Traffic Lights Warranted at Kaladar Hwy 7 Intersection, Study Concludes

Craig Bakay | Nov 30, 2023

Traffic lights are likely coming to the intersection of Hwy 7 and County Road 41 at Kaladar, Manager of Roads and Waste Brett Reavie told Addington Highlands Council at its regular meeting Nov. 21 in Denbigh.

“As a follow up to Council requesting the MTO look at the intersection, the County invited me to participate in a meeting with MTO to discuss the intersection,” Reavie said. “The meeting was held Nov. 15.”

He said MTO made a small presentation.

“They reviewed the original design completed in 2010 and indicated that from the traffic studies completed this year that the intersection now warrants traffic lights,” Reavie said. “The County staff and I made some recommendations after the presentation for MTO to consider.

“MTO indicated they will be reaching out to (CAO/Clerk-Treasurer) Christine (Reed) to be put on the agenda for a formal presentation . . . . (and) they indicated it would probably be early in the new year before they would be able to do so.”

Reavie said it will take some time before there are actual functioning lights at the intersection.

“The problems with lights is that they will have to make changes to the intersection to meet their requirements,” he said. “And it will have to be changed around quite a bit to do that.

“(But) it’s moving forward — it’s not a quick process but it’s moving forward.”

“I was quite delighted when I heard this,” said Coun. Helen Yanch. “We knew there’d have to be a re-jigging down there.

“But we first sat in on a meeting 13 years ago so I guess we can wait a few more months.”

New rules regarding renewable energy projects

Regulations regarding industrial wind turbine renewable energy is a mix of federal government policy, provincial government policy and regulation including rules governing private and crown land, role and responsibility and options for municipal governments, Dep. Clerk/Planning Secretary Patricia Gray told Council in her report (that was requested by Council).

She said that it’s her understanding that whereas municipal support for a particular project was once part of an application process, a project may now be approved without that process. But, she said, now, while an application may be approved without prior municipal support, said support must be obtained 60 days after the 18 month anniversary of the contract if not obtained earlier.

“There was previous controversary about this and I don’t know which way the community winds are blowing,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “This should be part of a discussion at a Council meeting in late January or early February.”

Mattress Tipping Fee Irks Senior

Resident Georgina Kauffleldt was quite upset at being asked for a $40 tipping fee to dispose of a mattress and box spring at one of the Township waste sites.

“I’m not paying $40 to this township for this,” she said. “I’m on a fixed income and only get $1,400 a month.

Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch said the tipping fees are in place to help manage space in the waste sites.

However, Schedule D of Bylaw 860/2023 does say that the disposal fee for box springs or mattresses is $5-$30, based on the size of each item.

Kauffleldt said her items were double bed sized.

Hamper Donation

Council approved a donation of $750 to Land O’Lakes Community Services for their Christmas Hamper Program. The funds were set aside in the 2023 budget.

Emergency Preparedness Grant

Council approved applying for a recently announced Community Emergency Preparedness Grant.

In his report to Council, Fire Chief Casey Cuddy recommended applying for funding to acquire a drone equipped with accessories such as regular and thermal imaging cameras. Such application would also include training and licences for up to 10 pilots.

He said he has contacted a supplier of the physical equipment along with the required training and the cost estimate is $47,479 before taxes. The grant ceiling is $50,000.

Bylaws approved

Council passed its Unreasonable Behaviour Policy Bylaw and a Municipal Alcohol Policy Bylaw.