Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

WHEREAS the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will approve the 2024 Draft Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee portion of the Capital and Operating Budget for Council’s consideration THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff in the Natural Systems and Rural Affairs Office prepare a fulsome 2024 workplan briefing for the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this briefing be presented at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend that Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, approve the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee 2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budget as follows: Development Review Process (Rural) Operating Resource Requirement (page 2). Rural Affairs Office as follows: User Fees (page 5); Operating Resource Requirement (page 4) The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Capital Program (page 6) [individual projects listed pages 12-17].

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa administers the Rural Community-Building Grants Funding envelope through the Rural Affairs Office, with a stated intention to support rural-based community project undertakings by community associations, agricultural groups, or other non-for-profit organizations; and WHEREAS the initial report (ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0182) includes criteria listed in Document 1 under section 4.0 which states, in part, that: “Review meetings are anticipated to be held quarterly to make funding decisions”; and WHEREAS the Rural Community-Building Grants has aided in the successful implementation of a multitude of enhancements to communities in rural Ottawa, and it would be beneficial to consider applications more expeditiously, as opposed to quarterly reviews; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council: Direct the Rural Affairs Office to bring forward applications for the Rural Community-Building Grants Program to an Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee no later than 30 days after they are received, or at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee if it does not fall within the 30 day threshold; and Approve an amendment to the Rural Community-Building Grants Policy to replace the text under Section 4.0 to read as follows: “Review meetings are anticipated to be held within 30 days of receipt of the application, or at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Af

WHEREAS City Council approved the Site Alteration By-law in 2018 with a direction for staff to conduct a review and report back on its performance and recommend improvements; and WHEREAS according to the staff report that over 2,500 complaints have been received over five years, however, the majority being directed to Drainage staff leading to questions of the effectiveness and intent of the by-law; and WHEREAS the intent of the by-law is not to negatively impact a normal farm practice

WHEREAS energy projects proposed within an area governed by a municipal government are required by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to obtain a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) before projects can proceed; and WHEREAS according to IESO LT1 RFP, proponents have up to 18 months following the December 12, 2023 application deadline to submit evidence of municipal support, however, projects that include an MSR with their application are granted four (4) additional Rated Criteria Points, which gives them a better chance of being selected; and WHEREAS the Battery Electric Storage System (BESS) projects currently being reviewed are distinct from one another and may receive varying levels of community and Council support depending on the nature of each individual project; and WHEREAS on February 22, 2023, Council directed staff to advise any proponents seeking an MSR through the LT1 RFP that staff will not bring such requests to Council unless such requests are considered through the relevant Standing Committee; and WHEREAS the IESO has now finalized the LT1 RFP procurement documents that allow for municipal councils to document evidence of a Municipal Support Resolution by way of a prescribed form ; and WHEREAS renewable energy generating and storage facilities, such as the BESS facilities under consideration, are vital for accomplishing the City’s energy resilience and climate change goals,. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that recommendation 1 be amended to state the f

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa approved the Local Improvement Policy on 24 November 2021, which allows for residents to act collectively through a Local Improvement petition process; and WHEREAS the City of Ottawa passed the revised Ditch Alteration Policy, ACS2022-PIE-GEN-0001, on 6 July 2022. WHEREAS the ditch alteration policy describes the circumstances and requirements for the City to permit property owner-initiated alteration of drainage ditches and drainage courses; WHEREAS the ditch alteration policy prevents the altering or unauthorized filling of a ditch and actions are subject to enforcement; and WHEREAS non-compliant or unauthorized ditch alterations which occur after July 6, 2022, the rules set out in the Ditch Alteration policy will be enforced in accordance with the Use and Care of Roads Bylaw and/or Site Alteration By-law; and WHEREAS the City of Ottawa issued notice of violations on 18 November 2022 to civic addresses 4634, 4644, and 4652 Anderson Road for the removal of illegal ditch infills along each of their Anderson Road frontages; and WHEREAS the City of Ottawa provided a local improvement as an avenue to alter the ditch in accordance with the local improvement policy; and WHEREAS residents have not identified any flooding related to the ditch infills at the above-mentioned addresses; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the ditch infill at 4633, 4634, and 4652 Anderson Road be exempted from the revised ditch alteration policy