The Corporation of the County of WellingtonPlanning Committee

Agenda

February 12, 201510:30 am

County Administration CentreKeith Room

Members: Warden Bridge; Councillors Lennox (Chair), Alls, McKay, Watters

Pages

1. Call to Order

2. Declaration of Pecuniary Interest

3. Wellington County Trail Funding Programme Report 2 - 2

4. Hummel Official Plan Amendment - Mount Forest 3 - 3

5. Green Legacy Update Report 4 - 8

6. Source Water Update Report 9 - 14

7. Closed Session

8. Rise and Report

9. Adjournment

Next meeting date March 12, 2015 or at the call of the Chair.

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COMMITTEE REPORT

To: Chair and Members of the Planning Committee

From: Gary Cousins, Planning Director Date: February 12, 2015

Subject: WELLIINGTON COUNTY TRAIL FUNDING PROGRAMME (PD2015-06)

1. BACKGROUND:

Wellington County Council has approved an active transportation initiative involving the development of local trails. The programme is intended to provide a maximum of $350,000 over 3 years to encourage local municipalities to develop trails within their communities. While there has been discussion on the programme the details have not been clearly established.

2. TRAIL PROGRAMME: a) Purpose: To encourage the development of local trails to primarily serve non-motorized users. b) Funding: A maximum of $50,000 for each of 7 local municipalities from the County to be matched

by the local municipalities or community groups. (sweat equity not eligible) c) Project Approval: All projects must be supported by a local council resolution and by County Council. All

projects subject to available County funding. d) Project Administration: Local council to administer trail project and provide County with appropriate support

invoice for 50% of cost. 3. RECOMMENDATION

THAT the report on Wellington County Trail Funding Programme be approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary Cousins Director of Planning

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February, 2015 Page 1

COMMITTEE REPORT To: Chairman and Members of the Planning Committee

From: Linda Redmond, Senior Planner

Date: February 3, 2015

Subject: HUMMEL OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT Preview – Mount Forest (PD2015-07)

1. Purpose:

The purpose of the Official Plan Amendment is to redesignate the subject lands from Future Development to Residential. The applicant is proposing to develop the lands with a single family dwelling. The amendment affects Schedule A6-1 – Mount Forest and there are no proposed textual changes to the policies of the Official Plan.

2. Location: The property is 1.6 hectares (3.9 acres) and is located at the southern most point of the Mount Forest Urban boundary. The property has frontage on Clyde Street and is legally described as Part Lot 5, South of Clyde Street. The surrounding land uses include residential and agricultural. The property is currently occupied by a newly constructed residence.

3. Basis

The development concept for this site includes the creation of one new residential lot to be serviced on private septic and well. The Wellington County Official Plan provides consideration for the establishment of new residential areas within the Urban Area of the County.

4. Status

The application was circulated by the County to agencies in December, 2014. The Township of Wellington North will hold the statutory public meeting on March 9, 2015. In addition to the Official Plan amendment application, a separate zoning amendment has been submitted to the Township of Wellington North for the purpose of rezoning the parcel of land from Future Development to Residential – R1A Zone. A severance application is proposed in the future to sever one residential lot from the lands. Respectfully submitted,

Linda Redmond Senior Planner

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COMMITTEE REPORT

To: Chair and Members of the Planning Committee

From: Mark Van Patter, Manager of Planning and Development

Rob Johnson, Green Legacy Manager Date: February 12, 2015

Subject: GREEN LEGACY UPDATE (PD2015-08)

1. INTRODUCTION:

The Green Legacy Programme started in 2004 to plant 150,000 trees for Wellington County’s 150th anniversary. It was initiated by Warden Brad Whitcombe and CAO Scott Wilson. The programme has continued and provides trees at no charge to conservation authorities, local municipalities, community organizations, environmental groups and landowners. The reforestation of marginal agricultural lands, buffering of watercourses, living snow fences and farm windbreaks are the main areas targeted for planting.

2. CHRONOLOGY Programme initiated in 2004

Green Legacy Puslinch nursery built in 2006 at Little Tract County Forest

Programme received awards from 3 conservation authorities

Living Snow Fence programme started in 2009

1 millionth tree distributed 2010

Recognized in 2010 by the United Nation’s “Billion Trees Campaign”

Northern Nursery opened near Luther Marsh in 2012 – GRCA / School Board Partnership

Lee Symmes Municipal Award from Ontario Nature in 2012

1,750,000th tree distributed 2014

3. STAFF Full time staff of 4

Green Legacy Nursery Manager

2 Tree Nursery Assistants

Community Outreach Coordinator Seasonal staff Summer students

4. TREES Our two nurseries grow a wide variety of conifer and deciduous, native tree species. Two size categories are produced: small nursery stock and larger potted stock. The nursery stock (small tree plugs with soil attached around roots) accounts for most of the trees, approximately 150,000 plus per year. Until recently, the County distributed two year old conifers (evergreen) trees. By 2016 all conifer nursery stock will be three years old. With the larger size, competition with other plants is reduced, and general hardiness improved.

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There are over 20,000 larger potted stock trees growing, with about 10,000 given out per year. These are the larger trees in pots, suitable for urban parks and roadsides, living snow fences and other special applications. The pot sizes range from 1 to 15 gallons.

5. TREE RECIPIENTS Wellington’s seven local municipalities have been active participants in the programme. Each spring 5,000 seedlings of various species are delivered to each local municipality to distribute. In all, 35,000 trees are given out on three Saturdays in late April / early May. Information on individual tree species and planting instructions are provided to members of the public picking up trees. This part of the programme has been very popular and gives local staff and elected officials a chance to get involved. Orders placed individually by landowners totaled about 45,000 in 2014. Conservation Authorities have also been a major recipient of trees. Last year three authorities received 43,000 trees. Another 4,000 trees were received as larger potted stock. Our own tree planting programme with Grades 4 to 6 students planted 18,000. In 2014 about 20,000 nursery stock trees were put into potted stock to grow larger.

Green Legacy Tree Distribution in 2014

Local Municipalities 35,000

Landowner Orders 45,000

Conservation Authorities 43,000

Students Planting 18,000

Into Pots 20,000

2014 Total 161,000

6. 2014 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STATS

37 Elementary Schools took part

6550 primary students planted over 11,000 seeds in the classroom

3,300 junior students visited the nurseries – nursery work and interpretive walk

1,500 intermediate students planted over 12,000 trees in our community

35 schools received the “‘Green Legacy Kids Who Care Award” (i.e. every student in school

involved).

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7. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (see attached table) What makes the Green Legacy Programme unique is its emphasis on community involvement. Thousands of elementary students are introduced to the value of trees and the environment through planting seeds in the classroom, field trips to our nurseries and spring tree planting. Secondary schools earn volunteer hours working at the nurseries. Universities and a wide range of other community groups volunteer with us.

8. LIVING SNOW FENCE PROGRAMM (see attached table) Wellington introduced the Living Snow Fence Programme in 2009. The idea is to reduce accidents, keep roads open and save on winter maintenance costs. County Road Foremen identified problem areas of drifting snow on the County road system. Property owners in these areas were contacted by mail in 2013, informed about the programme and encouraged to participate. The Grand River Conservation Authority administers the programme on behalf of the County. There are already 3 to 5 new projects tentatively planned for 2015 that will result in about 2 kilometres.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS: THAT the report on the Green Legacy Update (PD2015-08) be received for information.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark Van Patter , Manager of Planning and Development Rob Johnson, Green Legacy Manager

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COMMITTEE REPORT

To: Chair and Members of the Planning Committee

From: Kyle Davis, Risk Management Official Date: February 4, 2015

Subject: SOURCE WATER UPDATE (PD2015-09)

1. BACKGROUND:

The Clean Water Act (2006) provides the framework for the development and implementation of watershed-based Source Protection Plans. The Source Protection Plans identify the risks to municipal drinking water sources and establishes actions and policies to protect current and future sources of drinking water. The policies apply within Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) and Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) established around municipal wells or intakes. There are 14 municipal drinking water systems within Wellington County in the following communities:

Erin, Bel-Erin and Hillsburgh (Erin);

Clifford, Palmerston, Minto Pines, and Harriston (Minto);

Arthur and Mount Forest (Wellington North);

Rockwood, Hamilton Drive (Guelph-Eramosa);

Drayton and Moorefield (Mapleton); and

Elora/Fergus (Centre Wellington). The Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) from the City of Guelph, Regional Municipality of Waterloo and Halton Region municipal drinking water systems also enter into Wellington County and require protection by the Townships and Towns. Source protection implementation for the municipalities within Wellington County is coordinated by the Risk Management Official (RMO). The RMO is a shared position serving all seven, local Wellington County municipalities and the County. The position is funded by the County through the Planning Budget. Administratively, the RMO is an employee of the Township of Centre Wellington. Implementation is completed in close collaboration with the local municipal and County staff. The RMO chairs an internal working group comprised of staff from all 8 municipalities (primarily Water, Building or Planning staff). The Wellington working group meets monthly to organize and guide source protection implementation activities.

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2. STATUS OF THE SOURCE PROTECTION PLANS The County of Wellington is part of five Source Protection Regions (based on watershed or conservation authority boundaries). See Appendix A for a map showing the source protection region boundaries within the County. All regions are currently developing or have developed

source protection plans. The County of Wellington is developing policies for those parts of Wellington County in the Grand River watershed while conservation authority staff are developing policies for the other watersheds. The Grand River policies have been presented to County Council previously. The RMO, Township and County staff are reviewing the policies proposed by the other four Source Protection Plans. Prior to the source protection plans becoming effective, the Minister must approve the plans. The following is a summary of the status of source protection plans within the County of Wellington:

• Ausable Bayfield Bayfield Maitland Valley(ABMV) Plan completed public consultation in

January 2014. Plan submitted on February 20, 2014 to Minister for approval.

• ABMV (Maitland) Plan was approved by the Minister on January 22, 2015. The

effective date of the Maitland Plan is April 1, 2015.

• ABMV (Maitland) public meetings are scheduled for February 26 (Clinton) and March

25 (Wingham)

• Saugeen Plan is open for public consultation between February 3rd to March 6, 2015.

Plan is to be submitted to Minister by April 30, 2015

• During the Saugeen public consultation, there are two meetings for Council and

municipal staff on February 19 (Chesley) and February 24 (Owen Sound) along with five

public meetings.

• Lake Erie (Grand River) Plan is scheduled for public consultation between March 12 to

April 24, 2015. There will be eight public meetings, three in or close to the County (in

Fergus, Guelph, Cambridge). Dates are still to be confirmed, however, will be end of

March to mid April.

• County of Wellington authors the policies within the Grand River Plan. Some edits have

been made, in response to provincial comments, since the policies were last presented

to County Council. Changes were both administrative and substantive in nature. The

substantive changes include:

• Changing prohibition to risk management plans for hazardous waste generator

sites not requiring provinicial Environmental Compliance Approvals.

• Addition of policies regarding condition sites (contaminated sites) including

policies requesting information sharing and prioritized enforcement by the

Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

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• Addition of a policy regarding monitoring of sodium and chloride concentrations

in Elora well E3 (First Line).

• Clarification of the existing definition to be consistent with provincial guidance.

• Lake Erie (Grand River) Plan is to be submitted to Minister for approval by May 2015.

• Halton-Hamilton Plan ended public consultation in January 2015. Staff provided

comment on mostly administrative issues. Plan is to be submitted to Minister for

approval in March 2015.

• CTC (Credit) Plan completed public consultation in August 2014. Staff provided

comments on a number of issues, both administrative and substantive. The

substantive issues related to future prohibition of certain chemical solvents in the 5

year time of travel well head protection area. Comments were noted, however, the

policy stayed the same.

• CTC (Credit) Plan was submitted to Minister for approval in December 2014.

3. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE APPROVED AUSABLE BAYFIELD MAITLAND VALLEY SOURCE

PROTECTION PLAN

The ABMV (Maitland) Plan was approved by the Minister on January 22, 2015. The effective date of the Maitland Plan is April 1, 2015. This is the first of the County Source Protection Plans to be approved by the Ministry. On February 3, 2015, the Town of Minto appointed the shared RMO as a Risk Management Official and Inspector and two Town Building Department staff as Risk Management Inspectors. The following are highlights of the ABMV (Maitland) Plan:

• Initial focus is on education and outreach, there is a mandatory education and outreach program to be delivered to affected property owners within the first year.

• Following the education program, Risk Management Plans (RMP) are required to

be negotiated with the persons engaged in an existing activity within three years.

• Approximately 15 to 20 properties have identified, existing activities that may

require an RMP or a prohibition.

• These existing activities are either fuel storage, dense non-aqueous phase liquid

handling (a type of chemical solvent) or spreading of nutrients or manure.

• Beginning April 1st, development applications will be required to be screened, by

the RMO, for compliance with the Maitland Source Protection Plan.

4. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS TO DATE

The RMO was hired in October 2013 and since that time has been working with municipal and County staff to prepare for source protection implementation. To date the following work has been completed collectively:

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Organization and set up of source protection program for Wellington County

municipalities including internal working group consisting of all eight municipalities

Outreach to all Wellington County municipalities (staff and Councils) regarding

source protection

Review and comment on Source Protection Plan policies jointly by the RMO, local

and County staff including authorship of Grand River policies

Participation in working groups associated with the Plans and provincially and

presentations / attendance at Source Protection Committee meetings

Desktop GIS analysis / initial field visits to verify potential threat activity locations

within wellhead protection areas including municipal properties

Source Protection mapping available on County web mapping system for

internal use

Development of planning / building process

Development of 5 year communications plan and specific fact sheets

Completion of technical work, in collaboration with local engineers, on chloride in

Elora/Fergus wells, water quantity in Guelph/Eramosa, Puslinch and Erin and review

of contaminated sites

Successful application for Source Protection Municipal Implementation Fund

(SPMIF) funding for all eight municipalities including collaboration incentives.

County of Wellington is eligible for a $45,000 base grant plus $15,000 in a

collaboration incentive for municipalities collaborating with four or more

municipalities. The total grant is $60,000.

In total, the municipalities within Wellington County are eligible for $483,173 in

base grants and a total of $603,173 including the collaboration incentives.

Funds must be spent between December 13, 2013 and December 7, 2015

5. PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION WORK FOR 2015 The following work is planned for 2015 to prepare for source protection implementation in the County of Wellington:

• Septic inspections within vulnerable areas (building staff)

• Door to door threat activity verification within vulnerable areas

• Finalization of Risk Management Plan guidance and templates and development of

information management system

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• Development of training for other municipal staff (building, planning, water) and

further development of education program

• County Official Plan updates

• Begin delivery of education and outreach program

• Finalization of development application screening process and implementation of

process effective April 1st, 2015 for Town of Minto

• Begin negotiation of risk management plans for properties with identified, existing

activities (Maitland only – Town of Minto)

• Continued review and comment on Source Protection Plans for Saugeen and Lake Erie

6. RECOMMENDATION THAT the report on the Source Water Update (PD2015-09) be received for information.

Respectfully submitted, Kyle Davis, Risk Management Official

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