That controversial Procedural By-Law governing the calling, place, and proceedings of meetings is due up for discussion at the city council meeting tonight.
A number of presentations have been made by the public opposing the changes.
Among the staff recommendations are:
- moving council and committee meetings to Tuesdays and moving the start time of both Council and Committees to 6:30 p.m., up from the current 7 p.m.
- It is also recommended that all delegates and presenters complete a prescribed form in order to be placed on the agenda and provide a complete copy of their presentation to the Clerk on or before Wednesday the week before the regularly scheduled Council Meeting.
- and it recommends that there would be a maximum of three delegations and three presentations per meeting.
- Staff recommends that following the publication of the Agenda any person wishing to be heard on an item or subject listed on the current Council Agenda must submit a written request stating the Agenda item he or she wishes to speak on, to the Clerk, no later than 12 o’clock noon on the day of the Council meeting. These delegates will be provided five minutes to speak the item.
Also on tap are changes to the "On-Street Parking By-law".
City staff claims proposed changes for the winter months parking will allow for Public Works crews to more effectively and efficiently clear the streets. Vehicles will not be allowed to be parked on the street and impede snow clearing operations.
The report recommends extending the current winter restriction from 6 a.m. up to 8 a.m. to allow crews to plow many residential streets before vehicles are allowed to return to the street for parking.
One of the more controversial changes is the length of the seasonal ban.
The report says for the past two years North Bay has received a significant snowfall after March
"For the past 2 years North Bay has received a significant snowfall after March 31st that has required snow clearing. As a result of the current winter overnight parking restriction ending on March 31st, snow clearing had to be done numerous times in all areas of the City as many streets had parked vehicles that impeded clearing operations. This resulted in extra costs that could have been reduced if the winter overnight parking restriction was extended to April 15th of each year. Enforcement would not be affected as tickets are generally no longer issued after the snow melts unless a spring snowstorm is expected. With this extension, enforcement could be conducted when needed up to April 15th, which would be beneficial to the snow clearing operation. Enforcement after March 31st would only be conducted if winter conditions still exist or were expected to return."
Meanwhile, community activist
"I am requesting that council NOT AUTHORIZE the amendments to On-Street Parking By-Law No. 2014-37, as recommended in Report to Council
"Why did staff wait so long to bring this amendment forward? This by-law should have been dealt with and passed, or not, well before this year's parking ban came into effect, thereby giving the public reasonable notice of the changes. Snow removal is nothing new to the North. To start this change 3 weeks ago at the council meeting on 28 Nov seems like poor planning."
Tonight's meeting starts at 7 p.m. at city hall.
