Next Steps

The time has come for the BVRA to actively engage in the Beaver Valley Village subdivision application process. It is important that BVRA executive decisions and actions have the support of the membership. The directors are meeting right after Christmas, to discuss what is the best forum for members' input. Of course, you can contact any of us by phone or email, or post a comment on this blog.

Sun Times Article

Check the Thursday edition of the Owen Sound Sun Times. On page three there is a very good article about the Beaver Valley Village proposed subdivision and concerns of the proponent, Grey Highlands council and the ratepayers. We can't post the article here, but if you are a member and want a copy, we can email it to you.

BVRA Presentation to Council - Dec. 13. 2010

At the regular council meeting on December 13, the BVRA was a scheduled delegation. Ed O'Neil congratulated the new councillors on their success in the recent municipal election. He outlined our concerns about the potential for cumulative negative impact from the proposed Beaver Valley Village subdivision to the quantity and quality of the local groundwater, focusing on the issue of density. Forty-five lots on private wells and septic systems is unacceptable to us, in an area already susceptible to well-water shortages and contamination. Ed informed council that since our last presentation, the MOE has stated that they still have concerns.

Grey Highlands Planner's Report on Beaver Valley Village subdivision

The planner's report for the Beaver Valley Village subdivision is included in the agenda for the Oct. 18, Committee of the Whole meeting, on pages 141 - 184. Have a look.

Planner Recommends Conditional Approval of Beaver Valley Village Subdivision

Late in the day, on Friday, October 15 the BVRA executive learned that the Beaver Valley Village subdivision application was on the agenda for the Committee of the Whole meeting for Grey Highlands on Monday, October 18 at 10 am. We hurriedly sent out emails and gathered as many members as we could to attend the meeting. I guess councillors had the same inadequate preparation time as we did because they voted to defer any decision until the next CoW meeting on December 13.

The planner for Grey Highlands is recommending that draft plan conditional approval of the BVV go forward to Council, which if approved would then go to the County of Grey for final approval.

The BVRA executive is requesting delegation status at the CoW meeting on December 13, where we will present our case to the new Committee of the Whole.

Once the new council is formed, we will be contacting BVRA members with more information.

Provincial Policy Statement Review

The Ontario government is conducting a review of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 (PPS). The PPS outlines policy direction for land use planning and development. Municipal planning decisions must be consistent with the PPS. The government is asking for input on how the PPS is working and whether any changes are needed.

Groups and individuals may comment. For more information and to access an online survey go to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website.

Click  online survey to immediately access and submit comments electronically.

Letter to the Editor

This letter will be published in the July 13 issue of the Markdale Standard.

Dear Editor

I was happy to see coverage in the Markdale Standard of the Beaver Valley Ratepayers presentation to the Committee of the Whole of Grey Highlands. I would like to correct an inaccuracy in the reporting of density.

The single biggest issue for the BVRA is the density of this development. To set the record straight, the proposed lot size of 2000 square feet is half the 4000 square feet recommended in the Grey Highlands Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw. In addition, the proposed density contravenes the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement, the planning guideline for municipal planning decisions.

For anyone interested, the BVRA has published the complete presentation and speaker's notes on the blog, www.beavervalleyratepayers.blogspot.com.

Respectfully

Cathy Little

Markdale Standard, July 7

There is an article in this week's Markdale Standard reporting on our presentation to Grey Highlands Committee of the Whole. Press coverage is a good thing but there were some errors particularly about lot size and density. I guess a letter to the editor is in order.

We're in the Sun Times

The Owen Sound Sun Times ran a well-written and balanced story about the BVRA presentation to Grey Highlands Committee of the Whole, June 21, 2010. Reporter, Don Crosby interviewed Ed and Cathy a few days later for another article to appear in the Markdale Standard, June 30.

If you are a member and would like an email copy of the Sun Times article, leave a comment below and we will be happy to send you one.

Update

Regarding the proposed Beaver Valley Village subdivision, according to a recent email (June 23), from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to the planner at the County of Grey, the Ministry of the Environment continues to believe,

• that there are risks associated with this development 

• and that the fundamental issue of cumulative impact has not been addressed.

BVRA Presentation, June 21, 2010

Here it is: a slideshow of our presentation to the Committee of the Whole of Grey Highlands on Monday, June 21, 2010. There are some minor omissions, For a thorough appreciation, read the speaker's notes and the addendum posts below. To view the presentation full screen, click on menu in the bottom left corner of the presentation window and click on full screen.

Bvra Presents

Addendum to Presentation

We gave councillors a copy of the slideshow and these supplementary pages. The BVRA supports the peer reviewer statements and recommendations including but not exclusively:

BVRA Presentation, June 21, 2010, Speaker's Notes

BVRA Presentation, June 21, 2010
Speaker’s Notes

1. We are the Beaver Valley Ratepayers. I am vice-president Ed O’Neil and with me is president, Cathy Little.

2. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to speak to you today. This is an outline of our talk. Basically, the concern is the effect of new subdivisions on existing wells that already have problems.

BVRA Presentation re: Beaver Valley Village

Ed O'Neill and Cathy Little will make a presentation to the Committee of the Whole of Grey Highlands regarding the Beaver Valley Village application. The presentation is scheduled for June 21 at 10:00 am. Your executive has been following this issue since the 2008 AGM, on behalf of members and residents. Your attendance in support of the presentation would demonstrate to council that this subdivision proposal is still a "hot issue" with residents. Hope we see you there.

AGM Minutes

BEAVER VALLEY RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

March 20, 2010

MINUTES

1. Opening Remarks/Call to Order. The meeting was chaired by BVRA member Keith Ellison. The chair announced that the attendance and the proxies received constitute a viable meeting.
2. The guest speaker, David Fawcett, Deputy Mayor of Grey Highlands provided a summary of issues at both the County and Municipal levels of government.

AGM

Be sure to set aside Saturday afternoon, March 20,  for the Beaver Valley Ratepayers' Annual General Meeting, at the Kimberley Community Hall. Registration is from 3:00 to 3:30 pm.

Deputy Mayor Dave Fawcett is our guest speaker this year and we look forward to hearing his state of the municipality address. During the business part of the meeting, we will update you about the BVRA board's  activities for the past year, including an update on the status of the proposed Beaver Valley Village subdivision.

We hope to see you there and bring along a friend or two. Discussion is sure to be of interest to property owners in the area.

Open Blog

Be aware that anyone can read this blog and leave a comment. The executive decided that this option would be far easier to administer than the option of private, members-only blog. We don't anticipate problems but certainly would reconsider our decision if need be.

Marcus Buck Review of Updated KER and Supplementary HER

Here is the latest response to the BVV proponent's updated studies. For a summary of events leading up to this letter, see the post of December 12.