DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning & Urban Design
	PREPARED BY:	Robert Tadmore, Coordinator of Geomatics/GIS Advocate
	DATE OF MEETING:	2003-Feb-18
	SUBJECT:	Streamlining Street Name Approvals and Ensuring Culturally Diverse Street Names

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the reports dated February 4, 2003, and February 18, 2003 entitled “Streamlining Street Name Approvals and Ensuring Culturally Diverse Street Names”, be received:

And that council endorse the street naming process outlined below:

Town of Markham Street Naming Approval Process

1. Submission of proposed street names to staff (submissions to come from developers, Councillors, or special requests from Markham residents);

2. Circulation of proposed street names (for acceptance or rejection) to affected Ward Councillor (if applicable), the Region of York and the Fire Department;

3. Addition of acceptable street names to the street name reserve list;

4. Presentation of the street name reserve list to Development Services Committee, for approval, on a quarterly basis;

5. Director of Planning and Urban Design – assignment of street names from the street name reserve list to a draft plan of subdivision;

6. Assigned names are so noted on the street name reserve list and utilized names are removed upon registration of the plan.

Note: Should the timing of registration of a plan not fit with this process, staff will bring proposed street names directly to Development Services Committee (through a Part A presentation), for approval.

PURPOSE:

This report is to further address street naming matters raised through Committee’s consideration of staff’s February 4, 2003, report. On February 4, 2003, Committee referred this matter back to staff for revision to the suggested process, based on Committee’s input.

BACKGROUND:

On February 4, 2003, Committee considered a staff report entitled “Streamlining Street Name Approvals and Ensuring Culturally Diverse Street Names”. Committee raised a number of concerns related to the process suggested in the report. These included:

• Timelines for replacing existing veteran street name signs with signs that include a poppy;
• Circulation of proposed street names to affected Ward Councillors, or all Councillors; and;
• Process requirements in regard to culturally diverse street names.

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

Timelines and costs of replacing veteran street name signs

There are currently 22 veteran street name signs erected across the Town, without poppies. Staff will work with the Street Services Department to determine the cost and timing of replacing these signs, and will advise Council as matters progress.

Circulation of proposed street names to affected Ward Councillor or all Councillors?

Staff understand Council’s desire to review and approve street names, as they contribute to the development of our communities. As a result of the discussion on February 4, 2003, we have revised the recommended street naming process to include quarterly submissions of the street name reserve list to Committee, for approval. It should be noted that, should the timing of the registration of a plan not fit with this recommended process, staff will bring proposed street names directly to Committee (through a Part A presentation), for approval.

Ensuring Multi-Cultural Street Names

Cautions raised by some members of Committee, regarding the use of culturally diverse street names, included:

· Appropriateness over time, given that a neighbourhood’s ethnicity may be diverse or change over time; and

· Potential pronunciation difficulties.

All potential street names submitted to Staff are circulated to the Region of York and the Fire Department, and are reviewed from a life safety perspective. Street names are rejected if they are difficult to pronounce, or if they are similar to an existing street name in York Region. This process ensures that, when emergency calls come in, dispatchers can convey a clear direction (street name and house number) to emergency services. A recent example is the acceptance of the two candidate street names proposed by Councillor Usman (“Peshawar” and “Lahore”) and the rejection of a third name (“Iqbal”).

Staff continue to support the submission of culturally diverse street names.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no financial implications that would arise out of the matters being dealt with in this report. There would be some measure of time saved by staff and applicants attempting to obtain street names to apply to subdivision plans and engineering drawings.

Financial implications for replacing existing veteran street name signs will be reported separately.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Development Services Commission staff, involved in the development review and approval process, are dependent on a timely process of street name approvals.

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

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