Council Connect: Highlights from the May 24, 2022, meetings of Council

Tecumseh Town Council met electronically this evening and here are the highlights:

Public Council Meetings

Additional Residential Unit Proposed for Riverside Drive Property: Council held a public meeting about a proposal to rezone 12322 Riverside Drive to allow the existing garage to be converted to a stand-alone residential unit. The residential property is located on Lake St. Clair just east of Lesperance Road. The garage is between the main dwelling and Riverside Drive. The application meets the requirements for an additional residential unit.

Rezoning of Agricultural Land Subject of Meeting: Council held a meeting to hear public comments about an application to rezone severed agricultural lands on Holden Road. The Committee of Adjustment has approved the severance of a 0.55-hectare residential lot at 6780 Holden Road. The approval is subject to zoning changes that allow for the slightly oversized residential lot and prohibit the construction of a residence on the remaining 20.13-hectare parcel of agricultural land.

Regular Meeting of Council

Purchase of Library HVAC Units Proceeding: The Town will purchase two new HVAC units for the CADA Library from Trane Canada ULC for $48,183 plus $848 HST. The price is $5,031 over the amount budgeted and Council voted to take the additional money from the Town’s buildings lifecycle reserve fund.

Outer Drive Property Site Plan Approved: A site plan for adding two buildings to an industrial property on Outer Drive, along with associated changes, was approved by Council. The site plan for 5395-5405 Outer Drive, which is just north of the intersection with Blackacre Drive, is for an 876.5-square-metre (9,435-square-foot) industrial building and a 91-square-metre (980-square-foot) accessory storage structure. There is currently an industrial building on the northern portion of the 0.71-hectare (1.77-acre) property.

Second Industrial Site Plan Approved: Council also approved a site plan for an addition to an industrial building at 5515 Roscon Industrial Drive. The owner is proposing to build a 1,340-square-metre (14,430-square-foot) addition to an existing 2,920-square-metre (31,435-square-foot) building, along with associated on-site works. The business occupying the current building specializes in metal fabrication for the race car industry.

Proposal Qualifies for Parking Grant: Council approved the application by the owner of a commercial property at 1122 Lesperance Road for a Parking Area Improvement Grant of $7,680. The grant is available through the Tecumseh Road Main Street Community Improvement Plan financial incentives. To receive the money, the owner must begin the parking lot improvements within six months and complete them within a year. There is a building with three professional offices on the property, as well as the parking lot.

Election Compliance Audit Committee Named: Mary Birch, Katherine Hebert, Jerry Marion and Mary Masse have been named to the Tecumseh Election Compliance Audit Committee for the term of Nov. 15, 2022, to Nov. 14, 2026. The committee’s role is to determine if applications for compliance audits of municipal election candidates’ campaigns should be granted. If the committee grants an application, it appoints an auditor to conduct the review.

Rodent Abatement Rebate Piloted: The Town will pilot a rodent abatement strategy that subsidizes the cost of eradicating rats from residential properties. The program, approved by Council, will allow residential property owners to apply for a rebate if they engage the services of a pest control company selected by the Town. Financial details, including the rebate allocation and established limit, will be available once a licensed pest control company is appointed. The Town has budgeted $10,000 for the pilot program for the remainder of 2022. Further details will be forthcoming when the program is up and running.

Public Input Sought on Food Vendor By-law: A proposed by-law to regulate mobile food vendors will be posted on the Town’s Placespeak platform for 30 days so the public can provide input. The Town currently doesn’t regulate or permit mobile food vendors. The proposed by-law sets out the conditions operators of vehicles for serving hot food and vehicles for selling frozen treats will have to meet to get a licence from the Town. The proposed by-law does not apply to mobile food vendors operating in a Town park at a Town-approved event, such as Taste of Tecumseh.

Donation of Sculpture Accepted: A bronze bust sculpture of Chief Tecumseh is being donated to the Town by the family of its creator. It will be unveiled during the opening ceremonies of the Town’s 100^th anniversary celebration being held July 2-4, 2022. The 9.5-inch tall sculpture was created by Michigan artist Marguerita P. “Rita” Greve, who died in 2010. Council has authorized administration to finalize an agreement with her son, Guy Greve, to accept the sculpture.

Illumination of Town Buildings Policy Adopted: Town Hall will be bathed in red light for National AccessAbility Week from May 30 to June 3, 2022, at the request of the Tecumseh Accessibility Advisory Committee. Council also adopted a policy on illumination of Town Hall. The policy states that outside organizations can submit a written request to the Legislative & Clerk Services department two weeks prior to the time they would like Town Hall illuminated in their colours. An organization or charity can apply once per calendar year to illuminate Town Hall. The period of illumination can be for no more than one week.

Next Regular Meeting: The next regular meeting of Council is June 28, 2022. A public Council meeting is for the proposed Town Wide Community Improvement Plan for industrial incentives is on June 7, 2022. These meetings are scheduled to be held electronically. The agenda and livestream will be available on the Town’s website. Follow the Town of Tecumseh on Facebook and Twitter for news and the latest information.