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What's up at Newmarket council: Pedestrian zones, patio expansion, pet store licensing

There's still time to have your say on short-term rentals, animal control, and pet shop licensing
20200417 main st constr 3
Joia plans to add a cover over the patio overlooking Riverwalk Commons when they are allowed to re-open. This week, the restaurant put out its patio furniture in anticipation of Ontario's next phase of reopening. Greg King for NewmarketToday

Newmarket council is back in full swing with a special council meeting on June 8 and a special committee of the whole scheduled for June 15, all via the online meeting platform Zoom and live streamed at the town’s website.

Here are some items NewmarketToday is following at the June 8 and June 15 meetings:

June 8: Main Street pedestrian zones and town-wide patio expansion program

Council will consider the creation of pedestrian zones on certain sections of Main Street and a town-wide patio expansion program to help local merchants and restaurateurs who have been hit hard by the upending of the economy due to the coronavirus crisis.

As Ontario slowly unwinds restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 and is now three weeks into its expected four-week phase-one reopening of the economy, announcements are expected possibly within a week about expanded business openings such as patio dining in regions that have flattened the curve of coronavirus infections.

Newmarket has already engaged the Main Street District BIA board through a special June 2, 2020 meeting on the ideas, and considerable research has been ongoing based on other municipal responses being considered.

The BIA is also surveying its membership to gauge support of pedestrian zones along Main Street. Those results will be considered closely by the town. 

In addition, the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce and a cross-section of restaurants town-wide met virtually today, June 5, to discuss the issues. A report is expected at council’s June 15 committee of the whole meeting.

A town staff report recommends that Newmarket quickly put plans in place to respond to future provincial announcements related to restaurant and retail expanded openings.

That includes waiving patio licensing fees for 2020, amending its current outdoor serving patio program with respect to hours of operation, encroachment on town lands, and any other relevant provisions to facilitate outdoor patios on a temporary basis, and that any associated costs for a downtown pedestrian zone that involves town property be funded through its operating budget or reserves, as required.

June 15: Proposed bylaws for short-term rentals, animal control, and pet store licensing

Newmarket staff will present three proposed regulations for council’s consideration on the controversial subjects of animal control and pet store licensing, and short-term rentals. 

The Town began consulting residents and industry stakeholders to gather feedback on these topics in December 2019 for short-term rentals, and January 2020 on animal control and pet store licensing.

The results from extensive public feedback on all the topics will be shared in a report.

For example, when asked about allowing pet stores to sell dogs or cats, 17 out of 46 respondents want to see no sales permitted.

If sales were permitted, 484 out of 574 respondents want to see animals sourced from humane societies, shelters, or rescue groups and, if sales were permitted, 213 out of 574 respondents would support sourcing from registered breeders.

With regard to short-term rentals, town staff proposes that a new bylaw address key community concerns, including excessive noise, nuisance behavior, health and safety, garbage, parking, and overall negative community impact.

In addition, staff are proposing eight separate licensing requirements for short-term rentals and bed and breakfasts that include obtaining a business licence and posting a sign on their property to identify the premises as a short-term rental business, a maximum of six guests and three bedrooms are permitted to be rented out for short-term rentals or bed and breakfast use, and only a permanent Newmarket resident can be the operator and licence holder, and be available to respond to complaints within two hours.

Operators would also be required to comply with a demerit point system, where complaints and violations against the operator apply demerit points, with a process for suspending or revoking the business licence for reaching the demerit point system threshold.

After a two-month ban, Ontario permitted short-term rentals to get back in business as of today, June 5 at 12:01 a.m. That incudes homes and condos, cottages, and bed and breakfasts.

Council will make final decisions on these proposals at the June 29 council meeting.

How to get involved:

Citizens who would like to address council on items that appear on the meetings’ agendas can provide comments in writing via email to [email protected]

For the Monday, June 8 council meeting, you must email your submission no later than 11 a.m. on that day.

If you’d like to join the live meeting using the town's videoconferencing software and verbally provide comments over video or telephone, you must email [email protected] no later than the end of day Sunday, June 7 and be available to test your connection on Monday, June 8.

For the Monday, June 15 committee of the whole meeting, you must email your submission to [email protected] no later than the end of day on Wednesday, June 10.

If you’d like to join the live meeting using the town's videoconferencing software and verbally provide comments over video or telephone, you must email [email protected] no later than Wednesday, June 10 and be available to test your connection on Thursday, June 11 or Friday, June 12.

The special council meeting agenda for June 8 is available here.

The special committee of the whole agenda for June 15 is available here.

Both online meetings begin at 1 p.m.

Check back here for a full report.