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Every phone call, letter
and email to my office is logged and entered on what we call
“Data Sheets”. So is every issue of concern that we hear at
any public event that I attend. As a result, we have the ability
to measure both the quantity and quality (the promptness and
effectiveness) of our case load. At any given time, we’re
looking after anywhere from 350 to 500 cases, depending on the
time of year. And the same issues keep coming up over and over
again.
So,
in an effort to help constituents – and others who are
visiting this site – here’s information that may help you
understand a situation you’re in or thinking about or may help
you avoid a problem from developing.
Fences
- Backyard: A height of no more than 6’6” (1.98 M)
- Frontyard: From the edge of your house to the street property line,
no more that 4’ (1.22 M) high with the first 8’ (2.44
M), measured from the street property line no higher than
39” (1 M) if the fence is made of solid material.
- Pools: You must
have a fence around a pool (1.2m high) to prevent entry to
the area where the pool is located. Swimming
pool enclosure by-law.
- A
dispute with Neighbours?: The City does not get involved but
the province has a Fence Viewers Act that, for a fee will have the fence inspected
and an order – enforceable in the courts – issued to
resolve the debate.
Noise
The general prohibition against noise tries to prevent persons
from making, causing or permitting any noise, at any time, which
is likely to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort
or convenience of the inhabitants of the City.
For
construction noise, operating vehicles or equipment in
connection with the construction of any building after
7:00PM
and before
7:00AM
Monday to Friday is
considered a violation. So too are operations between
7:00PM to 9:00AM
on Saturday and all day
on Sunday and statutory holidays.
Any
person can make an application for an exception to any noise
prohibition described in the Chapter.
If
you are experiencing noise related problems, contact my office
or our Municipal Licensing District Office (416-396-7071) and an
officer will investigate the complaint.
Long
Grass & Weeds
The
by-laws state that every property owner shall cut the grass and
weeds on their land and remove the cuttings when the growth of
the grass and weeds is more than 20 centimeters high (8 inches).
If
you see long grass and weeds in your neighbourhood, contact my
office or our Municipal Licensing and Standards District Office
(416-396-7071) and an officer will investigate the complaint.
However,
there are cases where what appears to be a condition of long
grass and weeds is actually a natural garden.
In
order to obtain an exemption for a Natural
Garden
a property owner must make an application to the City Clerk. A report
will then be prepared by the Municipal Licensing District
Manager and sent to the Scarborough Community Council to deal
with the request.
Parking:
On Street
Unless otherwise signed, the maximum continuous time allowed for
parking is 3 hours, any time of the day or night. To escape a
potential ticket, people often park a car, at night, at the
bottom of the driveway, usually sideways. They’re forgetting
that the first 14’(4.27 m) up from the curb is public property
and is, technically, part of the City’s “right of way” and
therefore puts the car at risk of a ticket.
The 3 hour by-law is enforced on complaint. And every car on the
street will be looked at when the officer arrives on the scene.
So, if you get a ticket, some one on the street – maybe eyeing
someone else’s car- has made the call.
If you want to register a complaint, you can call the Toronto
Police Parking Enforcement directly at (416)808-6600.
Parking:
Widened Driveway
There are 2 by-laws at
work on this issue. The
first is a 1960’s
Scarborough
by-law.
Back then and in subsequent years you could pave all of
your front yard (if you wanted) but you couldn’t park on the
paving outside of your existing driveway.
In essence, this is a parking by-law and it is still in
effect.
The second by-law was
passed in June, 2006. It
is an environmental, “green” by-law that states that no more
than 25% of the front yard can be paved.
To help enforce this
by-law, the city has access to satellite images of all the
streets at the June date of the by-law’s enactment.
In short, one could face
2 fines today: one for over-paving the front yard; the other for
parking beyond the existing driveway.
Waste
Collection
Everything
you need to know about Garbage Collection in the City of
Toronto
you can find in the City’s Garbage Collection Calendar. If you don’t
have a calendar, or notice that a neighbour might not have one,
give my office a call and I’ll be happy to send one out to
you.
Don’t
dump garbage on City of
Toronto
property or in park’s
bins. The newly formed “Garbage Police” will search through
the trash for identifying names and addresses. Fines can range
from $180 for residential and $360 for commercial offenders up
to $5,000.
Here
are some reminders:
All recycling material has to fit into
your blue bin.
-
Place overflow (extra)
recycling beside your bin but it must be cut to
a size that crews can fit back into your emptied Blue Bin –
pieces may be bundled or put in clear bags. Using automation,
the operator will first empty your full bin and then place
overflow in your bin and repeat automated collection. Items
cannot be manually put into trucks.
-
Avoid overloading. If items are
jammed in they might not fall out when bin is tipped.
-
Make sure the lid will close to
prevent blowing litter.
-
If your bin is damaged, contact
my office, or 311 to have it repaired/replaced
If you’re experiencing a regular
overflow of recycling items, please call my office so we can
arrange to upsize your blue bin or order an extra blue bin free
of charge for you.
-
Don’t
place hazardous waste, grass clippings/sod,
construction/renovation waste, fridges, stoves and dishwashers,
bicycles, etc., and expect them to be automatically picked up.
Call 416-338-2010 to arrange a special collection. Waiting times
for pick-up of these items can range from
1
to 2 weeks after you
call, so plan ahead if you can.
The
Green Bin Program allows you to put your organic waste out for
curbside collection. The organic material will be turned into
high-quality compost for our farmlands and parklands.
For
a complete list of what you can and cannot put in the green bin
please visit: http://www.toronto.ca/greenbin/card.htm
- White goods (large appliances)
If
you have a large appliance (i.e. fridge or dishwasher) in your
home that needs to be removed please contact my office or 311 so
we can arrange for a pick-up.
In
Scarborough
there are two, close
transfer stations:
One
is located at
1 Transfer
Place
,
Markham
Road,
north of
Sheppard
Avenue East
(416-397-1331). Items that may be taken to this transfer station
include: fibre materials (newspapers, magazines, phonebooks),
corrugated cardboard (flattened), container material (food and
beverage bottles and jars), computers and Household Hazardous
Waste (paint, thinners, batteries). The three types of bins are
available for pick-up at this location.
The
other transfer station is located at
3350 Victoria Park Avenue
. It takes
all the items mentioned above but the bins are not available at
this location.
If
your garbage hasn’t been picked up and you require more
information, please call 311
Snow
removal
The
ploughs don’t come out until 8 cm of snow has fallen.
There
are 5,600 KM of roads in
Toronto
along with 7945 KM of
sidewalks.
The
main roads get ploughed first. Then roads with schools. Then
collector roads.
The
local streets are last on the list. And, among them, some
streets come first on the list, except yours and mine, which are
last.
Sidewalk
Clearing
In
the “old days” residents cleared the snow on their portion
of the sidewalk. But recent decisions by the courts have made it
clear that it is the City’s responsibility to keep its
sidewalks clear and safe. Here’s a portion of an email from
the City’s legal department:
“If
we instruct the operators to lift their blades when they see fit
we will have no way of defending slip & fall claims without
the operator documenting every time they do this which is next
to impossible. Operators need simple instructions so we do not
want them determining the level of service required at each
individual address. The bottom line is that the City of
Toronto
is wholly responsible for
the conditions of the sidewalk when they are mechanically
cleared which, in Scarborough Districts case is all, not the
homeowner”
Sidewalk
Cycling
In
Toronto
only children on small
bicycles with a maximum wheel diameter of 24 inches (61 cm) are
permitted to ride on the sidewalk. This is to allow children to
improve their riding skills before they take to the roads.
Sidewalk
cycling is a factor in 30% of bike-car collisions and poses a
threat of injury to pedestrians, many of them seniors, one of
whom was killed last fall.
For
safety tips, call 416-392-1311 or email questions & concerns
to can-bike@toronto.ca.
Tree
Cutting By-Law: Do’s and Dont’s
The City now protects all trees with a diameter of 30 cm or more measured
at 1.4 meters above ground level.
To
obtain a permit to take down a protected tree you must:
-
Submit a
completed permit application along with a fee to the Urban
Forestry Department at
70 Nashdene Road,
Toronto
,
Ontario
,
M1V 2V2
-
The
application fee is $100/tree with a maximum fee of $300.
What
you can cut without a
permit:
-
Trees
measuring less than 30 cm in diameter.
-
Trees that
are dead, terminally diseased or hazardous (to determine whether
a privately owned tree is diseased or hazardous a detailed
arborist’s report is required)
-
Arborists
reports should be faxed to Urban Forestry at 416 396 4248.
-
A permit is
not required to prune a tree (on private property) in accordance
with arboricultural standards.
Vacation
Checklist
Break-ins
are crimes of opportunity. Criminals prefer hitting houses that
don’t look occupied at the moment of opportunity. If you are
going away for the summer, use this check list to protect your
home.
Leave
a key with a trusted neighbour. Have them keep an eye on your
home.
Arrange
to have mail, flyers and newspapers removed daily.
Do
not leave a key under mats or in mailboxes.
Do
not close all the blinds and drapes- it gives the appearance of
“no one home”.
Remove
your valuable jewelry from the master bedroom. Store it
somewhere else in the home.
Under the kitchen sink, in the basement etc.
Make
sure all windows are locked. Use a stick in the track to prevent
the window from being forced. Use a couple or crews in the upper
track to prevent them from being lifted out of the track.
If
you have a sliding door use a hockey stick in the track to
prevent it from being forced. Install a couple of screws in the
upper track to prevent the door from being lifted out of the
track.
Use
timers throughout your home to turn lights and even a radio on
and off at different times.
Newcomer
Information
New
to
Canada
and to this part of
Toronto
? Check out these links
for useful information:
Agincourt
Community Services
“We
are a non-profit, multi-service agency at the heart of
Agincourt
addressing needs and empowering children, youth, newcomers,
homeless and underserved communities to build a better
tomorrow.”
4155
Sheppard Avenue East
Suite 100
,
Toronto
,
Ontario
M1S
1T4
Tel: 416.321.6912 Fax: 416.321.6922
www.agincourtcommunityservices.com
City of
Toronto
: Immigration and Settlement Portal
“The
City of Toronto Immigration & Settlement Portal
represents our goal to help new and future immigrants learn more
about the services and solutions available in the City of
Toronto
.”
www.toronto.ca/immigration
Settlement.org:
Providing Information and Answers to settle in
Ontario
,
Canada
“If
you are new to
Ontario
, Settlement.Org
is for you. Find answers to common questions about moving to
Ontario
and settling into your new home.
www.settlement.org
Enterprise
Toronto
:
A program operated by the City of
Toronto
to help Entrepreneurs
Want
to start a business? Need help? The city has people with broad
business experience to help you get off the ground and on your
way to profitability.
Don’t
delay. Call right away.
http://www.enterprisetoronto.com/
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