Posted by Greg Locke on Apr 18, 2012 in Get Engaged!, Issues That Matter | 9 comments
Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? The Big Bad Wolf? The Big Bad Wolf? Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Tra la la la la.
Yesterday’s New Tecumseth Council meeting was unfortunately what I had expected – and disappointing.
As has become typical for my blog posts on this issue, there’s lots to read and lots to discuss. At the top here I summarize the key facts, issues and questions. For those of you who really want to dig in, keep on reading! And do please comment at the very bottom of this post.
The skinny on Monday’s discussion and eventual passed resolution on the matter is this:
New Tech Council blinked.
They aren’t willing to bet the bank they can assert their regulatory authority over landfill, in the face of only one lower court decision (Scugog) that (in obiter dicta) ruled against the Federal Government’s jurisdictional authority over regulating the manner in which site alteration is performed.
The loud clapping following David Francis’ excellent deputation (that, in essence, characterized this operation as a de facto land fill operation as opposed to an aerodrome expansion) was followed later with a room full of silent attendees following Council’s slightly modified approval of the Staff’ recommendation.
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Posted by Greg Locke on Apr 7, 2012 in Get Engaged!, Issues That Matter | 0 comments
Another great Globe article below on how Kitchener is using incentives and a focused approach by their City and Council to attract new-age businesses to underused industrial sites.
We don’t have a stock of 19th century buildings in King to offer up. But between all three of King’s primary villages (including King City and Nobleton), Schomberg has the largest single amount of undeveloped zoned industrial lands in the Township.
In addition, Schomberg awaits imminent and eventual redevelopment for its now closed Schomberg Arena and Rona lands, respectively, plus two sizable brownfield sites visible to anyone traveling through our town.
Please excuse my focus in this post on Schomberg, the village I happen to live in. The principles are quite relevant across the Township and beyond. We have a particularly attractive development opportunity here with a dwindling shelf life. Read on and I think the principles I espouse will be clear.
This strategic approach to development seems like what we need to maximize these lands’ value to residents AND owners, by realizing several facets of our Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (proudly approved by King Council just this week).
I was a member of the Economics working committee, and we identified how important sustainable economic development is for King: Not merely to capitalize on King’s historic strengths (including equine, agricultural, natural and heritage attractions), but:
- New, wealth-creating sectors that encourage King residents to live near where they work; that
- Diversify King’s economy to include new high value-added products and services, where they make sense; and particularly,
- Compliment our Plan’s three other pillars: Socio-economic, Environmental and Financial sustainability.
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Posted by Greg Locke on Mar 31, 2012 in Get Engaged! | 5 comments
My first post on this issue (click to read it here) is quite full. At risk of becoming incoherent I’ve created this post to provide my accounting and critical analysis of the special New Tecumseth Council meeting held yesterday.
Following that meeting, key are the facts that: 1) the Township issued an “Order To Discontinue Activity” (their fill by-law’s nomenclature for a Stop Work Order) as a result of the unanimously approved motion at Council’s March 26th meeting. And 2) the Ontario Ministry of Transport shut the site down on March 28th, apparently as a result of traffic issues; the site entrance has had concrete barriers placed in front of it, barring trucks from entering or leaving.
Below is a detailed account of the Special meeting, including a link to the staff report for Council’s review and approval. You may not want the play-by-play, so for your convenience here is a summary of what I believe are the critical points that this juncture:
1) The key rhetorical argument – that 1493690 Ontario Inc. is relying upon, from which there is so much haze rising in the room (my words):
Aerodrome and aerodrome landing strip construction, including landfill operation, hanger construction, as a matter of fact, any aspect of an aerodrome construction or operation, is within the regulatory authority of the Federal government. Period. No requirement for a permit; no requirement for a water or hydro geological tests, etc.
The fact is, this is not the law. Transport Canada will affirm to New Tecumseth in short order that landfill operations are within their regulatory control in order to protect the environment.
2) These lands are on highly sensitive Moraine lands, very restricted via the Moraine Act for development of nearly any kind. Even if the aerodrome owners can argue their activities are an exception to the Town’s fill bylaw, in my opinion the Moriane Act removes virtually any legal approval of development.
3) The next logical steps in all this is comprehensive soil sampling and testing of the site, followed by remediation, for which the Town has the authority to order. How long the owners’ lawyers can maintain the haze surrounding (1) above will determine how quickly these are addressed.
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It was another packed Council chambers in Alliston as Council met exclusively to update concerned residents on the status of the motion against 1493690 Ontario Inc., or to be transparent, Mr. Ralph Palmisano and his (apparent) investor partners (unknown who they are) who have a stake in the aerodrome they are apparently expanding with the need for copious amounts of landfill.
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Posted by Greg Locke on Mar 31, 2012 in Get Engaged!, Issues That Matter | 1 comment
I urge you to study this road widening issue in King Township and to sign the petition. Please read on …
Roads, roads roads! We seem to need more and more of them. And the more we build, the more traffic they generate, and the more we build.
The Province and York Region are all analyzing the GTA for future transportation needs. Several studies are underway to identify corridors for vehicular traffic, including the Province’s GTA West Corridor Study (basically creating another 407-series type highway between Burlington and Vaughan) and the Region’s plans to identify one or more additional interchanges on Highway 400 and the resultant road widenings to accommodate this east-west traffic flow.
Nothing is set in concrete – yet (or is that asphalt?). Note that none of this analysis includes alternate transportation models, such as rail (to move freight and take the burden off the roads, not to mention the environment – yet I digress here).
So guess what? Seemingly independently to all of this, York Region looks to be getting its ducks in line to widen King Road to 4 lanes from 2 between Highway 400 and Nobleton. The left hand doesn’t seem to be talking to the right hand here!
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Posted by Greg Locke on Mar 28, 2012 in Get Engaged!, Issues That Matter | 6 comments
I’ve been helping some concerned citizens of New Tecumseth investigate a sprawling, overt and largely unregulated landfill operation on this small aerodrome located on the north side of Highway 9, just west of the King-Caledon border.
Be sure to read Part II of this story here.
Landfill coming from large Toronto-area construction projects has created a lucrative and surprisingly unregulated stage for long-term risk and damage to sensitive agricultural soils and aquifers, as this example readily demonstrates.
Bottom Line: Municipalities are responsible for regulating ALL landfill within their jurisdictions. Specifically, this is so regardless of whether or not specific industrial activities are regulated by higher levels of government.
Aeriel view of active landfill fill operation at Volk airport property on Hwy 9, adjacent to the Tecumseth Pines community. Photo courtesy New Tecumseth Free Press (www.madhunt.com)
In this case, New Tecumseth has a quite effective Site Alteration and Fill Bylaw. (Click to see it here) Thing is, they were not imposing it in this case, or at least, not until now.
The Good News:
New Tecumseth Council has woken up to this. A Stop Work order has been issued against the fill operation.
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