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Jeff Green | Aug 31, 2006

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Central Frontenac Council

by Jule Koch Brison

Central Frontenac Council will be going right down to the wire next month with their Official Plan.

As requested, Planner Glenn Tunnock had prepared several amendments to the plan that were worked out over a five-year review, and brought those back to council on Monday for approval.

However, further changes were requested by council, the main one being in connection to site rehabilitation after mining.

In discussing the relationship of the Mining Act to the Planning Act, Tunnock said that the Mining Act takes precedence over the Planning Act in the exploration stages, but that it would not be easy to actually open a mine; that the Planning Act would take precedence.

Councilor Logan Murray asked if there was anything that could be put into the Official Plan to give the township site alteration control, to force mining companies to rehabilitate sites. Tunnock said that he could raise the question with the ministry; that the township could just enact a site alteration bylaw, but it would be wise to have policy direction in the plan.

With the election and a new council looming, Mayor Bill MacDonald consulted Township Clerk Heather Fox on whether it was advisable for council to adopt the prepared amendments right then and work in the further changes later. She replied she would prefer that council not do that, and several councilors concurred.

November 28 is the last date that the present council can approve the amendments to the Official Plan and they deferred the matter until then.