Season’s Greetings!

Happy New Year!

Dear Resident,

This is the time of year that we reflect on the past and plan for the future. I would like to thank all the residents and tax payers in Richmond Hill who took the time to come to Council to share their information, interests, and concerns. While we didn’t satisfy everyone, we did learn from each other and in many ways we helped to make our Town a better place to live and work. Thank you.

If you would like to speak to Council on an issue, call the Clerks Office at 905-771-8800. Tell them what you want to speak about and they can tell you if that topic is coming up on a Council agenda. Otherwise, you are welcome to come and speak to Council for up to 5 minutes on any Council meeting night. Just ask the Clerks Office when the next Council meeting will be held.

OAK RIDGES MORAINE UPDATE

Since the mid–1980s, the Oak Ridges Moraine has been studied and reported on by all levels of government with the view to protect this natural feature. It has been recognized and celebrated as the source of our drinking water, a habitat for many forms of wildlife, and it provides a forested respite from our otherwise urbanized world.

If you live north of Elgin Mills Road in Richmond Hill, you very likely live on the Oak Ridges Moraine. Approximately 58% of Richmond Hill is located on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act was passed by the Province in December 2001. It is the culmination of decades of reports, guidelines, and at least one Federal Commission examining ways to protect the Moraine.

DID WE PROTECT IT OR NOT? JUST GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO A SIMPLE QUESTION"" …a disgruntled emailer

92% of the Moraine across Ontario has been deemed environmental land or countryside and agricultural land, while 8% remains open to settlement development. In Richmond Hill approximately 1200 acres of parkland has been saved. However, much of the Moraine in Richmond Hill has already been developed and the ‘saved’ portion is held by private owners who may live on the land but the Provincial legislation now restricts any further development of their properties. So when you drive through the Moraine in Richmond Hill you may expect to see only forests and not realize that whatever the use of the land, it likely will remain that use forever because of the laws protecting the Moraine.

ARE BASEMENT APARTMENTS LEGAL?

Basement apartments in new homes are not legal. The only legal basement apartments are those which were built by November 1995 and have been approved under the Town’s building code and safety standards. Reports of illegal basement apartments are investigated by By-law Officers and/or the Fire Department.

For more information call the By-law Office at 905-771-8800.

DOES YOUR PROPERTY BACK ON TO PARKLAND?

Parkland is developed not as a ‘local’ initiative but rather as a response to the recreational needs of all residents and with regard to the physical characteristics of the parkland itself. If you have purchased a house which abuts parkland, you will want to review the plan of subdivision to confirm the proximity of our trail system and you may want to speak with our Parks, Recreation and Culture Department to review the plans for park development. One person’s wildlife reserve can sometimes be another person’s soccer field. Be informed! There are many types of "parks".

Call the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department at 905-771-8800 for more information.

SUBSIDIZED HOUSING—A GROWING NEED

You may know of people who are struggling to find affordable accommodation in Richmond Hill or within York Region. Many are seniors who are healthy but their savings have depleted over time. With the recent changes to the Provincial Retirement Act, I suspect that you will see more seniors looking for employment to supplement their incomes. Some who are looking for housing are young mothers whose partners have left. Daycare is expensive and alone can cost more than 50% of the parents wages. Others are young adults who need to get out of their parents home but do not have sufficient income. Currently there is a waiting list in York Region of 5,000 people in need of shelter and security. We have committed to add 200 units per year of affordable housing across York Region.

SMART COMMUTE—A BUSINESS/GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP

To improve our air quality, reduce air pollution, and improve our traffic, Richmond Hill Council has approved the Smart Commute program. It encourages alternatives to the single occupant vehicle operation. We work with local businesses to provide transit passes at a reduced cost, help them set up car pooling programs, help design flexible work hours, or to plan work–from–home options.

Businesses may contact George Flint at 905-771-2455 or you may also visit the Association’s website at www.smartcommute404-7.ca.

NORTH LESLIE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

Richmond Hill expected that the Province’s announcement of a Greenbelt would resolve the ongoing concern over the development of the North Leslie lands located between Leslie Street and 19th Avenue, and Bayview Avenue and Highway 404. This is the last large remaining area zoned agriculture in Richmond Hill. The proposed development site is an hydrogeologically sensitive area and the Rouge River runs through it. The applicants want the Ontario Municipal Board to permit residential development with a small portion of industrial/commercial zoning by Highway 404, north of Elgin Mills. We will have to wait for the Greenbelt announcement which is expected in December.

ROADS AND SEWERS 24 HOUR EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER

The emergency line is used to report problems experienced on Town roads (such as pot holes or snow rifts) and breaks in water and sewer service. It is operational 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

The new Roads and Sewers Emergency Hotline number is 905-771-2525.

TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION

The York Region Rapid Transit Plan is creating four rapid transit corridors: the one in Richmond Hill to link with Toronto through Finch Subway, in Vaughan to link with York University, in Markham to link with the new Sheppard subway, and Hwy. 7 to link with our east and west regional neighbours. In 25 years, it has been projected that 750,000 people will live around the Hwy. 7 corridor between Markham and Vaughan. We must improve our public transit system to accommodate growth and protect our environment by reducing the number of private vehicles on our road network. The good news is that York Region Transit is on track for a fourth consecutive year of transit increases of 10% or greater since the service was created in 2001.

2005 A YEAR OF WASTE MANAGEMENT CHANGES…

York Region is responsible for processing and disposing of garbage and recycling. The Town of Richmond Hill is responsible for its collection. As of January 1, 2005, plastic bags will be eliminated for yard waste collection throughout York Region. Plastic bags present a contamination problem in the processing of yard waste into compost. Instead of plastic bags, residents are encouraged to use brown kraft paper compost bags or cardboard boxes for their yard waste. Both of these will break down in the composting process, giving a much better quality of compost and a lower cost to process. Reusable rigid containers and branches tied in bundles will continue to be acceptable as well.

In July 2005 Richmond Hill will be introducing the GREEN BIN program to all of our residences. This program has already successfully been implemented in much of Toronto, Durham, and Niagara Regions. Homeowners will be asked to separate their compostable materials such as food and vegetable scraps, meat, fish and poultry leftovers, pet waste, sanitary products, and diapers from their regular waste. This material will be composted and will reduce the amount of waste we are sending to landfill by about 38%!

The BLUE BOX recycling program will also expand to include more metal items and many more plastics. By introducing these expanded programs, we hope to meet the provincial target of 60% reduction in material going to landfill and turn "garbage" into a useable resource.

For more information, see our Engineering & Public Works Department calendar which will be mailed out in December.

SMALL BUSINESS HELP

Since January 2004, the Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) has been in contact with approximately 3000 prospective entrepreneurs and small business owners. We have provided assistance in the form of one–on–one consultations and business plan reviews, small business seminars and training workshops, information dissemination, and referral services.

If you are interested in speaking with our Small Business Coordinator, please call 905-771-2523.

Other good resource and networking contacts: the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce holds regular seminar luncheons and networking parties following work at various locations around Town. Call Monica at 905-884-1961 for more information.

York Region offers seminars to businesses through their York Region Small Business Enterprises Program. Call 905-731-0201 for more information.

DEVELOPMENT STOPPED

Recently there have been a number of problems with the installation of sewer pipes in Richmond Hill and Markham which have led to environmental concerns and ultimate delays in construction.

Although Richmond Hill Council has stopped approving new housing construction, many approvals were already in place and the developers, investors, and prospective new home owners are now waiting to complete their contracts. If a contract fails to complete, we can expect some bankruptcies of smaller investors, new residents who cannot take possession of their properties, and lawsuits. To solve the problems, we are working on an engineering response to the sewer installation problems with a corrective plan, and we are following the regulations set by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment so that we may proceed with the sewer installation and meet our obligations to not only restore but to enhance our natural areas.

QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILDREN’S SERVICES?

From daycare, to health care, to camp: check it out with the Region of York's Children’s Services.

The Kids' Line toll free number: 1-888-703-5437.

GREENBELT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Province recently announced their Greenbelt plan to protect one million new acres in addition to the 800,000 acres in the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment that are currently protected. It is expected to contain urban development and protect environmentally sensitive and agricultural areas. Public consultations are taking place with all stakeholders and the Province intends to have a final plan ready by December 16, 2004.

Concerns have been raised that the plan may be legislated too quickly and may require more deliberation. The Chair of the Greenbelt Committee expects that the legislation will be ready for the December 16th date and changes will be made by regulation following the passing of the bill. If you would still like an opportunity to comment, you may complete the Greenbelt Protection online survey at www.gov.on.ca.