City Documents: Jan 2006, Part I

January 2006 looks to be a busy committee month. I will be posting at least two sets of documents because the Works Committee and Planning/Transportation agenda have been posted but not the Community Council agenda which are scheduled for later in the month. Also a couple of documents have been listed but not posted. Here's what's available now:

Planning & Transportation Committee (Jan. 9)

6. Preventing Migratory Bird Deaths Resulting from Collision with Buildings
A policy paper on what can be done to reduce bird deaths from colliding with buildings.

16. “Green Building Code”: Energy Efficiency Provisions
This document isn't available yet. Sounds like a general environmental policy paper. Not directly related to the Don but interesting nonetheless.

Works Committee (Jan. 11)

18. Impacts of Further Urban Expansion in York Region on the City of Toronto in
Terms of Stormwater Quality and Quantity, Air Quality, Traffic Congestion and
Impacts on Toronto’s Infrastructure
Another indirectly related document. Of course anything that happens upstream from us will eventually affect downstream places as well.

21. Considerations for additional funding in the 2007 Capital Budget for source water
protection, tree planting and downspout disconnection
This document recommends that Toronto Water start a mandatory downspout disconnection program . It also recommends that $2 million be set aside for tree planting projects. Sounds like good news indeed, that is if it survives the current city budget debate...

23. Impacts of Accelerating the City of Toronto’s 25-Year Wet Weather Flow Management
Master Plan to a 15-Year Plan
Report not available yet. No doubt will be a cost-benefit analysis.

Community Services Committee (Jan. 12)

5. Annual Report on From the Streets into Homes: A Strategy to Assist Homeless
Persons Find Permanent Housing
This is not a committee that normally has much relevance for the valley but this report does. A rather lengthy report (52 pages), Appendix H & I are of particular relevance to the valley because they discuss the issue of "Homeless People Camping In Public Spaces". Appendix I is a list of locations where homeless people were living beneath bridges and in parks. According to the results they were quite successful in getting these individuals relocated and the living areas cleaned up. Not a comprehensive list but encouraging from the standpoint of getting people to move out of tents and into homes. Good for them and good for the valley.