Oct. 12, 2022
Here are the highlights from the Lanark County Council meeting held Oct. 12, 2022.
Terms of Reference for SCOP Components Endorsed: Council has endorsed terms of reference for two components of the updates for the Lanark County Sustainable Communities Official Plan (SCOP): aggregate resources and growth management.
At the economic development committee meeting last month, Planner Julie Stewart reported on the terms of reference being posted for a consultant to develop an Aggregate Resources Inventory Master Plan for the county. This results from a need to address provincial interests and the Provincial Policy Statement requirements as part of the SCOP.
The terms of reference include:
- Reviewing relevant provincial legislation and official plan policies related to mineral aggregates
- Reviewing existing data and mapping related to mineral aggregate resources and the industry in the county
- Assessing environmental, social and economic factors and identifying deposits for protection and extraction
- Identifying and discussing potential constraints to extraction
- Refining mapping in areas of potential conflict and potential non-viable deposits, if needed
- Identifying existing licensed pits and quarries, feasible deposits and bedrock and adjacent lands to be included in the SCOP
- Reviewing and updating official plan policies for mineral aggregate resources, including bedrock, using current best practices land use policies.
In a report to council, Stewart reviewed the terms of reference for the Growth Management Study, including:
- Reviewing all official plan policy to ensure consistency with the Planning Act and Provincial Policy Statement
- Providing growth management goals and objectives
- Updating population and employment projections
- Identifying and reviewing land needs, including the supply of industrial, employment, commercial and residential
- Reviewing existing urban and hamlet boundaries
- Assessing the need and potential impacts of settlement area expansions into prime agricultural areas, if applicable
- Reviewing key policy areas to ensure the direction remains relevant and reflective of the land-use trends within the county to connect growth and development with planning for engineering and community infrastructure over the long term
- Developing key policy recommendations, which may result in proposed amendments to the SCOP.
Updates will be brought back to council as the work on the SCOP continues. For more information, contact Julie Stewart, County Planner, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1520.
Trans Canada Trail to be Rerouted: Council has endorsed rerouting the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) in Lanark County to connect with the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail (OVRT).
In a report to the economic development committee last month, CAO Kurt Greaves explained the TCT’s mission is to connect people to nature and each other through outdoor activities from coast to coast to coast. This is done through collaboration and partnerships to build, maintain and steward the national trail, which is a system of connected trails.
Greaves said the county approached TCT about moving the current Lanark portion of the trail to the OVRT several years ago. This year TCT expressed an interest. The new proposed route is to use the OVRT where it meets the existing TCT at Coleman Street in Carleton Place and continue through Beckwith and Montague to Smiths Falls.
“The new proposed route provides a much more direct path across Lanark County,” Greaves said. “It includes the OVRT and two short sections of municipal road. This reduces the number of local municipalities traversed to three.”
Greaves said the major reason for recommending the change is to reduce the roadside portion of the existing TCT. “The current section in question is 102.3 km, all on roadsides. By rerouting the TCT to the OVRT, this will be reduced by about 70 km. Of this remaining 30 km, 92 per cent will be on the OVRT and the remaining 8 per cent on roadsides.”
The change is recommended in order to enhance the experience for visitors. Greaves noted the TCT offers annual grants to fund trail maintenance, which could offset some OVRT maintenance activities or signage. The report will be sent to local municipalities asking for their endorsement. For more information, contact Kurt Greaves, CAO, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1101.
Climate Action Committee Updates Received: Council has adopted the corporate and community climate action tables and approved the 2022 climate action expenditures. Climate Environmental Coordinator Michelle Vala reported on the committees’ activities at the public works meeting last month. The list of actions began in November 2021, were prioritized using five criteria and six guiding principles, and a new table was created for corporate and community actions that includes more details.
Vala explained $150,000 of the $200,000 allocation for climate actions in 2022 is offset by Provincial Modernization Funding. About $25,000 has been spent so far, with $75,000 in approved expenditures, including Greenscale Services (a review of the greenhouse gas emissions inventory and estimate of potential reductions), the local municipal electrical vehicle incentive program, the One Million Trees (giveaway) Program and the Sustainably.eco program (nine free memberships to local businesses wanting to expand green initiatives). The remainder is yet to be allocated.
For more information, contact Michelle Vala, Climate Environmental Coordinator, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 3114.
Local MP Reviews Electoral District Changes: Council received information from Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MP Scott Reid, who appeared as a delegation to discuss the federal electoral districts redistribution slated for 2022.
The electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act mandates sets out the rules for redistributing federal electoral boundaries in Canada, and aims to correspond, as closely as possible, with provincial electoral quota, which is the total population divided by the number of districts. It also looks at communities of interest or identity, historical patterns and manageable geographic sizes in sparsely populated regions. Proposed boundary changes are necessary due to the allocation of an additional district and to correct wide variations in voter equality that have emerged due to population changes.
The proposal changes Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston to Lanark-Frontenac. Lanark County remains intact in the proposed riding, a portion of Leeds and Grenville is added, along with Greater Madawaska Township and North and Central Frontenac. The current riding includes North, Central and South Frontenac and a part of Kingston.
Reid highlighted options that would better redistribute the ridings in to reflect communities of interest and maintain desired population ratios, including an option that keeps the Town of Smiths Falls with Lanark County. Council passed a motion noting Lanark County’s close institutional links with Smiths Falls and that it supports the choice of the Town of Smiths Falls to remain in the Lanark/Frontenac Federal riding. The motion will be distributed to the Town of Smiths Falls.
Additional information about the proposed changes can be found at https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/on/prop/index_e.aspx. For more information, contact Jasmin Ralph, County Clerk, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502.
Update on ALUS Lanark Received: Council received an update on the Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) Lanark initiative and local projects that are underway.
At the public works committee meeting last month, Climate Environmental Coordinator Michelle Vala reported on the activities of the charitable organization, which is a farmer-delivered program that produces, enhances and maintains ecosystem services on agricultural lands.
“ALUS helps farmers and ranchers build nature-based solutions on their land to sustain agriculture and biodiversity for the benefit of communities and future generations,” she said. “Most projects target areas that are marginally productive, inefficient to farm or are environmentally sensitive. Generally, a maximum of 20 per cent of workable land is eligible.”
A local partnership advisory committee oversees the program. It is made up of local farmers (at least 50 per cent of the membership), community stakeholders (including Vala for the county) and other non-governmental organizations. The Lanark chapter formed in January 2022. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority acts as the legal entity for the program, but delivery and management is shared with Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority.
Examples of projects include wetland restoration and enhancement, riparian buffers, reforestation, native grassland creation, pollinator habitat and wildlife food plots, delayed cut hay and grazing, erosion control and habitat structures. To apply for project funding, farmers submit an expression of interest with the assistance of a coordinator. The process includes site visits and an agreement.
Vala said ALUS Lanark has $60,500 in 2022 for wetland creation. Program targets this year are to create two new acres of wetland and enhance five acres of wetland habitat. The first project is to create two new wetlands on a dairy sheep farm along the Rosedale Creek at low, wet spots in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. The second project is to create a 0.5-acre wetland on a beef farm along the same creek, which will act as a pairing pond to complement another wetland previously established by Ducks Unlimited. A third project is to enhance a large wetland on a farm with livestock along Black Creek and the Swale Wetland off the Rideau River within a source water protection intake protection zone for Smiths Falls.
An official launch event for ALUS Lanark will be planned after the successful completion of the first projects next year. Learn more at https://alus.ca/alus_community/alus-lanark/
For more information, contact Michelle Vala, Climate Environmental Coordinator, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 3114.
Upcoming Meetings: County Council, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m.; Public Works, Oct. 26 (following County Council); Economic Development, Oct. 26 (following Public Works). County Council, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 5 p.m.; Community Services, Nov. 9 (following County Council); Corporate Services, Nov. 9 (following Community Services). Watch for details about public access to meetings on agendas and through online notifications. For more information, contact 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502. Like "LanarkCounty1" on Facebook and follow "@LanarkCounty1" on Twitter!