Members of the public are welcome to attend all council meetings, which take place at 7 p.m. in the Zima Room of the BWG Public Library.
There will be an open forum where residents can speak to council about any issue, but there will be no Committee of the Whole meeting tonight.
Closed session
BWG council will kick off the meeting with a session closed to the public.
According to the agenda, councillors will discuss three items: Civic Awards nominations, a claims and litigation update, and proposed or pending acquisition or disposal of land.
If council makes any decisions, it will make a motion in the public portion of the meeting.
Cannabis micro cultivation
Local resident Jackie Lunn is expected to make a deputation to council about cannabis micro cultivation, speaking as someone who is currently going through the federal licence process for micro cultivation, according to a letter attached to the council agenda.
Lunn has been growing medical marijuana for four years, and she is looking for approval for a minor variance to build a greenhouse and small shop on her property, which is at least 200 metres from any of her neighbours, read the letter.
The licence process is a “huge risk” for her, she wrote, and she believes council should not put a limit on lot size for cannabis micro cultivation, rather put greater importance on lot location.
Earlier this month, the town’s Committee of the Whole voted to freeze permissions for cannabis micro cultivation for one year or until town staff can gather all the information they need to re-examine the issue and bring a report back to the committee for consideration.
Council will vote Tuesday evening on whether to accept that recommendation.
Town budget
Council will vote on whether to change its budgeting system to budget for three years at a time instead of one.
Committee voted earlier this month to move to a three-year system, with council revisiting the budget annually to see whether any changes are needed.
Air conditioning
BWG council will vote on whether to accept a committee recommendation to remove air-conditioning units from zoning bylaw regulations.
The change in bylaw means there would be no more required interior yard setbacks for the placement of units, and residents would have greater flexibility in their units, according to a town staff report.
Bylaw enforcement officers could still have power to address other air-conditioning concerns, including drainage and noise, the report noted.
However, if units went over the property line, bylaw officers would not be able to enforce this, rather the issue would become a civil dispute between neighbours.
Air conditioning has become a hot topic in BWG in recent years.
Several local residents had to re-install their air-conditioning units after the town’s enforcement officers got involved when some third-party contractors installed the units incorrectly under the town’s zoning bylaws.
BWG Transit
Council will vote on whether to endorse $154,096 toward BWG Transit to participate in the federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
The 10-year program will see up to $8.3 billion in combined federal, provincial and
other partner funding for public transit, according to a town staff report.
Through the program, BWG Transit is eligible for a total $577,788, of which $154,096 is to be
municipal funded.
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
Mike Walters, CAO of the conservation authority, is expected to make a deputation to council about the organization’s priorities for 2019.
Among its plans for the year include emergency mapping and flood relief, enhancing sediment and erosion control, climate-change mitigation, and renovating the Scanlon Creek Operations Centre, according to a presentation attached to the council agenda.
As well, Walers will update council on the conservation authority’s fundraising and construction plans for a renovated Education Centre, for which construction is expected to begin in 2021.
BWG Public Library
Library CEO Terri Watman and Library Board Chair Jennifer Harrison are expected to make a deputation to council about 2018 highlights.
The library estimates its total economic impact at $11,255,387, and every dollar invested in the library generates $4.65 of value, according to their presentation.
