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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 18
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.20% 3 Year GIC - 2.42% 5 Year GIC - 2.76% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, May 4, 2012
Township provides up-front cash for mural by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - It will cost over $12,000 to create a mural in Moorefield and Mapleton council has agreed to pay some of the cost up front to help pay the artist. Public works director Larry Lynch gave council a report on the project and made the request for a $5,400 down payment to artist Allan Hillgendorf, who will create the mural on panels and place it on the K.A. Hammond building in the village. The mural will be 12 feet high and 32 feet long. Council had already agreed to pay half the cost of the project, which will depict the history of Moorefield. Two days after council supported the project, the township’s parks, culture and recreation committee also endorsed it, Lynch told council. Lynch stated in the report he met with the mural team and it has already planned a doorto-door donations campaign and has already identified 45 local industries and commercial businesses that will be asked to contribute. Lynch himself has arranged an exhibition fastball game between three-time world
champion New Zealand Black Sox and the Argentina national fastball team. He said a working group is being established to support that event with food, a licensed beverage area and draws. He added the group expects to have a profit of $3,000 from the game alone, and noted a similar one in Drayton a few years ago raised nearly $5,000. “I have no doubt the local service clubs and community supporters will raise the matching $6,000 to make this mural a cultural windfall for Moorefield and Mapleton Township,� Lynch said in the report. He added, “I have been working with many of the local groups in Moorefield to enhance their community in recent years and I see the excitement generated already regarding this opportunity to celebrate their history in mural form.� Mayor Bruce Whale asked if the project can be completed by July 1. Lynch said he hoped it would be completed by the end of the summer. Council was unanimous in approving an advanced payment of $5,400.
Council expected to pass budget at May 8 meeting MAPLETON TWP. Council here has declared its intention to pass the township budget at its May 8 council meeting. That declaration came on
April 24 at the council meeting held that afternoon. The entire morning was a budget session and council now appears ready to approve its 2012 financial plan.
Zealous cowgirls - The 4th Annual Zeal for Teal fundraiser for the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope was held at the PMD Arena in Drayton last weekend. Over 100 women gathered to scrapbook and craft their way through the day - while raising funds for a good cause. This year’s event had a wild west theme, which was embraced by members of the Zeal for Teal committee, including (from left): Amanda Newton, Glynis Belec, Sue Bauman, Amanda Hauser, Rosemary Latham, Amber Tuck and Darlene Hauser. See next week’s paper for more information on the event, including the final fundraising total. photo by Jessika Sutton
Sale of road allowance approved second time around by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here have overturned a March 13 decision and will now allow the sale of an unopened road allowance to a family in Rothsay. Council made the decision with little comment after a report from chief administrative officer Patty Sinnamon on April 24 that demonstrated the sale would not take away any rights of an abutting landowner.
The issue goes back to a township error several years ago, when Ryan and Nicole Martin received permission to erect an accessory shed at lots 86, 87, 112 and 113 on Concession 14, off County Road 7 in the hamlet. They received the building permit and erected the shed. Council later learned the new building encroached well onto an unopened road allowance owned by Mapleton Township. At the time, it was
not evident by just looking at the property. The road allowance is known as Nelson Street. It runs from County Road 7 to another unopened road allowance to the north called Head Street. Nelson Street is to the east of the Martin holdings. It is 264 feet deep and 66 feet wide. Council was in the process of selling that road allowance to the Martins in March when it suddenly heard from a nearby landowner. Robert MacDonald
came to council as a delegation to oppose the township’s closing and selling the land to a single landowner. The landowner adjacent to the Martins had no objection to them buying the entire parcel. Normally, council would offer half of the road allowance to each abutting landowner. But the shed was built so far onto the allowance that it would be impractical to divide the land - and it would also cause legal Continued on page 2
Council changes mind on two-house development in 3-2 vote by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - Tim Martin can now begin building a two-lot development to the northeast of Glen Allan. Council changed its mind on April 24 and voted 3-2 to sell a rural road allowance that would enable Martin to build two homes over several lots from a plan of subdivision that goes back decades. He will have to merge several of those lots in order to provide enough land for water and septic systems. Council has, in effect, declared a portion of Sideroad 16 surplus to the needs of the municipality and will sell it to Martin. Sideroad 16 runs north off County Road 45 on the west side of Glen Allan (just east of County Road 11) and it looks
like a farmer’s lane. That is, in fact, what it has been for years - even though the township maintains it as a municipallyowned road. The old plan of subdivision to the north is near the Conestogo River. The sideroad acts as a lane for Carl Foell’s farm and turns abruptly to the west into a farmhouse. Martin’s proposed two lots are hundreds of yards north of that. The land is Part of Lot 4, Concession 4. Mapleton Township maintains the part of Sideroad 16 leading to the farmhouse. The rest, towards the subdivision, is a field that will be sold. Martin’s other difficulty is those lots do not have any road frontage - a firm rule in the township for obtaining a permit to build a house.
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Council voted 2-1 in March to refuse Martin’s request to buy the extension of the road allowance, but Mayor Bruce Whale asked that it be brought back to council for further consideration. Chief administrative officer Patty Sinnamon said in her report if council decides to close the open portion of Sideroad 16 that Foell uses for access, the bylaw would likely be challenged successfully in court. She wrote, “To do nothing and not transfer the unopened portion to Mr. Martin is a loselose situation for the township. Mr. Martin has obtained the necessary approvals from the [Grand River Conservation Authority] to construct two residential dwellings on the
cluster of lots. This would be an opportunity for increased residential assessment in the township.� Plus, she wrote, “The lots are existing and therefore do not require zoning amendments. Further, there is no additional cost to the township in maintaining the road since it is not being extended and opened.� That means the township would continue to plow the road to the entrance of the Foell home, and then turn around. Martin and the residential owners would be responsible for maintaining the lane to their properties. Sinnamon added, “Any concern about the safety of snow plowing or maintenance on the opened portion are an entirely separate matter. While
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it is agreed that the road is narrow, the township does have the alternative to make maintenance operations safer, including expropriation of land to widen the road.� She also said the contractor who has maintained the Foell entrance of Sideroad 16 has for several years “completed a three point turn in the Foell’s entrance to the drive shed. The Foells have no objection to this whatsoever. This by far is the cheapest solution for the township and one that already exists.� Sinnamon added she has spoken to Bill Foell several times and he has no objection to the sale of the sideroad extension to Martin. Councillor Jim Curry said there is an issue with the snow-
plow driver entering onto private property. Public works director Larry Lynch said that is not the case “if he backs out.� But Curry said that brings up safety issues. Whale pointed out part of the agreement the township requires is there will be enhancement of the turnaround area for the driver. Sinnamon added the township owns the land, so that does not even need to be included in the agreement. She added the Foells have always said they have no problem with the truck turning around in their driveway. Curry called it “a gentlemen’s agreement.� Whale broke a tied vote and declared the motion carried, thus enabling Martin to build the two homes.
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