HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-11-29, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012. PAGE 17.
North Huron Township Council
was informed that the amount of
funds it receives through the Ontario
Municipal Partnership Fund may
become unpredictable in the future.
Donna White, North Huron
Township’s Treasurer, explained that
the provincial government was
looking at reducing costs by
reducing the payout given the
municipalities last year and have
done so.
“Last year we received
$1,489,300 and this year we are
receiving $1,456,600,” she said.
“That’s a decrease of $32,700 and,
we’re not sure, as we move forward,
where this will end up.”
White explained that numbers for
the future aren’t available and stated
that the province was awarding
somewhere near $575 million to
municipalities but wanted to reduce
that to $500 million.
Council wasn’t impressed by the
decision, with Councillor Archie
MacGowan saying that this was
doing nothing but hurting
municipalities.
“This is the art of balancing the
budget on the backs of the
municipalities,” he said.
Councillor Bernie Bailey pointed
out that, to make up that $32,700,
the township would need to up
taxation by three quarters of a per
cent. He also said that this wasn’t
going to be the last time they
received less of this money.
“My understanding is that we can
look forward to losing on this for
every year over the next few years,”
he said. “They [the province] have
said it is impossible for them to
continue.”
Fence controversy continues at Junction Place
Council concerned over OMPF
Wards
abolished
Continued from page 1
them.
At the Nov. 20 meeting about the
only comment made was from
Councillor David Baker who said he
would have liked to see more people
attend the public meeting in
Bluevale on Nov. 1. He also noted
that there were no ratepayers
present in the gallery for the passing
of the bylaw.
In a recorded vote, Mayor Paul
Gowing, Deputy-Mayor Jason
Breckenridge and Councillors Neil
Warwick, John Smuck and Baker
were in favour of abolishing the
ward system. Opposed were
Councillors Jamie Heffer and Jamie
McCallum.
Nancy Michie, administrator
clerk-treasurer noted that any
ratepayer could appeal the decision
to the Ontario Municipal Board
within 45 days of the passing of the
bylaw.
The second bylaw sets the size of
council at six: the mayor plus five
councillors, all elected at large from
across the municipality. This is a
reduction of one councillor from the
current council, again to take effect
with the 2014 election. Under this
arrangement, the deputy-mayor will
be the councillor with the highest
number of votes in the election.
The motion passed with little
debate with all councillors except
Warwick in support. He had earlier
argued for reducing the council to
five: four councillors plus the
mayor.
Bill Stevens, a representative of
residents of the Junction Place
Residents Association, addressed
North Huron Township Council
during their Nov. 19 meeting to
discuss an overly large fence.
Stevens relayed complaints about
the size of a fence bordering on three
Junction Place residents’ properties,
saying that, at a maximum of 12 feet
high, it blocks their vision.
One resident, who has fences and
walls on the sides of her property,
said that the fence makes her feel
like she is living in a “compound” or
“jail”.
Stevens said that the residents feel
they aren’t being treated fairly since
they brought this issue to council
previously. During an opening
speech, he made reference to the
reality of the residents choosing to
live in Wingham.
“We chose to live in this area
because of the many amenities
which are available and needed for
the majority of our homeowners in
our senior years,” he said. “In doing
so, we assumed responsibility for
home taxes which were in the range
of about $4,000 per year, and now, at
four times $1,800, are up to about
$7,500 on that one street.”
This should afford us the
opportunity to live in an area free of
noisy business operations and the
ability to look out our back decks
and see daylight and not a woodenfence,” he said.However, after their firstcomplaint was filed, the group
learned that there are no rules when
it comes to fence heights in
settlements in North Huron.
“We’ve been told that Wingham
does not have a bylaw that would
prohibit such a height of fence,”
Stevens explained. “However we
also know that, in other cases,
neighbours were approached by
town officials and an area of fence
was lowered. We were told this
fence height was acceptable because
there are similar fencing situations
in town.”
He continued, saying that he
wasn’t sure of the circumstances of
that situation, but that he would hope
that the fences were allowed because
they were accepted or beneficial to
all parties.
To conclude his speech, Stevens
explained what association wants
from council.
“Stated simply, we’re asking first
that the fence directly behind the
three residences and the fence on
Alfred Street be lowered to the
height of a small privacy fence; six
feet,” He said, adding that some
people had put up their own privacy
fences. “[The homeowners have
built six-foot fences] to allow them
to hang planters and enhance their
own yards while effectively blocking
any unwanted scenery.”
Secondly, the group wanted to
know whether it was legal for anautomotive business to run in aresidentially zoned property, whichthey believe the property owner who
erected the fence is doing.
The issue, however, isn’t as black
and white as that, according to
Councillor Bernie Bailey.
Bailey said the issue has been
dealt with in the past and did not
“fall on deaf ears”.
“I was approached by these ladies
about the fence in question,” he said.
“I went to the building inspector,
and he looked into everything. I was
assured that everything was okay.”
Bailey said that the issue should
again be given to the Chief Building
Official Dave Black to be handled
again since he has already done
work on the issue.
Chief Administrative Officer Gary
Long said that, in two surprise visits,
Black was not able to find any
evidence of the man operating a
commercial automotive mechanic
business on the property.
“We will send the bylaw officer
[Black] back again,” Long said. “He
has been in contact with the owner
several times about the fence issue
and about non-compliance with
zoning and I know that Mr. Black
has also sent information regarding
that issue to [President of the
Association] Nancy Barret. That
information detailed what he can do
and what he can’t do about enforcing
the height of the fence.”
Long said that the concerns of the
municipality and the residents hadbeen conveyed to the land owner.The concerned members of theassociation, however, feel that this
isn’t enough.
“By sending the bylaw officer or
the building inspector, we’re not
going to get any further,” one owner
said. “I don’t think that’s
satisfactory.”
When last the issue was brought
up, it was explained to council thatthe ladies had complained aboutwhat they saw in the neighbour’sbackyard as it was aesthetically
unpleasing, according to Bailey. As a
result, the fence was built. The
association then requested the fence
be lowered or brought down.
Council requested a report from
Black which should be delivered at
their next council meeting.
Honoured by his community
Steve Howson, winner of the Citizen of the Year award for
Blyth and its surrounding communities, was presented with
his plaque last week in front of the Blyth Lions Club during
its monthly meeting. Howson was nominated for the award
for, among other things, his commitment to the community,
his dedication to the Blyth Lions Club and his work with the
Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association. Presenting
Howson with his plaque is Lois van Vliet, a member of The
Citizen’s board of directors. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Deadline February 8, 2013
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By Denny ScottThe Citizen