Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: February 10, 2022 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, February 10, 2022 –10:00 a.m. County Administrative Building Meeting to be held in Virtual Electronic Format, and live streamed on the County of Frontenac’s YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/VcA1KaBp-g8
AGENDA Page 1.
Call to Order
Adoption of the Agenda a) That the agenda for the February 10, 2022 meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee be adopted.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
Adoption of Minutes a) Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
3-6
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held December 9, 2021 be adopted.
7 - 16
Deputations and/or Presentations
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a) 2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan Recommendation: Be it Resolved That Council endorse the direction and actions related the County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan as noted in the report.
17 - 19
b)
2022-010 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Guide Recommendation:
Page 1 of 30
Page Be It Resolved That the County of Frontenac continue the partnership with Frontenac News to create, develop, design, produce and distribute a Frontenac Guide for residents and visitors in 2022. 20 - 22
c)
2022-011 Community Development Advisory Committee Sharbot Lake Downtown Revitalization Plan Update This report is for information purposes only.
23 - 28
d)
2022-012 Community Development Advisory Committee Trail Activation Project Recommendation: Be It Resolved That Frontenac County Economic Development move forward with the Trail Activation Project beginning in 2022.
29 - 30
e)
2022-013 Community Development Advisory Committee Community Profile ArcGIS Dashboard This report is for information purposes only.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a) The next meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is schedule for Thursday, April 14, 2022
Adjournment
Page 2 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting December 9, 2021 https://youtu.be/VpLQrEWURos A meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee was held in virtual electronic format, hosted at the County Administrative Office, 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM Present Electronically: Betty Hunter, Chair Councillor Alan Revill, Council Liaison Lisa Henderson Deputy Warden Denis Doyle (late 10:18 a.m.) Ella Vanderburgt Marlene Spruyt Greg Rodgers Regrets: Wilma Kenny, Vice Chair Staff Present Electronically: Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk (Recording Secretary) Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development 1.
Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 2.
Adoption of the Agenda
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Councillor Revill
That the agenda for the December 9, 2021 meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee be adopted. Carried 3.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were none.
Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
Page 3 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Adoption of Minutes a)
Minutes of Meeting held October 14, 2021
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Vanderburgt Ms. Spruyt
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held October 14, 2021 be adopted. Carried 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations a)
Ms. Amanda Pantrey, Program, Events & Education Coordinator, Township of South Frontenac spoke to the Committee regarding the planning and execution of the Open Farms event. She noted the huge success of the event this year and spoke more around the Community Hub event that took place at Centennial Park in Harrowsmith. In terms of challenges as a result of COVID-19, she noted that organizers were in constant dialogue with KFL&A Public Health and vendors to ensure that all public health requirements were met, which in turn led to a safe outdoor event. In terms of partnerships, this was a County led imitative with the assistance of the Township of South Frontenac and RTO 9. The organizers developed excellent partnerships that led to a very successful event. In terms of the event that took place on Wolfe Island, the Township of Frontenac Islands was invited to participate and organized their event but were not overly involved in the overall event.
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a)
2021-118 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2021 Final Report
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Ms. Spruyt
Be it Resolved That the Community Development Advisory Committee endorses the community and partner engagement activities as outlined in Report 2021-118 and requests that staff report back with an Open Farms update in early 2022 Carried
CDAC Meeting Minutes December 9, 2021
Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
Page 2 of 4
Page 4 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Mr. Allen provided an overview of the report and noted the 6 questions in the report where Committee feedback is being solicited. In terms of feedback, it was noted that given the amount of staff time required for this event, it was suggested to perhaps limit the number of vendors that may not add to the event and have the curriculum focus more around educational programs and how to grow and produce your own food. In the past, there were extremely high numbers of those visiting farms so vendors and farms often sold out of their product. While there are different elements that the event could provide, the farm visits are an important component and should be emphasized. It was asked if the restaurants and food providers in the Townships were also invited to participate, to which Mr. Allen noted that many local vendors and retailers were offered the opportunity to participate and some did have a booth at Centennial Park. In terms a suggestion that events happen throughout the County, it was noted that there must be partnerships on the ground if there are to be satellite events at each Township, similar to the partnership this year with the Township of Frontenac Islands for the event that took place on Wolfe Island. b)
2021-119 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Ambassador Program Evolution
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Councillor Revill
Be It Resolved That the Community Development Advisory Committee endorse the gradual changes to the Frontenac Ambassador Program as outlined in this report Carried Mr. Allen provided an overview of the report. It was noted that it is important that the Ambassador Program remain open only to those located in the County. It was also questioned if Tourism and Agriculture should be two separate round table discussions and that restaurants may be involved in both. Mr. Allen noted that there is not a significant number of restaurants in the County and we could reach out to them individually to see where they would like to participate. c)
2021-120 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Business Survey 2022
Mr. Allen provided an overview of the report which was for information purposes only but asked members if there were any suggestions on the questions noted in the report. In terms of the current climate crisis that the world is experiencing, it was questioned if there should be more engagement with our local businesses on a green economy and CDAC Meeting Minutes December 9, 2021
Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
Page 3 of 4
Page 5 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
what supports they may need from both the Province and the County in navigating this transition. In regards to tourism and the question around how busy the business was in 2021, it was thought that this was a very vague open ended question and asked Mr. Allen what type of response he would be looking for, such as increase in the number of patrons, increase in revenue etc. Mr. Allen noted that the question does ask that they indicate occupancy rates for each month and it provides a grid as a guideline. Ms. Hunter lost connection at 10:40 a.m. Councillor Revill took over the Chair and asked that Mr. Allen introduce Ms. Miller, the County’s new Community Development Officer, to the Committee. Ms. Miller provided a small background about herself and how she is looking forward to get out and meet everyone in the County. Ms. Hunter re-connected at 10:42 a.m. 7.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a)
The next meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. held in combination of in person and virtual electronic format and live streamed on the County of Frontenac’s YouTube Channel. Adjournment
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Ms. Spruyt
That the meeting hereby adjourn at 10:46 a.m. Carried
CDAC Meeting Minutes December 9, 2021
Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
Page 4 of 4
Page 6 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Report 2022-009 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan
Recommendation Be it Resolved That the Community Development Advisory Committee endorses the direction and actions related the County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan as noted in the report. Background A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool that allows a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives toward a specifically defined project area. Community Improvement Plans are intended to encourage revitalization initiatives and/or stimulate development and redevelopment. CIPs are enabled through Part IV of the Ontario Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990. Through prior efforts of the County, Frontenac is one of only eight upper-tier municipalities that have authority under Ontario Reg. 221/07 to implement a regional CIP. As part of the 2022-2026 Budget and Business Plan presentations, County Council approved a project proposal to complete a County-wide Community Improvement Plan Study. The purpose of this project is to review the current suite of community improvement plans available in Frontenac County, and to make recommendations on the best approach to establishing a County-wide plan, providing incentives for investment throughout the region. Since 2012, Frontenac County has established 5 Community Improvement Plans with respective project areas. While the County led the initial development of each plan, the Townships have been responsible for administration and updates to each plan. • Verona (2012 – No longer available) • Sharbot Lake (2012) • Marysville (2013)
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 7 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
• •
Harrowsmith (2016) North Frontenac (updated 2020)
To date, the only program available in a regional fashion is the North Frontenac Community Improvement Plan – the other plans are limited to main streets and settlement areas within the named villages. This report outlines the scope of the study to review the existing suite of Community Improvement Plans along with establishing a set of County-wide priorities and objectives to establish a framework to form the basis of a new community improvement plan to be implemented throughout Frontenac County. Comment A project team will be created to oversee the work of the engagement and development of the CIP Strategy that will involve staff from Economic Development, Planning & Finance. This team will review project progress on a regular basis and provide project updates to the Community Development Advisory Committee as well as communicate with our partners in economic development at the Townships and Frontenac Business Services. The County will seek consultant services to complete a County-wide Community Improvement Plan Strategy, outlining the results of the background study and outlining the steps necessary to implement a regional community improvement plan including, if necessary, modifications to existing plans. Review of existing Community Improvement Programs and related policies in Frontenac County The consultant will review the existing community improvement plans and evaluate the performance of such plans, including the number of applications and the return on investment of public funds. This review will also recommend changes that ensure alignment with the forthcoming regional plan, including the stacking of incentives and/or the elimination of duplicate programs with an opportunity to look at a streamlined application process to funnel all applications through one process. Establish Community Vision and Economic Development Priorities The 2020 Service Delivery Review of Frontenac Economic Development outlined four key opportunities to make better use of existing resources in the Economic Development Department. The first recommendation was for the County to establish concrete priorities for Economic Development, ideally determining the underlying reason for Economic Development activities and setting outcomes to work towards and contribute to through those activities. Currently the Economic Development Team is guided by the Charter for Economic Development, established in 2015. As part of the priority setting requirement for a Community Improvement Plan, staff propose a visioning exercise to update the charter and define a new set of clear priorities. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 2 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 8 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
With consultant support, County staff will lead a series of workshops to clarify a vision for Frontenac communities. These workshops will be facilitated in partnership with the Townships and Frontenac Business Services and include diverse representation of various business sectors and perspectives, with the goal of determining “What do we want our community to be?” These workshops will also identify related outcomes or indicators that demonstrate progress towards that result. The results of the visioning will be presented to the community at large to confirm the vision and prioritize related outcomes. County Council will be included in the process and confirm the proposed vision and priorities. These priorities will be used to define the types of programs and incentives offered through the County-wide CIP. Such priorities could include a range of options from environmental initiatives to housing and more traditional projects such as façade improvement. It is anticipated that the community engagement work for the community vision and economic development priorities will take place in May and June of 2022. Review of Industry Best Practices The consultant will recommend a suite of potential incentive programs and tools that can be used to achieve the goals established through the priority setting process, including recommendations for funding and administering these programs. Key best practices to be reviewed include:
- Types of Incentives There are a number of grant programs, rebates and other incentives offered by municipalities as part of their respective CIP initiatives. These programs may be offered to reduce certain barriers to development or to encourage certain types of investment within the priorities established by the CIP program. They can include matching grants, loan programs, tax-incremental equivalent grants, municipal services, or even business coaching. In addition to cataloguing types of programs, the consultant will provide analysis on which types of programs that are most effective and well utilised.
- Collaboration between Regions (Counties) and Municipalities (Townships) The consultant will examine different methods of collaboration between regions and their respective municipalities in terms of CIP coordination and delivery in order to select the approach that is the best fit in Frontenac County.
- Performance Measurement of CIP programs Performance measurement can be used to evaluate the suitability of applications to the program through scoring, as well as to determine the level of eligibility a successful application may have for the program. For example, an application that meets multiple priorities and scores high on each priority could be considered for additional incentives. Incentive levels may also be determined based on investment amounts, which would factor into the scoring. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 3 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 9 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
In addition, the performance measurement of the CIP program helps communicate to Council and the community on the effectiveness of the program and the return on investment for successful applications. These measurements can inform adjustments to the program during regular review periods. 4. Unique Programs While CIP programs are used widely across Ontario to promote investment, some programs make use of unique policies, partnerships or other approaches to further the goals of the municipality. The consultant will provide 3-5 case studies of unique programs that stand out for their strategic use or unique approach.
Presentation of County-wide CIP Recommendations & Implementation Strategy Once the above tasks have been completed, the consultant will work with the project team to develop a set of recommendations along with an implementation strategy for presentation to the Community Development Advisory Committee and, subsequently, County Council for approval. Recommendations will include but not be limited to: • Potential amendments to existing CIP Plans • Policies and programs for a County-wide Community Improvement Plan (CCIP) • Recommended financial plan to fund and administer the CCIP • Recommendations for coordination between economic development partners on program delivery, both at local and county levels. Once County Council has received the recommendation and Implementation Strategy, it will determine if implementation should proceed. Financial Implications $40,000 has been approved to evaluate a County-wide Community Improvement Plan as part of the 2022 County Budget process. The review will include a financial plan along with recommendations for implementation when presented to Council. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 2.1: To meet the needs of future capital projects, explore new sources of funding support (current and future programs), cost-sharing options and other potential economies. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 4 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 10 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Priority 3: Champion and coordinate collaborative efforts This project also supports the first recommendation of the Economic Development Service Delivery Review presented to County Council in 2020. This recommendation stated that County Council should set clear Economic Development Priorities that direct the Economic Development Team to focus resources on identified goals. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac County Council and staff South Frontenac Township North Frontenac Township Central Frontenac Township Frontenac Islands Township Frontenac Business Services
Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 5 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 11 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Report 2022-009 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan
Recommendation Be it Resolved That Council endorse the direction and actions related the County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan as noted in the report. Background A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool that allows a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives toward a specifically defined project area. Community Improvement Plans are intended to encourage revitalization initiatives and/or stimulate development and redevelopment. CIPs are enabled through Part IV of the Ontario Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990. Through prior efforts of the County, Frontenac is one of only eight upper-tier municipalities that have authority under Ontario Reg. 221/07 to implement a regional CIP. As part of the 2022-2026 Budget and Business Plan presentations, County Council approved a project proposal to complete a County-wide Community Improvement Plan Study. The purpose of this project is to review the current suite of community improvement plans available in Frontenac County, and to make recommendations on the best approach to establishing a County-wide plan, providing incentives for investment throughout the region. Since 2012, Frontenac County has established 5 Community Improvement Plans with respective project areas. While the County led the initial development of each plan, the Townships have been responsible for administration and updates to each plan. • Verona (2012 – No longer available) • Sharbot Lake (2012) • Marysville (2013)
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 12 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
• •
Harrowsmith (2016) North Frontenac (updated 2020)
To date, the only program available in a regional fashion is the North Frontenac Community Improvement Plan – the other plans are limited to main streets and settlement areas within the named villages. This report outlines the scope of the study to review the existing suite of Community Improvement Plans along with establishing a set of County-wide priorities and objectives to establish a framework to form the basis of a new community improvement plan to be implemented throughout Frontenac County. Comment A project team will be created to oversee the work of the engagement and development of the CIP Strategy that will involve staff from Economic Development, Planning & Finance. This team will review project progress on a regular basis and provide project updates to the Community Development Advisory Committee as well as communicate with our partners in economic development at the Townships and Frontenac Business Services. The County will seek consultant services to complete a County-wide Community Improvement Plan Strategy, outlining the results of the background study and outlining the steps necessary to implement a regional community improvement plan including, if necessary, modifications to existing plans. Review of existing Community Improvement Programs and related policies in Frontenac County The consultant will review the existing community improvement plans and evaluate the performance of such plans, including the number of applications and the return on investment of public funds. This review will also recommend changes that ensure alignment with the forthcoming regional plan, including the stacking of incentives and/or the elimination of duplicate programs with an opportunity to look at a streamlined application process to funnel all applications through one process. Establish Community Vision and Economic Development Priorities The 2020 Service Delivery Review of Frontenac Economic Development outlined four key opportunities to make better use of existing resources in the Economic Development Department. The first recommendation was for the County to establish concrete priorities for Economic Development, ideally determining the underlying reason for Economic Development activities and setting outcomes to work towards and contribute to through those activities. Currently the Economic Development Team is guided by the Charter for Economic Development, established in 2015. As part of the priority setting requirement for a Community Improvement Plan, staff propose a visioning exercise to update the charter and define a new set of clear priorities. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 2 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 13 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
With consultant support, County staff will lead a series of workshops to clarify a vision for Frontenac communities. These workshops will be facilitated in partnership with the Townships and Frontenac Business Services and include diverse representation of various business sectors and perspectives, with the goal of determining “What do we want our community to be?” These workshops will also identify related outcomes or indicators that demonstrate progress towards that result. The results of the visioning will be presented to the community at large to confirm the vision and prioritize related outcomes. County Council will be included in the process and confirm the proposed vision and priorities. These priorities will be used to define the types of programs and incentives offered through the County-wide CIP. Such priorities could include a range of options from environmental initiatives to housing and more traditional projects such as façade improvement. It is anticipated that the community engagement work for the community vision and economic development priorities will take place in May and June of 2022. Review of Industry Best Practices The consultant will recommend a suite of potential incentive programs and tools that can be used to achieve the goals established through the priority setting process, including recommendations for funding and administering these programs. Key best practices to be reviewed include:
- Types of Incentives There are a number of grant programs, rebates and other incentives offered by municipalities as part of their respective CIP initiatives. These programs may be offered to reduce certain barriers to development or to encourage certain types of investment within the priorities established by the CIP program. They can include matching grants, loan programs, tax-incremental equivalent grants, municipal services, or even business coaching. In addition to cataloguing types of programs, the consultant will provide analysis on which types of programs that are most effective and well utilised.
- Collaboration between Regions (Counties) and Municipalities (Townships) The consultant will examine different methods of collaboration between regions and their respective municipalities in terms of CIP coordination and delivery in order to select the approach that is the best fit in Frontenac County.
- Performance Measurement of CIP programs Performance measurement can be used to evaluate the suitability of applications to the program through scoring, as well as to determine the level of eligibility a successful application may have for the program. For example, an application that meets multiple priorities and scores high on each priority could be considered for additional incentives. Incentive levels may also be determined based on investment amounts, which would factor into the scoring. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 3 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 14 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
In addition, the performance measurement of the CIP program helps communicate to Council and the community on the effectiveness of the program and the return on investment for successful applications. These measurements can inform adjustments to the program during regular review periods. 4. Unique Programs While CIP programs are used widely across Ontario to promote investment, some programs make use of unique policies, partnerships or other approaches to further the goals of the municipality. The consultant will provide 3-5 case studies of unique programs that stand out for their strategic use or unique approach.
Presentation of County-wide CIP Recommendations & Implementation Strategy Once the above tasks have been completed, the consultant will work with the project team to develop a set of recommendations along with an implementation strategy for presentation to the Community Development Advisory Committee and, subsequently, County Council for approval. Recommendations will include but not be limited to: • Potential amendments to existing CIP Plans • Policies and programs for a County-wide Community Improvement Plan (CCIP) • Recommended financial plan to fund and administer the CCIP • Recommendations for coordination between economic development partners on program delivery, both at local and county levels. Once County Council has received the recommendation and Implementation Strategy, it will determine if implementation should proceed. Financial Implications $40,000 has been approved to evaluate a County-wide Community Improvement Plan as part of the 2022 County Budget process. The review will include a financial plan along with recommendations for implementation when presented to Council. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 2.1: To meet the needs of future capital projects, explore new sources of funding support (current and future programs), cost-sharing options and other potential economies. Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 4 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 15 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #a)
Priority 3: Champion and coordinate collaborative efforts This project also supports the first recommendation of the Economic Development Service Delivery Review presented to County Council in 2020. This recommendation stated that County Council should set clear Economic Development Priorities that direct the Economic Development Team to focus resources on identified goals. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac County Council and staff South Frontenac Township North Frontenac Township Central Frontenac Township Frontenac Islands Township Frontenac Business Services
Recommendation Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan February 10, 2022 Page 5 of 5
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community …
Page 16 of 30
AGENDA ITEM #b)
Report 2022 – 010 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Frontenac Guide
Recommendation Be It Resolved That the County of Frontenac continue the partnership with Frontenac News to create, develop, design, produce and distribute a Frontenac Guide for residents and visitors in 2022. Background In 2019, the County of Frontenac worked in partnership with Frontenac News to create, develop, design, produce and distribute a Visitors Guide. The guide was distributed around Frontenac County by Frontenac News to key locations. The intention of the guide was to offer information about Frontenac County to assist visitors with exploring the region. While the County assumed some costs for photography, cover design and ads, most of the guide was financed by the Frontenac News through ad sales. As a partner, Frontenac County assisted in the overall design, as well as the curation and selection of content used in the guide. In 2020, the second edition of the Visitors Guide was produced but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the physical guides were not distributed, instead a PDF version of the guide was made available online. In 2021, a Visitors Guide was not produced. A supplemental publication titled the Growers & Makers Guide was produced in 2021 by Frontenac News. In 2019 and 2020 Frontenac County also produced a stand-alone visitors guide for Wolfe Island as part of the “Ferry by Foot” visitor campaign. This material was distributed both on and off island, primarily by the Visitor Information Centre located in Confederation Park, in downtown Kingston.
2022-010 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Guide
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Comment In 2022, a new guide will be developed by Frontenac News with coordination and input from Frontenac County staff. The intended audience for the guide will be broad and in addition to visitors, will include residents, families, couples, or individuals looking to explore the region. The 2022 Frontenac Guide is intended to highlight a range of experiences and things to do, including: trails, producers, places to stay, locations to eat, and areas to explore across the region of Frontenac County, including The Frontenac Islands. By including the Frontenac Islands in the new guide, hotels and visitor information centres will have access to all of Frontenac County in a single publication. In addition, this reduces the cost of producing a separate publication with no cost recovery as in the past with the Wolfe Island Visitors Guide. The Growers & Makers Guide was originally produced in 2021 by Frontenac News is intended to be included as a portion of the 2022 Frontenac Guide. After some discussion with the Frontenac News, event listings will be included in the guide for 2022, some events will include limited information and direct to an online presence for more event information that can be updated, in the event public health guidelines need to change or be adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As with previous years, the guide will include advertising that is sold by Frontenac News to offset the cost of the of the development, production, and distribution of the guide. The guide will be produced in both print and digital formats. The printed guides will be available at locations around Frontenac County and in Kingston. The County of Frontenac is responsible for the distribution of the guide in Kingston through partner agencies. The digital formats will be available on the Frontenac News website a link from Visit Frontenac. The County of Frontenac will purchase advertising in the guide to promote Economic Development initiatives relevant to visitors and new residents. Financial Implications The funds for this project are budgeted as part of the annual Economic Development marketing budget. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – Frontenac Guide February 10, 2022.
2022-010 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Guide
Page 2 of 3
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 3.2: Play a leadership role on communications to promote shared messaging for all regional initiatives such as economic development, tourism, and lifestyle opportunities. The Frontenac Guide aligns with the “Trips and Trails” pillar of the Economic Development Charter for the Frontenacs. The Blackline Service Delivery Review was completed in November 2020 and included the following recommendations to support the guide. Recommendation 2, Focus on activities that support investment attraction to the region, Recommendation 4, Elevate marketing the trail. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Community Development Advisory Committee North Frontenac Central Frontenac South Frontenac Frontenac Islands The Frontenac News Frontenac County businesses, residents, and visitors
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – Frontenac Guide February 10, 2022.
2022-010 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Guide
Page 3 of 3
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
Report 2022-011 Committee Information Report To:
Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee - Sharbot Lake Downtown Revitalization Plan Update
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background In 2020, the Township of Central Frontenac, with support from the County of Frontenac, received funding from the Provincial Rural Economic Development Program to complete a Downtown Revitalization Program in the Village of Sharbot Lake. Following an update to County Council presented through Report 2021-010, Program Coordinator Adriana Barbary briefed the Community Development Advisory Committee on February 11, 2021 on project progress (Recording available on YouTube). Report 211-2021 was taken to Central Frontenac Township Council on December 14, 2021, included a draft Strategic Action Plan, requesting feedback from Council and then wider consultation with stakeholder groups that were involved in the process. The project is now substantially complete, and a final plan is expected to be presented to Central Frontenac Township Council in March or April of 2022. Comment The Sharbot Lake Downtown Revitalization Project was guided by the Downtown Revitalization Management Group, consisting of municipal staff, Township councillors,
2022-011 Community Development Advisory Committee Sharbot Lake Downtown …
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
and members of the Central Frontenac Economic Development Committee. The Strategic Action Plan was developed with input from various groups, individuals, and stakeholders through various means of engagement. There are 3 key areas identified as priority areas by the Downtown Revitalization Management Team. These areas are: •
Government Docks, including the boat launch, parking, and the historic Government Dock, extending to the north end of the Railway Heritage Park.
•
South Entry – includes Oso Beach, Medical Centre, Canada 150 bench, the utility building near the Cardinal Café and Matthew Street.
•
Former School Site – includes all lands formerly occupied by the 0.82 hectare school situated along Road 38 at the centre of Sharbot Lake. (Note that a virtual public meeting to consider new development on the site is set for February 17, 2022 and an ‘Engage Frontenac’ web page has been created: https://engagefrontenac.ca/sharbot-lake-school-site )
If there are other issues, concerns or design ideas for land uses, improvements or activities located outside of the 3 key areas they may be considered at a future point. Strategic Action Plan Goals The Strategic Action Plan includes the 7 goals, which are listed below. Each goal includes specific tasks outlined in the Strategic Action plan:
- The Township continues to take ownership of the Downtown Revitalization effort and invest in sustainable growth, innovation, and economic development.
- Cultivate a greater sense of place by developing a strategic plan for signage in the downtown.
- Provide the community with accessible, safe, and well-maintained routes, and public municipal facilities.
- Support management initiatives to ensure that the functionality and charm of the downtown are meaningfully preserved.
- Strengthen the downtown economy and facilitate new business and investment in the downtown.
- Improve communication and collaboration among community leaders to develop a stronger workforce.
- Promote and support community-led events, as well as existing assets and attractions in the downtown.
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
Each of these goals may require additional research, studies, plans, public engagement, budget, funding, partnerships, or program development to see the goal realized. Various partners and organizations have been identified within the Action Plan to be involved in the implementation. Once the Strategic Action Plan is approved at Central Frontenac Township Council, the plan is to form an Implementation Committee that would move this plan forward. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report. Strategic Priority Implications Priority 3.1: Work with the townships, other municipalities, and levels of government on broad infrastructure issues — ranging from environmental concerns to regional transportation strategies for residential, social, and economic purposes, and access to funding. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Frontenac County Planning and Economic Development Department Township of Central Frontenac Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Central Frontenac Township Economic Development Committee Sharbot Lake Business Group Businesses located in the Village of Sharbot Lake
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
Report 2022-012 Committee Recommendation Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Trail Activation Project
Recommendation Be It Resolved That Frontenac County Economic Development move forward with the Trail Activation Project beginning in 2022. Background During COVID-19 trails and outdoor spaces have seen a significant increase in the number of users. Additional parking spaces along the K&P Trail were added in 2021 to support the increased demand. While there has been an increase in trail users, most users are not leaving the trails to frequent the businesses. Encouraging trail users to engage with their surroundings and to connect with trail communities will require users to have an initial awareness of businesses in the area. In 2020, the Blackline Service Delivery Review was done for Frontenac County. One of the recommendations from the report was to elevate marketing the trail. As a result of the recommendation the Trail Activation Project has been developed. In 2021, a trail counting system was installed in select locations along the Frontenac portion of the K&P Trail. The system tracks the number of trail users and can differentiate between pedestrians, cyclists, and motorized vehicles. This system allows staff to see where there is heavy traffic and areas where the volume is lighter. The initial data collected supports the comments received about dispersing users around Frontenac County.
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
Comment The Trail Activation Project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2022 and consists of three complementary items. The goals for this project are as follows: • Raise awareness for the rail trails in Frontenac County. • Disperse trail users around the region by encouraging visits to new “trail towns”. • Raise awareness for businesses along rail trails in Frontenac County. • Encourage trail users to visit Frontenac County businesses and support businesses while they are using the trails. • Encourage residents and visitors to return for future visits. • Give the businesses an opportunity to offer a discount or value add to the users. • Use an organic approach on social media to raise awareness of the program by requesting trail users tag Frontenac County. Project Overview The project will have three components to it:
- The Rail to Trail Passport
- Pay-to-Play trail signage, and
- Business directional signage. Businesses within Frontenac County can pay to participate in any portion of the program. There is no requirement to commit to all of components. Each component will have a fee for the business to participate to cover the program expenses. The various components of the program are outlined below. Rail to Trail Passport The Rail to Trail Passport Program will run from May 20 until November 30, 2022. A passport will be designed, printed, and distributed around Frontenac County. The passport will include seven communities located along the K&P and Cataraqui Trails, identified in the Passport as “stations.” Each of these communities were at one time stations on the former railways. Businesses will have the option to be included in the passport with a business name listing on the trail station page nearest their business location. As trail users show their passport at participating businesses, they will receive a unique stamp showing the date and time of their visit. The passports will include the guidelines for the passport and instructions on submitting your stamped passport. When a trail user has a complete rail station stamped passport, or a minimum of one stamp on each rail station page, the user will take a photo of the stamped rail station pages in the passport. The trail user will then email the photos to the Frontenac County, Economic Development Department to be entered into a draw to win an ‘In Frontenac’ prize.
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
On December 1, 2022, there will be two draws for winners. One draw for the complete rail station stamped passport and one grand prize draw for anyone that participated in the program and submitted their photos of their stamped rail passport. The Rail to Trail Passport will have a marketing strategy to support the program. The strategy will include but is not limited to posters, point of sale materials, social media, and website content. The Rail to Trail Passport program will be evaluated at the end of the 2022 program to inform decisions about the program for future years. Pay-to-Play trail signage The Pay-to-Play trail signage will run for a year at a time. The initial year will begin in May 2022 and run until May 2023. Businesses will be able to purchase advertising that makes use of the K&P Trail wayfinding sign program. They will be installed at the bottom of the existing wayfinding signs. The signs allow for multiple businesses to be included on each sign. Each business listing will use a standardized listing and include the following: • a number that will correspond with the number on the wayfinding map using a vinyl decal to identify the business location • a directional arrow to the business • an icon that represents the type of business • business name and address If a business decides to discontinue their participation in the program, there is a sign template that would cover the business listing on the sign. Businesses who purchase Pay-to-Play trail signage will also be included in some social media posts on Visit Frontenac and K&P Trail social media channels. The cost to businesses will be kept to a minimum, the program is intended only to recover the cost of sign production and installation.
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
Business directional signs The Business directional signs are intended be in place beginning in May 2022 and are meant to support the wayfinding signs shown above. Businesses can purchase a standalone sign to be located along the trail at or near the location of the business. Having a consistent template for the signs will allow a cohesive look on the trails. This sign will be installed on a standalone signpost at an intersection of the trail near the business location. If the trail allows multiple locations for the signs to be placed on the trails, this is an option for businesses. There may be locations on the trail that more than one business sign will be included on a single post. The cost to businesses will be kept to a minimum, the program is intended only to recover the cost of sign production and installation.
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
Financial Implications This program is intended to operate as a cost recovery program. Businesses will pay for the production costs required to create respective stamps and signage. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 3.2: Play a leadership role on communications to promote shared messaging for all regional initiatives such as economic development, tourism, and lifestyle opportunities.
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AGENDA ITEM #d)
The Frontenac Guide aligns with the “Trips and Trails” pillar of the Economic Development Charter for the Frontenacs. The Blackline Service Delivery Review was completed in November 2020 and included the following recommendations to support the guide. Recommendation 2, Focus on activities that support investment attraction to the region, Recommendation 4, Elevate marketing the trail. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Community Development Advisory Committee Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Frontenac County Businesses
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AGENDA ITEM #e)
Report 2022-013 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
February 10, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Community Profile ArcGIS Dashboard
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background Frontenac County Economic Development Department has been using an external digital tool to publicly display community profile information. There is a desire for each of the Townships to have access to a similar dashboard where their information can be displayed for the public and more specifically investment attraction. The Frontenac County GIS team developed a dashboard using ArcGIS and pulled in publicly available information to populate the application. The application is able to show data on County-wide basis, as well as for each Township. Comment The Community Profile GIS dashboard is intended to share demographic and economic information about Frontenac County to the public. This information can be leveraged to assist with investment efforts by new and existing businesses in the region. The information displayed on the dashboard will include census data, building permit numbers, Frontenac County annual business survey information.
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AGENDA ITEM #e)
The data in the dashboard will be presented using infographics. The tool will be available from the County of Frontenac website once data from the 2022 Business Survey has been captured and input into the system. Financial Implications There are no financial implications directly associated with this report. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 3: Champion and coordinate collaborative efforts The Blackline Service Delivery Review was completed in November 2020 and included the following recommendation to support the this tool. Recommendation 2, Focus on activities that support investment attraction to the region. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac County Council & staff North Frontenac, Central Frontenac, South Frontenac, Frontenac Islands Township Frontenac County residents
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – Community Profile Tool February 10, 2022.
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