Delegations & site plan proposals take centre stage at Town Council

Written By PETER RICHARDSON

Shelburne Council met on Sept. 24 with a heavy agenda that included two delegations and a Public Meting, as well as the Fiddleville Board of Directors Meeting.

Following that meeting, which went smoothly, outgoing Mayor Ken Bennington thanked the executive and commended them on their excellent record with the Town.  Following this, Council got down to the night's business, beginning with a question from Council candidate James Hodder concerning Shelburne having a  disaster recovery program, in light of the recent tornadoes in Ottawa/Gatineau. Clerk Jennifer Willoughby responded that the County administers this plan and all the municipalities must be a part of it and train for potential mishaps, with the County.

CCADC delegation

Next up, was a delegation regarding climate change actions, presented by Climate Change Action- Dufferin Caledon.

This was primarily a discussion concerning single use plastics and a request for Council to pass a bylaw prohibiting their use by all businesses in the Town. The group's mandate claims to accept responsibility for future generations living conditions and therefore assume the authority to take action to mitigate climate change.

Though a noble thought, the realities are much more daunting than the statement would imply. Nevertheless, the concept is an honourable one and worthy of study and consideration, though perhaps at higher tiers of governance.

Their main source of reference, was the bylaw enacted in Victoria BC banning such plastic uses and it subsequently being upheld by Canada's Supreme Court.

Other countries around the world are moving in this direction, including the UK and Brazil, though slowly. Obviously, the plastics industry is not favourable to this direction.

The overwhelming problem with plastic, lies in it's virtual indestructibility. It simply does not biodegrade at a rapid rate, but usually between 100 and 1000 years. What it does do rapidly, is breakdown into tiny particles called micro plastics, which then infiltrate practically everything via animal digestion and particularly, aquatic life.

Their solution is to convert to multi use degradable bags, preferably made from synthetic fibre or cotton. They dislike paper because of how it is manufactures and likewise other types of recyclable or biodegradable plastics and the fact that they have a more limited lifecycle, a few re-uses compared to over 100 for cotton. Of coarse, the immediate problem for the consumer, is the cost per bag and to the economy, the cost in lost jobs. Both of these may be mitigated over time, but they are still an immediate stumbling block to banning plastics in bags, used only once.

The organization's solution is the banning of single use consumer bags. Although the bylaw has numerous exemptions and classifications, for current users, it is both onerous and overbearing for the businesses involved and would need to be gradually introduced over a lengthy period of time to be fair.

Several of it's guidelines do not appear to be driven by any sense of industry co-operation, but rather by dogma based upon climate change science, which, although science, is apt to change at any moment based upon new facts or previously unconsidered ones. They basic idea however, as stated, is strong and Council saw fit to accept the presentation and to instruct staff to investigate the formation of a by-law.

Site proposal applications

Steve Wever presented two reports concerning Site Proposal applications for two facilities in the Town.

The first, at 147 Luxton Way was for a proposed storage facility for a wall panel manufacturer. At some future point, this would become a manufacturing plant, however not at present. Council approved the request.

After that, Steve presented the final plans, from Pace Credit Union, on Owen Sound Street, for their proposed banking drive through facility. There were a few minor modifications to the original proposal, but none were major and Council granted the request and the amending of an existing by-law, thus paving the way for construction to begin.

Town Planner Wever then proceeded with a report concerning the planting of numerous trees both around town and in the Summerhill subdivision. Most of these trees, were part of an agreement between the Town and the developer of Summerhill who decided rather than plant trees, he would make a financial transaction and allow the Town to purchase and plant the trees. The remainder, were trees around town that for various reasons needed to be replaced. Steve put out an RFP for this work and of the respondents, recommended to Council the selection of Pinecorner Tree Farm as the contractor of choice. Their bid for all the trees and the planting came in at $195,354.40, including the GST. Council agreed and awarded the contract to Pinecorner Tree Farm.

BIA Board

In other business, Council accepted the newly arranged Board for the BIA and appointed Mr. Ed Crewson, Crewson Insurance, Ms. Jodi Jones, Being in Balance, Jennifer Crewson, Crewson Insurance and AJ Grace-Cavey of Cobwebs and Caviar to the BIA. They also approved the appointment of Melissa Kennedy as the acting Lottery Licensing Officer for the Town of Shelburne and the holding go only one Council meeting gin both November and December of 2018.