Sf_council_08-24-2

Jeff Green | Jun 19, 2008

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Township planner Lindsay Mills introduced a resolution that Council approve in principle the changes to the Official Plan as listed in his report, and that the revised plan be presented at a public open house meeting. Mayor Davison noted that Council had discussed all this in several Committee of the Whole meetings, and warned, "There will be only one round of discussion, so speak wisely."

Councillor Robinson: "Restarting the clock (to allow three more severances per property) was discussed: where’s that in this?"

Mills: "We’re not proposing to restart the clock."

Councilor Davd Hahn said he felt resetting the clock could wait until the next 5-year review.

Councilor John Filion proposed an amendment to add resetting the clock on severances to the proposed changes, which passed with Fillion, York, Hicks, Robinson and Vandewal in favour.

Fillion said he supported development on private lanes not leading to water, and asked that that be added as well.

Lindsay Mills reminded Council that the term ‘back lot development’ referred to only those lots directly across a lane from waterfront lots, and did not mean opening lots further back on the same road. Mills noted that although severances on lanes not leading to water was technically possible, there had been none since he came on staff. Fillion disagreed, saying there had been. Mills that both the Ministry and the Township lawyer advised against off-lane severances.

Fillion: "Wrong. Our lawyer had better get another lawyer." He then read from a report which supported his position, and after being asked by the mayor, said the report was by a consultant he himself had commissioned for personal use.

Stowe said he had received 123 e-mails, only 3 of which supported the idea of allowing back lot development on private lanes.

The motion to add back lot development to the proposed OP revision was defeated, with only York, Fillion and Hicks supporting it.

Date of the Public Open House about the Official Plan has not been set.

Waste Management Plan:

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth introduced a motion that Council accept the recommendation of the Sustainability Committee that: a) The Waste Management Plan Study be received and that a public consultation process be developed by the Sustainability Committee, and b) Council consider alternatives to the current bag tag system and alternatives to encourage waste reduction and diversion, and c) that early closing of those landfill sites with least capacity, or with environmental concerns, be accepted as an important goal of operating the Township Waste Management System.

Segsworth said he was looking for guidance from council regarding their wishes for the future direction of waste management in the township.

Jim Hicks said the report had been rejected last meeting; why was it being brought forward again? Mayor Davison said the township lawyer had said a change in the motion made it ok to bring back. Stowe said this was too important an issue to be decided in the mayor’s absence, adding that he didn’t understand the contradiction in people who voted against it, although they had said it was the best report they had ever read.

David Hahn said, "We have a choice: do we want to stay with the status quo, with four systems and six landfills, or do we want a unified system, aiming for 50% diversion, keeping the waste in South Frontenac, a higher level of service with central yard and leaf waste composting and central hazardous waste, that will cost the taxpayers less to operate than the present four systems? It’s time to go to the public with information about options and costs."

Bill Robinson said "We’re still area rated, and I’ll do anything to keep it that way. If we go to one colour of bag-tag, much of Bedford and Loughborough’s garbage will go to Portland landfill. I wish we had the opportunity not to do recycling: I’d shoot it down."

John Fillion spoke against the idea of public information meetings about waste disposal: "Why involve the public? This is council’s business to decide: that’s why we were elected."

Ron Vadnewal said “If this is passed tonight, it will go back to Sustainability to summarize the proposals and the costs of the various scenarios, for presentation to the public. It’s the same as having public information meetings about the official plan: Council will still make the final decisions."

Larry York said, "Are we going to do something about these damn bag tags or not?"

The motion passed 6:3, with Robinson and Fillion opposed, and Hicks not voting because "It didn’t do any good to vote last time."