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The Citizen, 1994-09-07, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7,1994. County calls cease fire in planning fee battle Huron County councillors agreed, Thursday, to call a one- month cease-fire in their battle with some municipalities over planning fee charges. Bylaws had been prepared for passing at the September meeting of council which would have stripped Exeter, Clinton and Wing­ ham of the right to carry out their own planning functions separate from the county, but council, on recommendation of Planning Director, Dr. Gary Davidson, agreed to postpone passing for a month. The municipalities had refused to pay their 1993 planning fees in a dispute with the county over the way the fees are calculated. The county in 1993 had set up a fee structure designed to recover costs of the planning department for such activities as planning amendments, severances and minor variances from the applicants for such changes. But municipalities like the three towns, which do these func­ tions on their own, felt their ratepayers shouldn't have to shoul­ der the costs of the county depart­ ment. The county, claiming there are on-going costs involved even with those municipalities that have their own planning consultants, then designed a two-tier fee structure, with a portion of the fee going to the local municipality and a portion going to the county. Some munici­ palities, particularly Exeter, feel the portion going to the county is still too high. The Planning and Development Committee, at its Aug. 15 meeting, moved to strip those municipalities which had refused to pay the 1993 fees, of the right to do planning, a function delegated to them in a 1983 bylaw. Rick Hundey, chief administra­ tive officer of Exeter appeared before council to ask for further time for discussion. Bob Hallam, reeve of West Wawanosh, worried that this might be a delaying tactic by lawyers involved. "I can't in good faith ask for my municipality and other municipalities to pay for Exeter,” he said. "Exeter feels that local planning is paid for by the taxpayers of Exeter," Mr. Hundey replied. But Tom Cunningham, reeve of Hullett, worried about the prece­ dent set if municipalities are allowed to pick and choose what county programs they will support. "Here we are picking on planning. Councillors take shot at MPP With Huron MPP Paul Klopp sit­ ting in the gallery, Huron County councillors look some shots at the guidelines the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy uses for choosing a landfill site. "I think we've got the whole pro­ cess backward," said Pat Downs, reeve of Usborne, of the system which forces the county to find a suitable site by excluding all those areas that don't meet a set of crite­ ria. Huron is currently examining a second set of candidate sites after the original six possible sites were eliminated. Four of the current 11 sites have now also been eliminated as unsuitable. "It would have been more appro­ priate to find a central site that we want and pay people off," she said. "People are going to be unhappy no matter where it (the chosen site) is. We could spend the money that we've spent messing around, it would have been a lot better to put the money into the pockets of the taxpayers instead of the consul­ tants." Lionel Wilder, chair of the Plan­ ning and Development Committee which is in charge of the landfill site choice, agreed that the process is unnecessarily costly and time consuming. Meanwhile, with Warden Allan Gibson stepping down from the chair because his Ashfield Town­ ship farm is part of one of the can­ didate sites, council approved deletion of four sites from the list of candidates. As reported earlier in The Citizen, sites in Ashfield (south­ west of Lucknow), West Wawanosh (on the north side of Concession 6 west of St. Augus­ tine), Colbome (north of County Road 25 west of Auburn) and McKillop (northeast of Seaforth) were eliminated. The Ashfield, West Wawanosh and McKillop sites were found to have more class one farmland than originally thought and the West Wawanosh site also has a high capital invest­ ment in farm buildings. A portion of the Colbome site was found to be within 120 meters of the Saratoga Swamp, an area designated as a provincially signifi­ cant wetland. Walking tours of two sites in Ashfield and one in West Wawanosh did not provide any information that would disqualify them. Hydrogeological drilling will be required to see if subsoils condi­ tions are suitable. Access for walking tours of sev­ eral sites has still not been negotiat­ ed. We could look at other departments — say libraries and say 'we don't get as much out of this as we should'. We have to decide if we're all in or all out." In his report recommending post­ ponement of the bylaws, Dr. Davidson outlined the current posi­ tions of the three municipalities. A meeting with officials from Clin­ ton, he said, revealed they are not opposed to paying their 1993 fees or to the idea of sharing the county planning department costs but feel that the fees seem too high and requested further information. Wingham has paid its 1994 invoice but wants more information on the 1993 fee. Dr. Davidson was to appear at the Sept. 6 meeting of Wingham town council to answer questions. Exeter is the most adamant oppo­ nent. Not only has it indicated it won't pay either the 1993 or June 15, 1994 fees as invoiced, but its lawyer has challenged the right of the county to revoke consent-grant­ ing functions. Exeter's lawyer claims the repealing bylaw would have to be approved by the Minis­ ter of Municipal Affairs but the county's lawyer and unnamed offi­ cials from Municipal Affairs agree the county can do what it wants. On advice of the county solicitor a meeting will be set up to try to resolve the issue. Dr. Davidson said he understood the meeting has already been set up. The dispute with Exeter is the latest episode of a long-running argument over the county planning department. Several years ago, unhappy with the position of the county department over a dispute between Exeter and a neighbouring municipality. Exeter set up -its own planning department and took the county to court claiming it should­ n't have to pay toward support of the county department. The town lost its case but an agreement was set up between the town and the county over what services the county would provide to the town in return for its financial support. Purchasing a vehicle is a big decision! Let us help you make the right one! GARRY WOODCOCK Quality Cars & Trucks We Can Save You Money 528-2813 Drive A Little - Save A Lot sITGOMERYj LUCKNOW County Council briefs County to call tenders Procedures to the selection of a new administrator for Huronview should be announced in the next month, Huron County councillors were told at their Sept. 1 meeting. Questioned by Hay Township Reeve Lionel Wilder on how much longer it would be before an admin­ istrator was chosen Dave Gower, head of the Health and Seniors Committee said the guidelines would be set up in the next month. Huronview and Huronlea homes for the aged have been without an administrator since Wayne Lester retired unexpectedly and on short notice Feb. 1. Wayne Caldwell, loaned from the Planning and Development Department and Donna Surgconer, director of nurs­ ing, have served as acting co- administrators since that time. *** Tenders will be called for instal­ lation of heating systems in the two sections of the old Huronview building that arc still standing. The centre portion of the old building, which included all heating equip­ ment, has been demolished leaving the north wing intact for conversion to offices for the Huron County Health Unit and Huron County Library, while the south is partially occupied by the Huron Day Centre. Both will have their own heating systems. The north building will have air- conditioning but there is no money for installing airconditioning in the south building which would cost over $3(X),(XX), said Claus Brccdc, project co-ordinator for the renova­ tion. As well as air conditioning units themselves, all new ductwork would be required. If there is provincial money left over from the building of Huron­ view and Huronlea it may be made available for the installation of air- conditioning, said Lyn Murray, county clerk-administrator. • *** Rural municipalities and farm groups will be consulted as- the Huron County Planning and Devel­ opment department undertakes to revise the county's manure manage­ ment bylaw, Dr. Gary Davidson told councillors. The Agriculture and Public Works Committee requested the planning department look at the bylaw "taking into account the con­ cerns created by the environmental impact of concentrated livestock operations." *** Council congratulated Dr. David- Continued on page 7 ADULTS CAN RETURN TO SCHOOL TOO! 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