Edwin Barnuevo

The Parks and Urban Forestry Master Plan for the City of Morden outlines a 25-year roadmap for the evolution, investment, and management of the city's parks and urban forest assets. Guided by five core principles—Coordinate, Enhance, Connect, Sustain, and Engage—the plan details strategies for city-wide, neighbourhood, feature, natural, and linear parks, as well as various urban forestry categories. Key objectives include expanding parkland by 150 acres and achieving 20% urban canopy cover by 2046, ensuring a healthy, accessible, and thriving green infrastructure for the community.

This master plan outlines a scheme of action to guide decisions and investments for the City of Morden's parks and urban forestry assets over a 25-year period, targeting outcomes for 2046. Guided by five principles—Coordinate, Enhance, Connect, Sustain, and Engage—the plan aims to ensure the legacy of parks and urban forest, provide investment guidance for acquisition and development, and illustrate prototype concepts. Key outcomes include achieving a comprehensive parks and urban forestry system, adding 150 acres of parks and open space, and reaching 20% urban canopy cover, contributing to a healthy, safe, and diverse urban environment.

This financial plan for the City of Discovery outlines the 2026/27 operational and capital budgets. It details revenue sources, including property taxes and grants, and allocates expenses across various services. The plan also covers capital projects, reserve management, funding for supported organizations, special service levies, and proposed tax changes, along with utility operations and rates.

The meeting proceedings included the adoption of minutes from a previous special meeting and committee of the whole meeting. A public hearing was opened and subsequently closed regarding a resolution for designating a property at 216 9th Street for its architectural or historic value, which was later read a third time and passed. The council also dealt with accounts payable, approved the second batch of 2019 supplementary taxes, and endorsed the Municipal Heritage Designation Policy. Appointments were made to the Connecticut Valley Watershed District (subsequently renamed to the Pembina Conservation District). Other resolutions covered authorizing attendance at various workshops and conferences, including an AMM education workshop and an Economic Developers Association of Canada conference, as well as authorizing sponsorship for a community tree care workshop.

The meeting included proceedings to open the session and administer an oath of commitment. Key agenda items involved the approval of the minutes from the June 24, 2019 regular meeting, with a minor correction noted. The session then moved into two public hearings concerning zoning amendment Z-2019-01 (rezoning a property from Residential to Family District to Residential Multi-Family Medium District) and a variance application (V-2019-02) for the same property (212 6th Street). The applicant presented their case, aiming to provide affordable ownership units through medium-density living, emphasizing creative design to minimize investment cost and utilize existing infrastructure. Concerns raised by objectors during the public hearing centered on density, traffic congestion due to increased units and on-street parking, water runoff, and lack of play space for children, as well as the removal of mature trees.