Strategic Decisions from Council - October 28th

Council Meeting Date: October 28, 2024

Strategic Decisions from Council

Consent Items

Designation Recommendation - 101 St Andrew Street West, Fergus
Designation Recommendation - 250 Union Street East, Fergus
Designation Recommendation - 6717 Sixth Line, Belwood
Designation Recommendation - 177 Chalmers Street, Elora
Zoning Amendment RZ03-2024 Decision Report - 6829 Fifth Line, West Garafraxa

Posted Speed Limit By-law Update
In April 2024, Township staff provided an update on the Township's Speed Limit Policy and Technical Approach for reviewing speed limits, assessing speeding concerns, and implementing effective speed reduction measures in urban and rural areas. Staff summarized a comprehensive review of the posted speed limits of 28 road segments of concern located in urban and rural settings to determine if reductions in posted speeds were warranted.

Applying the Township's Speed Limit Policy and Technical Approach, speed limit reductions were recommended on several road segments to lower speeds from 50 kilometers per hour (km/hr) to 40 km/hr in built up areas and from 80 km/hr to 60 km/hr in rural areas. 

Council approved additional speed limit reductions on South River Road and Union Street West as well as the By-law to Regulate Speed in the Township of Centre Wellington (herein referred to as the "Posted Speed Limit Bylaw"), which will bring new speed reduction recommendations into legal effect.

Click here to review the By-law and streets affected

Outdoor Water Use By-law Information Report
Council approved a by-law to promote outdoor water conservation.

The Township depends on groundwater as a source of municipal water. As the Township grows and changes over time, it is important to conserve water for future generations and to protect against the impacts of drought—particularly during dry summer periods.

The Township’s current outdoor water restriction By-Law is 25 years old. Given the age of the By-Law, the changing landscape of water conservation, expansion of municipal water distribution, recognition of outdoor water use functions and potential for drought to impact water sources, staff recommended an update to the current By- Law to allow for tiered restrictions. Tiered restriction levels are determined through drought conditions and allow the Township to further restrict outdoor use to achieve water source security. 

Further details on the water restriction changes (old vs new) are as follows. 

Date and Time
To maintain consistency with current residential habits, the odd-even municipal address watering days has been maintained. Adjustments to time of use have been made. Previous time of use is 5:00 am to 7:00 am and 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Updated time of use is 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Water Use Functions
The current By-Law does not recognize how water is being used. The update allows for establishing outdoor water use functions. Recognition of functions allows for the Township to apply varying restrictions depending on the use. For example, restrictions to the supply of water to vegetable gardens / fruit shrubs / food gardens are lessened to recognize food security and home gardening. These functions are as follows:

• Supply of Water to a Lawn or Decorative Garden or Sports Field
• Supply of Water to Vegetable Gardens / Fruit Shrubs / Food Gardens
• Supply of Water for Vehicle/Trailer/Boat Washing
• Supply of Water to Recreational Sprinklers / Devices
• Supply of Water to Recreational or Decorative Water Features (Pools / Ponds / fountains, Hot-tubs etc.)
• Supply of Water to Automatic Irrigation Systems
• New Seed / Sod Permits

Tiered Restrictions Levels
The new By-Law includes a tiered system based on drought severity levels. A tiered system allows for more stringent restrictions during drought conditions. The Low Water Response Program (LWRP) has three (3) condition levels:

• Level 1: Water users are asked to voluntarily reduce consumption by 10 per cent.
• Level 2: Water users are asked to voluntarily reduce consumption by 20 per cent.
• Level 3: The Water Response Team may ask the province to impose mandatory restrictions on those holding Permits to Take Water. There is the potential for economic harm to water takers and/or significant harm to the ecosystem

Click here to review the full Report to Council

Centre Wellington Recommended Settlement Area Boundary Expansions
Council endorsed the recommended Settlement Area Boundary Report, allowing the County of Wellington to move forward with developing an amendment to the County of Wellington Official Plan needed to carry out the recommended expansion.

The Provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has approved population and employment forecasts for the County of Wellington and its member municipalities, including the Township of Centre Wellington. Centre Wellington is expected to grow to a population of 58,200 by 2051 with total employment of 25,100 by 2051. The majority of this growth will take place in the Fergus and Elora-Salem Urban Centres (settlement areas).  By Provincial policy, Centre Wellington is required to use growth forecasts for long-term planning to ensure the provision of a diverse mix of housing, jobs, and services.  A Land Needs Assessment completed by the County of Wellington determined that the available land within the Fergus and Elora-Salem Urban Centres could not accommodate all future land uses, and therefore a Settlement Area Boundary Expansion of approximately 398 hectares was warranted. Through changes to density and intensification by Township Council, this expansion need was reduced to 326 hectares.

Review the Settlement Expansion map and Report to Council here

Branding & Visual Identity Policy and Guidelines
Council approved the Branding & Visual Policy and Guidelines which outlines the importance in establishing a cohesive and recognizable brand identity for the Township.  As the Township grows, the Branding and Visual Identity Policy and related Guidelines must be followed to help our residents and businesses quickly and easily recognize the diverse range of programs, services, and information provided by their municipal government. A clear and cohesive branding document serves as a vital tool for enhancing public awareness and understanding of municipal offerings, fostering stronger connections between the Township and its community members. 

The Council-approved Branding & Visual Identity Policy and Guidelines can be found here

Social media Policy and Guidelines
The existing Social Media Policy was adopted in 2015. While it has effectively served the Township over the years, the growth of online engagement necessitates a review to ensure it meets current needs. The number of Township-owned social media accounts has increased, along with a significant rise in followers, content volume, and public interactions on these channels. Consequently, therefore staff recommend updating the policy.

The council-approved social media Policy and Guidelines can be found here