Recent News

Municipal Class Environmental Assessment
2nd Trent River Watermain Crossing
for the Village of Hastings
Municipality of Trent Hills
NOTICE OF STUDY COMPLETION

The Municipality of Trent Hills is planning to construct a second watermain crossing of the Trent River in the Village of Hastings. The Village of Hastings is divided by the Trent River and currently relies on an aging 35-year-old suspended watermain crossing to supply domestic water to the southern portions of the village. The purpose of the proposed second crossing is to provide the Village of Hastings with improved and more reliable supply of domestic water, fire protection, and also to provide for future development. These works are planned to be started once council has approved the capital initiative.

A Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) is being conducted in accordance with the procedures set out in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document, October 2000 (as amended in 2007 & 2011) to study existing conditions, prepare feasible alternative solutions and document the decision-making process used to arrive at the preferred solutions. An opportunity for public consultation was held on November 29, 2012, where interested members of the public were invited to provide comment to the County for incorporation into the project’s planning and design process.

Subject to comments received as a result of this notice, the Municipality of Trent Hills intends to proceed through design and construction for this project. Project plans and other information are available for viewing on the municipality’s website or by appointment, at the following locations:

Second Trent River Watermain Crossing Class Environmental Assessment

Municipality of Trent Hills
66 Front Street South
Campbellford, Ontario K0L 1L0
Phone: (705) 653-1900
Fax: (705) 653-5904
Email: scott.white@trenthills.ca

AECOM
53 Division Street
Cobourg, Ontario K9A 5G6
Phone: 1 (800) 463-8046
Fax: (905) 372-3621
Reference project file: 60117299

Interested persons should provide written comment to the Municipality on the proposed project within 30 calendar days from the date of this notice. Comment should be directed to Mr. Scott White, General Manager of Infrastructure Renewal and Director of Public Works Administration for the Municipality of Trent Hills, at the address noted above.

If concerns regarding this project cannot be resolved in discussion with the Municipality, a person or party may request that the Minister of the Environment make an order for the project to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act (referred to as Part II Order), which addresses individual environmental assessments. Requests must be received by the Minister at the address below by end of business day (5:00 pm) May 27, 2013. A copy of the request must also be sent to the Municipality of Trent Hills General Manager of Infrastructure Renewal and Director of Public Works Administration. If no requests are received by end of business day (5:00 pm) May 27, 2013, the second watermain crossing of the Trent River in the Village of Hastings will proceed to design and construction.

Minister of the Environment
2 St. Clair Avenue West, Floor 12A
Toronto, Ontario M4V 1L5

This notice issued April 24, 2013.

TRENT HILLS BEGINS IT’S OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW

The Municipality of Trent Hills is launching an Official Plan review. The goal is to incorporate the policies from previous amendments into the text of the Official Plan. It is an opportunity to update rural development policies; natural heritage features; review the boundaries of land designations on land use schedules; update policies related to cultural heritage resources and address additional requirements for planning applications.

This is also an opportunity to hear from the community regarding land use issues or with questions about the development process.
A draft Official Plan incorporating these changes has been created and is available for review: Draft Official Plan

The updated Official Plan policies will address:
• Adjustment of the boundaries of Prime Agricultural land;
• Identify a Shoreline Residential designation;
• Bring Prime Agricultural Policies into conformity with the Provincial Policy Statement;
• Create policies recognizing rural residential clusters;
• Update Natural Heritage Policies;
• Update Cultural Heritage Policies;
• Clarify urban watercourse setback requirements
• Expand the requirements for site plan control;
• Introduce Shoreline Protection Policies;
• Create a framework for Source Protection Policies;
• Update the schedules (maps) for Greenlands, Natural Heritage Features, Prime Agricultural Lands, and Land Use Structures; and
• Create a new Schedule for Shoreline Residential.

The revised Official Plan is currently being considered by various Provincial Ministries through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. New draft land use maps will be created.

If there are any questions or comments regarding the process or policies, please send them to :
Jim Peters, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.,
Director of Planning
Municipality of Trent Hills
66 Front Street South, P.O. Box 1030
Campbellford, Ontario, K0L 1L0
jim.peters@trenthills.ca.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY - NOTICEOF STUDY RECOMMENCEMENTCompletion of the Trent River Crossing and Arterial Road Network Municipal Class Environmental Assessment in the Municipality of Trent Hills

THE STUDY:
Northumberland County has retained IBI Group to recommence and complete the Trent River Crossing and Arterial Road Network Municipal Class Environmental Assessment in the Municipality of Trent Hills. In 2009, the County presented a Draft Environmental Assessment for an Additional Trent River Crossing that recommended construction of a new bridge across the Trent River at the Second Street/Alma Street corridor. It was put on hold in response to community concerns about impacts, and until additional engineering work could be conducted on alternatives to a new Second Street/Alma Street bridge.

This additional engineering work has now been completed, and concludes that replacing the existing Campbellford Bridge is also a feasible alternative to meet Campbellford’s existing and future traffic needs.

THE PROCESS:
The Environmental Assessments being completed in accordance with the planning and design process for ‘Schedule C’ projects as outlined in the Municipal Engineers Association “Municipal Class Environmental Assessment,” (October 2000, as amended in 2011), which is approved under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The process will now evaluate the two finalist alternatives: 1) Existing Campbellford Bridge Replacement, and 2) New Second/Alma Bridge. The County plans to present study information at public meetings in the Spring and early Summer of 2013.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION:
Planned public meetings will be advertised in the local newspaper and project website, and sent to all those on mailing lists from previous public meetings. If you are interested in this project but did not attend any previous public meetings, you are encouraged to send your name and contact information to the contacts below. Study information is also available at the following project website, including a Newsletter containing answers to 20 important questions and recently raised concerns:

http://ww w.northumberlandcounty.ca/en/departments_publicworks/Trent_River_Crossing_EA.asp

A paper copy of the Newsletter is also available at the Northumberland County office at 555 Courthouse Road, Cobourg, ON K9A 5J6, and the Municipality of Trent Hills office at 66 Front Street S in Campbellford.

Upon completion of the study, an Environmental Study Report (ESR) will be prepared and made available for public review and comment. Any person or group wishing to comment on, or to be involved in the Environmental Assessment are asked to indicate their interest, preferably in writing to:

Don Drackley MCIP RPP Consultation Manager IBI Group
30 International Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 5P3 Tel:416-679-1930 Fax: 416-675-4620
E-mail: ddrackley@ibigroup.com First Posted February 7, 2013

Mobushar Pannu, P.Eng.
Director, Transportation & Waste Management
Northumberland County
555Courthouse Road, Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 5J6 Tel:905-372-6812 or 1-800-354-7050 ext. 2301
Fax: 905-372-1696
E-mail: pannum@northumberlandcounty.ca