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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1999-06-30, Page 5Wednesday, jun 30; '1999 In the News Proposed townhouses receive chilly reception 5 By Katherine Harding TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRAND BEND -- A pro- posed 21 -unit freehold townshouse complex on Sauble Road is not receiv- ing a warm reception by some villagers. Neighbours of the pro- posed development are concerned the develop- ment is going to exagger- ate a parking shortage m the area and 53 people have signed a petition to halt rezoning of the prop- erty. If approved by council, the townshouses would be constructed on the slope of the Manore Marine Property owned by Dick Manore. During a public meeting last Monday to request amendments to the Official Plan and zoning bylaw to allow the devel- opment, a small crowd was present to hear more about the project and ask questiohs. During the meeting, vil- lagers and council heard from the developer's con- sultant, Richard Hardie, and Lambton County planner Dave Posliff about the project. Hardie showed the audi- ence detailed drawings of the project and was quick to point out the town- houses would be sold as well-built separate homes and "were not more con- dos." Each pro- posed unit would be one and a half storeys at the front (street level) and two storeys at the rear complete with their own boat dock. He said each home could potentially have enough parking space for three vehicles. Lambton County plan- ner Dave Posliff told the crowd that the Official Plan governs the pre- ferred density of a neigh- bourhood and says higher density developments should be located near a major road to help off -set the increase in traffic. He said because Sauble Rd. is near Hwy. 81 and traffic flows mainly through a commercial area to Saublr Rd., traffic would not increase signif- icantly with this develop- ment. "This application is close to conforming with the R3 zone." -DAVE POSLIFF LAMBTON COUNTY PLANNER "1 think there is room here for a resi- dential develop- ment but there • are concerns that have to be addressed," said Posliff. "This application is close to conforming with R3 zone." When council opened the meeting up to the floor not one person spoke in favour of the development. All of the 20 people in attendance voiced con- cerns over the proposed townhouses including comments Sauble Rd. was handle the too narrow to extra traffic and concerns over the loss of dock space and the safe- ty of seniors and children when traffic on the road increases. "This is not only a nar- row road but it's a dead end," said Doug Russell. "With the addition of 63 cars possibly to the area it Ls only going to compound the problems." Hardie suggested to the crowd when the develop- er presents their final site plan proposal they could investigate paying for deficiencies on and around the property. Widening Sauble Rd. was also discussed but some residents of the road are concerned there is no space. "It is seven feet from our window to the side- walk already. How far can you bring the road to us," said Crystal MacDonald. When coun- cillors dis- cussed the issue Coun. Bob Mann drew applause from the crowd when he said the "density proposed here is far too high." He would like the pro- ject t6 be scaled down by half and added parking was inadequate. Coun. Phil Maguire and Mayor Cam Ivey both told "This is not only a narrow road, but it's a dead end. With the addition of 63 cars possibly to the area it is only going to compound the problems." -DOUG RUSSELL Butterflies abound at Pinery By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF PORT FRANKS — If you saw several people with nets and binoculars flitting about near Pinery Provincial Park on Saturday, youweren't imagining things. The sixth annual Pinery Butterfly Count was held Saturday. Over 30 people participated in this year's count that gets a snapshot of the butterflies present in a 15 km radius around Port Franks, an area that includes the Pinery. Count convener Brenda Kulon said the count is done across North America around July 4 by the Xerces Society for con- servation purposes. The society is named after a rare butterfly that went extinct. The society hopes to save species in a similar state and the count is one of their conserva- tion tools. The Pinery count has set records in past years for most people out, most of one species (the silver checkered spot) and the most hours walked. "It's just fun," Kulon said of the count. "It gets peo- ple out hiking and enjoy- ing the Pinery." Besides getting people more interested in nature, Kulon said they hoped to establish the record for most number of species found. Another goal was to find a couple rare specimens: the Dusted Skipper and Karner Blue.The Dusted Skipper was found by . counters. The Dusters are attract- ed to grassland habitats • and a certain grass species. The Pinery is the only spot the Dusters frequent in Canada due to its Oak savannah. ' "It indicates there is something special about the park," Pinery natural- ist Gordon Lewer said. There were other high- lights: spotted were a Tawny Emperor and a Beach Dash. To top it off, a Giant Swallowtail was netted. The Giant is Canada's largest butterfly. Finding four Tawny Emperors is significant since they were only thought to frequent Point Pelee in Canada. "The Tawny is a Hackberry specialist," Lewer said, and the Pinery' has one . kind of Hackberry. Usually one of the most rovincial Park prolific butterflies, there were fewer than normal numbers of European Skippers. Up to 3,800 Euro Skippers are found in the Pinery area but this year that number figures to be much smaller. The Euro Skipper was introduced from Europe in the London area in 1910 and since then has become the most common Skipper from southern Ontario to James Bay. CORRECTION NOTICE We wish to draw your attention to the following in our current "Canada Day Savings" Sale. Page 4 Item #3, Pump, 76- 0144-8. Stock is unavailable for this product during the sale period. Rainchecks will be issued. We sincerely . regret any inconvenience we' may have caused you. cnote d326 -All zones Lewer said as many as 54 and as few as 39 differ- ent butterfly species have been found by the count, the crowd residential use is better than high density commercial which the property Is currently zoned for. "Sometimes you have to look at your choices," sa'd Coun. Phil Maguire. Village administrator Paul Turnball said Grand Bend had received two letters of concern from the Ausable I ayfield Conservation Authority and the petition outlining six concerns about the project. Posliff told council the ABCA's concerns were mainly with units 1-4 which are close to the flood plain. The ABCA would also like a storm water management report conducted. Council decided to send the proposal back to the developer to address questions raised about the project. ST. MARYS CALL 284-3348 • Complete courses • Private lessons • Refresher Courses for Senors • G 2 Test Preparation Standard Shift or Standard Transmislon lessons YOUR HOME ENVIRONMENT • SPECIALISTS CLEAN WATER • DISTILLERS • Reverse Osmosis • Filtration • Pure Water/Low Cost • •. No bottles to carry • Softeners/Conditonefs • Water cooler rentals • Water testing service • CLEAN AIR • "ALPINE" Home Cleaning Units (HCU) with electronic ionization • "ALPINE" Permanent electrostatic furnace filters 1 wernme HOME PRODUCTS EXETER 235-0699, Mark neLong Distance1-800-529-9292 Maagr - — ;,., :.,;;.y•... :,�:: �c••.�• �•.� Vis••• "DIRECT TO YOU" Quite $imply the Finest QUALITY A LASTIrG IMPRESSION P.V.C. TUBULAR RESIN FURNITURE - the Ultimat in Elegant Outdoor i •'" 1. �• Living... • HAMMOCKS • ARTIFICIAL PLANT'S, TREES AND FLOWERS • SHADE HOUSES • ACCESSORIES GARDEN BENCHES Exciting finds. Alf Rider of Kettle Point, left, shows Sarnia's Alexis McEwan and Camlackie's Carole Buck a Tiger Swallowtail during the Pinery Butterfly Count at Pinery Provincial Park Saturday. Carole is holding a couple Wood Satyrs that were found during the count. NEW Dwaine Nab Illortses iw rrNa►sad set GRAND BEND 238-2110 Hwy. 83 E (2 mites from the water punt) • Man. -Wad. 9-8 • Thum. i F,1. 9.7 • sat. 10-4 1