Lakeshore Advance, 2012-03-14, Page 1Wednesday, March 16, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Councilor asks for direction from MOE
Lynda Hillman -Replay
Lakeshore Advance
While Lambton Shores
CA() John Byrne says the
process of changing an Envi-
Aw_,nniental Assessment
d.luires a public meeting
and notice, counc. Doug
Bonesteel said he was told
there is no need to do any-
thing due the proposed
change.
In a report from Byrne at
the March 7 sleeting, he said
council, at the February22nd
meeting passed a resolution
requesting that the recom-
mended servicing alternative
for the Zone 4 Environmental
Assessment be changed to a
"gravity" sewer alternative.
"This is now the "official"
Council position on the pre-
ferred servicing method for
Zone 4, however in order to
amend the Zone 4 EA to
reflect this new preferred
alternative, the Municipality
will need to hold another
Public Meeting to inform the
property owners in Zone 4 of
the rationale for recommend-
ing a change, including the
implications, projected costs
etc,;' said the report with
Byrne apologizing for not
expanding on this require-
ment in my previous report.
At the March 7 meeting,
counc. Bonesteel told the
forum this meeting was not
necessary. "You don't have to
do anything," he said reading
from a provincial document
from Cindy Batista (ENE).
Batista is the Project Evalua-
tor Environmental Assess-
ment and Approvals Branch
Ministry of the Environment.
Byrne was away for this
meeting but his report stated
that given the need to not
only hold the Public Meeting
but also give the prescribed
notice of the Public Meeting,
and following that a new
"Notice of Completion" with
the new "preferred system,
as well as the prescribed 30
day for appeals or "bump up"
requests before submission
to the Minister.
"I would like some direc-
tion from Council on whether
it wishes to move immedi-
ately with setting up this Pub-
lic Meeting or wait until the
summer season when peo-
ple begin returning to the
area from their winter hiatus.
Byrne said as Council was
aware complaints have been
received in the past when
actions such as this are taken
at a time when many prop-
erty owners are away, and
since there are 110 immedi-
ate plans, (nor have there
ever been) to proceed with
any servicing of Zone 4 apart
from the Pinery and Southbend Estates,
it alight be prudent to delay holding
this meeting until June, July, or August
months.
Class EA revisions
The revisions to the Class EA states
there must be dear documentation of
the process, "to provide dear and com-
plete documentation of the planning
process followed, to allow for the trace-
ability of decision making with respect
to the project."
Documentation of the planning and
design process followed in developing
this Schedule B project is a mandatory
requirement of this Class EA.
Where it may be necessary to revise
Schedule B projects due to the environ-
mental implications or changes to the
protect or due to a delay in implemen-
tation the Class EA planning process
states , "Any significant modification to
the project or change in the environ-
mental setting for the project occurs
after the filing of the ESR shall be
reviewed by the proponent and as
addendum to the ESR shall be written.
The addendum shall describe the cir-
cumstances necessitating the change,
the environmental implications of that
change and what if anything can be
done to mitigate ay negative environ-
mental impacts. The addendum shall
be filed with the ESR and Notice of
Filing of Addendum shall be given
immediately to all potentially effected
members of the public and review
agencies as well as those who were
notified in the preparation of the
original ESR."
From the councilor
Parents concerned about student safety
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 2
loading zone" could help alle-
viate the confusion.
'That confusion was evident
'Thursday when cars going
south onto Gill Road (turning
from highway 81) waited in
convoy as the children exited
the bus. The drivers on Cres-
cent Street did the same as
they waited for the lights to
cease. 'That will change when
the signs are erected as the
bus drivers will not need to
use the lights.
Some parents spoke up
about possible short term
solutions as the busses
arrived at the school Thurs-
day. One parent wondered
why the teachers or principal
)anding could be standing,
not at the bus but at the
entrance to the municipal
parking lot or that maybe
senior students could be
there to make sure the
younger children got from
the bus to the school safely.
Another parent said this
requires too much time of the
teachers as they are prepping
for classes before and after
school and she felt this was
not the teacher's responsibil-
ity. Gunn said she could be
the crossing guard at this
location if no one else could
be found. Another parent
said he drops his child off at
the school daily and has
never seen cars going in and
out of the municipal lot at
this time but Gunn said Just
the day before there was an
issue in this location.
In order to designate an
area as a "bus loading zone"
the Lambton Shores Parking
Bylaw needed to be
amended, to establish a bus
loading and create the ticket -
able offences. The only other
schools in Lambton Shores
where buses load or unload
off school property is in For-
est, and to date, there has not
been any issue raised that
would be solved with the
designation of bus loading/
unloading zones.
Manor Weber said he will ask staff to
draft a report for council to deal with
the new issues.
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C:ounc. Bonesteel sent a question to the
Ministry, with the question, "(:an a tunic -
ipal council, post- approval, request the
Ministry to amend the approved EA by
removing grinder pumps as the preferred
method of collection for the established
residential subdivision, allowing for the
grinder pumps to remain as the option for
those already in operation or for the
proposed new subdivision without
rendering the approved EA 'illegal' or
improper? Are there any repercussions as
a result of such an action on the part of a
council?
Cindy Batista (ENE) wrote back, "Are
you referring to the Municipality of
Lambton Shores' South Grand Bend
Zone 3 Sanitary Sewage Collection Sys-
tem (Project)? If so, the Ministry did not
approval the EA. 'There was no decision
before the Minister on the Part II Order
requests because the proponent (Latnb-
ton Shores) voluntarily withdrew the
Project to complete further work before
a decision was made by the Minister.
"If you are referring to the Propo-
nent's Zone 4 sanitary sewage collection
system, this project was not subject to
any Part 11 Order requests. As a result of
the Minister not receiving any Part I1
Order requests for this project, there
was no decision before the Minister.
The Proponent is allowed to proceed
with the Project, subject to any other
permits or approvals required. If the
proponent decides to amend the
project, it can do so without ministerial
approval and must follow the appropri-
ate process outlined in the Municipal
Engineers Association's Municipal
Class EA"
"'ihe Class EA process is a proponent
driven process and therefore, it is up to
the proponent to amend its projects,
including evaluating other alternatives,
not the Ministry."
Bonesteel also questioned the report
that stated the recommended servicing
alternative be changed to a "gravity"
sewer alternative. "'This is not the official
council position,"said Bonesteel. Coun-
cil did not discuss Batista's correspond-
ence as the clerk did not provide a copy
until March 10. Council agreed to table
this report until the adhoc committee
materializes.
HURON
C O U N T Y
COUNTY OF HURON
MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT FOR CULVERT
REPLACEMENT COUNTY ROAD 81
NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT
THE PROJECT:
The County of Huron is planning to carry out the replacement of a culvert located on
County Road 81 (Grand Bend Line) between Crediton Road and South Road. The
structure spans a tributary of the Ausable River (Isaac Municipal Drain) as illustrated on
the accompanying key plan. Tho project would involve the replacement of a deteriorated
culvert with a reinforced concrete overlay, curbs and parapet walls and stream realignment.
At this time, it is anticipated that the culvert replacement would be completed during
the 2011 construction season. Due to the extent of the work required, the affected road
section of County Road 81 would be closed during the construction with traffic being
detoured around the project site.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING PROCESS:
The planning for this project is following the environmental screening process set out for
Schedule B activities under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA)
document. The purpose of the screening process is to identify any potential environmental
impacts associated with the project and to plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts.
The process includes consultation with the public, stakeholders and government review
agencies.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT:
The consultation program
for this Class EA includes
several opportunities for
public involvement. For the
initial phase of the program,
public input will be received
until April 8, 2011. Additional
opportunities for comment will
be provided as the process
proceeds.
Any comments collected in
conjunction with this Class
EA 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 Informatlon on this project, or to review the Class EA process, please contact
the Project Engineer: B.M. Ross and Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario,
N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-2641. Fax (519) 524-4403. Attention: Kelly Vader,
Environmental Planner (email: kvader@bmross.net)
This Notice Issued March 9, 2011 Dave Laurie, Director of Public Works
County of Huron