WHEN THE WELL IS DRY

 WE KNOW THE WORTH OF OUR WATER

(Benjamin Franklin)

Annual General Meeting

Kimberley Hall

Saturday March 19, 2011 3-6pm

Registration/Fee Payment 3-3:30pm

Meeting Begins: 3:30pm

Plan to Attend


Your directors will be reporting on the detailed activities/correspondence undertaken on your behalf to affirm        


THE WORTH OF OUR WATER

www.beavervalleyratepayers.ca

www.beavervalleyratepayers.blogspot.com   

GH:BVV - Planning Report

Here is the corrected link to the Grey Highlands Planning Report on the Beaver Valley Village. It was originally presented to the Committee of the Whole in October (old council) and recommended acceptance and forwarding to the County. The committee voted to defer its decision. The same report was on the agenda for the December 13 Council Meeting (new council) for discussion purposes only.

The BVRA and the Beaver Valley Village: A History

For a good overview of our concerns, see our PPT most recently presented to our membership on January 8, 2011. At that meeting, the membership gave the BVRA executive the green light to continue its advocacy and in addition to provide the membership with an estimate of the cost of retaining legal and/or hydrogeological expertise.

Background

The Beaver Valley Village (BVV) subdivision, planned for the top of the escarpment near the Beaver Valley Ski Club, is to be serviced with individual wells and septic systems.  This 45-lot development proposal is in the Municipality of Grey Highlands (GH), in the County of Grey (GC). Google map.

The entire, surrounding 230 ha area, Beaver Valley Village Settlement Area (BVVSA), is designated Escarpment Recreation Area in the Niagara Escarpment Development Plan and deemed by GC to be a focus of growth and “akin to a settlement area”. The NEC has handed over development control to GH. ERA map.

There are 125 approved lots and residences in the area now, and the theoretical potential for 130 – 180 more; this does not include the existing and potential development below the escarpment, which is also part of the Escarpment Recreation Area. Currently, there are no municipal water or sewage services and none planned for the foreseeable future.

Special Members' Meeting - January 8, 2011

See the minutes of our Special Members' Meeting.

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.