Highlights from the Oct. 17 Council Meeting

Woodstock – Council had a busy agenda for their Thursday evening meeting. The meeting got underway at 7 p.m. with delegations speaking to some of the planning applications on the agenda.

Support for Local HART Hub Application

There was a Mayor’s report on the agenda asking Council to endorse the Oxford Ontario Heath Team (OHT) application for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. HART Hubs bring together service providers to improve care and accessibility for individuals facing homelessness, addiction and mental health challenges and align with the City’s strategic plan priority action to “Partner to support the development of a campus of services around addiction, mental health, and transitional housing.” Oxford OHT is the lead agency on the proposal, which is due Oct. 18. With Council’s endorsement, the Mayor will submit a letter on behalf of Council supporting the application to include in Oxford OHT’s proposal.

2025 Fees and Charges

Council also approved the list of Fees and Charges for 2025.The fees are for programs and services including recreational programming, permits, freedom of information requests, equipment rentals, advertising opportunities and facility rentals. The updated fees will come into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

Future Downtown Redevelopment Costs

Leading into capital budget discussions starting in November, staff provided details about potential future phases identified in the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan, adopted by Council in 2022. The report provides details on how the long-term vision for streetscape improvements could be implemented to address concerns, enhance accessibility and create a more inclusive environment for everyone. The possible phases and preliminary cost estimates identified in the report will help inform discussions during the capital budget process.

Bylaw Regulating Fowl on Residential Properties

After concerns were raised about the potential negative impacts of keeping chickens and other fowl on residential properties, Council directed staff to review the bylaw and provide a report outlining options for addressing these concerns. Staff proposed a revised bylaw with changes regulating setback requirements and number of birds permitted to help minimize adverse effects including the risk of disease, noise and potential for attracting pests. Council supported the changes to the bylaw with exemptions for keeping pigeons to accommodate residents involved in the sport of pigeon racing. Staff will now prepare the updated bylaw to replace the current Municipal Code Chapter.

Release of Council Meeting Agendas

Council supported a change to when Council meeting agendas will be released to the public. Previously, Councillors and staff would receive the meeting agendas on the Friday before the Council meeting, allowing them some time to review the information before potentially receiving questions from the public. There was some confusion as to if the information and documents could be shared with others before it was posted publicly on the Monday of the Council meeting week. Going forward, Council agendas will be available on the City’s website at the same time as they are shared with members of Council on the Friday prior to the Council meeting.

Boundary Adjustment with Norwich Township

Council approved the revised minimalist approach proposal for a boundary adjustment agreement with the Township of Norwich. While this proposal must still be approved by Oxford County Council and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, once finalized it would bring 106 acres into the City of Woodstock to allow for the realignment of Patullo Avenue. The agreement outlines the compensation the City will pay to Norwich Township and details of the tax mitigation credits and phase-in period for affected properties.  

Details about all the agenda items and topics discussed during the council meeting can be found at www.cityofwoodstock.ca/agendasandminutes. Council meetings are live streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and recordings of the meetings are posted online following the meetings.

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