Community and Protective Services Committee

WHEREAS the proposed Vacant Property By-law, attached as Document 1 to the Vacant Property By-law Report, includes an exemption for two years from the recommended permit fee for an owner whose property has become vacant due to the owner being in care in a hospital, hospice, or similar facility; AND WHEREAS it is necessary to specify that this exemption from the permit fee should only apply where the vacant property in question was the owner’s principal residence immediately prior to moving in-care, and that this fee exemption would not apply to any other vacant property of the said owner, such as vacant investment properties, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that clause (c) of Subsection 7(2) of the proposed Vacant Property By-law be replaced with the following: (c) When a building has become vacant due to the owner being in care in a hospital, hospice, long-term care facility, assisted living residence, or home for special care, and such building was the principal residence of the owner immediately prior to being in care, the owner shall be exempt from the permit fee, as specified in Schedule A, for a maximum period of two (2) years following the commencement of vacancy.

WHEREAS the proposed Vacant Property By-law serves a number of key purposes, including identification of vacant properties to ensure compliance with property standards requirements, among others prescribed in the draft by-law; and, WHEREAS some vacant properties may have been subject to damage by fire or other means such that the civic address numbers have been removed or are illegible, making accurate identification either not possible or challenging for purposes of enforcement; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed Vacant Property By-law be amended to require the owner to maintain civic numbering on the vacant building or vacant land in accordance with the requirements of the Addressing By-law, by: 1. adding the following definition to Section 1 of the proposed by-law; “Addressing By-law” means the Addressing By-law of the City of Ottawa (By-law No. 2014-78), as amended, or any successor by-law thereto; and 2. adding to Section 18 of the proposed by-law, the following subsection: (4) No owner shall fail to maintain civic numbering on the vacant building or vacant land in accordance with the Addressing By-law.

BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed Vacant Property By-law be amended by: 1. Adding the following subsection to Section 4 with respect to permits for vacant property in registered plans of subdivision: (5) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the owner of more than one vacant block or lot on a plan of subdivision registered on or after January 1, 2001, may obtain one permit for all vacant lots and blocks owned by that owner within that subdivision, other than those lots and blocks for which an occupancy permit has been issued. 2. Adding the following item to Schedule “A” of the by-law: Additional subdivision lot $25 per block 1 year or block fee or lot

BE IT RESOLVED THAT: 1. The proposed Vacant Property By-law be amended by adding an exclusion in subsection 7(1) for lands located in a plan of subdivision that are reserved as future school sites or park locations.

WHEREAS the Vehicle-for-Hire By-law (2016-272, as amended) regulates taxicabs, limousines and Private Transportation Companies; and, WHEREAS the by-law requires that any new or replacement taxicab vehicle entering the fleet must be a maximum of five (5) model years of age, where the model year of the vehicle is not included in the vehicle age calculation; and, WHEREAS this provision has traditionally served to attempt to address potential vehicle deterioration associated with higher mileage and usage; and, WHEREAS many taxicab vehicles have not been in full operation during 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when taxicab services were in lower demand; and, WHEREAS the taxicab industry reports that availability of newer vehicles suitable for use as taxicabs to serve residents and visitors is significantly limited, which is confirmed by staff based on the current market; and, WHEREAS based on the foregoing, it is prudent and reasonable to consider increasing vehicle entry age restrictions to support the taxicab industry’s ability to revitalize its place in the public transportation network; and, WHEREAS staff will, in the coming year, be reviewing aspects of the Vehicle-for-Hire By-law specific to taxicabs with a view to addressing issues raised by the industry in this and other respects to result in a report to Council in early 2023; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council delegate authority to the Chief License Inspector to permit standard and accessible taxi plate hold