Barrie City Hall Tackles School Drop-off Zones and Lobbyist Registry By-law Amendments

The General Committee and City Council meetings were held at Barrie City Hall on November 1. Two main items were on the agenda for discussion and voting. The first item pertained to school drop-off zones, and the second involved an amendment to the draft Lobbyist Registry By-law. 

During the general committee meeting, Ward 10 Councillor Bryn Hamilton expressed concerns about staff recommendations against using public right-of-ways for school drop-off zones. She noted the persistent issues of traffic chaos and safety around schools. Hamilton highlighted the disconnect between the ideal of active transportation and the reality of rushed school drop-offs by car. She requested more detailed explanations and guarantees from the staff that the issues would be addressed.

City officials responded, stressing the complexities of integrating Kiss and Ride zones into the school site design rather than the right-of-way and the challenges of pre-existing school conditions. 

Councillor Amy Courser expressed concerns about the safety of school drop-off zones, particularly in new developments. She suggests looking at these issues on a case-by-case basis to ensure safer routes for children.

Mayor Alex Nuttall suggested drafting a letter to address the integration of city infrastructure with school board planning, particularly for future developments. He emphasized the importance of including all students, particularly those with disabilities.

During the same general committee meeting,  Ward 7 Councillor Gary Harvey proposed an amendment to remove "a government" from the definition of an "organization" in a draft lobbyist registry by-law. He said the aim is to avoid the unintended requirement for municipalities and provinces to register as lobbyists. 

The amendment received support from Ward 3 Councillor Ann-Marie Kungl, who shared concerns about the potential misinterpretation of the by-law regarding intergovernmental and international relations.

The motion was subsequently passed during the City Council meeting.