Letter submitted to Council

North Pigeon Lake Ratepayers Association

General Delivery Bobcaygeon, Ontario K0M 1A0

October 12, 2012

Mayor Janet Clarkson and Members of Council

Township of Galway-Cavendish-Harvey

Box 820, 701 County Road #36, RR#3

BOBCAYGEON, Ontario

K0M 1A0

Re:       Dewdey Mountain Farms Quarry, Official Plan Amendment No.41 and Zoning By- Law Amendment, Lot 28 and Parts Lot 29 and 30, Concession 15, Geographic  Township of Harvey (Ledge Road):

Dear Mayor Clarkson:

As you are aware, the North Pigeon Lake Ratepayers Association is concerned with the Dewdney Quarry application.. In fact, we have established a committee of people interested in this quarry application in order to follow its progress and identify areas that need more attention. We are also in the process of soliciting the support of  a number of cottager associations and other groups located in the North Pigeon Lake area. So far, the Big Bald Lake Cottagers’ Association has thrown its support behind us and others will follow, to provide us with a broad base of support and representing as many as 2000 local residents.

Our committee has been monitoring the progress of the Quarry proposal submitted to the Township for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment by Dewdney Mountain Farms.  We have just received the “Supplementary Comments” communication dated September 27, 2012 from Stantec Consulting Ltd. to the County of Peterborough, adding to their August 3, 2012

Technical Study of the Tranplan Associates’ Traffic Study submitted in support of the Dewdney proposal. The Stantec communication notes that the consultant has addressed the functionality of the transportation network by:

“Participating in follow-up discussions with the Township and County, which have resulted in the initiation of a design study to develop recommendations for various geometric improvements to the proposed haul route.  Further to this, we understand that the proponent has agreed to construct the haul route to the standards required by the Township and the County.”

At this time we have absolutely no information on the August 3, 2012 Technical Study by Stantec nor do we  have any information on the ongoing separate design study that is apparently underway to identify the necessary improvements to the haul route . Members of the NPLRA and other supporting associations use the proposed haul route on a daily basis, so the issue of public safety along the haul route and at key intersections, because of the substantial amount of additional truck traffic expected (one per minute, coming or going, in Phase 2), has been and continues to be a major concern.

The haul route Design Study may recommend improvements such as intersection upgrades, road reconstruction and widening and culverts that fall under the Schedules of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment as Schedules A+, B or C projects.  If there is the potential for these components to be part of any proposed solution, their planning would be required to follow the corresponding process, public notice and consultation arrangements as set out in the Class EA.

If the components are interdependent or are proposed to resolve one specific problem, the Class EA requires a single Class EA process for all the projects, using the planning requirements for the component with the “Highest” schedule and the most rigorous process.

In any case, given the high level of public interest and concern regarding the quarry application and its potential implications for the transportation system and impacts on individual community members along the proposed haul route, the Design Study should include ample opportunities for public review and comment before any proposals are finalized.

Reaching a decision on the necessary improvements, completing the required Regulatory submissions for the structural changes to the haul route, resolving how the costs  of these improvements are to be handled and reaching agreement on the development schedule for these improvements will all take some time to be achieved.

We have unanimously decided to formally request the Township to immediately proceed to pass an Interim Control By-law as permitted by Section 8.9 of the Township Official Plan and by Section 7.11.6 of the County’s Official Plan, as authorized by Section 38 of the Ontario Planning Act, to place a temporary restriction for a period of one year on land uses in the lands subject to the Dewdney Official Plan and By-law amendment proposals – namely Lot 28 and  Parts Lot 29 and 30, Concession 15, Geographic Township of Harvey (Ledge Road). The process for passing the Interim Control By-law is very easy and straight-forward. This solution came to our attention when we heard about another municipality (Zorra Township) which did the same thing to give them more time to analyze a quarry application. Invoking this By-law will provide enough time for the necessary studies to be completed and also provide the opportunity for the necessary local input into the decision process.

We would be pleased to meet with Council to discuss the Interim Control By-law proposal in further depth.  In the interim we would respectfully request that Council defer any decision on the Dewdney Mountain Farms Quarry proposal to amend the Township  Official Plan and Zoning By-law.

Yours very truly,

Ross Morton, President

NPLRA