Hello Neighbour,
I hope this update finds you and yours safe and healthy. I'm happy to share that as of this week 92.9% of adults in Guelph are fully vaccinated and 63.3% of us also have our third "booster" doses. I am grateful that so many people in Guelph are working together to help us get this pandemic under control so we can get back to a new normal this year.
Before I get into this update I also wanted to remind you, as we get through the coldest part of winter, that this is the perfect time to make sure your water pipes don't freeze. You can get tips including how to prepare your 72-hour emergency kit at guelph.ca/frozenpipes
This month I have a couple of invitations to share as well as a few updates:
1. One Canopy Tree Planting Strategy - Virtual Open House on Wednesday February 16 and Information Session for Business community on Thursday February 17
2. Advisory Committees of Council Vacancies - Application Deadline is March 10
3. Grace Gardens Update
4. 2022 Seasonal Patio Update
5. New Traffic Signals Coming to Guelph This Year
6. Short-Term Rental Licensing & Municipal Accommodation Tax- To be approved by Council on Monday February 28
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1. One Canopy Tree Planting Strategy
City staff are looking for your input as the City creates a One Canopy strategy, which will guide our efforts to double our tree canopy over the next ten years.
I encourage you to answer the survey, share stories about tree planting efforts and barriers, and tell the City what role you see yourself playing in our planting efforts on both public and private land.
Survey:
You can provide input before Tuesday February 22 by taking an online survey and identifying locations we should consider for tree planting.
You are invited to attend a virtual workshop to learn more about the project and hear about opportunities to help expand Guelph’s urban forest on private land. The workshop will run on Wednesday, February 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
A separate information session is being held for the business and development community on Thursday, February 17, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
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2. Advisory Committees of Council Vacancies - Application Deadline is March 10
Here's an excellent opportunity to get involved in our City building, by joining an Advisory Committee. These advisory committees meet on a regular basis and provide feedback to staff, helping to shape the recommendations that come to City Council.
Accessibility Advisory Committee Vacancy Posting
There are two vacancies in the Accessibility Advisory Committee, which provides vision and direction to City staff and Council regarding the removal of barriers that exist within Municipal services, practices and programs.
Guelph Economic Development Advisory Committee (GEDAC) Vacancy Posting
This is the first recruitment for the newly created Guelph Economic Development Advisory Committee, so City staff are looking to fill eleven (11) vacancies. They are looking for a diverse group of applicants from a cross-section of business sectors, locations in Guelph, business sizes and market focus, and a current Guelph Junction Railway customer.
Transit Advisory Committee Vacancy Posting
There is one vacancy in the Transit Advisory Committee, which provides a forum for input, exchange of ideas and debate on conventional and mobility transit-related issues with representation our diverse community.
Heritage Guelph Vacancy Posting
There is one vacancy in Heritage Guelph, which advises City Council on matters relating to the Guelph’s architectural, cultural and landscape heritage.
As a City Councillor I pay attention to the inputs provided by our advisory committees and hope that you consider applying to any committee that interests you.
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3. Grace Gardens Update
Last week the federal housing minister Ahmed Hussen, along with Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield, announced $6.4 million in funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative to renovate the former Parkview Motel at 721 Woolwich St. into 32 permanent supportive housing units.
Gail Hoekstra, Executive Director of Stepping Stone (that's the new name for the Drop In Centre), let me know that they had recently moved all residents off-site to do some emergency repairs, and now that they have received the federal funding, they will begin their planned renovations right away.
Construction should begin shortly and their plan is to have the renovations completed and residents back at Grace Gardens in late summer 2022.
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4. 2022 Seasonal Patio Update
Last year 63 businesses participated in the Seasonal Patio program. This year the Seasonal Patio program will start on April 1st, but unlike the last two years, there will be no road-closures as part of this year's patio program.
You can read the 2021 Seasonal Patio Program Information Report here: https://pub-guelph.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=22700
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5. New Traffic Signals Coming to Guelph This Year
This year the City is installing more than 30 traffic signs and signals, pedestrian crossovers and traffic calming measures throughout Guelph to help improve road safety and accessibility for people walking, cycling, riding transit, using mobility devices and driving.
Traffic Signals
• Gordon Street at Maltby Road (new)
• Scottsdale Drive at Ironwood Road (replacement of an existing pedestrian signal)
• Wellington Street East at Wyndham Street South (upgrade)
• Woodlawn Road West at Dawson Road (upgrade)
• Speedvale Avenue West at Dawson Road (upgrade)
• Speedvale Avenue West at Imperial Road North (upgrade)
• Speedvale Avenue West at Elmira Road North (upgrade)
Bicycle signals
New this year, you’ll see bicycle signals at intersections with crossride pavement markings. Crossrides allow people to ride their bike safely through an intersection. They are generally connected to multi-use paths and marked with painted blocks, stencils and/or green paint. With a crossride at a traffic light, a person can stay on their bike and travel through the intersection when they have a green light.
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Bicycle signals are planned at the following locations:
• Stone Road at Gordon Street
• Woodlawn Road West at Silvercreek Parkway North
• Woodlawn Road West at Edinburgh Road North
• Woodlawn Road West at Dawson Road
• Woodlawn Road West at Arrow Road
Pedestrian crossovers
Pedestrian crossovers, or crossings, help you get from one side of the road to the other. At a crossover, drivers must wait until pedestrians have cleared the entire road before proceeding. A crossover has a line of white triangles painted on the road to show where drivers should stop and “Stop for pedestrians” signs. Crossovers may also include flashing lights or overhead signs.
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New pedestrian crossovers are planned for:
• Eastview Road at Mountford Drive
• Eastview Road at Summit Ridge Drive
• Beaver Meadow Drive at trail crossing south of McGarr Drive
• Colonial Drive at Sir Isaac Brock school
• Starwood Drive at Lee Street
• Kortright Road East at Katelynn Drive
• Rickson Avenue at Hickory Street
Traffic calming measures
Traffic calming measures can reduce vehicle speeds and volumes while also reducing conflicts between road users, such as people walking, biking and driving. Measures can include speed cushions, extended sidewalks or a traffic island. The following roads will receive traffic calming measures. Exact traffic measures for each location will be determined in the coming months:
• Kortright Road East between Gordon Street and Sweeney Drive
• Scottsdale Drive between College Avenue West and Janefield Avenue
• Rickson Avenue within the school zone for Rickson Ridge Public School
• Starwood Drive between Watson Parkway North and Eastview Road
• Niska Road between Downey Road and the west City limit
• Downey Road between Niska Road and the west City limit
• Waverley Drive between Riverview Drive and Balmoral Drive
• Riverview Drive between Waverely Drive and Speedvale Avenue East
• Ptarmigan Drive within the school zone for Kortright Hills Public School
Traffic calming curbs physically narrow a road and provide a calming effect to slow down traffic. We’re starting a pilot program this spring to put traffic calming curbs on the following three roads:
• Kortright Road East at Katelynn Drive
• Kortright Road East at Brady Lane
• Forest Street at Maple Street
For more information please contact:
Paul Hutchison, Traffic Engineering Supervisor
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3679
paul.hutchison@guelph.ca
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6. Short-Term Rental Licensing & Municipal Accommodation Tax
At this month's Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday February 7, City Council discussed these two related items.
Short-Term Rental Housing
First, Council discussed the staff recommendation to license short-term rental housing across the City of Guelph. By short-term rentals, we are talking about renting of homes and apartments via AirBnB and other similar platforms, which is currently not regulated in Guelph.
By creating a business license requirement for short-term rentals, the City would be able to ensure that fire safety regulations are being followed, provide a more level playing field to bed and breakfasts, and prevent short-term rental units from becoming a nuisance for neighbourhoods.
Staff originally recommended that short-term rentals be limited to primary residences - so people would only be allowed to rent part or the whole of their family home, but one person could not own several houses across the City for the purpose of short-term rentals. Staff included this restriction to prevent party houses and to reduce the number of homes that are taken away from our long-term rental housing stock. At the Committee of the Whole meeting, City Council voted to remove this restriction, so at this point short-term rentals would not be limited to primary residences.
What are your thoughts are on short-term rental housing in Guelph? Should Council look to limit short-term rentals to primary residences? Are you concerned about the reduction in our long-term rental housing stock as more people choose to rent short-term? I would love to hear from you and also encourage you to submit your thoughts to the Clerk's office (clerks@guelph.ca) before 10am on Friday February 25.
You can read the staff report, including the recommendation to license short-term rental, but to not license long-term rentals here:
https://pub-guelph.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=22519
Once Council approves the licensing of short-term rental housing on February 28, staff would engage stakeholders over the next several months to develop regulations, so the earliest we are likely to see licensing of short-term housing in Guelph is 2023.
Municipal Accommodation Tax
City Council supported a staff recommendation to introduce a four percent (4%) municipal accommodation tax, which would be charged on nightly stays at hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and eventually on short-term rental housing. Before the pandemic, staff had estimated this new tax to generate around $1 Million in revenue... however, now that less people are traveling, this tax is expected to generate between $500k and $850k per year.
The provincial regulation which allows municipalities to introduce this tax also stipulates that municipalities can only keep up to 50% of the revenue. The other half of the money collected will be used by the Guelph Chamber of Commerce to make strategic tourism destination marketing investments that will benefit Guelph by attracting more overnight visitors and increasing economic impact in our community.
City Council will be voting on this new tax on Monday February 28. If you have any comments, you may submit them to the Clerk's office (clerks@guelph.ca) no later than 10am on Friday February 25.
For more information on the Municipal Accommodation Tax, you can read the staff report here:
https://pub-guelph.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=22526
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That's it for this second update of 2022. I appreciate you taking the time to stay informed and to let me know where you stand on these issues. If any of the Advisory Committee appointments interest you, I encourage you to apply.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your municipal services.
Sincerely,
Rodrigo
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