PUBLIC MEETING - MINUTES

FOWLER ZONING AMENDMENT

JULY 22ND 2008 – 7 PM

Attending:  Mayor Stephen R. Rawn; Chris Ellis; Vi Montpetit; Merlyn Snow; John Newstead

Clerk: Diana Georgie; Meridian Planning:  Jamie Robinson;  Applicant Planner: Lanny Dennis; Mr. Gordon, Quarry Mgr; Bill Fitzgerald – Environmental; Bill Clark, Hydrogeologist

Gord Neilson, Geological; and 127 members of the public who signed the attendance sheet.

 

1.                  Mayor Stephen R. Rawn opened the Public Meeting with instructions to the public.  Reminder to Please sign the attendance record by printing your name and mailing address for those wishing to be notified of the decision of council

2.                  Clerk, Diana Georgie stated how notice was given and that 66 comment forms submitted asking for a copy of the decision, stating concerns about water supply and the proposal for a quarry & asphalt plant; 13 written comments were received and had asked to speak at the public meeting and 2 written submissions from agencies:  TCP stated that two high pressure natural gas lines require a 30m setback be maintained on both sides of both rights of ways and the MTO requires a copy of the studies; that no new entrances will be permitted and existing access road intersections may require improvements.

3.                  Mayor introduced our Planner, Jamie Robinson from Meridian Planning Consultants

4.                  Jamie Robinson explained the Zoning Amendment process under the Planning Act

5.                  Mayor called upon the Applicant and their representatives to provide a presentation on the proposal.  It was noted by Lanny Dennis, at this point that a portable asphalt plant was omitted from the application for the zoning amendment.

 

James Gordon – Fowler Construction

·         Asphalt plant in future

·         Minimize truck traffic

·         Close to market

·         Corporate citizen

 

Lanny Dennis - Planner

·         250 acres

·         1000 feet road frontage

·         200 acres to be zoned Extractive Industrial, Rural

·         Portable Asphalt Plant on the property

ARA - provides more regulation and control

PPS – permits portable asphalt plant as of right for Provincial jobs

Rural Zone – permits portable asphalt plants

 

PPS

·         Promotes the protection of Mineral aggregates for long-term use

·         Promotes protection of resources close to markets

·         Promotes long-term prosperity of aggregate

·         Promotes protection of the environment

 

Official Plan

·         Promote orderly economic development

·         Establish our industry

·         Strong’s asset as resource based land

·         Thinks this a wise use of land

·         Pit & Quarry a permitted use in the Rural area

·         “shall be” “ it will” provided it meets other criteria

 

Zones

·         Other zones on the property to provide buffering

·         400 foot setback from dwellings

 

 

ARA License Required

·         Archaeology Study required

·         Hydrogeological Study required

·         Operations plan required

·         Environmental plan required

·         Insure public interest is protected

 

Bill Fitzgerald - Geologist

·         ARA License required

·         Strong now under ARA

·         Class A license to be applied for – unrestricted tonnage limit

·         Estimate 80,000 tonnes per year extraction

·         Potential for additional extraction with larger jobs

·         Very limited amount of unconsolidated material

·         Consolidated material required Drill, blast and crush

·         Four Phase Operation – 54 hectares, 135 acres

·         Entrance off of Cottrell Road

·         Crushing location is as far away from residents as possible

·         Start in the south – move to the north with subsequent phases

·         Blasting to occur one or two times per year

·         Operations 7 am to 7 pm

·         Truck loading below certain decibel may occur earlier or later.

·         Extraction to a maximum depth of 75 metres face

·         Progressive rehabilitation must occur under ARA

 

Gord Neilson – Environmental Consultant

·         Fall 2007 initiated review

·         4 days of site work complete

·         Additional field work required

·         Plant species identified

·         Wildlife habitat identified

·         Nature of drainage features reviewed

·         Water quality sampled

·         species at risk reviewed

·         No issues identified which would prohibit the use of the property for aggregates

·         MNR to review ARA contract

·         Drainage from the property flows to Stirling Creek and to the south

 

 

 

Bill Clark - Hydrogeologist

·         Observation wells have been drilled on site

·         Questionnaire to be distributed

·         Fractured rock on the site

·         Ontario Water Resources Act – protects existing wells, to ensure that existing water supplies are maintained

·         Management of water is major issue

·         90% of water on the site will be from run-off and precipitation

·         Ministries to scrutinize work through a peer review

 

Bill Fitzgerald

·         Once studies are completed an application under the ARA will be submitted

 

6.                  Mayor called upon the individuals from the public who requested to make an oral presentation individuals were asked to limit the presentation to no more than five minutes:

 

Name

Questions

Answer

Judith Arai, Box 837

Property owner on Lake Bernard

1. Damage to aquifer research – Priority resource is Tourism

2. Where does wash water come from?

3. Blasting

Bill Clark

1. Wells could be cloudy after blast – no damage, no affect from blast on Lake Bernard

2. Wash water is stored n site and collected through snow-melt.  Water is recycled.

Jim Bonnett

143 Cottrell Road

1. Environmental Interest – few moose and few deer after highway

2. Access over a pipeline

3. Trees removal on hill

Bill Fitzgerald

1. Buffer will be left

 

2. Setback will protect TCP

Karl Brandt

Highway 124

1. Environmental, social well-being of people of Sunridge – noise, dust, environmental

2. Groundwater

3. Economics – not new jobs but additional jobs

Bill Clark

2. Ontario Water Resources Act protects existing wells – well water testing for all within 500 metres.

James Gordon

3. 2 jobs created

Aaron Hill

750 Highway 124

1. Opposition to Zoning amendment – Quarry will affect his small farm operation

 

Brian and Karen Johnstone

996 Highway 124

1.  Blasting – what will the impact be? – noise levels

2.  – why only monitor in a 500 metre radius

    - what protection and balances?

    - what type of rock?

    - wells outside of 500 metres of site

Bill Fitzgerald

1. Blasting to have less impact than highway blasting

Bill Clark

2.  Additional testing can be completed with cooperation from residents

 

John MacLachlan

502 Highway 124

1. Located adjacent to the quarry – streams on his property drain to proposed quarry

2. Water courses are permanent

3. Tuberculosis – has this been investigated

4. Property used to be a game farm – animals were all destroyed

5. Magnetawan Drainage system

6. Need for a quarry at this location

7. Asphalt plant is a concern

8. Council and applicant should obtain more information based on local information presented

 

Stephen O’Donnell

1. Fractured rock  glaciers

2. Because of type of rock we don’t know where the ground water will go

 

Collen Swider

Concerned about quality of life, health of citizens, health of environment

1. Has the Municipality completed a source water protection plan

2. Duration and length of Quarry

3. How many full-time long term jobs – experience needed

4. Cost model – what is the cost sought

5. Preliminary Environmental Study – Bears, amphibian species

 

 

1. Source Water Protection Plans are in process – only municipal sources of water apply to source water protection.

2. Depends on the market for materials – long term

3. Minimum of 2 full time employees

4. Cost model – lower

prices

Robert White

Attractive land use? – Ribbon development Official Plan 1.4.4

1.5.1.2.5 – Development for attractive land

 

Sid White

1. Wind and wind velocity

2. Odours and dust particulates from asphalt plant

3. Market value of properties

 

 

 

7.             Mayor called upon any other individuals who wished to make comments:

James Emes

193 O’Brien Road

1. Hours of operation –

2. Water flow to the south

1. 7 am to 7 pm  - could load before if they need

 

2. Participate in well study

Gary Benedet

Concerns

-    prevailing winds

-    concerned about well

-    when quarry falls to north

-    berms high enough

-    operation hours

-    no asphalt plants

 

Elaine Saltsberg

Adams  Road

-   Property value

-   Blasting effect

 

Rob Harding

761 Adams Road

-   Opposed

-   Employs 8 people

-   Turning – safety of trucks

 

Moira

Rainy Road

-   Environment

-   Dark sky

-   Concerned about light pollution

 

Al Cassels

465 Adams Road

-   Employs 12 people, Fowlers to employ 2

 

Doug Kincaid

65 Oak Ridge Drive

-   Environmental disaster he worked 36 years in asphalt plants and crushers

-   crusher noise

 

Linda vanDyke

-   What is the benefit to area?

 

 

-   One resident requested a poll or referendum

 

 

8.

 

Mayor asked Council members if there are questions on the proposed amendment:

 

 

Vi Montpetit

-   mentioned the Source Water Protection Plan  and asked

-   John MacLachlan explained.  Funding for only a partial plan for South River through the Conservation Authority.  Magnetawan watershed not covered by a Conservation Authority and funding not available as yet. 

Merlyn Snow

-   Thanked those who gave comments and opinions

 

Chris Ellis

-   Commented this meeting had provided her with  more information about the proposal

 

 

7.                  Mayor asked the Applicant if they have any closing remarks – no further remarks were given.

 

8.                  Council will consider all matters placed before it prior to coming to a decision on the proposed zoning amendment . 

 

9.                  The Public meeting is now over – Thank you for attending and we now adjourn at 9:25 pm

 

 

 

Diana Georgie, Clerk                                            Stephen R. Rawn, Mayor