Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-12-02, Page 1erich. Fuel customers 139 YEAR — 48 GODERICH ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 198'7 60 CENTS PER COPY 9i SP r a F�9a.t,;f (I ttJ 41 .ae to iId o.toouh sewn` The facies of ed with t ie ar-� everyone wha, Subdivision density concerns residents Some residents in the vicinty of a new subdivision, proposed for the area south of Suncoast Drive and west of Bayfield Road, are upset about a zoning by-law amend- ment which would allow increased height and population density for three apart- ment blocks included in the proposal. Several Suncoast Drive residents attend- ed a public meeting, held Nov. 23, prior to a Goderich Town Council meeting at which the zoning amendment was passed, to ex- press their concerns about the effect the amendment could have on traffic flow and low-density residential nature of the area. The ammendment allows the apartment blocks to be as high as six stories, with a density of 40 dwelling units per acre. The previous by-law allowed for only five stories and 30 units per acre. The increas- ed density will only be allowed if a six - story building is constructed, otherwise the 30 -unit limit would remain in effect. The idea of a six -story buildings in their neighborhood does not exactly appeal to some Suncoast residents contacted last Thursday. "I don't think they need six -story place near here," said Brian Newton. "I don't think it's warranted in this area." Newton said council, "didn't really put any prolonged thinking into the traffic situation." He believes a heavily - populated subdivision would greatly in- crease the number of motorists using South Street as a means of avoiding the already% busy Bayfield Road. However, Newton said he is not opposed to the general idea of the proposed subdivision. "I realize it has to go in. I just think they could cut down on the density. Newton also said he was pleased with a decision to move some proposed R-2 medium density (possibly semi-detached residental units) lots further south into the subdivision, so as not to back onto existing residential housing on Suncoast. Another Suncoast resident, Mike Wilson, is also in favor of the new location of the proposed R-2 lots. "I'm glad they moved them further back. Anyone moving into the area should have prior knowlege that they're going to be there. However, like Newton, Wilson is con- cerned about the prosposed density level of the subdivision housing. "It stikes me as funny, why they would take a nice residential area like this and then jam all these buildings into such a small area," Wilson said. The proposed content of the subdivision includes 79 single-family residential lots, seven medium density residential units, four apartment blocks and one 3.5 acre park. MORE LIKE A CITY John Marriott, of Suncoast Drive, said he is not if favor of "big high-rise apart- ments," in Goderich. "It's getting more like a city all the time," he said. "If they think we aren't going to have a traffic problem -- they're terribly mistaken," said Marriott, adding that with one traffic light already on Bayfield Road, and the addition of a second one a possibili- ty if • the subdivision goes through, many motorists would probably chose to drive down South Street instead. "That's a school area down there, don't forget," Marriott said. Marriott also felt the zoning amendment regarding density was passed with too lit- tle discussion and public input. "It bothers me, why was it ran through so quickly. I don't think the public was ful- ly aware of it. I don't think they knew what was going on back here," he said. Marriott feels the proposed height and density of the apartment blocks, along with the proposed size of residential lots, will make the new subdivision much more crowded than the rest of the town. "By making it such a high density, maybe this town council won't have to answer for it, but sooner or later – somebody will," he said. COULD BE SPREAD AROUND Councillor Jim Searls, who, along with Councillor Stan Profit, opposed the bylaw permitting the zoning amendment, is con- cerned with the proposed concentration of apartment buildings in the proposed subdivision. "I don't think it's necessary that we put all the apartment buildings in one area. I think that being in a small town they could be spread around a bit and fit in better," he said, in a telephone interview, Nov. 25. At the Noir. 23 meeting, at which the by- law • was passed, Scott Tousaw, of the Huron County Planning department noted the apartment blocks were grouped together in the subdivision plan, because such buildings are not generally con- sidered compatible in the middle of single- family residential areas. e. 6.40 Board requests The Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board will ask the Ministry of Education for more than $6 million to build a Catholic secondary school in Strat- ford, which it hopes will be ready for students in 1990, for Grades 9 to 13. The present secondary school in Stratford is St. Michael with Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 in six classrooms, two science laboratories, one business studies room, one multi;, purpose room, one special education room and four portables. John McCauley, Superintendent of Education, while discuss- ing the 1988 capital requests to the Ministry of Education, explained the board received a capital allocation from the ministry in 1987 for $125,000 for the capital needs at St. $6 .million for school Michael. It was used in all subject areas, with particular emphasis on laboratory facilities and equipment. Mr. McCauley said their science needs will be adequately met until 1990 when a new secondary school will be needed. He said the board's accom- modation concern at St. Michael School is that "the entire campus will be filled by por- table classrooms and parking by 1989," which he reported to the ministry, to em- phasize the space prmblem. Mr. McCauley said the 1989 to 1989 enrol- ment projection for its secondary school shows it increasing from 258 in 1988 with Grades 9 to 11 to 424 i1991 with Grades 9 to 13, and after that probably increasing to bet- ween 435 to 465. By 1989 Mr. McCauley said it is expected Grade 7 and 8 students accommodated at St. Michael will be moved to either St. Ambrose or St. Aloysius elementary schools in Stratford. With full funding of Catholic high school and the resulting transfer of Catholic students to separate high schools is resulting in teachers in the public schools losing their jobs. To rectify this, the Perth County Board and the Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Board are in the process of working out a formal agreement to transfer teachers who are displaced by the changing enrolment on the ratio of 16 students for each transferred teacher. Two teachers have already moved from the Perth Board to St. Michael School voluntarily. Turn to page 3 • will pay -now Regular fuel customers at the Goderich Sky Harbour Airport will soon have to pay on the spot, when fueling their airplanes at the municipal facility as of Dec. 1. Airport manager Ed Scruton recom- mended the practice of monthly billing customers be discontinued, due to the costs of accounting procedures in com- parison to the relatively -low volume and frequency of refueling, in a report adopted by Goderich Town Council at the Nov. 23 meeting. Scruton said in his report the system, in place since he began working At the air- port in 1978, has worked "fairly well," with most customers "very good at paying up". However, the report noted, there was one recent case of a customer taking more than six months to pay an overdue account and another case of a custerm refusing to pay interest on an overdue account. "The costs associated M billing these people internis of my time and Ken Hunter's secretary's time, the invoices, envelopes, postage, record keeping and follow-up, cannot in my opinion be justified because of their low volume purchases and frequent fuelings. I don't feel it would put anyone out to pay for their fuel either by cash, cheque or credit card at the time of fueling." The only exception to the new policy will be Western Air Service, whose fuelings, Scruton said, "are frequent and volumes high and their has never been a problem with their account". Trial date set for Becker A trial date has been set for a Goderich man, charged with a number of infrac- tions under the Ontario Building Code and a local zoning by-law. In Provincial Court, at Goderich, on Thursday, Nov. 26, all charges against Juergen Becker, of Oxford Street, were adjourned until Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. for trial. Becker was ordered by Goderich•Town Council, on Sept. 28, to either tear down a storage shed built without a permit on his property or file an application for a zon- ing change to allow the structure. Since Becker did neither by the Oct. 15 deadline, the town proceeded with charges against him on Oct. 26. He faces five Ontario Building Code charges and one charge under a local zoning by-law. Christmas Lights Festival winners The 1987 Goderich Lights Festival Christmas Contest Winners are: Christmas Tree Decoration — first - Sarah Marshall, second - Susan & Mathew Bell, third - Tanya Banter; Fancy Christmas Cookies — first - Jean Anson, second Ivy Johnstone, third - Barb Desjardins; Gingerbread House — first Haley & )Heather Lyons. These entries are present- ly on display in the window at Marlin Har- bour Light Travel. Contest judges, Jane Muegge, Rural Organization Specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Office in Clinton and Donelda Brindley were very pleased with the quality and number of entries for the first year of these contests. The Goderich Christmas Lights Commit- tee extends congratulations to the winners and a special thank you to all of the participants. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Carrying a torch Three Goderich residents will be et rying the Olympic torch on its way to t 1988 Winter Olytnpics in Calgary. Jud Watt, David Hollingworth and Tar i MacCuspey will be running on Jan. 14 For story and pictures, see the front pad; of the Sports section. Sailors defeated The Junior C Sailors ended thll modest winning. streak Friday evening:* Hanover when the Hanover Baro Barotig defeated the Goderich team with a scorn:. of 6-2. For story and pictures, see the Sports section. Poll continues The Signal -Star is running the Aquatic;':,; Centre Poll Ballot once again this week. "' The form is inside this section. Please , take the time to answer the poll and drop off your response by Dec. 7 at any, one Of the four listed drop-off locations. Result of the poll will be noted in the Dec. 9 edi- tion of the Signal -Star.