Toronto City Council has kicked off its meeting with councillors’ remembrances of Pam McConnell. Stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtMJ7B6ybI8
For a run down of what to expect at council this week, here’s @neville_park’s preview: https://nevillepark.ca/2017/10/02/the-cheat-sheet-october-2017-city-council/
Council now debating prohibited animals and possibility of allowing backyard chickens. “Please, no clucking,” warns Chair Frances Nunziata.
Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam has introduced a motion for the council agenda seeking to accelerate the Vision Zero plan to prevent further deaths.
By a vote of 35-5, Wong Tam’s Vision Zero motion is added to the agenda. Chair of Public Works committee voted against.
Coun. Mihevc has introduced motion for a backyard chicken pilot in Wards 5, 13, 21 & 32. Limit of 4 hens per household, so don’t get greedy. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/914992707159953409
Redditors probably already planning protests against the “no roosters are permitted” policy.
Someone take carriage of my motion: “That the City of Toronto also prohibit ownership, transport and theme park display of live dinosaurs.”
Coun. Di Ciano somehow brings Trump into a backyard chicken debate. He says anti-chicken councillors are playing Trumpian “politics of fear”
“Chickens DON’T make noise,” says Coun. Di Ciano, emphatically.
Council votes 20-13 to end their backyard chicken debate, but rules say they need two-thirds to call question. Chicken debate continues!
Coun. Nunziata strikes a strong anti-chicken stance. She’s worried about chickens wandering all over, causing a ruckus.
Council votes 14-20 to NOT extend their meeting tonight to finish the backyard chicken debate. More chicken debate tomorrow.
The worst part is that councillors now have all night to come up with more damn chicken puns.
Toronto councillors didn’t feel like chicken tonight.
Council votes 23-16 to delete recommendation that City of Toronto only commemorate genocides recognized by federal government.
Council also votes 32-7 to apologize to Rwandan community for not letting them raise flag to commemorate Rwandan genocide earlier this year.
Coun. Jim Karygiannis wants Scarborough Community Council to ban overnight street parking in most of his ward. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2017.SC25.18
Ban started as a pilot that sought to determine if banning parking would help snow clearing. But Karygiannis pushed for year-round ban. Hm.
Coun. Robinson, Chair of Public Works, on why she voted against adding @kristynwongtam’s Vision Zero item to this week’s council agenda: https://x.com/JayeRobinson/status/915330867798708229
From earlier today: Toronto council votes 33-3 to install traffic signals at Cosburn Avenue & Cedervale Avenue.
A 69-year-old woman was killed by a driver when crossing at this location last year. https://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6997809-update-pedestrian-69-dies-after-being-hit-by-truck-in-east-toronto/
Also earlier today: council voted 31-4 to install a pedestrian traffic signal on Dupont Street between Bathurst and Palmerston.
Council votes 34-2 to add a whole whack of mid-town Eglinton-area properties to the city heritage register.
Coun. Perks to retiring CFO Rob Rossini: I’ll miss this. Rossini: I miss you too. Nunziata: Why don’t you go give him a hug? He does.
After mother and five-year-old killed crossing busy street near bus stop, Coun. Kelly considers removing bus stop. https://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/7593949-traffic-light-study-ongoing-where-scarborough-mom-child-died/
Coun. Campbell has a motion that’d require any development of commuter parking lots preserve parking spaces within development.
Shiner and Carroll point out that underground parking costs more than $50K a space. Redeveloping lots way more costly if preserving parking.
Council votes to refer all this commuter parking lot stuff to the Toronto Realty Agency, 23-10. Now let’s never speak of it again.
Toronto Council votes 29-2 to declare Pam McConnell’s council seat vacant. They will appoint her replacement on Nov 2.
Carmichael Greb moves that council affirm support for Little Libraries “provided they do not pose a public safety concern or vision hazard.”
Council now in private to discuss film studio land in the port lands recently put up for sale. City wants land to remain a film studio.
Just before they went in camera, council introduced and passed an interim control bylaw for the port lands. You might connect these dots.
Any industry types want to guess which port lands studio property this would be? (via http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2017/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-107602.pdf [pdf])
Well, assuming this passes, it looks like the City of Toronto is buying some film studio land in the port lands?
Council votes unanimously to acquire this still-mysterious film studio land in the port lands.
Pitches for city-owned film studio: Glenn DeBaeremaeker prop comedy showcase, Minnan-Wong/Perruzza Odd Couple riff, Gord Perks doing MST3K.
The president and founder of Showline Studios at 915 Lake Shore died earlier this year. I’d bet this is the land. http://to411daily.com/2017/02/13/industry-pays-tribute-to-the-late-peter-lukas-president-of-showline-studios/
Speaking on the TOCore plan, Coun. Holyday says he doesn’t like that the plan says city should “prioritize” pedestrians, cyclists & transit.
Holyday wanted to remind council that he and his constituents come into the city in “various ways, including the motor vehicle.” Okay.
Councillor Carroll has moved that the free floating car share pilot item be referred to council’s January 31, 2018 meeting.
Carroll’s referral motion is successful, 30-7. No car share debate until next year. Car2Go will keep racking up parking tickets ’til then.
This is disappointing. Council had a chance to make progress on car sharing. I wrote about this on Monday. http://www.metronews.ca/views/toronto/torys-toronto-matt-elliott/2017/10/02/toronto-still-playing-catch-up-on-car-sharing-even-as-usage-explodes.html
In street sign debate, Coun. Holyday again says “clear and unencumbered streets” are his ward’s culture and identity.
Council votes to approve the addition of the old Borough of East York logo to street signs in East York, 27-10.
Toronto City Council also votes to add the other old municipality logos to street signs across the city, 28-9.
Council re-voted on adding the old East York logo to street signs. Still passes, 26-11.
Night Council will now debate whether to name a small football stadium after Rob Ford. The stream is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cewOcZkGSc0
Tory acknowledges some of Ford’s actions “hurtful and disrespectful for some and inconsistent with the expectations that go with the office”
Tory encourages councillors to vote for or against the Ford stadium naming based on their own views and principles.
Tory says by bringing the Ford stadium item forward to council, he has honoured his commitment to the Ford family.
Toronto City Council votes 11-24 AGAINST renaming a football stadium after Rob Ford.
Council votes 33-2 to name something yet to be determined after late councillors McConnell and Moeser.
I am so glad council rejected the Rob Ford Stadium naming. Toronto can remember Rob Ford without honouring him.
“We don’t buy frills,” declares Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong. He says the Centreville carousel is a frill, opposes the city saving it.
Council votes 27-7 to get a report on an agreement that’d keep the Centreville carousel in Toronto.
Council votes unanimously to refer Kristyn Wong-Tam’s Vision Zero acceleration motion to the public works committee meeting on Nov 28.
And Toronto City Council’s October meeting is over. They let retiring city CFO Rob Rossini read out the last few vote results. Hugs abound.