Lakeshore Advance, 2013-03-27, Page 3Wednesday, March 27, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Farmer didn't want to cause any waves regarding waterline
Lynda Hillman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
last week Lambton Shores
farmer Mlke Valtkessel attended
council for a public meeting
regarding an Official Plan applica-
tion, 111s upplicutlon was being
approved of, subject to the Munic-
ipality being satisfied that the sur-
plus farm dwelling Is connected to
the municipal water matin prior to
the Official flan amendment
being adopted by Council, con-
sistent with the Provincial Policy
Statement.
Vankesse'1 said although he was
tot happy about connecting, he
was not going to cause waves. The
dwelling has not been connected
to the municipal water main. Cur-
rent Official Planpolicy requires
that all lots created either through
the subdivision approval process
or the consent (severance) proc-
ess be connected to municipal
water was it Is available. Municipal
water is available to the lands and
any approval should be conditional
on the dwelling being connected to
municipal water,
There is nota mandatory hook-
up for the agriculture population
except if there Is a Planning Act
application.
The waterline project began in
the 1 980s and the final phase
began in 1990 servicing the rural
(agriculture) area of the former
Bosangttet 'l'ownshlp. 'There were
approximately 643 properties
affected by the rural waterline. At
that time the municipality sent
notices out to there saying "how
(10 you want to pay" and 309 com-
mitted. If they did not hear from
them when they sent the reminder
notice, they allocated It to their tax
account as per the default in the
notice, 'they dict not have to hook-
,�tp but they had to pay. 'That being
said - In rough numbers for the
affected properties that could con-
nect (not including vacant land
275) there are now approximately
120 to connect in the future.
Since that time, three applica-
tions have come to council where
development related to connec-
tions to rural waterlines Was a
focus,
Deputy mayor Elizabeth Davls-Dagg
In the fall of 2012 Planner Patti
Richardson presented a report that
was asked for during the consider-
ation of an application submitted
by Maria and'Ihedore Vanos. New
lots created are required to con-
nect to available municipal serv-
ice's. 'Ilia( has been a section of the
imminent Shores Official P1a111 since
the early 2000s,
At the November 5, 2012 meet-
ing information was provided on
the requirement for all new Tots
created to connect to available
municipal services and this report
was recommended for Council dis-
cussion and direction. M the
Nov,3rd meeting Council agreed to
at motion put forward by Deputy
mayor Elizabeth Davis-Dagg to
table the report until information
from the rural residents is obtained
so that all perspectives can be
considered.
'then, at the December 3rd meet-
ing stuff wanted some clarification
and direction from Council 011 this
platter. The first clarification they
requested was what information
was being sought from the rural
residents? General information
respecting the rural water main or
information respecting develop-
ment related connections to the
rural water main? What method
sloes Council want to employ
together this information, a public
sheeting or a notice requesting
written comments? The Deputy
Mayor asked that the spokespeo-
ple for the rural waterline he
allowed to present a delegation
outline their perspective of what
happened during the rural water-
line process.
In a second report Richardson
explained, "Since connection to
the rural waterline was permitted
in December of 2009, 238 of the
original 367 dwelling units have
been connected to the rural water-
line, which is a 65'X, connection
rate. As well 14 properties have
been subject to Planning Act appli-
cations (Official Plan and 'Zoning
Amendments) to allow at surplus
farm dwelling to be severed from
the farm. During the processing
and review of the above noted
applications, I (1i11 not receive any
complaints from the applicants
respecting the requirement to con-
nect to the rural water maul. In
fact, following Corned expressing
concern regarding the water con-
nection requirements, Mr. Vanos's
agent, Mr. Walden, indicate that
Mr. Vanos wanted to connect to the
water line as he felt the lot Was
more valuable and more attractive
to wider range of prospective pur-
chasers, as 44 result of being con-
nected to municipal water." That
second report with the request for
clarification was received and
filed.
Davis-Dagg says there is a
"group" of concerned rural water
property owners that would like to
bring their concerns to Council to
have this condition removed. She
said during the 2011 Vanoss appli-
cation and again at the March 28th
sheeting there are a number of
public documents that state there
would be no hook up to the water-
line. The Lakeshore Advance
requested those documents in
2011 to 110 avail and then again
after the March 28th meeting but
Davis-Dagg said in an e-mail the
rural waterline report and support-
ing documents would be presented
together.
Since the existing water plain
hookup resolution, regarding new
development, has already been
passed, she would need a motion
of reconsideration for any
changes.
Lambton County increase 2.11% in tax rate
Lakeshore Advance
'Hie County of Lambton's budget
for 2013 has been finalized. Lamb -
ton County Council met in special
session today to approve
$180,782,329 in spending during
2013. The Budget requires
$65,658,988 to be raised from taxa-
tion, which will require an increase
in tax rates of 2.11%.
A number of adjustments were
Slade to the original tax rate of
2.009(,, proposed in February's
draft budget. Revisions include:
• Spending $41,200 on initiatives
regarding the live streaming of
Lambton County Council
meetings.
'CouncII
did
its homework and
thoroughly reviewed
the expenditures of
each department."
— County of Lambton
Warden ')Odd Case
• Spending $50,000 on at control
plan for Phragnlites.
• Spending $11(3,247 over two
years to implement an external
consultant's recommendations
regarding non-union County staff
compensation.
"'There was great deflate from
council at today's meeting," says
County of Lampton Warden Todd
(:ase. "Council diel its homework
and thoroughly reviewed the
expenditures of each
department"
Lambton County Council con-
sidered four grant requests,
approving $50,000 over three years
to the Lambton Senior Citizens
1lotne Corporation for the con-
struction of a new common room.
Council tabled at $05,000 funding
request from Lambton Elderly
Outreach to finance the purchase
of a replacement transportation
van until a report is brought buck
in early summer 2013 regarding
the potential for joint partnerships
and discussions with other similar
groups in the region.
Council voted to direct $2.8 mil-
lion to reserves, bringing the Cor-
poration's reserves to a total of
$19.3 million at the end of 2013.
Council also approved spending
approximately $8 n11111on on 11
Public Works projects in 2013,
committing to resurfacing por-
tions of Churchill Line, Courtright
Line, Berltpath Line, Greenway
Road, Oil heritage Road, Nauvoo
Road and Arkona Road.
In other smatters, council asked
staff to bring hack a report regard-
ing ways to increase non -tax reve-
nues, including charging admis-
sion, at the new Judith & Norman
Alix Art Gallery. Staff also noted
how's at Library branches in Shet-
land, Corunna and Watford will be
scaled hack, while hours at Grund
Bend and Brigden will he
expanded, based on volumes.
'1'111. County of Lambton oper-
ates a wide variety of programs
and services available to the pub-
lic such as land ambulance, pro-
vincial offences court, three long-
term care homes, 26 libraries, two
museums, an art gallery, local
roadways, community health serv-
ices, housing services, social serv-
ices, building services at1(1 plan-
ning and development services.
The Corporation's annual budget
is $180.8 million and it employs
approximately 1,180 employees
across over 40 sites.
For more Information about
Lambton County, visit www.lamb-
tononline.ca.
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