In
September the township published its response to the questions posed and held a
special council meeting on September 17th with a hired lawyer to
outline the township’s position. This is the fifth installment of articles on
this complex issue. I encourage you to read the document yourself (found on the
township website under Governance/Public Consultation/Midhurst Secondary Plan) and
form your own opinion. Certain questions and answers are truncated for space
consideration.
Question 38: Will the new municipal wells
impact existing private wells?
Township Answer: No. Extensive testing in
accordance with Provincial regulations was completed. The testing did not
identify any areas where existing wells will be impacted. They then refer to
the Phase 1 and 2 EA.
My Opinion:
In theory there may not be an impact as I understand there is high rate of flow
in this particular aquifer. However any shallow wells that exist today may be
impacted in a drought period because of the significant amount of water that
will be withdrawn from the lower aquifer. Typically one aquifer is not
significantly impacted by another but until the operation commences we are
dealing with modelling scenarios which may or may not be accurate.
Question 39: What will the increase in flow
attributable to the MSP be in Willow Creek?
Township Answer: The township provided some
flow rates. In the EA 1 and 2 the average flow rate of 270L/s is noted. A
further 3 years analysis estimates it at 400L/s. They state the flow from the
wastewater treatment plant at buildout will be 140L/s. They also include a peak
flow rate of 7,000L/s
My Opinion:
All the data is interesting. Unfortunately no one seems to note that the
Minesing Wetlands are being negatively effected in the last 25 years because of
additional flows and build-up. The Steelheaders conservation group has great
data as does Nancy Chong that was provided to the township. None of this has
been considered nor has it been mentioned that both the NVCA and MOE have
expressed concerns about dumping this much effluent into that small stream of
Willow Creek. By the township’s own numbers the average flow based on the 270
L/s would be a 60% increase in per second flow and even using the higher
numbers of 400 L/s it means a 30% increase. What happens if we find that we are
already at 120% of the Willows capacity for flow? None of these questions have
been addressed and the potential for ecological disaster cannot be overstated.
Question 52: What efforts will be made to
mitigate the impact on local agricultural operations as mandated in the
Provincial Policy Statement?
Township Answer: The PPS does not apply to
Midhurst as it is not an expansion of the existing settlement boundary.
My Opinion:
We are not all stupid or idiots, is the short answer, if you think we will
swallow that answer. Think about it. (Sorry to reuse these two sentences from
the last article.) First of all the PPS applies to all development from 2005
onwards. The MSP was not approved by council until 2008 and after 3 letters of
expressing non-compliance the County approved the plan in 2011. The council has
totally ignored the serious impact that the MSP will have on the Ag industry
and has specifically ignored concerns expressed by the OFA and local farmers
such as Rob Wright.
Question 55: Shouldn’t the MSP development plan
be delayed until a major employer such as a Honda settles in the community?
Township Answer: The MSP has been approved by
the Township, County and Province. Therefore it is permitted to proceed.
My Opinion:
Not exactly an answer from the township. Part of the answer is also wrong as
only the first 300 hectares have been approved to proceed in the MSP. Barrie
for example require developers, in certain areas of development, to illustrate
that there are actual jobs not just land for future jobs before development
will be approved. Of course we should include in all our development plans that
jobs come first before building shoe boxes for people to hibernate. Currently
90% of our non-farm workers leave everyday for work. I understand that no
significant job creation has occurred even though we have allocated many
dollars to the effort in the last two years. Attaching actual job creation to
approving residential development is not unique unless you are in a township
like Springwater where most of the council thinks the developers know what’s
best for all of us.
I will
repeat, it is still not too late to slow down and modify this terrible plan for
Midhurst. It will affect all of us especially where it hurts, in our pocket
books with increased taxes. I am pleased that many more people are coming to
Council and Planning meetings in recent months as residents realize that
regardless of where they live they will pay the price of the bad decisions and
direction of the Midhurst Secondary Plan. In January I encourage as many people
as possible to file nomination papers and run for an elected office and bring
about the change we need. I will write one more article on the Township’s
response to the concerns of the Springwater Residents about the MSP and ask you
to become informed by reading the information on the Springwater website.
Talk to the
Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council and tell them to stop the greatest calamity
that Springwater has ever experienced. The Midhurst Plan as planned is a
disaster waiting to happen and you and I cannot afford it!
