Councillor Crain – Street Naming Policy Review

AUGUST 10 HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING: Crain is on the heritage committee and was present for the agenda that included three documents for item 8.2 Brittany’s Gate – Street Naming Request:

  1. Brittany’s Gate – Street Naming Request
  2. Appendix A – Letter from Norbert Bolger
  3. Appendix B – Street Naming Policy

Crain took part in the August 10 committee discussion about the street naming policy and also moved a recommendation to council that the heritage committee reviews the updated street name and street naming policy and inventory list once completed by administration before the final amendments are adopted at a regular council meeting.

Heritage committee chair Simon Chamely thought it would be brought back for the September 21 meeting, although that meeting was in-camera to deal with expressions of interest.

When Shirley Curson-Prue asked if it would be an October issue, clerk answered that it would depend on how far along the policy is in its review; most likely it would be more like October than the next meeting.

Chamely asked if they were able to do that; is that not writing policy?

Crain answered and referenced the recommendation; it’s not that they write the policy its that they review and if there are certain aspects of the policy that they don’t believe should be there, then they can provide a recommendation to council saying, hey, maybe we should be taking out this line because it creates this restriction. So not that they’re writing anything at all; that’s what the clerk’s office and Adam will be working on. It’s more of just review, similar to any policy that’s reviewed by council. You’re providing an outside perspective on where amendments could be made.

The motion was read aloud again: recommendation to council that the heritage committee reviews the updated street name and street naming policy and inventory list once completed by administration, before the final amendments are adopted at a regular council meeting.

August 10 minutes state the motion: That the Heritage Committee REVIEW the updated Street Naming Policy and inventory before final adoption by Council which, as mentioned in this post, More Erroneous Minutes, did not indicate that the motion carried.

SEPTEMBER 25 COUNCIL MEETING: Crain was present where the agenda included three documents for item 13.2: Street Naming – Brittany Crescent and Stone Street:

  1. Brittany Gate – Street Naming
  2. Appendix A – Street Naming Policy
  3. Appendix B – Street Name Inventory (unused names)

During the September 25 discussion of Brittany’s Gate, Crain asked staff if the current street naming policy that they have in place, he couldn’t recall, looking for clarification, is that policy out of date and currently being reviewed.

By this time, Crain would have heard the word ‘review‘ six times, including using it in his August 10 motion and he would have read it once in the August 10 minutes on the September 25 council agenda.

The clerk answered: there is a review ongoing for the policy. It’s not currently out of conformance with existing policies. but there has been some discussion around ways to streamline some of the processes involved.

Deputy CAO Osbourne jumped in to add that there will be a report coming forward to council she believed October 10 or the second meeting in October.

And the item is on the October 10 agenda after all. Crain’s August 10 motion for the heritage committee review the updated policy and list before adoption by council seems redundant since the committee meets October 12 to once again discuss the same issue.

The October 10 council meeting agenda includes:
Agenda item 14.2  Municipal Street Naming Policy Update 2023

  1. Street Naming Policy Update 2023.pdf
  2. Appendix A – Municipal Street Naming Policy
  3. Appendix B – Historical Street Name Inventory List
  4. Appendix C – Alternate Street Name Request Application

The October 12 Heritage Committee meeting agenda also includes:
Agenda item 7.2  Municipal Street Naming Policy Update

  1. Municipal Street Naming Policy Update Report 2023
  2. Appendix A – Municipal Street Naming Policy DRAFT
  3. Appendix B – Historical Street Name Inventory List
  4. Appendix C – Alternate Street Name Request Application