Special Council Minutes

Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 1:00 P.m. - 4:00 P.m.

Whitby Operations Centre

333 McKinney Drive

Present:

• Mayor Roy
• Councillor Leahy
• Councillor Lundquist
• Councillor Mulcahy (Arrived at 1:09 p.m.)
• Councillor Shahid (Arrived at 1:14 p.m.)
• Councillor Yamada (Arrived at 1:17 p.m.)

Regrets:

• Councillor Bozinovski
• Councillor Cardwell
• Councillor Lee

Also Present:

• F. Santaguida, Commissioner of Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor
• M. Dodge, Executive Advisor to the Mayor
• K. Narraway, Sr. Manager of Legislative Services/Deputy Clerk (Recording Secretary)

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1.

Call To Order: The Mayor

2.

Declarations of Conflict of Interest

There were no declarations of conflict of interest.

3.

Welcome & Introductions

Mayor Roy provided a brief introduction regarding the purpose of the Community Safety Roundtable and attendees introduced themselves.

4.

Presentations

4.1

P. Angelo, Director of Engineering and T. Painchaud, Sr. Manager, Transportation Services, Town of Whitby

Re: Traffic Calming Plan Updates

T. Painchaud, Sr. Manager, Transportation Services provided a presentation regarding Traffic Calming Plan Updates. Highlights of the presentation included:

• the process the Town is undertaking to develop a new Traffic Calming Policy and associated Traffic Calming Guide; 
• details about upcoming workshops with stakeholders and public engagement sessions regarding the draft Traffic Calming Policy; 
• how data is collected regarding traffic volumes and the Town's focus on school zone safety; 
• information about streets in the Town where traffic calming measures were installed in 2024; and, 
• the different types of traffic calming measures available for use.

A brief question and answer period ensued regarding the status of the ongoing project to determine how the Town may regulate e-mobility devices and the effectiveness of flexible bollards on roads in school zones.

4.2

A. Gratton, Sr. Manager of Enforcement Services, Town of Whitby

Re: By-law Enforcement Technology

A. Gratton, Sr. Manager, Enforcement Services provided a presentation regarding By-law Enforcement Technology. Highlights of the presentation included:

• the Town's recent adoption of the Administrative Penalties System (APS) for parking enforcement; 
• benefits of the APS versus the former Provincial Offences Act system; 
• the ability for the Town's Enforcement Services Officers to issue penalty notices by personal service or by mail; 
• an outline of the process to dispute a penalty notice issued through the APS; 
• information about the Town's new Traffic By-law, including a tiered and escalating fine structure for penalty notices; 
• details about the use of a Licence Plate Recognition system by Enforcement Services; and, 
• a year over year comparison of school zone enforcement in 2023 and 2024. 

A question and answer period ensued regarding:

• communicating information about the APS and penalty notices to school administrators to share with students; 
• the Town's Short Term On-Street parking program; 
• how information about the tiered and escalating fine structure is detailed on penalty notices; and, 
• feedback received from school communities about the APS. 

5.

Community Safety Roundtable Discussions

5.1

Inspector Gill Lock, Durham Regional Police Service

Re: Durham Regional Police Service Question and Answer Period

Inspector Gill Lock, Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) provided updates regarding:

• the number of schools in Central West Division; 
• the "In The Zone" school safety initiative organized by DRPS; 
• statistics about the number of Provincial Offence Notices issued and the number of vehicle collisions in and around school zones; and, 
• how residents can report dangerous and aggressive driving through the Road Watch Program. 

A question and answer period ensued regarding:

• working with DRPS to identify and prioritize school zones that require enforcement; 
• vehicle noise concerns and challenges associated with noise enforcement; 
• locations in the Town that experience a high rate of vehicle collisions; 
• designated community safety zones being eligible locations for automated speed cameras; 
• ensuring operators of e-mobility devices exercise caution around pedestrians and when crossing intersections; and, 
• DRPS School Liaison Officers and the role that they play in fostering safer school communities. 

5.2

F. Santaguida, Commissioner, Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor, Town of Whitby

Re: Question and Answer Period and Feedback from Whitby School Community Councils

F. Santaguida, Commissioner, Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor facilitated a discussion amongst attendees regarding: 

• how Town Staff work with Durham Student Transportation Services to receive updated information about school populations to determine where crossing guards are needed; 
• two new schools opening in the West Whitby area in the near future; 
• how school sites are identified through a collaborative exercise between School Boards and the Town's Planning and Development Department; 
• making the construction of new schools more efficient by using pre-approved school designs from the Ministry of Education; 
• how schools communicate with their student populations to encourage walking; 
• opportunities to improve communication between School Boards and the Town to identify walking routes that require winter maintenance; 
• providing education and training to residents to ensure understanding of traffic calming measures and roundabouts; and, 
• managing construction traffic around schools in order to keep students safe.

6.

Adjournment

• Moved by Councillor Shahid
  Seconded by Councillor Lundquist

  That the meeting adjourn.

  Carried

  The meeting adjourned at 2:52 p.m.