• Chronology
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CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
June 4, 2003: Notice to 4 closest neighbours regarding proposed gravel pit
June 13, 2003 : Valley Voices first meeting
July 9, 2003: Information session with Shelter Valley Aggregates
July 9, 2003: First Public Township Meeting regarding the pit
July 21, 2003: Letters sent to MNR
September 2003: Council agrees to allow VV to be involved in the process and have direct input
September 12, 2003: Valley Voices Incorporation
October 05, 2003: Valley Voices Board of Directors Elections
October 08, 2003: Public Meeting
November 12, 2003: SVA hosts walking tour of proposed site for Council, VV and peer reviewers
November 23, 2003: Trow Associates Inc. submits peer review of site plan, haul route, and surface and ground water
December 23, 2003: Howe-Gastmeier-Chapnik Limited submits noise impact review
January 12, 2004: Niblett Environmental Associates Inc . submitsEnvironmental Review
March 2004: delegation from VV meet with MPP Lou Rinaldi
June 07, 2004: Public Meeting
July 13, 2004: Public Meeting - Cramahe Township
August 04, 2004: Public Meeting
September 27, 2004: Public Meeting
January 18, 2005: A/H Council holds Public Information Meeting re the SVA by-law amendment with presentations by Peter Josephs (town planner) and SVA
January 2005: VV provides Council with examples of existing pits' non-compliance
February 2005: Valley Voices becomes a member of Environmental Defense of Canada
March 23, 2005: Private meeting held between Council and SVA
April 06, 2005: VV lawyer provides Council with a copy of a legal opinion re the ARA, PPS, and PA
April 06, 2005: VV lawyer advises Council of an OMB decision of April 2004 (Lawrence v. Bruce (County)), which upheld the municipality's refusal.
April 20, 2005: Through research VV discovers an old landfill site containing DDT and other toxic materials on the property.
April 24, 2005: Annual VV General Meeting and BoD elections
May 10, 2005: SVA "AGA Report on Unresolved Objections" letter received by 70 VV members
May 30, 2005: VV response to SVA "Report on Unresolved Objections"
June 22, 2005: A/H Council comes from an in camera meeting and announces that they have reached a "tentative agreement" with SVA to allow the pit.
June 27, 2005: In Cobourg Star article Mayor Finley denies that an agreement was announced or reached.
August, 2005: Ben Peters bought the property that CJC had repossessed. SVA now has a route to Turk Road West.
Aug 17, 2005: VV becomes a member of Gravel Watch, a Provincial group concerned about aggregates.
Sep 19, 2005: VV asks more questions of council, the first being "why haven't you answered our previous questions?"
Oct 07, 2005: VV Lawyer sends letter to MNR, MOE, MMAH and cc A/H Council.
Oct 24, 2005: Council announces that a development agreement has been reached.
A Public Meeting is slated for Dec. 13, 2005 and a vote on rezoning could be held Dec.14, 2005.
Oct 28, 2005: Email response from MNR to Oct 07 letter stating "will most likely be making a recommendation to our Minister that the application be referred to the OMB for a hearing."
Nov 03, 2005: Email response from MOE to Oct 07 letter stating "Please be assured that the issues raised by the legal firm Willms & Shier are being reviewed in detail by this Ministry."
Dec 13, 2005: Public Information Meeting held regarding the agreement with SVA. According to Council, with this new agreement, SVA has bent over backwards to accommodate resident and council concerns.
Dec 14, 2005: Northumberland County passes a by-law approving the agreement with SVA.
Dec.20, 2005: Cramahe Township has questions regarding road issues and therefore does not pass a by-law approving the agreement and their decision is deferred til the new year.
Dec. 21, 2005: VV V.P. Chuck Shook receives phone call from A/H Clerk stating that SVA is NOT on agenda for this meeting. At the meeting and with Chuck in attendance, Council votes on and approves the development and financial agreements with SVA, deferring the by-law change to Jan. 25, 2006. All Council members present vote yes.
January 25, 2006: In a 6-1 vote (Ray Benns votes "no"), A/H Council approves the by-law amendment to change the zoning of the land to industrial/extractive. VV has 20 days to file an appeal with the OMB. The pit license cannot be granted until the appeal has been heard.
