HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2013-11-20, Page 7Drinking water risk
management to be
part of municipal
planning, rezoning
Gerard Creces
Clinton News -Record
Central Huron is eligible for $87,500
to be put toward mitigating threats to
the drinking water supply. The funds
are being released from the Provincial
government to further protect drink-
ing water throughout Ontario, with
more funds available if municipalities
team up with each other - in Central
Huron's case, an additional $15,000.
The Clean Water Act of 2006 brought
with it an increased vigilance on
municipal drinking water quality, and
a shared responsibility from munici-
palities and the public on assessing
and eliminating drinking water
threats.
Jenna Allain, Program Supervisor
for drinking water source protection
with the Ausable Bayfield Conserva-
tion Authority, laid out a cost-sharing
schedule with surrounding munici-
palities, saying risk management is
the next big step in planning for safe
water.
The funds are to be used for hiring
risk management officials - people
whose sole responsibility is to negoti-
ate site-specific plans to protect
drinking water sources. Part of the
ABCA pitch involves the conservation
authority as the risk management
body.
Land use policy factors heavily into
risk management, be it chemical or
fuel storage, manure application or
salt storage. Amendments in both
lower and upper tier Official Plans
can dictate where, when or how these
are best situated to avoid water con-
tamination. While watercourses cur-
rently do have protection areas laid
out in the county GIS mapping, those
areas need to be incorporated into
local zoning bylaws, Allain said.
"Chief Building Officials have to
become familiar with those areas,
screening applications whether it is in
a protection area or not," she said. "It
is one of those things they will have to
establish a process for:'
While there aren't many land use
policies affected, she said the impor-
tant action is to incorporate proper
mapping to make sure any rezoning
must go through a risk management
official.
"The role has been modeled after
building officials but they have spe-
cific powers under the Clean Water
Act," Allain said. "Their job is to nego-
tiate these plans and then monitor
and enforce they are being followed."
Proposing a new gas station next to
a drinking water source, she said, is
an example of what could be prohib-
ited through risk management and
rezoning. Risk management actions
will focus on municipal well water,
and how it will be managed as well as
future development activity around
wells.
While the ABCA is offering to take
on the job, risk management officials
can be hired from existing municipal
staff. Most municipalities are still try-
ing to make that decision, Allain
noted.
"The conservation authority is going
out and trying to confirm how many
plans are needed so they have a better
sense of what the workload is," she
explained. "The funding is not
intended to cover all the costs for
municipalities - just to help them get
started with source protection plans."
Costs for the program are based on
population, tax assessment and the
number of individual risk manage-
ment plans needed.
4. FOSTER FAMILIES
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Herron -Perth CHILDREN & YOUTH
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FDI Intonation Coll Idle Hurn -Perch
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Perth County (Deanie Jardine)
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Huron County (Deanie Jardine)
519 4- Or 1- 4-2e5.-5190
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 • News Record 7
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0 1'Y
COUNTY OF HURON
MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
TO REALIGN COUNTY ROAD 13 (BAYFIELD ROAD)
AT KING STREET
(COMMUNITY OF CLINTON)
1
THE PROJECT:
The County of Huron, in conjunction with the Municipality of Central Huron, is planning to redesign
the intersection of Huron County Road 13/King Street/ Matilda Street and Railway Street, immediately
east of the existing rail crossing in the southwest portion of Clinton, as shown on the attached key plan.
The portion of King Street, that crosses the rail line east of the County road crossing, is proposed to be
eliminated in conjunction with the project. These modifications are proposed to create a smoother
transition from County Road 13 to Railway Street, which is planned to be reconstructed to a county road
standard. Railway Street, which is currently a municipal road, is proposed to become part of the Huron
County road network, while King Street, which is currently owned by the County, is proposed to become
a municipal road. The following additional works may also be considered in conjunction with this
project:
• Construction of a new municipal road connecting County Road 13 (Bayfield Road) to James
Street and Matilda Street, south of the rail line.
• Modifications to Maria Street to accommodate the above noted improvements.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING PROCESS:
The project is following the planning process established for Schedule B activities within the Class EA
document. Schedule B projects are approved subject to a screening process. The purpose of the
screening process is to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the proposal and to
plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts. The process includes consultation with the public,
stakeholders and review agencies.
Public input and comments are invited for
incorporation into the planning and design
of this project and will be received until
December 20, 2013, at the address listed
below. Any comments collected in
conjunction with the study will be
maintained on file for use during the project
and may be included in project
documentation. With the exception of
personal information, all comments will
become part of the public record.
For further information on this project, or
to review the Municipal Class EA process,
please contact the consulting engineers:
B. M. Ross and Associates: 62 North Street,
Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone:
(519) 524-2641. Fax: (519) 524-4403. Kelly
Vader, Environmental Planner (e-mail:
kvader@bmross.net).
This Notice issued November 20, 2013
Dave Laurie, Director of Public Works
County of Huron