval to General Committee on April 16th and to Council on April 24th. On April 13th, Committee members will be sent an email with a link to the document. Committee members agreed to meet on Saturday, April 14th at 1:00 PM at 27 Parkway Avenue to discuss the document and committee reactions to it.

ACTION: A. Tari, Committee Clerk

 

The Terms of Reference must be approved by Council before the Request for Proposal is released. Interested parties will be given four weeks to respond, staff will review proposals and it is expected a report will be made to Council in June.

 

d)         Master Plan Environmental Sub-Committee

 

Mr. J. Mingay reported that seven benches and two receptacles have been received. He will meet with Town staff to determine appropriate locations for them. A light standard, destroyed as the result of a recent vehicular accident, will be replaced by the insurance company; the light standard is currently on back order.

ACTION: J. Mingay

 

e)         Promotion of Main Street Sub-Committee

 

No report was available.

 

It had been reported previously that Ms. D. More would arrange a meeting with Mr. K. Thirgood and Ms. M. Sukul-Chan on this matter, but no meeting has been arranged. Committee members expressed concerned since there is an urgent need to promote Markham Village to residents living north of the village.  It was felt that the committee should plan to share “the joys of Main Street” with all Ratepayers Associations, School Boards, and other groups.

 

Keith Thirgood and Helen Walter indicated that they are willing to provide their communications expertise. They will refresh the presentation and Helen Walter will conduct the first presentation to measure its effectiveness.

ACTION: K. Thirgood, H. Walter

 

f)          Tannery Pond

 

The Committee expressed concern that it is not possible to move forward on projects associated with Tannery Pond without knowing what budget is available to accomplish them.

 

THE MAIN STREET MARKHAM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS:

 

That the Main Street Markham Committee request that Linda Irving issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the moving of the bridge and naturalization of the water flow, and request that Linda Irving review current budget accounts to determine what funds are available for this project.

 

CARRIED

ACTION:  Linda Irvine

 

 

 

g)         Official Plan and Zoning Sub-Committee

 

This item was deferred to the September meeting.

 

 

 

 

h)         Merge Lanes on Main Street South

 

Peter Ross reported that York Region and Town staff have agreed to do nothing more at this time. He would like a “Merge Left” sign displayed prominently. Councillor Webster offered to try an informal approach to see what could be accomplished.

ACTION: Councillor J. Webster

 

i)          Budget Update

 

            No report was available.

 

The committee was reminded that there would not be a great number of expenses until the Environmental Assessment is completed. It was agreed that the committee will include an agenda item to brainstorm projects the committee could undertake and will devote at least fifteen minutes to this topic.

ACTION: Alida Tari, Committee Clerk

           

The October 2006 budget list will be updated and sent to Councillor Webster.

ACTION: R. Hutcheson

 

The committee also asked to see the results of the research prepared by the student who worked at the Museum.  The Main Street Markham Committee had recommended and obtained funding for this project.

 

ACTION:  Councillor J. Webster

 

j)          Newspaper boxes on Main Street

 

            No report was available.

 

k)         Trees on Private Property

 

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

 

l)          Status of Town Square Feasibility Study

 

At the committee’s January meeting, it was reported that the Markham Village Conservancy 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 Committee agreed to 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 that time.

 

            Councillor Webster has had discussions with a local developer who seems excited about the possibilities related to development of a town square.

 

            Regan Hutcheson advised that Jim Baird has asked that he and Linda Irving draft a Request for Proposal for a proper feasibility study.

 

m)        Heritage District Event Notification Signage

 

Regan Hutcheson advised that he had met with Phil Howes(Markham BIA). The signage proposal calls for adding up to two separate panels on new Special Event Notice Signs to be erected on Main Street at Bullock Drive and near Highway 7 rather than using existing district entry signs.  The new signage would help to eliminate the need for temporary event signage, create consistency in event signage and increase the ability to promote events.

 

 

n)         Mural at 107 Main Street

 

Keith Thirgood, Helen Walter and Phil Howes will meet with David Black next week on this subject.

ACTION: K. Thirgood, H. Walter

 

o)         Membership

 

It was agreed that it is important to attract additional members to the committee. Michelle Sukul-Chan will be encouraged to remain a member of the committee as an interested local resident.

 

4.         NEW BUSINESS

 

The Committee agreed it would like to receive the minutes of the meeting within one week of the meeting date.

 

Councillor Moretti will determine the start time and food available for the next meeting.

ACTION: Councillor C. Moretti

 

5.         NEXT MEETING

 

The next scheduled meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee is April 18, 2007.

 

6.         ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting of the Main Street Markham Committee adjourned at 7:40 p.m.