City seeking volunteers for committees and boards

The City of Kingston is seeking informed advice from residents and business owners in the limestone city.

“Committees, boards and working groups provide insight and advice to Council respective to their mandates. When residents bring their knowledge and skill set as a volunteer for one of these groups, our community truly benefits,” says Janet Jaynes, Deputy City Clerk.

Residents or business owners who are 18 years of age or older are encouraged to help shape the community by joining the following groups, committees or boards:

Advisory Committees

Heritage Kingston (two public members):

“Heritage Kingston is mandated to address the broad array of issues, opportunities and projects related to Kingston’s cultural heritage and lead by example in terms of responsible stewardship. Heritage Kingston’s role is advisory and consultative and is involved in educating and informing the community about matters related to Kingston’s cultural heritage,” according to the City.

Arts Advisory Committee (one public member):

“The Arts Advisory Committee serves as an avenue of communication and consultation between the arts community and the municipal government, it being understood that the arts include creative expression in all its forms,” according to the City. “The mandate of the Arts Advisory Committee is to ensure that City of Kingston arts policies and strategies serve the needs of the arts community and, in turn, the residents of Kingston.”

Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee (two public members):

“The Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee works to ensure that there is a comprehensive understanding of housing, affordable housing and homelessness issues, initiatives and developments,” according to the City. “In addition, the Committee maintains close linkages with other City Committees and working groups to ensure co-ordination of housing, affordable housing and homelessness initiatives.”

Kingston Environment Advisory Forum (one public member):

“The purpose of the forum is to draw on knowledge within the Kingston community to provide advice and information to City Council, City staff and the public when requested to do so,” according to the City. “The Forum brings together experts in environmental matters from community institutions, authorities and practitioners, and representatives of the public to collaborate on specific projects designed to support the environmental aspects of City Council’s strategic priorities and related community plans.”

Legislated Committees and Boards

Committee of Adjustment (one public member):

“The Committee of Adjustment is authorized by the Ontario Planning Act to grant minor variances from the provisions of the Zoning Bylaw, to permit extensions, enlargements or variations of existing legal non-conforming uses and give consent to an owner of land who wishes to sell, convey or transfer an interest “part” of their land,” according to the City.

Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (15 public members):

“The Committee advises Council each year about the preparation, implementation and effectiveness of its Accessibility Plan,” according to the City. “This Committee may interest individuals who are familiar with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, who have a technical background reviewing site plans and building drawings, and who have a keen interest in accessibility issues as well as an understanding of the needs of persons living with a disability, and can commit to work on specific project teams outside of regular Committee meetings.”

Taxi Commission (five public members):

“Provides for the licensing, regulating and governing of the brokers, owners and drivers of taxi cabs in the City of Kingston and Loyalist Township,” according to the City. “This commission may interest individuals with experience in finance, governance and law as well as those with previous experience in developing policies to regulate the taxi industry.”

Kingston Police Services Board (one public member):

“This Board provides civilian governance of the municipal police force pursuant to the Police Services Act,” according to the City. “Its responsibilities include determining objectives and priorities with regard to police services in the municipality and establishing policies for the effective management of the police force.”

Appeals Committee (three public members):

According to the City, “The Appeals Committee is directed through the Building Code and various City of Kingston bylaws to hear appeals on the following matters:

• Section 3.21 of Bylaw 2003-4, to license, regulate and govern certain trades and occupations, decisions on licensing matters may be appealed to the Appeals Committee.
• Sections 3.5 and 5.1 of Bylaw 2003-405, to regulate fences, variances to the Fence Bylaw may be granted by the Appeals Committee.
• Section 3.13 of Bylaw 2004-144, to regulate animals, decisions regarding a kennel permit, hen coop permit, or a breeder permit may be appealed to the Appeals Committee.
• Section 9.3 of Bylaw 2005-100, regarding property standards, an owner or occupant who is served an order with respect to section 8.1 may make an appeal to the Appeals Committee.
• Section 3.13 of Bylaw 2006-213, to regulate business licenses, decisions regarding business licenses may be appealed to the Appeals Committee.”

Boards

Kingston Economic Development Board of Directors (five public members):

“Kingston Economic Development Corporation works collaboratively with the City of Kingston as well as local and regional partners to leverage Kingston’s unique assets to create jobs and investment in order to sustain, grow and transform Kingston’s economy,” according to the City.

Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation Board of Directors (two public members):

“The Board of Directors oversees the governance of Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation which operates social, affordable and market housing and administers the rent supplement program on behalf of the City of Kingston and the County of Frontenac.  The Board of Directors reports to City Council, the sole Shareholder of the Corporation,” according to the City.

Working Groups

Planning Advisory Working Group (one Kingston East Urban Area Representative):

According to the City, “The Planning Advisory Working Group will provide an opportunity for resident perspectives on planning matters. The Planning Advisory Working Group will provide advice to the Planning Committee through staff with respect to land use planning matters that include, but are not limited to:

• City-initiated amendments to the Official Plan and/or Zoning By-Law(s) with broad application to the City;
• Legislated updates to the Official Plan, together with any updates of the major studies that support Official Plan updates (i.e. Employment Land Review, Commercial Land Review);
• Planning Act reform, updates to the Provincial Policy Statement and/or other proposed land use policy changes/legislation or initiatives introduced by the Province that affect planning matters in the City; and
• Major City-initiated land use planning projects.”

Those interested in serving must be 18 years or older, a resident/business owner in Kingston, and be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, a person who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada but is not a Canadian Citizen, and has resided in Kingston for at least one year.

For more details on each of the boards, committees and working groups above, visit: https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-hall/committees-boards/current-openings

Apply online by Friday, Nov. 6 at 4:30 p.m. at www.CityofKingston.ca/Committees or at the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 216 Ontario St.