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Illegal_dumping_on _Pit_Road

Feature Article April 29

Feature Article September 16, 2004

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Illegal dumping on Pit road concerns CF Council

by Jeff Green

The Pit Road, so named because it is the source of much of the gravel used by Central Frontenac township for roads in Kennebec and Olden districts, runs off the Arden Road south of the Village of Arden. It contains about 30 small laneways into sources of gravel. It is also a repository of large amounts of garbage.

Most of the garbage is made up of tires, appliances, especially fridges, and shingles, all items that are expensive to dump legally at township landfill sights.

A report to Council from Public works Manager Bill Nicol requesting direction from Council as to how staff should deal with the dumping, pointed out that the same area was completely cleaned in 2001, and that signage is sparse, but posted in two other locations where the same activity occurred.

Mayor Bill MacDonald informed Council that staff would be cleaning up the site, but the issue was how to keep it from being turned back into an illegal dump again after being cleaned up.

Kennebec Councillor Logan Murray said At one point it was mythology around Arden that if you had shingles this was the proper place to dump them. Theres no excuse for it, and theres no excuse for the rest of it.

I think maybe we should try to patrol it once it is cleaned up, said Councillor Frances Smith.

It was also suggested that berms be created at as many of the entrances to the gravel pit as possible to create fewer places for dumping.

Mayor Bill MacDonald suggested a four-point plan. 1. Contact the OPP about patrolling on the Pit Road, 2. Put up signage saying no dumping is allowed, 3. Berm as much as possible, and 4. suggest that employees of the township keep an eye on the area whenever possible.

The Pit road is a snowmobile trail in the winter and the route into several hunting camps as well. The township is seeking the co-operation of all residents in helping to keep it from becoming an eyesore again after it is cleaned up in the near future.

Other notes from Council -

Request for fencing About a year ago, Rob Clow, who owns land on the south side of the entrance road to the York Road Waste disposal site in Hinchinbrooke, requested that the township build a fence between their and his property. The 200 metre long fence would cost an estimated $4,000. At the time, Council proposed to Clow that the fence be built on a 50/50 cost sharing basis. According to a report prepared by Clerk-Administrator Heather Fox, Rob Clow called the office on August 27, 2004, to say this offer was unacceptable, and he was requesting the township install a fence at no cost to him and that Council should call in the fence viewers if they so desired.

Clerk Administrator Fox informed Council that the Line Fences act does not treat the lands in question in this case in the same way it deals with abandoned rail lines purchased by municipalities. In that case the township would be responsible for fencing costs.

In cases like this, the fence viewers will look at the situation and decide in whose interest the fence is being constructed before making their decision, said Fox.

Mayor MacDonald said the fence viewer could decide on a 50/50 split or could decide that Mr. Clow should pay more than 50%. Since he is the one who wants the fence, he is the one who should request that the fence viewers be brought in if thats the way he wants to go.

A resolution was passed reiterating the townships offer of a 50/50 split and inviting Rob Clow to make a request for fence viewers if he so desired.

Road allowance blues: A dispute has cropped up between two landowners on the Henderson Road. Last summer, the township passed a bylaw allowing Steve Salmond to open up a 66 foot unopened road allowance that runs through the property of a Mr. Garey. Mr. Salmond required the road allowance to access property that he had purchased, and to which he has no other road access. The bylaw had seven conditions attached to it, the fifth being that Mr. Salmond must provide documentation to the township of any work intended for his unopened road allowance. Last winter, Councillor Murray was asked to mediate between Mssrs. Garey and Salmond on the issue of a Beaver dam on Mr. Gareys property that Mr. Salmond wanted to remove in order to make his road feasible.

On July 12 Becky Salmond submitted a letter to the township which included a copy of a letter to her from the Quinte Conservation Authority saying they had no objection to a road being built. An enquiry was then submitted to the township as to why Mr. Salmond was allowed to remove trees and derive profit from them. On August 23, Mr. Salmond sent a letter to the township advising them he had removed 21 trees. According to a staff report, Mr. Salmond then phoned the township office and apologised and advised that he had been given permission by a member of Council to remove trees.

At this point staff came to Council to seek direction regarding trees being cut without the townships consent and on how to respond to the enquiry.

Councillor Murray told Council that he had not told Mr. Salmond that he could harvest trees. I told him to call the township office to find out, I didnt tell him to go ahead and cut the trees.

Would it be a solution to offer to split the wood between the two parties? asked Mayor MacDonald.

I think the issue is really miscommunication. I think the trees are really a red herring, said Councillor Murray.

What was the point of giving him a road allowance without allowing him to build a road? asked Councillor Bill Guigue.

Council agreed the issue for them to deal with was the fact that Mr. Salmond had not submitted a plan to them before starting work.

Even a hand made sketch showing what trees were to be removed, where the culverts are needed and what their impact would be, would probably be acceptable, said Mayor MacDonald.

Staff will inform Mr. Salmond that a plan is needed and will communicate to Mr. Garey, who made the enquiry, that the matter is being worked on.

Vested properties 10 properties that were not sold when the township tried to sell off lots that that had back taxes owing on them have now been vested, or taken as possessions, by the township. This will stop the township having to pay school and county taxes on them. The township will also write neighbouring property owners to let them know these properties are available for sale.

With the participation of the Government of Canada