Council briefs: Fire rating set at high

Caption: Clearview Township general manager of parks, culture and recreation Terry Vachon (bottom left) had a little fun ribbing Mayor Doug Measures during Monday’s council meeting, the same night the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series. The Leafs were eliminated after a 3-1 loss.

Fire rating set at high

The fire rating in Clearview Township has been updated to high by Fire Chief Roree Payment.
Under a High Fire Rating burning is allowed but exercise extreme caution as grasses, dry branches, etc. will ignite and spread easily. Special permits for large burns are not permitted.
All property owners, interested in having an outdoor fire in Clearview Township are required to purchase a Burn Permit (2020 burn permits, with the exception of large burn permits, have been extended until our region moves into a less restrictive zone of the provincial reopening framework.)
Visit burnpermits.clearview.ca.

Vending bylaw clarified

The addition of the Pizza Forno kiosk in Stayner has prompted some clarifications because it is neither mobile nor temporary.
A public meeting was held May 31 to clarify the zoning and vending bylaws, particularly as it relates to the prohibition of temporary vending from shipping containers and street and rail cars.
Director of Community Services Mara Burton reported, “As the vending bylaw is for temporary structures that can be easily removed from a site and that there are size restrictions on vending vehicles in the bylaw, staff are of the opinion that the reference to the shipping container, street and rail car, relate specifically to the prohibition of both storage and sales and given the intent of the vending bylaw, are not intended [as] permission for these uses as temporary vending opportunities.”
A proposed change to the vending bylaw is intended to clarify the difference between two classes of vendor, those that are mobile, such as a food truck, and those that are temporary, such as a booth.
Burton said the changes are really just a housekeeping matter and don’t actually affect the uses. No comments were received at the time of the meeting.
No such vendors are allowed in the Creemore Business Improvement Area without approval from the board.

Community Improvement Plan in place

The township as been successful in obtaining an additional $50,000 from the County of Simcoe for its Community Improvement Plan grant program.
The plan allows for up to 50 per cent funding for grants for façade improvements for commercial and industrial type properties in the downtowns and entrances to our settlements.
The maximum grant is $5,000 for a front façade and $2,500 for a side façade facing a street or rear façade in the downtown that is highly visible. Further, for a limited time, while provincial and/or county funding exists, the program allows up to 80 per cent funding for quality signage and associated lighting, reported Burton.

2020 annual report highlights township operations

For the first time, a comprehensive annual report of township operations has been compiled by staff. The document is posted at Clearview.ca.