Newmarket Council Highlights

Here’s What Happened At The Council Meeting On November 14, 2016 At 7 P.M.:

Yonge Street and Davis Drive Streetscape Master Plan 

Newmarket Council adopted the Yonge Street and Davis Drive Streetscape Masterplan (SMP). The SMP ensures a coordinated streetscape vision for portions of Yonge Street and Davis Drive areas that are outside of the vivaNext rapidway. 

The SMP illustrates vibrant, green and active corridors where key design objectives include varied streetscape typologies, proposed hard and soft-surface materials, low impact design, and other context sensitive considerations. The SMP also includes an implementation strategy and estimated capital, operational and maintenance costs to carry out the plan. All future streetscape improvements, as noted in the SMP, will be subject to future budget approvals by Newmarket Council. 

Old Town Hall Public Art Installation

Newmarket Council authorized the installation of a public art piece at the north-east corner of Newmarket’s Old Town Hall. This public art piece installation is part of a number of cultural initiatives identified in Newmarket’s Cultural Master Plan. 

The theme of the public art piece is ‘time’. The art piece will pay tribute to various ways in which people have spent their time at Old Town Hall over the last 100 plus years. This art piece will also reflect the attitudes and values around the community, such as unity and celebration. 

The public art piece will have an open-call to artists in December 2016, with submission dates in January 2017, jury selection by mid-January, jury evaluation by mid-February, a public vote in mid-March, production in the spring of 2017 and then an official unveiling when the art piece is completed. 

Site Alteration By-law to Replace Current Cut Fill By-law 1998-110

Newmarket Council adopted the Site Alteration By-law, which will replace the current Cut Fill By-law 1998-110. 

Previously, the Cut Fill By-law 1998-110 was implemented to help regulate the placing and dumping of fill in Newmarket. However, as Newmarket continues to grow and changes to landscape occur, adjustments to the Cut Fill By-law were needed to minimize impacts to our community caused by natural resources from construction site erosion and post-construction stormwater runoff. 

Minutes for the Town of Newmarket Council Meetings

Outlining Council decisions, is available under newmarket.ca/meetings. Agendas, Minutes and Meetings on the Town of Newmarket website. For more information or to view the reports, visit newmarket.ca

Save the date! Mark these events in your calendar:

Gallery of Festive Trees

Saturday, November 18 to Saturday, December 31:  For more information call 905-953-5314, email: elmanmuseum@rogers.com or visit newmarket.ca/museum.

Discovery and Adventure Night

Tuesday, November 29: Please see newmarket.ca/events for more information.

Winter Wonderland

Friday, December 2 to Sunday, January 8:  isit newmarket.ca/events for more information.  

Cocoa and Cookies with Santa

Saturday, December 3: For more information call 905-953-5314, email elmanmuseum@rogers.com or visit us at newmarket.ca/museum. 

 


The Town is Considering a Stormwater Charge for 2017

The Town is considering a stormwater charge for 2017. What does this mean for residents? If approved, current amounts for stormwater will be removed from your property tax and water and wastewater bills and put towards the stormwater charge. It is like opening a separate savings account and putting funds dedicated to stormwater in there to make sure the Town has enough money in the future for stormwater management improvements.

Stormwater management services will help reduce the negative effects of stormwater has on our environment and lower the risks of flooding that can damage your property.

If you have any questions about the stormwater charge, please email Kevin Yaraskavitch at kyaraskavitch@newmarket.ca. If you would like to make a deputation at the upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, November 28, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. at the Municipal Offices, please call the Town’s Legislative Service department at 905-895-5193 by Thursday, November 24. For more information, visit newmarket.ca/stormwatercharge 

Public Meeting Notice Concerning a Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment

Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newmarket will hold a Public Meeting on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Offices, 395 Mulock Drive, to consider a proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act, RSO 1990, c. P. 13 as amended.  A map showing the affected lands is provided below:

The Town’s comprehensive Zoning By-law 2010-40 regulates the required number of parking spaces for residential and non-residential uses in all areas of the Town. The Town is considering amending these provisions as they relate specifically to the areas of the Yonge Street and Davis Drive corridors as shown in the above map in order to encourage greater usage of transit in these areas, as well as assist in their redevelopment and intensification. The Town will be seeking input on how to change the provisions to best achieve these goals.

The purpose of the Public Meeting is to provide information to the public and to receive comments from the public in a formal manner.  Any person may attend the Public Meeting to make written or verbal representation relating to the proposed Zoning By-law amendment. If you wish to use the Town’s audio/visual system, please contact the Clerk’s Office no later than noon on the day of the Public Meeting to make the appropriate arrangements. Should you be unable to attend the Public Meeting, your written submission will be received up to the time of the meeting.

Any person wishing for further information relating to the proposed Zoning By-law amendment or on how to obtain a copy of this notice should contact the Planning department.

(planning@newmarket.ca) between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday at the Municipal Offices,395 Mulock Drive, Newmarket.

Town of Newmarket Announces National Play Competition

In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, the Town of Newmarket is launching a National 10-Minute Play Festival, celebrating the diverse voices and multiple identities within our country.

The Newmarket National 10-Minute Play Festival will feature 24 original, 10-minute plays that will be packaged into four pods of six shows at Newmarket’s newly renovated Old Town Hall (460 Botsford Street) and the Town’s main stage, Newmarket Theatre (505 Pickering Crescent). Dates for the inaugural festival will be Saturday, July 22, 2017 to Sunday, July 23, 2017. Original play submissions will be welcomed from across the country, and cash awards will be presented to the top three plays submitted.

Ten-minute plays are not sketches, they demand fully realized characters that make us laugh and cry and stories that touch the core of our being. The challenge for the playwright is to create a world in 600 seconds that keeps each audience member fully committed to the story being told. For more information on the Newmarket National 10-Minute Play Festival, play submissions, auditions, volunteering and more, visit newmarket.ca or call 905-953-5106.

Newmarket’s Historic Main Street a Winner in Great Places in Canada Contest

On November 8, in recognition of World Town Planning Day, the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) announced the winners of its annual Great Places in Canada contest in the categories of Great Street, Great Neighbourhood and Great Public Space. Newmarket’s Historic Main Street – which was nominated by Town of Newmarket Planning staff this past summer – was named People’s Choice winner in the Great Street category.

In August, CIP invited Canadians to nominate a place in their community for the contest. The panel of jurors reviewed the 37 Great Place submissions from across Canada against criteria of planning best practices. They selected Water Street in St. Andrews, New Brunswick as the winner of Great Street, Woodfield in London, Ontario as the winner of Great Neighbourhood and St. Patrick’s Island in Calgary, Alberta as the winner of Great Public Space.

The second element of the competition asked Canadians to share their thoughts and saw more than 30,000 votes cast from people across the country. Based on popular vote, Newmarket’s Historic Main Street was recognized as the People’s Choice Street, Downtown Antigonish in Nova Scotia was named the People’s Choice Neighbourhood and Rothesay Common in New Brunswick was recognized as the People’s Choice Public Space.

The Town of Newmarket extends its thanks, as without the communities' participation in the Great Places in Canada contest none of this would have been possible! 

Town of Newmarket's 2017 Operating Budget

The Town of Newmarket's 2017 Operating Budget is underway! 
Residents are encouraged to participate in the 2017 Budget Process by getting involved! 
There are many ways you can do that.

1,  Call 905-895-5193 to speak to someone directly. 
2.  Email your comments and feedback to finance@newmarket.ca
3.  Review the below budget schedule and note the dates of public meetings in your calendar.
4.  Play Phase I of  our 2017 Budget Game: Put Your Money Where it Matters 

Below is a list of meetings related to the 2017 Operating Budget to take note of: 

Council Workshop on the Financial Sustainability
ovember 21
ommittee of the Wle - Fees and charges
ovember 28
pecial Committee of the Whole - Preliminary draft budget
ecember 5
ouncil approval of remaining fees and charges
ecember 5  
raft budget information available to public and on website
ecember 12  
     
or more information, visit newmarket.ca/2017Budget

Upcoming Council Meetings:

November  21:  Council Workshop - 2017 Operating Budget at 1:30 p.m. (395 Mulock Drive).
November 21: Committee of the Whole - Public Planning Session: Urban centres parking requirements proposed zoning by-law amendment at 7 p.m. (395 Mulock Drive). 
November 28: Committee of the Whole at 1:30 p.m (395 Mulock Drive).
November 28: Committee of the Whole (Clock Tower Application) at 7 p.m. (395 Mulock Drive).
November 29: Joint Central York Fire Services at 9:30 a.m. (395 Mulock Drive). 
December 5: Special Committee of the Whole - Preliminary 2017 Budget at 10 a.m. (395 Mulock Drive). 
December 5: Special Committee of the Whole - N6 Waste Contract at 1:30 p.m. (395 Mulock Drive). 
December 5: Council at  7 p.m. at the Municipal Offices (395 Mulock Drive).

For a full list of Newmarket meetings, visit newmarket.ca/meetings

image source: Winter Wonderland, Town of Newmarket