HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-11-13, Page 7Wednesday, November 13, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 7
Support falls short for ice jam report
Lynda Hillman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
A thorough 81 -page Community
Services ice -jam report fell on deaf ears
as Lambton Shores council voted for
another staff report.
At last week's regular meeting Brent
Kittmer, Director of Community Serv-
ices presented a summary of the public
feedback from the September 7, public
meeting where more than 400 people
attended. The premise of the report was
the Port Franks and Area Ice Manage-
ment cost sharing study and recom-
mendations for Council to consider for
moving forward.
Council member John Russell wanted
the report tabled and stated he would
like to see the costs go onto the general
levy where all of Lambton Shores would
pay.
Staff's report states that the Port
Franks area has been subject to signifi-
cant erosion and ice -related flooding in
the past decade. Ice jams typically occur
in the month of February, but can range
from January - April in a given year.
AECOM and their predecessor Totten
Sims I lubicki Associates Ltd have com-
pleted a number of reports to study the
issue in the Port Franks area. The stud-
ies have reviewed the possible causes of
ice jams, and have argued that several
geometric and geological factors con-
tribute to the cause of ice jams. The
location of the mouth of the river at
Lake Huron makes it particularly diffi-
cult to control and/or minimize the
hazard.
"At the May 22, 2012 meeting Council
reviewed the updated ice management
report prepared by AECOM, and a rec-
ommended preliminary cost sharing
strategy for any future ice management
initiatives that may take place. In that
report AECOM recommended that
Phase 2 of the study be undertaken so
that the recommended cost sharing
strategy could be further developed.
Council concurred that the cost sharing
model be pursued as well as petitioning
uufrom pport froupper levels of govern-
lnent, and passed motions stating That
the cost sharing model be pursued fur-
ther by completing Phase 2 of the Cost
Sharing Study for ice management in
Port Franks and that Council petition
support from upper levels of govern-
ment to deal with ice management in
Port Pranks. The second motion has
been acted upon. In the fall of 2012 as
municipal representatives were suc-
cessful in meeting with representatives
of topper levels of govermnent to present
the ice management issue and the cost-
ing challenges. 'the potential of funding
for the project was discussed at that
time, and the Municipality was
informed that the only applicable fund-
ing program was the Water Erosion
Control initiatives (WL(;I) funding,"
says Kintner.
Representatives from AECOM and
the Ali(;A attended (:otincil on July 4,
2013 to present Phase 2 of the cost shar-
ing study. The presentation included
information on the preferred ice man-
agement alternatives (localized dredg-
ing and flood proofing berms) and the
proposed cost sharing formulas and
cost allocation options. As a result
Council passed a motion stating that a
public information centre be scheduled
for Septernber 2013 to present the find-
ings of the AECOM Report on the Ice
Management Cost Sharing Study and
proposed solutions to the resolve the
issues.
Kittmer says the public information
session was held on Septernber 7, 2013
at the Legacy Recreation Centre and
was attended by approximately 450 citi-
zens. The meeting included presenta-
tions by AECOM and the ABCA, and
attendees were encouraged to collect
and submit comment forms for the
project. Staff received in excess of 230
continents. 'Ihe comment form distrib-
uted for the project was designed with
three key survey questions regarding
support for and willingness to pay for
the project, and an open section for
general comments.
OPTIONS
To move this project forward, Coun-
cil can consider the following options:
1. Receive and Approve the AECOM
Report and Continue with the Cur-
rent Funding Model;
2.Proceed with ice Management, and
Fully Fund from the Tax Levy;
3. Proceed with Ice Management,
and Direct a New Cost Sharing
Study be Developed to Redefine
"Benefit";
4. Status Quo - Receive and File the
Current AECOM report, Do Not
Proceed with Active Ice Manage-
ment Work.
Kintner says there does not appear to
be a majority support for completing
work related to ice management. "In
2008, Council of the day came to much
the same conclusion after several years
of study work related to ice manage-
ment with little support for the result-
ing cost sharing formula. As a result, a
resolution was passed in 2008 stating
that the "Municipality of Lambton
Shores advise the Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority of the decision
not to proceed with the Port Franks Ice
Management project," he said.
Kittmer explained to the present
council that, "In the case of ice mar.age-
tnent, the status quo is not the same as
"do nothing" as Lambton Shores does
currently have plans in place to respond
to flood events through its emergency
preparedness program. ARCA and
SCRCA flood threats are communicated
to the public by way of the municipal
website. In the event of a flood, the
Municipality offers evacuation centres,
in this case the Port Franks Community
Centre. Depending upon the severity of
the flood, and the level of impact, the
Municipality can choose to declare an
emergency and activate its Emergency
Operations Centre.
"Based on the feedback gathered
from the September 7, 2013 public
meeting it would appear that this option
is the best at this time. As a result, staff is recom-
mending that Council proceed with Option #4,"
said Kittmer.
Status quo is not the way Russell wants to go.
"Why can't we treat fort Franks the same as every-
one else in the municipality when they need help?
This is a safety concern. 'This should come out of
the levy because this is a community concern. This
has nothing to do with boating. 'this is about the
safety and concern of residents. 1 want this report
tabled" Councilor Doug Cook said this $1.4 project
is a "big nut to crack."
"We are going to spend millions of dollars when
the people don't care. Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Alec Scott was in attendance and
said there was no magical answer. Deputy mayor
Elizabeth Davis Dagg said she had a problem with
the skewed results. She said people who were not
affected weighed in. She said 24 -houses said they
are willing to pay and there should he more steps
they should be approaching. She said this was an
emergency issue and they should be appealing to
Oceans and Fisheries. "'There are a number of
options that treed to be explored."
Council member Martin Underwood said he
was not asking the people of Forest to anti -up
CONTINUED > PAGE 8
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