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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 51
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.00% 3 Year GIC - 2.40% 5 Year GIC - 2.56% Daily Interest 1.65%
Friday, December 21, 2012
Committee defers minor variance applications for further review
Investigation - The discovery of what is believed to be a 1900s-era pioneer burial site on a building lot at the corner of Main Street and Pioneer Street in Drayton stalled construction last week while an investigation was conducted to determine the nature of the discovery. INSET: Wellington County OPP were on the scene awaiting the arrival of a forensic pathologist on Dec. 18. photos by Wilma Mol
Possible burial site discovered during construction excavation by Patrick Raftis
DRAYTON - The discovery of what may be a pioneer burial site during excavation for a building lot stalled construction of a home in a Drayton subdivision earlier this week. The discovery was made on Dec. 17 on a lot at the corner of Pioneer and Main Streets. Wellington County OPP Constable Gary Barnhardt said
initially two pieces of wood were dug up “that could possibly be part of a coffin.” Further investigation revealed what appeared to be the remains of a 1900sera pioneer burial ground, said Barnhardt. The lot is located next to a pioneer cemetery. Barnhardt said initially the developer of the subdivision had not planned to build on the lot where the
discovery was made. However, after an archeological assessment was completed, a building permit was issued for the lot, located in the Glenaviland Estates subdivision. On Dec. 18 police were at the site awaiting the arrival of a forensic pathologist called in “to assist at the site.” Barnhardt said police do not consider the discovery suspicious.
Dilapidated welcome signs to come down by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Entrance signs will be coming down in several locations around the municipality as councillors here decided no signs are better than dilapidated ones. At the Dec. 11 meeting, public works director Larry Lynch reported many of the seven entrance signs erected at the time of amalgamation have deteriorated to the point over the last dozen years that some signs are illegible.
“Many of the signs have been damaged beyond readability and others have simply succumbed to the ravages of the elements,” Lynch said. He noted that staff has removed two of the seven signs “leaving only the framework to welcome people to the community. “While there has been some discussion of a county-wide branding of signs, the fact remains this has not moved forward with any urgency and
our existing signs continue to be an embarrassment,” Lynch continued. Mayor Bruce Whale stated, “I think it’s still on the agenda for the county, but I don’t know where it’s sitting right now.” Lynch provided council with quote of just over $6,200 to replace all seven signs, however council decided to check the status of the county sign program before proceeding. In the meantime, Lynch Continued on page 12
Good news, bad news on grant applications by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - CAO Patty Sinnamon had good news and bad news on the grant front for Mapleton council at the Dec. 11 meeting. Sinnamon reported the township has been advised it’s application for a grant to assist with the cost of preparing an asset management plan was successful. The township will receive $24,850 to assist with the plan. A request for proposals for a consultant to assist with the
plan will be issued in the new year. However, the township was unsuccessful in it’s bid to obtain federal funding through the Canada Infrastructure Improvement Fund (CIIF) for upgrades to the Maryborough Community Centre. In August, the township applied for funding to cover one-third of the $265,000 project. Sinnamon said the only explanation for the rejection of the project was that “it did not meet the criteria” for the
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program. Sinnamon was surprised by the rejection, noting the submission for the project contained many of the priority elements listed in the program guidelines, including a request for only one-third of total project funding. Program guidelines indicate priority would be given to such projects. “If we’re going to proceed with these updates we’re going to have to look at other ways of financing it in our 2013 budget,” said Sinnamon.
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Mapleton’s Committee of Adjustment has deferred a decision on minor variance applications for three properties on Wellington Road 10. All three properties are at the centre of a dispute over changes to Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) provisions in the township’s new comprehensive zoning bylaw. The three applications were deferred for further review at the next committee meeting on Jan. 9 at 9:30am. Between the spring of 2011 and August of 2012, three couples, Barb and Gary Huber, Chris and Brittany Huber and Dennis and Tiffany Gleeson, purchased lots on Wellington Road 10. The lots are all within MDS range of an unoccupied livestock barn on the property of Alwyn and Lori Woodham. However Mapleton’s comprehensive zoning bylaw waives MDS1 requirements for existing lots that are less than 9.9 acres. The bylaw was originally passed in July of 2010, but did not come into effect until June of 2012 due to an OMB appeal on an unrelated matter. All three lot owners have submitted minor variance applications seeking relief from the MDS1 restrictions, which don’t allow construction of a residence closer than 360 metres to the hog barn. The lot owned by Chris and Brittany Huber is also within the MDS arc of another nearby barn.
At the Dec. 11 meeting, Mapleton council filed objections to all the requests for minor variances citing four reasons: - the MDS1 requirements are not met by the applications; - the application forms are incomplete; - the figures for MDS1 distances cited in the applications are “not verified”; and - the variance requested is “not minor in nature.” Council has taken the position that at least some of the lots were not “existing lots” prior to the passage of the new zoning bylaw because, in two of the cases, smaller lots were combined to create the minimum one-acre size required to qualify for a building permit. Councillor Mike Downey questioned the MDS figures provided in a report by the county planning department, noting they were not based on actual units of capacity in the Woodhams’ unused hog barn. However, Van Patter said his office only recently received the actual figures and would be presenting them at the committee of adjustment hearing on Dec. 12. Van Patter said the planning department used 2001 data to make MDS1 calculations because the barn owners only recently provided the updated information requested by the applicants. Downey also felt diagrams submitted with the applications showed MDS2 arcs, rather than MDS1 arcs and were not com-
pleted prior to submission. Councillor Neil Driscoll said he was uncomfortable making decisions based on “conflicting” information. “I don’t understand MDS and I rely on the people who do,” he stated. Mayor Bruce Whale asked, “Does this get into an issue where it’s something that the committee of adjustment has to decide?” Van Patter suggested the entire debate may be moot, as he believes there is little potential for future expansion of the Woodham’s barn under any circumstances. “There are existing residences to the north and south of this livestock facility that fall within the MDS1 setback (arc), in addition to the Moorefield urban boundary. Given the close proximity of these uses to this barn, there is little, if any, potential for expansion over its current size and capacity and the barn is limited to its current size,” Van Patter stated in a written report. Downey disagreed that the MDS arc from the Woodhams’ barn would run to the Moorefield urban boundary, once the actual figures were used for calculation. Van Patter said the planning office is confident in its position on the issue. “Very frankly, we’re probably going to go to the Ontario Municipal Board on this issue and were not sticking our neck out on a weak case,” Van Patter stated.
Clubs pitch in for playground equipment MAPLETON - The children of both Moorefield and Drayton are getting an early Christmas present with the recent issue of a purchase for new playground equipment. Through a unique partnership between the Drayton Kinsmen Club, the Moorefield Optimist and Opti-Mrs. Clubs, and the Township of Mapleton, just over $60,000 in new playground structures have been earmarked for two of Mapleton’s busiest play areas: the Moorefield Community Park and the Drayton Kinsmen Park. The equipment is being purchased through Recreation Playsystems of St. Clements, which previously provided the play structure installed in Drayton’s ABC Park in 2010. “This type of community partnership is an absolute lottery win when opportunities for funding are so limited these days,” said public works
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director Larry Lynch. “Both the Kinsmen and the Optimist Clubs have given so much to the betterment of their communities; Mapleton is thrilled to be able to upgrade our parks equipment by working alongside such dedicated volunteers.” The township’s public works department will be taking care of the playground base preparation, drainage installation and preparation of the play area footprint in advance of the structure installation. This work is intended to take place over the winter months and the play structure installation should be completed by Victoria Day weekend in 2013. Longtime Drayton Kinsmen member Wayne Mick has been a driving force in the play equipment project. “The opportunity to put quality, barrier-free accessible equipment into the township’s park system is at the heart
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of the Kinsmen’s mandate of ‘serving the community’s greatest needs,’” said Mick. “Working with the Optimists, the township and a knowledgeable supplier has been a labour of love for all of us and in the end our success will be measured by the smiles of our local youth,” The Drayton Kinsmen have made a township-wide commitment for funding park equipment upgrades while the Moorefield Optimists and Opti-Mrs. are making a financial commitment to upgrade the equipment in Moorefield Park. The township is covering half the costs of the $61,000 equipment upgrade as well as providing the labour and funds to prepare the park with engineered chips for the base. Township staff will also be removing old equipment and disposing of it appropriately. Continued on page 3
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