For five of the lower tier municipalities in Wellington County, closing an urban street that belongs to the county will now be a simple matter.
Council passed individual bylaws at its June meeting that permit the lower tier municipalities to close urban streets for such things as parades or street fairs.
The move was an effort by the county to streamline the process. The county has never refused a legal request to close its road to accommodate local activities, and councillors felt handing such powers to the municipalities would simply speed up that process. The stated goal is to eliminate red tape.
The municipalities that now have those powers include Puslinch, Erin, Centre Wellington, Mapleton, and Minto.
Wellington North decided against taking on those powers. One councillor there wondered if it was an attempt to download costs on the lower tier municipalities.
Guelph-Eramosa Township delayed in passing a resolution to take those powers.
Mayor Chris White said in an interview that a councillor had some questions about the procedure, and he is confident that when those are answered, his council will ask for the same responsibilities as the others.
As part of the conditions to hand over the road closure powers, county council is insisting that the lower tier municipalities ensure that all insurance is in place and that the police and county officials are notified in advance of any event. The bylaws passed unanimously.
