The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 17 ,2 02 1 | 16 NOTICE OF A FORMAL PUBLIC MEETING CITY OF WATERLOO URBAN DESIGN MANUAL REFRESH CITY OF WATERLOO, CITY WIDE Monday, June 28, 2021, Electronically TAKE NOTICE that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Waterloo will hold an electronic Formal Public Meeting onMonday, June 28, 2021, during the electronic Council Meeting, to consider the above noted City initiated Urban Design Manual refresh. The City of Waterloo is committed to a high standard of urban design. This is implemented through the City's Official Plan policies, its urban design guidelines and investment in the public realm. Adopted by Council in 2009, the Urban Design Manual (UDM) was prepared for use by staff, Council, the development industry, professional consultants, external agencies, committees, and the general public. The UDM has and continues to play a critical role in the development review process, and for public realm improvement projects, throughout the City. The City is conducting a refresh of the UDM. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIVES OF THE UDM REFRESH INCLUDE: • Align with the City of Waterloo 2019-2022 Strategic Plan • Incorporate relevant urban design documents adopted since 2009, including but not limited to: Uptown Public Realm Strategy, Station Area Plans, and the City of Waterloo Accessibility Standards • Incorporate current urban design best practices • Simplify and eliminate redundancy • Improve ease of access and usability through digital platforms HOW TO GET INVOLVED: The purpose of the publicmeeting is to share information and to hear and consider public and stakeholder comments regarding the planning application as part of City Council's decision making process. The public is invited to watch and/or listen to the remote meeting onwww.youtube.com/citywaterloo/live and may participate by submitting written comments in advance of the public meeting and/or arranging to speak to the application. TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS Written comments will be provided to City Council for consideration prior to the Formal Public Meeting, but will not be included in the Council Agenda.Written comments can be provided in the following ways: • Via email toMax Kerrigan atmax.kerrigan@waterloo.ca • By dropping off a hardcopy at Waterloo City Hall, addressed to Max Kerrigan, Planning Division, 2nd floor, 100 Regina St S, Waterloo, ON • By placing a hardcopy in the Waterloo City Hall after hours mail slot to the left of the side door entrance on William Street All written submissions should clearly state "Formal Public Meeting, Urban Design Manual Refresh" at the top of the letter/correspondence. TO SPEAK TO THE APPLICATION If you wish to speak to the application, please contact the Legislative Services Division no later than 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 28, 2021, by any of the following ways: • By phone at 519-747-8705 • By email to clerkinfo@waterloo.ca When we receive your registration, we will send you a confirmation message and instructions for participating in the remote public meeting. Instructions will also be provided during the meeting to ensure that those watching the remote public meeting will be given the opportunity to speak. We encourage the public to provide input into this important Planning and Urban Design Initiative. Individuals may submit written / electronic comments. The public is informed and notified that names, addresses and comments may be made public. Julie Scott, City Clerk, City of Waterloo. For further information regarding the above matter, please visit www.engagewr.ca/udm-refresh or contact the City of Waterloo Integrated Planning and Public Works, 2nd Floor, Waterloo City Centre, Waterloo, Ontario, by calling Max Kerrigan at 519-886-1550 ext. 78003 or email max.kerrigan@waterloo.ca P. 519-886-1550 TTY. 1-866-786-3941waterloo.ca It's either a case of "old man yells at cloud" or a sign of the wisdom that comes with age. And when it comes to our reaction to the fire- works this past Victoria Day weekend, maybe it's a bit of both. Let's be honest. To com- plain about the disruption caused by the popping, banging, and colourful streaks in the sky is akin to the stereotype of yelling "get off my lawn" as the neighbourhood kids pass by. Have we forgotten the joy that fireworks can bring? Who among us hasn't eagerly anticipated a show of pyrotechnics on a holiday or at a theme park? Some of my fondest child- hood memories surround the annual display on La- bour Day weekend, the big show that marked not only the end of summer but the end of the Central Ontario Exhibition (COE) for anoth- er year. Part of me can't help but think that those who want an outright ban on fire- works have aged too fast or too far and are wrong to de- ny another generation the same joy they once experi- enced themselves. While bright and technologically marvellous, a drone show just isn't the same as a fire- works display. But there is another, far more legitimate concern that goes well beyond "those darn kids and their fandangled fireworks." Across most of the re- gion, municipal bylaws al- low for fireworks to be set off on holidays including Victoria Day, Canada Day, the Hindu religious festival of Diwali, and Chinese New Year. Along with the day it- self, bylaws also allow for fireworks on the days im- mediately surrounding the holidays. This allows more opportunity to avoid in- clement weather or accom- modate for busy family schedules. For most of us, though, the sounds of the long Vic- toria Day weekend are still ringing in our ears. This is because instead of the three allowed nights for fire- works, many of us heard the small explosions for six or seven days running. It's not right, and it needs to stop. Many people justifiably expressed concern for their pets. Fireworks are notori- ous for spooking dogs, sending the beloved pets scrambling for cover and trembling with fear. For some, medication is even required to keep the ca- nines calm. Others expressed con- cern for shift workers whose sleep - when they can get it - is incredibly impor- tant and should not be in- terrupted by the constant din of fireworks. Just imag- ine the impact on a nurse who finished a 12-hour shift caring for patients suffer- ing from COVID-19, having his or her sleep disturbed by the cacophony of fire- works. A compromise is in or- der and reducing the num- ber of allowable days for fireworks is the right ap- proach. Instead of three days around each holiday, make it one. You can set the fire- works calendar at the be- ginning of each year, allow- ing anyone with an affected pet or impacted sleep schedule to plan appropri- ately for that one day. There's no need to ban fireworks entirely. We just need more modern legisla- tion. Of course, when bylaws allow for three days of fire- works and some neighbour- hoods endure seven, it's hard to imagine everyone suddenly adhering to the one dedicated day. And there's no amount of legislation that will make people more considerate of their neighbours. Columnist Mike Farwell is a broadcaster, MC and advocate. Follow him on Twitter at @farwell_WR, or connect with him via Mike.Farwell@rci.rog- ers.com. FIREWORKS ARE FUN . . . TO A POINT OPINION A COMPROMISE IS IN ORDER AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ALLOWABLE DAYS FOR FIREWORKS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH, WRITES MIKE FARWELL MIKE FARWELL Column "Let's be honest. To complain about the disruption caused by the popping, banging, and colourful streaks in the sky is akin to the stereotype of yelling 'get off my lawn' as the neighbourhood kids pass by," writes Mike Farwell. Metroland file photo