Valley Voices Newsletter #34
November 05, 2005
I attended a board meeting today in order to write this newlsetter in Doug's absence - and I have to tell you just how lucky we are to have such dedicated folks at the helm ... how much of their personal time they give to spearhead
this battle on our behalf! Thanks to the Board of Directors!!
Also, great thanks to our Lawyer Virginia McLean and husband Lawyer Roger Nainby who also give of their time and expertise! Although we have hired Virginia to represent us, as local residents and members of VV,
she and Roger
really
go well above and beyond!
Kathie
Chuck's report on the Council Meetings:
1)Council continues to sever lots, even though this is in conflict with the A/H Official Plan. Valley Voices wonders how and why this continues ...
To that end, we will research the recent local severances to discover
a) if they are in fact legal
b) if these new homes located within range of the proposed pit
will be included in the environmental, noise and water studies.
2)Council continues "in camera" (private) meetings with SVA.
3) Valley Voices wonders when will we receive the promised copy of the development agreement between Council and SVA? Perhaps at the November 23 council meeting?
We are at council's mercy -
hopefully before they vote
on the bylaw change???
Do you see a pattern here?
4)Council has confirmed the December 13, 7PM Public Meeting in Grafton.
There will be opportunity for public comment. As we have to provide a list of who will be speaking, please contact
Chuck if you have something you would like to say.
5)Council has not yet received the copy of Virginia's October 07, 2005 letter, although the Township Clerk has confirmed its arrival. We do not understand why it has not been forwarded to them, but it was decided that VV will send each councillor a copy at their home address.
Further response to Virginia's letter
In response to the Oct. 07, 2005 letter sent by VV's Lawyer to the MNR, MOE, and MMAH, Carol has received an email from Gayla Campney of the MOE:
Thank you for your E-mail of October 25, 2005 about the closed landfill site on Turk Road in the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand and the application under the Aggregate Resources Act by Shelter Valley Aggregates Limited.
Please be assured that the issues raised by the legal firm Willms & Shier are being reviewed in detail by this Ministry. As the original letter from the legal firm was sent to Ms. Virginia West, Deputy Minister of Environment, a detailed response to the legal firm from Ms. West is being prepared. To ensure that you, as President of The Valley Voices Residents Association, receive the information as soon as available, I have requested that a copy of this letter also be sent directly to you.
I encourage you to review the information we will be providing you. If you have any questions, Mr. Allan Oberholzer, Area Supervisor, Peterborough District Office at 705-755-4307 has detailed knowledge of the file and will be pleased to assist you.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to my attention.
Gayla Campney
Regional Director
Eastern Region
Ministry of Environment
613-548-6901
Thanks to Roger who continues as VV's representative at the newly formed Gravel Watch. This group has been formed by folks across Ontario as a way to unite various citizen's groups and others concerned about aggregate issues.
The next meeting is Dec. 03, 2005 in Puslinch County.
Anyone interested in attending, please contact
Chuck or
John for more details.
Word is that many eyes are watching and await the decision on this gravel pit in Shelter Valley and that many gravel operators fear that the decision reached here could represent a shift in thinking ... lets hope they are right!!
Virginia's Legal Report
If Council votes to pass the rezoning bylaw:
Valley Voices can appeal to the OMB
or
re. Drew Young's email, the MNR will refer the license application to the OMB
So, as Valley Voices has said right from the beginning -
either way, Council is going to the OMB.
Too bad they didn't think to stay on side with the residents of this area!
OMB Hearing
step 1: a pre-hearing date is set.
step 2: at the pre-hearing it is decided what issues
are to be discussed
at the full hearing.
step 3: The OMB hearing would be held somewhere local, Grafton, or maybe Vernonville and during the hearing a day would be allotted to public comments.
