Clearview Community Notices

Important: Ban on Open-air Burning

 

The Oakville Fire Department has issued a town wide fire ban, prohibiting all open-air burning effective immediately (June 8, 2023). This burn ban applies to the entire town, including properties with approved burn permits. The ban will remain in effective until further notice. The decision to issue a burn ban comes after particularly dry weather conditions, limited rainfall and air quality warnings for the region due to smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Quebec.

 

People failing to comply with open-air burning regulations in the Ontario Fire Code and Oakville’s Open-air Burning Bylaw may be fined. The use of propane and natural gas fired devices such as barbeques can continue to be used during the duration of the ban. While the ban would be a first for the Town of Oakville,  it aligns us with many GTA municipalities that have a similar restriction in place.

 

Given that we have already experienced problems with bonfires being set in our waterfront parks, Fire Prevention will be conducting regular sweeps through those properties during the day, and crews will be checking them in the evening.

 

Oakville Responds to Legislative Updates to Housing and Growth Planning.

 

Oakville, May 16, 2023 – for immediate release
At the May 15, 2023 Planning and Development Council meeting, Oakville Town Council endorsed staff comments regarding updates and commentary on provincial legislation: Bills 109, 23 and 97 and the proposed Provincial Planning Statement 2023.

 

The report will be sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Halton Area MPPs, Halton Region, the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, Conservation Halton and Credit Valley Conservation.

 

Given the significant provincial legislative changes over the last few years, the town recommends the province allow for a period of stability for municipalities to conform to the new planning regime.

 

Each piece of legislation and associated regulations and plans is at varying stages of enactment by the province and implementation by the town.

 

Key Highlights

 

1. Bill 97 extends the timeline from January 1, 2023, to July 1, 2023, for municipalities to refund development applications fees when not meeting statutory deadlines for decisions on development applications. The town supports the extended deadline and to date, the town has not had to issue any refunds.   

 

2. Bill 97 introduces new regulations wherein municipalities could maintain site plan control for residential developments of 10 or fewer units if located within 120 metres of a shoreline or 300 metres of a railway line. The town welcomes this update which can potentially enable more oversight over grading, drainage, flood control, traffic management and safety measures.

 

3. New regulation requires select municipalities to regularly report on planning application data to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The town is actively working on meeting the reporting needs before the June 30, 2023 deadline. Town staff are collaborating with 28 municipalities and the province on providing the information through a shared data exchange platform and advocating for provincial funding to cover the initial costs.

 

4. New legislation changes the definition of “employment areas” to focus on heavy industry, manufacturing and large-scale warehousing, and removes institutional, commercial and office uses from the definition. The town is concerned with lesser protections for such employment areas if they will now be mixed with residential uses. The town is seeking more clarification from the province on this matter.

 

5. New requirements will enable conversion of existing commercial and institutional buildings for residential use. The town supports increased housing while continuing to protect employment opportunities. Finding balance is critical for maintaining complete communities and the town’s urban structure. 

 

6. Municipalities are required to meet or exceed the density targets in the proposed Provincial Policy Statement and carry out municipal-level growth forecasting in the future in the absence of provincial growth forecasts. The town plans to maintain the minimum density targets as required by the Province (i.e. 200 residents and jobs per hectare in the Midtown Urban Growth Centre).

 

7. Bill 23 requires listed heritage properties to be removed from municipal heritage register after two years. This affects the town’s 294 listed properties. In response, the town has initiated a Heritage Designation Project to evaluate the merits of designating approximately 80 listed properties by 2025 to conserve Oakville’s cultural heritage resources.
8.  
9. Under the legislation, some reviews related to natural heritage and select aspects of stormwater management will no longer be provided by Conservation Halton or Credit Valley Conservation and the town is required to assume those responsibilities. The town is working with both organizations to develop a transition plan and to complete reviews for existing files.​

By June 5, 2023, the public may provide comments on Bill 97, the proposed Provincial Policy Statement 2023 including matters and regulations discussed in the town’s report through the related postings on the Environmental Registry of Ontario and Ontario’s Regulatory Registry website.

 

Quotes

 

“As various aspects of the provincial housing legislation continue to be refined, we will work collaboratively to ensure a sustainable future for Oakville. Our continued focus is on creating complete, sustainable communities in accord with our Official Plan. Our Official Plan was created with such unanimity to preserve the established character of our stable established neighbourhood streets where we live by directing growth to our growth nodes and our transit corridors.”

 

Mayor Rob Burton

Learn about Oakville’s 2023 Budget at the Feb. 8 virtual public open house

The Town of Oakville is holding a virtual public open house on Wednesday, February 8 from 7 to 8 p.m. to share highlights of the proposed 2023 Budget and answer questions from residents and resident associations, businesses and community groups. Register now by emailing budget@oakville.ca and a Zoom link will be provided.

The open house is hosted by Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall, 2023 Budget Committee Chair. She will be joined by staff from the finance team. 

Why attend?

• Help shape Oakville’s future: The town is recommending investments in areas that impact everyday life, such as recreation programs, parks and greenspace, parking, public transit and active transportation, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and more.
• Decisions impact your tax bill: The proposed budget could increase property tax bills by approximately $206 per year (using the average assessed property value in Oakville of $800,000). Have your say on the priorities that move the town forward.
• Seek clarification on specifics: Planning to delegate to Budget Committee and have questions or want to seek clarification before your presentation? Attend the virtual open house to ask your questions.  

Useful links

• Full budget document including operating and capital budgets is posted on oakville.ca
• Budget Committee meetings and departmental presentations held so far are available on the Town’s YouTube channel.
• View the Budget 101 video to know the basics of town budgeting 

Other upcoming opportunities include:

• Public delegations on February 14 at 9:30 a.m. and February 16 at 6:30 p.m. Email townclerk@oakville.ca to register.
• Budget Committee deliberations and recommendations take place on February 21 at 9:30 a.m. Follow the livestream on oakville.ca. 

2020 BBQ / Clean Up Day was postponed, due to the COVID-19.

Thank you to our supporters and sponsors!

Kloet-Apel - Your Clearview Realtors RE/MAX Realty Enterprises

Hilton Garden Inn/Oakville

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2019 Clearview Clean Up & Barbecue

Thank you to all who helped make it a success!

Great participation, great weather, and community spirit all contributed to last year’s successful day. Over 250 residents were out to clean up litter in our neighborhood, enjoy a free barbecue, participate in yoga, and socialize. A special thank you to our sponsors and supporters who helped make the day possible! 

2019 Clean Up & Barbecue Sponsors:

Platinum

Gold

Silver 

CRH Canada Group Inc.

CWT Travelscope*

Regional Councillor Dave Gittings

Storage City*

Town Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall

Bronze

Andrew Heideman Desjardins Insurance Agency*

FCT

Lifetree Healing & Teaching Centre

Asiya Khan Law Chamber*

*Sponsor has a Clearview resident connection

See a crime in progress? Anonymous tips can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers. "See Something? Hear Something? Know Something?” Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through their website.  https://haltoncrimestoppers.ca

Free Windrow Removal From End of Driveways for Seniors 65+ and People with Physical Disabilities or Medical Conditions

Did you know that that piled up snow is called a “windrow”?  The town's windrow clearing program helps seniors 65+ and people with physical disabilities or medical conditions that are unable to clear the windrow on their own. More information at https://www.oakville.ca/residents/windrow-program.html

Oakville Transit Update

Updates from Barry Cole, Director of Oakville Transit

Beginning on December 31, 2017 the Clearview area will be receiving improved access to Oakville Transit services.  Oakville Transit’s Route 4 (Speers/Cornwall) will be shortened in the west end to allow time for it to be rerouted at the east end via Ford, Sheridan Garden Drive, and Winston Churchill.  This will provide all day, everyday service to the south Clearview area.  Route 4 provides direct access to the Clarkson GO, Oakville GO, and Bronte GO while also connecting to Route 12 which will continue to serve the north area 

of Clearview.

In addition, the last two scheduled evening trips on Routes 12 and 11 are being discontinued and replaced with Oakville Transit’s new Home to Hub service providing transportation from your residence to the nearest transit hub where you can connect with regular service.  Later in January this Home to Hub service will also be made available on weekends. 

Please visit the Oakville Transit website for complete details, maps and schedules.

http://www.oakvilletransit.ca/tsu-17nov28.html

Community Safety Information

Clearview Environment

Oakville Coyote Program

Check out our coyote reporting form, that is now compatible with mobile devices and also allows users to upload pictures and video and post to social media. Help keep your community coyote aware!

Coyotes are found in urban environments throughout North America

Though there is a rise in awareness that coyotes are around, there is still a great deal of misunderstanding among residents about coyote behaviour and their role in our urban ecology. Coyotes help keep rodent populations in check. They usually steer clear of residential areas and humans, and prefer to make their homes in large parks and woodlands. However, they will occasionally seek food or shelter in residential neighbourhoods if the opportunity arises.

While seeing a coyote in Oakville is not necessarily cause for alarm, it can be concerning when coyotes come a bit too close for comfort. The town’s coyote hazing video explains what to do if you encounter a coyote on your property, and shows you how to haze or scare them away.

If embraced by the entire community, repeated hazing ensures coyotes maintain their fear of humans and know our homes are off limits.

Reducing coyote conflicts

Feeding coyotes, running from them and allowing pets to roam off-leash have contributed to coyotes losing their inhibitions towards people. There are a number of things we can all do to help reduce human-coyote conflicts:

• Discourage coyotes from entering your property by removing brush piles or clearing areas of debris that may be perceived as a resting place or den.
• Don't feed coyotes. Ensure garbage, bird feed and pet food is inaccessible.
• Do not leave food waste in town garbage cans.
• Keep pets attended and on leash. The town's by-laws require pets to be on leash except in designated areas (off-leash parks). Supervise animals when they are in the yard. Cats should not be permitted to roam freely.
• Do not turn your back on, or run from a coyote. Stand tall, wave your arms and make lots of noise.

Coyote sightings and map

Mange is circulating in some coyote populations in Oakville which has led to these animals frequenting residential neighbourhoods to seek warmth and find easy food such as birdseed and garbage. Mange is not a threat to humans or pets and does not directly lead to increased aggression. To learn more please see our Coyote Fact Sheet (pdf).

Through the coyote reporting form, the town is working with the Oakville Humane Society to assist them in locating and treating infected coyotes. Please report coyote sightings and activity through this system. If there is an immediate risk to safety call 911 as the reporting system is not designed to respond to these types of calls.

Visit the coyote sightings map to learn where coyotes have been observed. This mapping reflects reported sightings and is not meant to indicate the number of coyotes present or a complete profile of where coyotes are present in Oakville. It provides the town and residents with useful information on understanding where the possibility of encountering a coyote may be more prevalent.

Capture and relocation of coyotes to more than one kilometre away is not permitted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. Research shows wildlife relocated from urban areas usually return or become a problem elsewhere. In addition, when coyotes are hunted or lethally destroyed, they compensate by producing larger litters and expanding their range. Only in rare cases where an individual coyote is demonstrating unusual / aggressive behaviour or severe trauma or illness do animal control agencies capture coyotes.

If a coyote poses an immediate threat to safety, call 911.

Contact the Oakville Humane Society at 905-845-1551 if you encounter a coyote you believe to be sick or injured.

In addition, the town offers a number of other resources and links on coyote awareness and co-existence:

Living with coyotes fact sheet (pdf)
Coyote tips (pdf)
Project Coyote