REPORT ON COUNCIL
February 9, 2009
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9.01 a.m. – 11:41 and 12:35 p.m. – 3:49 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:06 p.m. – 7:29 p.m.
All members of Council present.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 3:18 p.m. – 3:49
HERITAGE AWARD: Mayor Breckenridge presented the Ontario Heritage Trust, 2008 Heritage Community Recognition Award to resident T. Philip Adams. For many years, Mr. Adams served as Chair of the Township’s Historical and Heritage Committee, which, in 2003, published The North Simcoe Railway. In 2008, he wrote a short book titled The Natural History of Tiny Township.
SUMMERAMA FESTIVAL IN BALM BEACH? The Business Association of Balm Beach presented a proposal for a one-day festival on Saturday, August 15th and asked Council to support their application for a provincial grant. The festival sounds like a fair as it involves a ferris wheel, contests, buskers, hot air balloon, beer pavilion, concert, and fireworks. The BABB spoke of road closures and of shuttle buses ferrying people from Perkinsfield and Midland. The Members of Council supported the Festival in principle, but asked the group to prepare a financial impact report before they take a final decision about the festival.
We note that Council’s support “in principle” is a departure from its normal practice. Ordinarily presentations are heard but are not discussed or acted upon until the next Council meeting to allow everyone time for reflection.
WIND ENERGY/VISUAL IMPACT PROGRESS REPORT: James Taylor of the University of Guelph presented a progress report titled “Industrial Wind Turbine Parks: Visual Impact Assessment”. The final report will be completed in April 2009 and is expected to provide a context for consideration of commercial wind turbine applications. The final report will include maps of Tiny Township identifying the impacts of commercial wind turbines on all areas and will also include recommendations for amendments to the Township’s Official Plan.
WIND TURBINES IN SIMCOE FOREST IN TINY? Deputy Mayor George Lawrence noted that an application has been made by Anemos Energy Corporation to Simcoe County to allow part of a proposed Cedar Ridge Wind project to be placed in a County forest in the northeast of Tiny. Mr. Lawrence, aided by local residents and by the Township’s Treasury Department, produced a presentation which revealed the impact that this wind project would have on Tiny Township and on the County. [On February 11, Mr. Lawrence managed to convince the Corporate Services Committee of Simcoe County to have staff prepare criteria for evaluating all wind farm applications and to reserve any decision about the Anemos proposal until such criteria had been established.]
Click here to see the revealing letter that accompanied Anemos Energy’s application to the County of Simcoe.
SEPTIC RE-INSPECTIONS WILL CONTINUE: The program, which started in 2002, has inspected 6836 systems that were more than 10 years old. In 2009 the Thunder Beach area will be completed and re-inspections of properties will start again in the Balm Beach area, focusing on those that have become more than 10 years old in the years since 2002.
BY-LAW ADHERENCE: Council decided to send legal counsel and the Township planner to an OMB hearing that will rule on a fencing variance. The appeal relates to a fence that is 2.2 meters high – a 16% variance from the 1.9 meter limit.
We believe it is necessary for the Township to support adherence to its bylaws vigorously.
WOODLAND BEACH MASTER PLAN: The final plan was received but adoption was deferred to allow area residents time to review it.
