Centre Wellington council still has its divisions over the Inverhaugh gravel pit proposal by The Murray Group, even though the decision has already been made for it by the Ontario Municipal Board.
The board ruled in favour of the pits, and that information was on the committee of the whole agenda on May 26, to be received for information, along with orders to complete the bylaws to allow two pits.
Councillor Kirk McElwain, who had declared a conflict of interest over the pit, and who had testified against it at the OMB hearing, asked council if the zoning bylaw can stipulate all the agreements that the township had made with The Murray Group. He wanted to know if those agreements can be enforced.
Councillors who have declared a conflict of interest are not permitted to speak to an issue, or vote on it.
Township planner Brett Salmon told McElwain the township cannot regulate hours of operation, but it can enforce such things as setbacks.
He said a large number of agreements between the township and The Murray Group will be in the site plan, not the zoning bylaw.
McElwain then asked if there is “any process to ensure that they are followed” and answered his own question with the comment, “Apparently not.”
Councillor Shawn Watters was chairing that part of the committee meeting, and asked for a recorded vote.
Several responses were so quiet a reporter had to ask during question period at the end of the meeting who had voted which way.
Watters explained he had asked for a vote because the members of the Inverhaugh community had “always wanted to know where council stood.”
But councillor Walt Visser, who had voted in favour of the motions to receive the OMB report for information, and to prepare the bylaws, said, “That’s not true.”
Visser said the township is facing an OMB order and has no choice but to obey it, so there is no point in opposing it.
“It had nothing to do with what I felt about it,” Visser said.
Three councillors – Visser, Fred Morris, and Joanne Ross-Zuj – voted in favour, and councillors McElwain and Watters were opposed.
Councillor Bob Foster abstained from voting. According to council’s procedural bylaw, that is considered a negative vote.
The result was a 3-3 tie, which means the motion was defeated. However, the township must obey the OMB, despite that vote.
Councillor Ron Hallman was absent.
