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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 21
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.15% 3 Year GIC - 2.43% 5 Year GIC - 2.76% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, May 25, 2012
NextEra awaiting building permit for turbines near Arthur by David Meyer MAPLETON - Just days after the Superior Court dismissed a petition to overturn the approval of NextEra Canada’s wind turbine project near Arthur, the company applied for a building permit. Preserve Mapleton Inc. (PMI) lost its battle in court to halt the 10-turbine wind farm in the township. The plan is for the construction, installation, operation, use and retiring of a Class 4 wind facility with nine 2.3-megawatt wind turbine generators and one 2.22MW wind turbine generator, with a total capacity of 22.9MW. NextEra expects to proceed with its construction plans even though PMI is still appealing to the Environmental Review Tribunal on the awarding of the contract by the Ministry of the Environment. NextEra spokesman Josie Hernandez said in an interview the Dec. 8 ministry approval under the Renewable Energy Act gives the company the right to proceed with the project even though the tribunal dates have not yet been set. She said her understanding is those will happen in July. Hernandez explained the court case took precedence over the approval of the project. When asked if it could be a gamble (if the tribunal rejects the wind farm approval), she said the company is permitted to go ahead, but she is unable to discuss the tribunal proceedings. Yet she added, “We are not a company that takes gambles.” She said NextEra has “much experience” in the renewable energy field and she feels comfortable proceeding. Hernandez said while the company has applied for its building permit, that has not yet been issued by Mapleton Township. She said NextEra is working with chief building official David Kopp and hopes to get started soon. She added there are time limits to how long the township can delay the building permit application. “We are fully entitled to move the project forward as deemed appropriate,” she explained. Hernandez explained the tribunal is “entirely different” than the scope and mandate of the courts, and that is why the company has the right to proceed with the permit application and the work. When asked when the project might get underway, she
said, “We are still working on our schedule,” but in many ways, “We have been ready to go for some time.” Project director Nicole Geneau said some of the jobs being created by the project will be specialized, but in many other cases, “We will try to hire locally.” Hernandez expected there could be 150 jobs created to erect the turbines and connect them to the hydro grid. She explained the company will erect the towers in three separate sections using cranes. She added the turbines are the same size as the five that are located at the west side of Arthur village. The upwind, three-bladed, horizontal-axis wind turbines will each have a hub height of 80 metres and rotor diameter of 101m. The overall height of each turbine, including the blade length, will be approximately 129 metres. Hernandez said when the company is ready to start its construction it will inform the public of the construction schedule. Geneau said NextEra, in order to enable ongoing communication with township residents, is forming a community liaison committee that will be moderated by a third party. She said NextEra is in the process of developing the charter for that committee. Hernandez added the committee will be made up of five area residents, mainly from Mapleton, and it already has four people. The company is seeking a fifth person to be part of it. She said the committee will be in place for two years to “make sure there is two-way communication.” Geneau said the committee’s meetings will be open to the public and will be publicly announced. Plus, she said, “Everything will be on our website.” Hernandez said IBI Group - an architecture, engineering, consulting and design firm is working on a date and she hopes the first committee meeting is scheduled for June. The NextEra website noted the work to build the turbines includes leasing land rights for: - wind turbines; - access roads; - collection lines; - transmission lines in some cases; - short-term construction space; and Continued on page 2 Main St. W. Palmerston
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Final cheque - On May 8 Alma Optimist Club members presented the club’s final payment for the new Alma community hall to Mapleton Mayor Bruce Whale, bringing the Optimists’ total contribution to the building to $289,775. From left are: Whale, Nick Schrier, Mark Reynolds, Linda Avery and Les Skerritt. Township officials thanked the Optimist Club for its contribution to the hall, which they say will benefit the township and surrounding communities for years to come. The total cost of the building, which officially opened last year, was $1,605,166. The provincial and federal governments each contributed $512,808, while the township and Optimist Club each gave $289,775. submitted photo
Lights from Teviotdale moving to Moorefield by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - One community’s loss is turning into a gain for a nearby neighbour. Minto is losing a ballpark with the construction of a new OPP detachment in Teviotdale.
Mapleton’s public works director Larry Lynch recently said the lights from that ball diamond will be moved to the Moorefield ball park, which is receiving a number of improvements this year. Lynch added the Alma Optimists are also working on lights for the ball diamond
in that community. The diamond’s lights were all but destroyed in high winds last year and the club is working to get them replaced. Meanwhile, some of the ball teams there are playing in other communities such as Elora.
Spring Rural Romp visits township this Saturday Taste Real is offering its second annual spring Wellington Rural Romp on May 26. Find the story behind the food, enjoy the first tastes of spring and get ready for growing. The themes for the Romp are Gardens Delight and Tastes of Spring. About 14 farms, markets, gardens and restaurants in Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North will open their doors to offer self-guided tours. Participants can take part in a day in
the countryside, meet local farmers and enjoy real taste and experience agricultural education, guided tours, and children’s activities. Participants can frolic with baby animals, learn more about local community shared agriculture, buy heirloom tomato seedlings or browse and experience unique rural gardens and learn how to grow produce. Participants are encouraged to share
photos and videos from the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tastereal. Prizes will be awarded for the best photo in three different categories: farmscapes, family fun and food. The sixth annual fall Wellington Rural Romp, occurs on the last Saturday of September. The spring Rural Romp runs May 26 from 11am to 4pm. For farm locations, download the map at www.tastereal.ca.
Committee to face several minor variance requests by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - The committee of adjustment here is keeping busy. On May 8 Mapleton council received a list of meetings the committee will hold on June 9 starting at 9:30am at the township council chambers. The first is for a property at Lot 9, 104 Graham Street West, in Alma. It is currently occupied by a residence and it is southwest of Elora Street. The applicant wants relief from the maximum floor area and height requirement for an accessory building.
The maximum allowable floor area under Mapleton’s current and proposed zoning bylaws is 753.5 square feet or 1,000 square feet for a residential lot. The applicant is requesting permission to construct a 1,872 square foot accessory building (36 by 52 feet) with a height of 25 feet to the peak, for personal use, to store recreational vehicles. The variance may also address any other siting regulations deemed appropriate by the committee. The second meeting is for
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a property described as 128 Wellington Street North in Drayton. The purpose of the application is to obtain relief from the maximum floor area for a woodworking shop and a reduction in the minimum rear yard setback. The maximum allowable floor areas for the shop is limited to 4,000 square feet. The building was recently destroyed by fire and the applicant is asking to reconstruct the building at 6,400 square feet and situate it 10 feet from the rear lot line, whereas the bylaw
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requires 25 feet. In the third case, the committee is hearing an application for a property described as Block 48 of Andrews Drive West and Wellington Street North in Drayton. The purpose of the application is to provide relief from the setback and maximum allowable height. The front yard setback reduction is required in order to allow a driveway canopy encroachment. The applicants are proposing to construct a three storey, 17-unit seniors’ apartment building.
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