Addington Highlands Council - Oct 3/16

Jonas Bonnetta | Oct 05, 2016

Township to remove gates

Royce Rosenblath, the Roads and Waste Management supervisor for Addington Highlands, spoke to Council on Monday about the ongoing issue of property owners putting locked gates up across public access points on their properties.

“One time I did know what to do and now I don't,” Rosenblath said, explaining that with hunting season fast approaching there could be access issues and complaints to the township.

“The land is locked if they can't get into it,” Councilor Helen Yanch said.

Rosenblath explained that it's pretty common, especially when a property changes ownership, for people to gate up roads that allow access to their property.

“I don't think we can have land that's locked if there are taxpayers back there,” Councilor Kirby Thompson said.

“We can do what we've always done,” Rosenblath said. “Pull the gates down and leave them at the shed and let these people come to council. I've done it lots of times.”

Council voted to send letters out asking property owners to remove gates from specific locations they are aware of, or else the township would be taking them down before hunting season begins in two weeks.

Council approves small solar project for Flinton

Rob Hitchcock, a representative from Abundant Solar Energy Inc., made a request to Council on Monday for support for a 3-acre, 250kW solar project located just off Flinton Road.

“Have you done soil tests yet for that site?” Councilor Bill Cox asked. “That's just sand there.”

Hitchcock explained that they are able to construct the projects in sandy locations and that it wasn't a concern for this particular project.

Councilor Cox made a motion to approve the project and it was passed.

Clement Street drainage

Royce Rosenblath explained two possible solutions to Council for alleviating drainage issues on Clement Street in Flinton.

One option was to build a swale, or ditch, near the problem area in hopes that it would encourage runoff of the water. Rosenblath was concerned that this might solve the issue in one area but make it worse elsewhere.

The second option, albeit more expensive one, would be to install a storm sewer, which Rosenblath told Council could cost up to $900,000 per km.

Council opted to pay closer attention to the problem area and to do more preventative maintenance, such as snowplowing, in hopes of alleviating the problem as much as possible.