Wainfleet
Two public meetings held to discuss rezoning Wainfleet properties from resort residential to resort residential-special, to allow additional lot coverage, received mixed reviews in township council chambers Tuesday night.
Betty Konc, chair of the Wainfleet Ratepayers Association, asked members of council why they are considering allowing homeowners to add garages to their properties when the area they live in continues to be under a boil water advisory.
“You appear to be giving mixed messages ... You’re going against what the region is saying – buildings are too big on lots,” Konc said.
She suggested the township reinstate a building freeze in the boil water advisory area until the water contamination issue is resolved. A one-year freeze was first implemented in September 2004 on any development on vacant land after water issues first began to arise.
“The board has spoken about this and we’re all in agreement that a building freeze should be reinstated,” Konc told aldermen.
Township planner Chuck Miller said the building freeze bylaw can’t be reinstated until July, and expects it to go to council to control construction along the lakeshore.
“We’re dealing with individual projects on an individual basis and on individual merit.”
Konc’s comments were made in opposition of a Morgan’s Point Road application where homeowners requested to increase their lot coverage to 19 per cent from seven per cent to build a garage.
When the first public meeting regarding the rezoning of a Lakeshore Road home came up to vote, Ald. Ted Hessels was the only member of council opposed to increasing their maximum lot coverage to 20.5 per cent from 14.6 per cent.
Comments from the Morgan’s Point Road meeting will be considered by staff with a report being presented to council at a later date.
LOOKING AHEAD
PORT, WAINFLEET MAYORS SHARE VISIONS DURING MAYOR'S BREAKFAST
PORT, WAINFLEET MAYORS SHARE VISIONS DURING MAYOR'S BREAKFAST
Following another successful Mayors' Charity Golf Challenge and raising thousands of dollars for local charities, Wainfleet Mayor Barbara Henderson and Port Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey provided an update on their respective municipalities during yesterday's mayor's breakfast.
About 30 Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce members gathered at Sherkston Shores' newly renovated Water's Edge restaurant to hear of accomplishments and to look ahead at the two evolving communities.
Henderson talked about keeping Wainfleet safe and also discussed numerous projects the township is working on and has planned for the upcoming year.
The recent implementation of the Safe Beaches program in collaboration with Niagara Regional Police and Long Beach Home Owners Association, Henderson hopes will help resolve challenges beach residents will face during the summer.
"Although it is still in its infancy, this program has had recent successes. Most notably, strong police presence at last week's high school beach day where hundreds of fines were laid for infractions ranging from parking to alcohol violations," Henderson said.
To make the township more energy efficient, staff are aiming at saving natural gas for heat and hydro, and for making ice at the arena by insulating the walls and roof. The township also purchased a generator to enable its main building to function in the event of a storm or emergency.
New hires at the township will benefit the operation in numerous ways, Henderson said. She named the new treasurer, Robyn Madere who starts in July. She formerly worked for Grant Thornton and the City of Thorold. Council also recently welcomed 17 new volunteer firefighters, including two women, on the squad.
"I feel during the last 18 months Wainfleet has taken numerous small steps towards the future."
On the negative side, Henderson mentioned after this week's opening of the Quarry Road Bridge, no swimming signs were posted. Less than 15 hours later the signs were stolen and the issue is being looked at by police.
Henderson also touched on the water and sewer servicing topic which is still ongoing.
She said there is still much work to be done in that area and announced the creation of a public liaison committee, which consists of members: Ashleigh Miatello-Skrubbeltrang, April Jeffs, Wayne Redshaw and Anne Hetherington.
"A collaborative process has been implemented between the region of Niagara and the township to work towards this goal. This is indeed a team effort."
Badawey said Port Colborne is constantly evolving with four community improvement plans on the go and the creation of a community development reserve to fund the capital enhancements the plans will ultimately identify.
Streetscape and implementation programs are being developed for Old Humberstone, the mayor said.
As for Port's brownfield sites, "We are moving forward with the region to highlight and market this particular area internationally as one of the top six brownfield investment opportunities in Niagara."
A virtual model is being created for waterfront lands in partnership with Niagara College for the waterfront revitalization which has been reignited after three years on the shelf.
And finally the downtown business area is going green with the review of a tree replacement program and a study to review transforming West Street into a one-way street.
"Our duty is to be diligent, to diversify in areas that can take advantage of our amenities such as our transportation infrastructure, waterfront, skilled labour and development-ready lands."
He listed other successful community developments including Van Jon Paving, the community health centre construction at the old bingo hall, the former Shell Marine Fueling (Nyon) and the former Caroline M. Thompson school lands request for proposal to be submitted shortly for up to 16 lots, and rezoning to convert a church at the corner of Erie Street and Killaly Street West to a 10-unit apartment and townhouses.
Additional developments include Phase 2 of Lester Shoalts' subdivision in Westwood Estates, the Habitat for Humanity Niagara build and Island Estates featuring 90 high-end homes by the fire hall.
"There's no question this will improve esthetics of the area," he said of Island Estates.
"It's going to be just beautiful." He said Port Colborne's manufacturing, food processing, bio-manufacturing and tourism are constantly growing.
The breakfast concluded with Meridian Credit Union being honoured as business of the quarter.
WAINFLEET PLC MEMBERS CHOSEN
Four Wainfleet residents were chosen in an in-camera session during Tuesday night's council meeting to represent Wainfleet on the region's servicing project public liaison committee.
Wayne Redshaw, April Jeffs, Ashleigh Miatello Skrubbletrang and Anne Hetherington will provide input into the proposed multi-million- dollar water and sewer servicing project. They will be joined by eight residents from the region who will also sit on the public liaison committee.
Members will be a focal point to receive information to facilitate the region and the township's efforts, advise staff of residents' issues and concerns, create a communication plan and determine how to address affordability and costs.
The project's next steps include numerous studies and the tendering process to determine an actual cost to the project. Regional staff will also examine how the project can be implemented to minimize its impact on the community.
QUARRY ROAD BRIDGE OPENS
Quarry Road Bridge in Wainfleet officially opened Monday afternoon.
Greg Wuisman, director of operations, told council the project began January 25 and finished within budget or was one per cent above costs due to challenges. He didn't have the final figures during the meeting.
"It's an interesting bridge," he said. "We encountered a number of construction difficulties and I don't have a final number but there may be a small overrun of one per cent."
To mark the opening of the reconstructed bridge the township will hold a ceremony June 19 at 11 a. m. at the bridge which is located at Quarry and Lakeshore roads.
They are listening and know we aren't going away!
Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .
