| NVCA board selects consultant to review mega-quarry application |
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Highlights of July 22 board meeting from NVCA - August 4 2011 SLR CONSULTING (CANADA) LTD. SELECTED TO CONDUCT REVIEW OF HIGHLAND QUARRY APPLICATION Due to the large and complex nature of the Highland Companies’ quarry application, and the potential for significant impact to the NVCA watershed, NVCA staff identified that the expertise and support of a professional consulting team would be required in reviewing the application.
To this end, a Request for Proposals was prepared and disseminated, and a Review Committee appointed to evaluate the proposals received. Proposals were received from five consulting firms and, following a detailed review, the Review Committee recommended and the Board approved SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. SLR has an excellent multidisciplinary team of professionals with extensive experience directly related to the quarry review work. NVCA AND GRAND RIVER CA MEET WITH MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES NVCA Chair Walter Benotto, Vice-Chair Joan Sutherland, Past-Chair Fred Nix and CAO/Secretary-Treasurer Wayne Wilson, along with the CAO and Chair of the Grand River Conservation Authority, met with Minister of Natural Resources Linda Jeffrey and her staff on June 22 with regard to the Highland Companies quarry application in the Township of Melancthon in Dufferin County. Minister Jeffrey indicated that her Ministry is very supportive of the work the NVCA and Grand River CA are doing in carrying out comprehensive reviews of the proposed quarry to ensure the watershed environment and downstream water quality and quantity interests are protected. All parties agreed that there is a need to coordinate agency review of the very extensive technical information involved in a quarry application of this size and complexity. To that end, the Minister committed to have her MNR staff actively assist in this coordination. NVCA ENTERS PLANNING PARTNERSHIP WITH TOWN OF NEW TECUMSETH The NVCA Board of Directors unanimously approved a 3-year agreement between the Authority and the Town of New Tecumseth intended to promote streamlining of the plan review process, including enhancing communications and issue resolution. A letter from Eric Chandler, Manager of Planning for the Town of New Tecumseth, states: “We are pleased to have worked collaboratively with the NVCA throughout this process and look forward to achieving the mutual goals as outlined in the Partnership Agreement.” The full text of the agreement is available in the agenda of the 08/11 meeting. (http://nvca.on.ca/Meetings/BoardofDirectors/Agendas/) The NVCA has a similar signed agreement with Bradford-West Gwillimbury and plans to establish similar agreements with the other 16 NVCA municipalities within its watershed. TWO WATER AND EROSION CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD The Ministry of Natural Resources sponsors the Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure (WECI) program for Conservation Authorities, providing 50% grant funding for major maintenance projects and studies of flood and erosion control structures. The NVCA has been granted $33,500 in support of two projects involving the replacement of the New Lowell Dam stop logs and completing a dam break safety analysis, for a total project cost of $67,000. The NVCA Board of Directors unanimously endorsed these projects. The $35,000 local share of the project cost will be drawn from the NVCA capital reserve. HEARING ON APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN A FLOODWAY IN AMARANTH TOWNSHIP The NVCA Board of Directors sat as a Hearing Board for an appeal regarding an application to construct a single family home in an area in Amaranth Township that is regulated for floodplain hazards. The applicant’s representative presented an appeal requesting that the Board approve the application. The Board heard the evidence and ruled against the issuance of a permit to build in the floodplain. |