CAO's Office

MANAGEMENT REPORT

Date: November 22, 2015

To: Mayor and Council

From: Ronald R. Shaw, Chief Administrative Officer

Report#: COU15-0009

Attachments: Attachments 1, 2 and 3

Title: Canadian Dairy Expo

Objective: To consider finalizing arrangements with Canadian Dairy Expo that will form the basis of the comprehensive agreement for the operation of the event in the City of Stratford. Background: The City of Stratford has been working with the Canadian Dairy Expo in regard to a number of matters related to the operation of their event at the Stratford Rotary Recreation Complex. While there have been a number of issues raised, all but two have been effectively addressed. The two outstanding items relate to the location of the proposed Cow Coliseum and additional parking arrangements on the former Fairgrounds. Analysis: In this regard, a joint meeting was held Friday morning. Representing the City were Jeff Leunissen and I. Also attending were all interested parties involved in the proposal to build the Cow Coliseum on lands owned by Marcor immediately west of the Rotary Recreation Centre and would involve a land exchange. After a lengthy meeting, agreement was reached, subject to regulatory and Council approval, to locate the Cow Coliseum on the City’s retained lands on the Old Fairgrounds. Please refer to the attached diagram. While this proposal does present challenges for CDX in terms of distance from the Rotary Complex and inconvenience for the exhibitors in that area, it became obvious that this was the only viable option that would have the necessary support of the parties with an interest in the proposal. In staff meetings today involving engineering, planning, building and fire, we have identified the following issues that will need to be addressed:

Page 1

• Term of Agreement. Council direction was for two years. CDX is proposing a three year lease with an option to renew for another six years. Council could consider agreeing to this provided that the lease could be terminated by the City upon a 12 month notice if there was an alternate use decided for the site and construction planned.

• Fire access. Fire will need access to the building from two opposing directions and a six metre roadway around the building and that it be to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief and be sufficient compaction for the City’s fire trucks. The department is looking to see if there is an active fire hydrant within acceptable distance from the proposed building, otherwise the Fire Department propose an alternative solution involving a pumper from a neighbouring Fire Department. The alternate solution will involve greater risk to the municipality.

• Site Plan. As the property owner, City Council will need to consent to CDX submitting a Site Plan application and delegate to staff approval of the application.

• Servicing. The Building Division is currently researching this to see what will be required by the Ontario Building Code. Suffice it to say that CDX will need to comply with the decision of the Chief Building Official. City staff will also require storm water management and nutrient management acceptable to city staff.

• Fill and Top soil. Northwest Stratford Development Inc. has agreed to accept the excess clean fill from the development. However, it is staff’s position that the City should first decide if it is required and where it should be placed. Moreover, we wish to retain any topsoil removed for the development.

• Other Uses for the Building. We recommend that the City must approve any uses of the building in addition to Cow Coliseum at the CDX event.

• Removal of Building. We recommend that we require the land to be put back into its original condition when the building is removed and to receive sufficient security to ensure this.

• The building may reduce the number of lots that we can create as part of the proposed sale of the lands.

Lastly, locating the Cow Coliseum in this location would be allowed under the City’s current zoning by-law. However, Council should be aware that residential properties backing onto these lands may object to the proposed use. The second issue is with regard to parking. The City has developed what we believe is the lowest cost option to allow parking on the Old Fairgrounds which would allow traffic to flow in one direction from the Rotary Complex to the proposed parking area and a shuttle to and from the parking area to the Complex. Please refer to the attached plan developed by the City engineering department. We do not propose to do any work on the parking areas themselves. Rather, we intend to require a hold harmless clause in the agreement where CDX accepts the conditions as is for the purposes of parking for the event. Staff provide the following comments with regard to the use of the proposed parking:

• This is an agreement for one year only as we propose to put these lands up for sale.

Page 2

• We will need to require access to the Rotary complex and the Cow Coliseum as a condition of any sale of the parking lot lands.

• We will require a hold harmless agreement for the use of these lands for parking from CDX acceptable to our insurers as well as the installation of any signage recommended by our insurers.

• The City will reserve the right to fence of any areas deemed unsafe by our insurers. Given the need to undertake these works in advance of winter, it is important that Council consider these last proposals at Monday’s Council meeting. Financial Impact: CDX proposes to pay all costs for the construction of the Cow Coliseum as well as agreeing to remove it at their expense. We will ask for security in that respect. The costs to put in the temporary roadways noted on the plan is between $25,000 and $30,000. Engineering has noted that the work is only sufficient for this event and would require additional work each year. Costs could be reduced by not providing access to the Rotary complex along the west side and require the shuttle to use City Streets.

Page 3

Staff Recommendation: That City Council agree: • to locate the Cow Coliseum on the retained portion of the former

Fairgrounds as proposed, subject to a satisfactory review by the City’s engineering, building, planning and fire departments;

• to immediately undertake improvements to the connections with between the Rotary Recreation Complex and the proposed parking area on the former Fairgrounds sufficient for the CDX event in 2016 at an estimated cost between $25,000 and $30,000.

• To authorize CDX to apply for site plan approval to the satisfaction of the City Development Services division;

• Subject to a lease in compliance with the proposed conditions in this report.

__________________________ Ron Shaw, Chief Administrative Officer

Page 4

Proposed Structure

(Temporary and Unserviced)

2,663 m² (28,664 ft²)

Gravel

STORMWATER MANAGEMENTT AREA

9.0

9.0

Gravel

Gravel

EXIST

ING

VEG

ETAT

ION

GRAVEL ACCESS

DRIVEWAY

STRATFORD ROTARY COMPLEX

RESIDENTIAL

121.3

22.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

23.8

154.3

15.0

22.8

north

Key Plan

Subject

Site

Scale: NTS

CONCEPT PLAN

K:\15203A-Canadian Dairy XPO-Stratford\SP\Site Plan Concept - November 20, 2015.dwg

File Name

Cow Coliseum

Project

Approval Stamp

File No.

15203A

Checked By

P.C.

Other

1:750

(11x17)

Drawn By

N.Z

Date

Nov. 20, 2015

Plan Scale

Rev. No.By

Date Issued / Revision

Dwg No.

1 of 1

Source: Google Maps

Canadian Dairy XPO

PO Box 536

946 Concession Road 1

Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0

P: 226.381.0282 F: 226.381.0284

Client

McC

arthy R

oad

n

o

r

t

h

Foreman Avenue

Britannia S

treet

Briarhill D

rive

Rotary

Complex

City of StratfordInfrastructure and Development

Services Department

.

0 50 10025Meters

The City of Stratford provides this informationfor reference purposes only and the accuracyand position of the information is not guaranteed. The City of Stratford takes no responsibilty or liabiltyfor edited/re-produced versions of this drawing.Aerial Photo Flown in 2010Nov. 16, 2015

Dairy ExpoProposed Temporary Parking Facility

CHURCHILLCRCL

BRITANNIA ST

BRIARHILL DR

WADDELL ST

JOHN ST N

GLASTONBURY

CRES

Former Fairgounds Siteand Ball Diamonds

Rotary Recreation Complex

and Agri-Plex

One Way - Shuttle OnlyExisting 5.3 m WideAsphalt Road

One Way - Shuttle OnlyProposed 4.5 m WideGravel Road

°̄±²

One Way - VisitorsExisting 5.5 m WideGravel Road

°̄³́One Way - VisitorsExisting 3.5 m WideGravel Road

Parking Lot B250+ Spaces(Area=1.3 ha)

Parking Lot A500+ Spaces(Area=2.2 ha)

Access Point

Pedestrian Access