Development & Operations

Development and Operations is responsible for road maintenance, repairs and winter control in accordance with Minimum Maintenance standards (Ontario Regulation 239/02) set by the province. The department delivers a wide range of services and large capital works projects, including road construction and maintenance.

Development and Operations staff can be seen working in every aspect of community life in areas involving the maintenance of parks, sports fields, public buildings, storm sewers, cemetery and summer and winter maintenance of our road and sidewalk network.

Engineering

Engineering is responsible for the planning, design and inspection for both capital works and maintenance projects. Other related activities include:

preparing budgets
reviewing and approving engineering drawings for development applications
preparing RFP's, RFQ's and Tenders
managing various engineering consultants retained by the Town
development

Parks

Development and Operations is responsible for the planning, design, construction, maintenance, improvement and operation of the Town's park facilities, playgrounds, sporting fields and trail system as well as Town beautification projects and gardens, street planters, hanging baskets and street trees

View our Parks and Trails webpage.

Roads

The Town of Shelburne maintains 72 km of both paved and gravel roads within the Town. Road maintenance programs are delivered to provide a safe driving environment, maximize the life of a roadway and to minimize the long-term reconstruction costs.

The Town of Shelburne maintains all public roads within the Town, with the exception of provincial highways. We follow the Ontario minimum maintenance road standards, the Province of Ontario regulates "Minimum Maintenance Standards" and present Town "Levels of Service". These standards and service levels ensure safe roads for all vehicles and pedestrian traffic within our municipality.

Asphalt patching	Brushing and grubbing	Catch basins
Culverts	Debris and litter pick-up	Ditching
Dust Control	Grading	Gravel Shoulder Maintenance
Line Painting	Pothole Repairs	Road Patrol and Inspection
Roadside Mowing	Sign Maintenance	Street Sweeping

Some maintenance is routinely performed each year. However, most roads are scheduled for maintenance only as required. In order to maintain our roads, sidewalks and boulevards, we need to conduct regular construction projects and road closures.

Line Painting

In the Spring once the roads have been swept and cleared staff will start preparing for painting of stop line bars, parking lines and bike sharrows within the Town. Centre lines and turning arrows throughout town will be completed by a Contractor.

Line painting season runs from the beginning of May until the middle of October. Painting often takes place during all hours throughout the week.

How it works

Line painting involves one paint truck with one or two follow-up trucks. These vehicles act as a buffer to keep traffic back. This allows the new lines to dry before they are driven over.

This operation travels along the road between 12 and 15 kilometres per hour. Drivers should expect delays.

If you come upon the line marking operation:

Be patient, use caution and follow the signs and arrows.
Do not pass the vehicles or try to fit in between them. The paint is still wet at that point and will spray up on your vehicle.

The Town uses latex paint for roadway line painting. Glass beads are added to the paint as it is applied to the road to help increase the visibility of the lines at night. The Town regularly inspects the lines throughout Shelburne to ensure they are reflecting well.

Drying time

Road paint only takes a few minutes to dry. However, that time can change depending on temperature and humidity. To avoid damage to your vehicle and the lines on the road, stay off freshly painted lines, or choose an alternate route.

Line Painting Frequently Askes Questions

Why does it take so long to repaint the line each year?

Ground temperature must warm up so that the paint will adhere properly. The line painting is weather dependent as the paint being used is water based it is not advisable to paint during forecasted rainy weeks.

Line painting will start after Shelburne’s roads are swept and cleaned. This is also a weather dependent task.

How long does it take for paint to dry?

Normal latex (water-based paint) used for roadway application usually dries within ten (10) minutes of application.

Paint operations are causing traffic backups, can we pass the warning trucks?

The intent of the warning trucks behind the line painter, is to provide enough space in between to allow for paint to dry. If you cross the centerline to pass line painting operations, chances are that your vehicle will end up with paint on it. Please be patient and follow the direction of the marking vehicles.

What can I do if I get paint on my vehicle?

If you find that you have paint on your vehicle, at your earliest opportunity go to a car wash or have your vehicle power-sprayed to try and remove the paint. If that does not remove the paint, spray WD-40 on your vehicle and let dry for two hours, and then rewash. If this has still not removed the paint, apply Vaseline to the affected area and let sit overnight, and rewash with soap and water. Do not scrub with any type of abrasive pad or cloth. This may ruin the clear coat on your vehicle. All washing should be done with soap and water, and a vehicle wash brush or sponge.

If I cannot remove the paint, is the Town responsible?

The Town of Shelburne assumes no liability for paint damages to vehicles that have crossed wet paint lines or disobeyed the warning signs and vehicles.

Load Restrictions

Road Load Restrictions (5 tonnes per axle) occur seasonally based on weather and road conditions, at the discretion of the Dufferin County Engineer.

The season typically runs from March 1 to May 15 and is under the discretion of Dufferin County.

For more information, refer to the Dufferin County's Load Restriction webpage.

Street Sweeping

Development and Operations staff conduct Spring Street Sweeping to clean all Town streets of sand deposited during winter maintenance, and other debris.

Spring street sweeping improves water quality and the environment by removing pollutants that can be transferred to downstream water bodies through urban runoff through the storm sewer system. The Street Sweeping Program also improves the cleanliness and aesthetics of Town streets and parking lots.

If areas are missed due to obstructions (parked cars, etc.) staff will note and return at a later time. Concerns regarding missed areas can also be called in at 519-925-2600 ext 261, emailed to jkaske@shelburne.ca or report on line by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

Schedule

Spring street sweeping usually starts near the end of April or early May and takes approximately 6 weeks to complete, weather-permitting.

The schedule adheres to the Towns's Source Water Protection plan, which requires optimization of the use and management of road salt, and implementation of practices to minimize the loss of salt to the environment. Crews therefore prioritize street sweeping in our vulnerable areas by sweeping the roadways in the Town’s drinking water protection areas, then moving outward.

How You Can Help

To help us provide the best service possible during street sweeping operations each year:

please do not push sand or leaves into piles on the road as the sweeper cannot pick them up.
please minimize residential street parking during the spring sweeping program and ensure that basketball nets, etc. are not in the roadway (reminders about spring street sweeping are issued on through our social media accounts and our news feed).

Disposal

Sand

The sand that is collected from roads during the annual spring street sweeping program is typically disposed of at the landfill.

Leaves

Loose leaves will be collected on streets with mature boulevard trees in older neighbourhoods. Please see our Loose Leaves webpage for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will my street be swept?

Street sweeping usually starts in late April or early May and is usually completed within approximately 6 weeks, weather permitting.

There was a car parked in front of my residence. Will the Town of Shelburne come back and sweep this area?

The Town of Shelburne asks residents to minimize residential street parking, when possible, during this process to ensure best results. Town staff will note obstructions and will return at a later time.

The sweepers left a pile of sand that I swept up on the road. Why?

Sweepers are designed to sweep only normal build up of sand on the curb edge. Any sand that is swept into a pile by the resident cannot be swept up by the sweeper, as this machine is not capable of doing so. Please leave sand in its normal state, as the sweepers can make the most production out of this.

You missed an area on my street. How do I report this?

Parking

The Town of Shelburne regulates traffic and parking to help keep our community safe. In our downtown area, there are 2 municipal parking lots, both require permits. Where parking signs are posted there is a 3-hour maximum parking limit. To learn more about our municipal parking regulations and permits visit our Parking webpage.

Road Permits

If you need a road occupancy permit in order to complete a maintenance or construction project on municipal streets, please fill out the temporary road occupancy application

Road Safety

The Town of Shelburne takes road safety seriously. We are committed to keeping all users of our road infrastructure safe.

Learn about our community safety zones, school bus routes, school zone, pedestrian crossovers, school crossing guard locations, bike lines and how to keep safe at intersections by viewing the Town's Road Safety webpage.

View the Winter Maintenance webpage to learn how Development and Operations keeps the Towns roads safe during the winter months.

Sidewalks

Development and Operations oversees and maintains approximately 31 km of Town-owned sidewalks in order to ensure pedestrian safety. The Town undertakes an annual repair and construction program to ensure that sidewalks are in a good state of repair.

If you have a concern regarding damaged areas please report on line by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

Stormwater Management System

Stormwater Management Ponds

Stormwater management ponds are human-made infrastructure built to collect, store, and treat rainfall and surface water runoff. Stormwater that cannot be infiltrated into the ground will run off of roads, driveways, sidewalks and throughout the community collecting dirt, litter and other pollutants before draining into stormwater management ponds.

Benefits of stormwater management ponds:

Reduces and prevents flooding.
Controls erosion by limiting the amount of stormwater that goes into nearby watercourses.
Improves quality of water by allowing dirt and other solids in stormwater runoff to settle to the bottom of the pond before flowing into nearby watercourses.

Shelburne Stormwater Ponds Facts

The Town of Shelburne has 12 stormwater management ponds that it maintains.
Waters levels can fluctuate drastically, both rising and falling quickly, which can hinder the formation of reliable, safe ice.
Shelburne Fire Department is strictly shore based and won’t go into the water for rescues.
Our deepest pond is approximately 2 meters or 6.5 feet deep, this can be a dangerous depth if a child were to fall in or through thin ice.

Staying Safe near Stormwater Ponds

Stormwater ponds are not for recreation. Please stay off stormwater management ponds at all times.

Residents should obey these guidelines to promote safety in and around stormwater ponds.

Do Not:

Swim, wade, fish or boat within the stormwater pond in the summer months.
Skate, sled, toboggan or walk on stormwater ponds in the winter months.
Put garbage, litter, pollutants, or yard waste in stormwater ponds.
Drain water from pools or hot tubs.
Engage in recreational activities in or on the ponds.

Do:

Exercise safety around stormwater ponds, as conditions in the ponds can change rapidly, which can include fluctuating water levels and thin ice.
Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond.
Stay away from the pond’s side slope, vegetated barriers, and outfall areas.
Keep children and pets off and away from the pond.

Stormwater Management Systems

SWM systems are approved for construction by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) who issue an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) for their construction based on the submission of engineered drawings.

SWM systems include works such as storm sewers, manholes, catchbasins, sediment forebays, dry ponds, wet ponds, oil and grit separators, headwalls, and overflow spillways, etc. The SWM systems are located in residential, commercial and institutional developments throughout the Town of Shelburne. Development and Operations inspects the SWM systems annually as mandated by the MOECC. Maintenance work is completed as required to ensure the various SWM systems operate as intended.

Maintenance work conducted by the Town includes:

Removal of sediments (as needed)
Removal of debris in and around the pond
Maintenance of structures such as gates and valves
Maintenance of surrounding vegetation and plants
Vegetation replacement if required
Bank stabilization to prevent erosion
Pond monitoring

To manage the increased risks to flooding, erosion, watercourse health and aquatic life caused by stormwater runoff, the Town often requires developers to construct stormwater management ponds to control stormwater runoff from their subdivisions. Upon assumption of the development, the Town starts maintaining the stormwater management ponds.

The Town does not maintain SWM facilities on private property.

Storm Sewers and Drainage Assessments

Development and Operations operates and maintains the storm drainage infrastructure throughout the Town. Maintenance activities include culvert replacements, catchbasin cleaning, storm sewer construction, flushing, video camera inspections and spot repairs, etc. Complete replacements, if necessary, are normally undertaken concurrently with road reconstruction projects.

Streetlights

Street light maintenance and installation provide an overall safe environment for vehicles and pedestrians during periods of diminished light or darkness. Lighting on roadways and walkways is maintained by a contractor on behalf of the Town of Shelburne.

Common street light maintenance issues include:

Burnt out lights
Flickering lights
Lights left on throughout the day
Damaged poles
Opened lens

To report concerns with street lighting, report on line by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form. Please take note of the exact location and be specific with the street it is on, cross streets, the address or building it fronts and any light pole identification numbers.

Traffic

Traffic Calming

Keeping Shelburne streets safe is a priority for the Town and using measures to "calm" the traffic is one way of achieving this. Traffic calming is a term used to describe a combination of mostly physical features that are intended to reduce vehicle speeds, alter driver behaviour and improve safety conditions for everyone who uses the street.

There are many methods of traffic calming and some of the most common types of traffic calming measures are:

Lane narrowing
Speed signs

If you have a concern regarding a street please report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

Traffic and Pedestrian Signals

Traffic control signals, including those directing vehicles and pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks, are necessary to ensure the safety of vehicles and pedestrians. In an effort to meet this task, it is essential that signals be functional and efficient at all times.

To report signal problems complete online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

Trees

The Town of Shelburne provides a range of services related to Town trees, including planting, pruning and removal of street trees, and trees in parks and open spaces. Street trees are planted on Town property (Road Allowance), between the curb and the property line. Preservation and protection of trees are an important consideration in our municipal operations.

If you are concerned with the health of a street or park tree near your property you can report your concern or contact the Development and Operations department by email, or phone at 519-925-2600 x 261.

For more detailed information please visit our Trees webpage.

Winter Maintenance

Development and Operations is responsible for winter operations on the Town's streets, sidewalks, walkways and parking lots. Winter operations includes snowplowing, sanding and salting, and snow removal around the clock. Operations are carried out by municipally-owned and operated equipment and contractors. It is the objective of the Development and Operations Department to conduct its operational activities in an efficient and effective way, so as to provide safe driving conditions on all roads owned and maintained by the Town.

Winter control maintenance is performed under a priority system. Primary roads such as Greenwood Street, Fiddle Park Lane, Simon Street and Victoria Street will be cleared first, followed by local residential streets, crescents and courts.

For more detailed information please visit our Winter Maintenance webpage.

Summer Maintenance

Summer maintenance generally occurs between May 1 and October 31. There are a number of operations that the Development and Operations Department completes during the summer season. Some of these summer operations include:

Roadside maintenance (mowing, ditching, shouldering)
Street sweeping
Resurfacing (surface treatment, asphalt paving, slurry seal)
Gravelling
Dust control
Culvert replacement
Re-grading
Miscellaneous road repairs

Road system and work are set out on a biweekly basis for ongoing maintenance.

How you can help

Grass Clippings and Leaves

It's an easy oversight - what harm could come from blowing grass clippings onto the road? However blowing grass clippings onto the road is a bad habitat for a number of reasons:

Any vegetation blown onto the road can lead to a small amount of organic debris getting into the gravel over time. This can slow drainage from the road.
Damp or wet cuttings blown on to a hard surface road can reduce the traction for vehicles, particularly if they had to brake on the cuttings.
Blowing cuttings toward the road creates a risk that a mower could shoot a stone or other debris at passing people or cars. While many residents are good about stopping when people or cars are passing by, it might just be easier to adjust your mowing practices to blow clippings away from the road.

In the autumn, it is important to remember that leaves should not be raked or blown on local roads. They pose many of the same concerns as grass clippings on roadways, and have an added safety risk of children playing in the piles of leaves.

So whenever possible "Don't Blow It" and help improve safety and road maintenance in our community.

Please see our Loose Leaves webpage for more details on loose leaves.

Sports Equipment

Sports equipment left unattended on a street or a portion of a street can be a safety hazard for motorists. The Town of Shelburne requires you to ensure all sports equipment does not overhang to interfere with or obstructs safe passage on a highway or sidewalk. This includes, but is not limited to:

Basketball nets
Hockey nets
Skateboard ramps

What happens if I leave equipment on the road?

If you leave equipment on the road, we may attach a notice to it, stating you have 24 hours to move the equipment. Failure to comply with the notice may result in your sports equipment being removed from the road and held at a secure site for 30 days.

You can reclaim the equipment within 30 days for a cost determined by the actual costs incurred by the Town to remove the item. We will dispose of all unclaimed equipment after 30 days. Please contact us to learn how to reclaim your equipment.

File a complaint

You can file a by-law complaint if you believe someone isn't meeting the regulations in the by-law.

File a complaint

All complaints, including emails, must contain the complainant's name, address and phone number. Please note that all personal information about complainants will remain confidential.

If you have a concern you can report your concern or contact the Development and Operations department by email, or phone at 519-925-2600 x 261.

Driveway Widening and Curb Cuts

The zoning by-laws of the Town of Shelburne regulate the size and locations of driveways. Depending on the location of your property, the zoning by-law will place a limit on how wide, how large, or where your driveway can be located.

For questions about how wide your driveway can be or where driveways are allowed, please email the planning department at planning@shelburne.ca

Curb cuts

Only Town staff or contractors authorized by the Town are permitted to modify Town-owned street curbs. Curb cuts are regulated in the Town of Shelburne to ensure:

Compliance with the Zoning By-laws
Safe distances from street infrastructure (hydro boxes, hydrants, streetlights)
Protection of trees

Can I park on the street?

The Town's parking by-law limits where and for how long you can park on a street. Please see the Parking webpage for more details.

Road and sidewalk occupancy permits

If you need a road occupancy permit in order to complete a maintenance or construction project on municipal streets, please fill out the temporary road occupancy application

Pot Holes

What is a pot hole?

A pot hole is a type of failure in a road surface that typically is caused by a combination of traffic and water saturating the soil material under the road.

On a paved road during a freeze thaw cycle, the water will expand causing the road to crack. This then allows more water to enter the base material causing further loss of material. Eventually, the asphalt layer over these divots collapses, creating potholes. Similarly, a gravel road may become saturated with water and as vehicles travel over the surface the finer materials in the gravel are lost allowing a pot hole to develop.

Should you notice a pothole that needs immediate attention, please contact 519-925-2600 ext. 261 or email providing the following information to assist crews in locating the pothole:

Name of street
Direction and lane (i.e., northbound, right lane)
Address of the closest building to pothole
Cross street information, if available
Size of pothole

Submitting a pot hole claim?

When making a claim against the Town for pothole damages, it is important to note that the Town will not be responsible for your property damage if it has met the Provincial "Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways" (MMS).

You are required to submit a claim within 10 days of the date of the incident.

What if your claim is denied?

If records show that MMS service levels were met, your claim will be denied. The Town will outline the results of the investigation in a letter and provide you with the report that justifies the denial.

It is important to know that the majority of property damage claims made against the Town of Shelburne are denied as the Town regularly meets or exceeds the standard levels of service.

For more information regarding the claims process, please contact the Town Clerk.

Utility Locates

When excavating to install fences, repair driveways, plant trees, etc., contact Ontario One-Call at 1.800.400.2255

We get tons of questions, to make it easier we created a Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Administrative Office
203 Main Street East
Shelburne, ON L9V 3K7

Email: info@shelburne.ca
Phone: 519-925-2600
Fax: 519 -925-6134