The Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) and its recommendations continue to draw quite the crowd.
It was a packed house recently as councillors heard a variety of presentations; including CAO Frank Miele’s recommendations to council on how to move forward now that the first two phases (of five) of the SSMP Class Environmental Assessment study are complete.
Part of those recommendations included the potential of jointly moving ahead on the SSMP with developers as co-applicants.
Miele stated on April 16 that both the Wellington County and Erin official plans require an SSMP in order to investigate the servicing needs of the town and its communities.
In addition, both the town and Credit Valley Conservation have expended considerable financial, professional and staff resources to undertake the SSMP in accordance with the official plan and Ministry of Environment Class Environmental (Class EA) standards.
The SSMP report identified that the current state of private wastewater servicing in Erin and Hillsburgh is restraining private property investment and redevelopment and is a potential health and servicing issue due to age of the systems and the predominantly smaller lot sizes, which limit the ability to meet current design guidelines.
However, with servicing, costs to construct a town-wide municipal waste water treatment plant and associated servicing system could reach $65,000,000 – for a 2035 design population of 6,500 persons, which Miele said “could potentially burden the taxpayers of the town.”
Both official plans direct new growth to Erin village and Hillsburgh and provincial policies clearly require municipal services as the preferred service option for new growth based on health and environmental objectives.
Because the development sector has expressed a willingness to work in cooperation with the town, through the remaining phases of the Municipal Class EA process.
Miele recommended council direct him to work collaboratively with the development sector and initiate discussion to establish a strategy/framework to continue and complete Phases 3, 4 and 5 of the Municipal Class EA process in an expeditious and cost effective manner.
Further, Miele recommended that in preparing the terms of reference in support of a request for proposal for the remaining Phases of the Municipal Class EA, the development sector be named as “co-proponent” in accordance with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment guidelines.
Solmar Development Corporation representative Maurizio Rogato spoke in favour of both the staff report and the draft SSMP report.
“I feel this to be a monumental moment for me on a personal and professional perspective.”
Many years ago, Rogato joined as a member of the SSMP committee “… and here we are.”
He said Solmar supports the SSMP.
“We support the recommendations in the staff report. We wish to reiterate our position as a corporation, which is to cooperate with the town and the development industry in moving forward collaboratively in the SSMP.
Rogato added that Solmar believes the SSMP is an important step.
He contended that continuing the process does not mean any decision have been made at this point.
“Further to the email below from the Town’s CAO, I understand a report regarding the SSMP is to be considered at the April 16 council meeting.
“I have not seen the report but in order to meet the Agenda preparation timeline, I would request you to please add me as a delegate for the purposes of addressing the report.
“I do not believe I will require any presentation equipment,” said Rogato.
Planning consultant Bruce Donaldson spoke on behalf of the Taveres/Dominion Meats subdivision planned for Hillsburgh.
Donaldson said that two months ago a letter was sent to the town regarding moving ahead with the development in Hillsbugh.
Dominion Meats purchased the property in 2002.
At that time technical reports and functional servicing reports were completed.
Unfortunately, the decision to complete the SSMP put the Hillsburgh development on hold, Donaldson said.
He noted the proposal for 79 lots (now 77) only represented the first phase of the development.
The second phase includes over 90 units, he said.
However based on proposed density requirements for fully-serviced lots, the land could accommodate upwards of 800 homes.
Therefore decisions on the SSMP could have a significant impact on the number of homes which could be built, Donaldson said.
His estimate was that the proposals now in place could accommodate 1,000 homes.
Donaldson said the hydrogeolical reports stated there was a need for another well in Hillsburgh.
While he considered the SSMP report a bit misleading, he still advocated council to move on with the process and get a peer review.
Shelley Foord, on behalf of the Transition Erin wastewater subcommittee, asked council to consider alternatives to the proposal by BM Ross at this point.
She said the group had waited on making a presentation until the SSMP was presented.
Foord also had concerned that Miele’s report had included a projected price for the work – $65 million.
She was uncertain why the facility cost was included when it has been previously stated the first two phases of the SSMP had nothing to do with picking a treatment system.
Foord believed there are alternatives which would cost far less, but her group has not had a chance to present those options yet.
She also had concerns over the implication that the town might build a treatment system in conjunction with developers.
Foord asked if BM Ross could look at options such as communal or upgraded septic systems.
She asked “what can the town afford?”
Councillor Josie Wintersinger agreed with some of Foord’s points.
Wintersinger believed as of that night, council had not had sufficient time to review the draft report.
“In all due respect, council feels this has been rushed a bit too.”
Wintersinger said options are out there and council needs a chance to digest this information. “We are not ready to make any decision on anything.”
A sizeable portion of those gathered applauded at the response.
Mayor Lou Maieron was troubled by the fact that land was brought into the urban boundaries of Hillsburgh and Erin based on the SSMP bringing in servicing to accomodate growth.
While claiming not to taking sides, Maieron said he was concerned that the lands have been brought into the urban areas and that the province is directing growth to have municipal water and sewer services.
“How in good faith do you tell the developers and people who have owned the land for a considerable time … how do you not move forward in some way to meet the provincial mandate?”
Planner Sally Stull said that three weeks prior, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs had sent the town a letter suggesting it focus on the SSMP and look at the options to deal with existing problems.
“That is exactly the process we are taking right now.”
She said future development was not even part of the consideration, “and those developments are premature until the outcome of the SSMP has been determined.”
Maieron again said he was not taking a position, but remained concerned that the town had included additional land into the urban area with the intent of eventual development.
The developers agreed to waiting for the SSMP.
Maieron said it something that needs to be considered.
In response to Miele’s report, the CAO said the report included a series of recommendations.
He stressed the report recommended the town work with the development sector – not just one specific developer.
“I made the recommendations for a number of reasons.”
One of those reasons is the cost of environmental assessments. “It has cost us over $500,000 to date.”
That did not include costs assossiated with studies done by the CVC, or staff time.
“There has been a considerable amount of investment for this particular plan,” Miele said.
“Now it is coming down to making a decision. What does council wish to do?”
Miele said that all he was currently requesting, was to get direction to speak with the developers to gauge their level of interest in being a co-applicant of the Class EA.
That process could cost between $250,000 to $500,000.
He agreed that appeared to be a big range in cost, “but that was the information given to me.”
Miele said $100,000 has been earmarked “but we also know $100,000 is not going to cover the costs – hence my recommendation for co-application.”
He added the SSMP remained a draft copy.
The only portion missing is an executive summary and a few other items “… nothing which will change the chemistry of the study and the information within the report.”
He stressed “This is not a matter of expiditing the report. This is a question of making a decision once and for all.”
Miele said that if council wishes to move forward with the SSMP, it needs to make a decision. “Whether it happens this month or next month, you need to make a decision.”
He said the remaining phases of the SSMP need to be completed to determine what types of services are needed by the community – and which technologies need to be used.
And, Miele said, the town needs financial support to move forward on this.
Wintersinger asked whether council was being asked to direct staff for further investigation, or was this tying council into one path.
She wanted further time to review the reports before making any decision.
Her recommendation was to defer this to give all of council a chance to review the document.
Councillor John Brennan agreed it is a complex document.
“This is probably the single most important issue to come before this council … and probably the next council.”
Councillor Deb Callaghan echoed those sentiments.
“This has been going for years, so I have no problem defering this for another meeting, or two.”
Maieron had no issue with deferral. However, he had question about the co-proponency.
“If the town decides that it is uncomfortable moving forward and chooses to do nothing from the town perspective, can the proponents do their own EA to move forward.”
In short, he asked if the town could remain on septics while the developers hold an EA to install sewage treatment facilities geared towards individual subdivision developments.
Miele said “the simple answer is ‘yes’, as long as they proceed in collaboration with the provincial requirements.”
Council deferred a decision to its next regular council meeting on May 7.
