Carleton Place grows pollinator movement
At Tuesday, may 23rd’s Carleton Place council meeting, councilors passed amendments to the yard maintenance and property standards bylaws to permit pollinator gardens. Under the old rules, once grass and weeds reached 8 inches in length, the property owner could be warned and fined. Now, if an owner wishes to create a pollinator and butterfly habitat, they can notify the bylaw department to avoid such warnings, or wait until they receive a notice on long growth and then inform the staff of their environmental efforts.
Strategic plan delivered
During the committee session after council the strategic plan was set for the remaining term. It identified 5 priorities.
Service Delivery and Communications – Goal: enhance service and improve efficiencies.
Facilities and infrastructure – Goal: ensure long-term viability of our assets and Town financial sustainability.
Tourism and Events – Goal: to meet the demographics and cultural diversity of our growing community, attract visitors and establish an identity.
Economic Development and Managed Commercial Growth – Goal: create diversified tax base & job growth.
Transit System & Options: Implement Transportation Master Plan – Goal: better move people and goods in town and beyond in a sustainable way.
Official plan amendments move forward
Another discussion was held on the town’s official plan amendments with Deputy Mayor Andrew Tennant suggesting permitting commercial ground floor uses on both sides of Victoria and Beckwith Streets to meet the growing demand for downtown area goods and services. Councilor Dena Comely wanted to add an affordable housing requirement of 5% of space in multi-residential developments in all areas of the town, specifically the strategic properties already identified. Those suggestions will appear in the next draft with council’s plans to approve the amendments before their summer break.
