Committee defers moraine development decision

Group of Aurora residents preparing case

Aurora's committee of adjustment deferred a decision on whether or not to allow a developer to build houses on a portion of the Oak Ridges Moraine to give residents more time to mount a case against the project.
The residents received a further 90 days to gather facts, as they found out about the proposed development less than a month before the committee meeting took place.
Neighbours on Stemmle Drive took issue with the proposed development after claiming five houses proposed for the site would be squeezed into the space and developers would be forced to build a huge retaining wall on the sloped land.
Any construction would alter the hilly landscape and put the moraine at risk, the neighbours argued.
One of the lead campaigners and a neighbour of the proposed development, Anne Benton, said she was relieved by the committee's decision, but added residents have a tough task before them.
“We felt it was a minor victory,” she said. “We have been given three months, so we really need to get ourselves organized.”
On top of putting together a meeting with all the neighbours and anyone else who is interested in saving the moraine, she is looking into hiring a hydrologist who will speak to the importance of this part of the moraine. 
A representative from The Save The Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition was present at the meeting and is acting as a consultant for the group.
The land in question is identified as settlement land in moraine legislation.

Summerhill Woods Trees Can Be Spared

Trees can be preserved during the removal of arsenic in the Summerhill Woods development, according to report.
The report, presented at this week’s Newmarket committee of the whole meeting by Burnside and Associates’ Jim Walls and Intrinsik Environmental Sciences Inc.’s Elliot Sigal concluded it is possible to remove the soil containing elevated levels of arsenic without clear-cutting the trees.
The developers of the residential project, at the southeast corner of Mulock Drive and Bathurst Street, informed the town in 2009 of high levels of arsenic in the soil. Before proceeding with construction, the developer removed much of the contaminated soil, but was unsure how to proceed with removal in the wooded area that sits on the Oak Ridges Moraine. 
The town called for a risk assessment under the Environmental Protection Act to determine if the contamination could be removed without destroying the environmental features. While a plan was expected to be approved by the Environment Ministry by 2010, changes in the ministry’s guidelines caused a delay.
The assessment has now been approved.
“This is a good news story,” Mr. Walls told council.
Less than half a metre of top soil must be removed from the trail lands, northern forested lands and William Thomas Mulock Park, Mr. Sigal said. Two areas will require Criterion to manage removal and the public park will be the responsibility of the town.
Although the easiest way to remove the soil would have been to also remove the trees, the developer and town wanted to preserve the naturally wooded areas, he added. 
As for future use of the land, the ministry will issue a certificate of property use in the next 30 days to limit the use to forested parkland.
The ministry and York Region Public Health have reviewed the report with safety top of mind, he said. 
“We are being proactive for health and safety as well as the environment.”
Mr. Walls doesn’t expect the soil removal will take much time and doesn’t foresee dust or noise disturbances during the work.
“This should be able to be done without too much of a disturbance to residents,” he said. 
Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen said people will be happy to receive the report and know things are moving forward.
Town staff has been directed to prepare a report exploring the cost of the soil removal  on town land and report back to council.