Council Reports: July 31, 2006

Sunset Bay Association Wants a Meeting Place; Airport Commission Payment Withheld; Site 41 Demonstration at Queen’s Park; Dune Restoration at Bluewater Beach; Deputation by Former Councillor Robert Buchkowsky; Deputation Re: Proposed Gravel Pit in Concessions 1 & 2 OS; Public Meeting About Lands in Vicinity of Sandy Bay Park, Concession 19 West;REPORT ON COUNCIL
July 31, 2006
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:03 a.m. – 4:48 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:25 p.m. – 9:47 p.m.
All Members of Council present.

CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 12:03 p.m. – 4:48 p.m.

SUNSET BAY ASSOCIATION WANTS A MEETING PLACE: The Sunset Bay Association’s president, Hans Merzbacher, asked permission to present a deputation to Council about “the need and details for use of Tiny Township property to erect a meeting place facility for the Sunset Bay and area residents.” He wanted the proposal to be considered by the consultant preparing a Recreation Master Plan for the Township. Council asked the CAO/CLERK to arrange for the Sunset Bay Association to discuss the matter with the consultant.
(Other associations in the North East area of Tiny Township might wish to consider how this proposal would fit into their needs and desires and whether they too might wish to speak to the consultant.)

AIRPORT COMMISSION PAYMENT WITHHELD: Council decided not to send its payment of $24,453 to the Airport Commission to cover the Township’s 22% share of this year’s airport operating costs. The funds are due, but the long requested financial statements and business plan have still not been supplied and the majority view was that the payment should be withheld until a plan for producing the requested records is supplied.

SITE 41 DEMONSTRATION AT QUEEN’S PARK: This has been timed to coincide with the public hearings on the Clean Water Act on August 21. Councillor Ray Millar said that he intended to be present at the demonstration, as did Councillor Paul Maurice. Councillor Millar (chair of the Site 41 Community Monitoring Committee) encouraged all members of Council and residents of Tiny Township to participate.

DUNE RESTORATION AT BLUEWATER BEACH: At its meeting on July 13, 2006, the Bluewater Beach Advisory Committee, recommended (and at this meeting, Council approved) that a newsletter be printed by the Township and delivered by volunteers door to door from Concession 4 West to Concession 6 West. Headed “Bluewater Beach Dunes Restoration”, the newsletter describes the erosion and degradation of native vegetation in the park and the need for a restoration plan to stop the decline and eventual loss of the dunes. It speaks of the biological assessment currently in progress, and the need to control access to some parts of the dune areas to prevent further damage and to allow future replanting of dune grasses. Park users are asked to respect the postings and fencing. In addition, the Committee recommended that signs be placed at the three main entries (Deanlea, Nicole Ave., and Trew Ave) and a number of subsidiary entry points. The signs read:

BLUEWATER BEACH DUNES RESTORATION The Township of Tiny is currently undertaking the restoration of the Bluewater Dunes, and needs your help in protecting them. Please refrain from walking on, or disturbing, the native grasses, and no climbing on the dunes. All motorized vehicles are prohibited.

DEPUTATION BY FORMER COUNCILLOR ROBERT BUCHKOWSKY: This deputation concerned shore ownership issues related to the high water mark, the Boundaries Act, and the Land Titles Act & Certification of Titles Act, and Robert Buchkowsky’s view that action should be undertaken by the Province and the Municipality to assert ownership of beach land a) between the high water mark and the water’s edge in Tiny Township where there was “unclear ownership” or b) where there was a “claim that a long period of use has matured into a prescriptive right”. He urged Council to get a legal opinion about the validity of his various suggestions. He also urged Council to undertake a series of actions in relation to the property in Balm Beach where a fence has been erected.
Council will consider this deputation at its next meeting.

DEPUTATION RE PROPOSED GRAVEL PIT IN CONCESSIONS 1 & 2 OS: The Serjeant Company put the Township on notice that it wishes to establish an aggregate extraction operation on Part Lots 78 & 79 in Concessions 1 & 2. We note that the plans are for a large operation and neighbours will want to check the zoning provisions, the proposed setbacks, and the details of the plan to return the land to agricultural uses after the aggregate has been extracted.

PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT LANDS IN VICINITY OF SANDY BAY PARK, CONCESSION 19 WEST: The issue concerned the disposition of waterfront property in the vicinity of Sandy Bay Park and the Park itself now that low water has exposed new “accreted” land that has affected water access for one resident. Many individuals expressed opinions. It appeared that Council would need to get legal advice about the approach suggested by Ted Symons of Hacker Gignac Rice, and that discussion would be delayed until Council had such advice in hand.

NB: DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE’S A WALK IN CLINIC
3 Beck Blvd, Penetang (bottom of Main Street by Town dock)
Regular weekday hours; shorter hours on Saturday:
Website – www.baysidemedical.ca