Here is an update from Don Watt regarding the MRC North Hatley Flood Plain Management Plan, adopted by the Memphrémagog MRC on December 14, 2016. We are all encouraged to write letters stating our concerns.
Français
On trouvera ci-joint la demande de Paul St-Pierre aux ministères d’examiner de façon critique le plan de gestion des inondations de MRC pour notre plaine inondable, déposé au début de décembre, pour un examen ministériel de 60 jours. Paul a fait une excellente évaluation critique et nous avons maintenant besoin de votre aide pour faire savoir aux ministres, selon vos propres mots, combien il est important d’appuyer un examen critique. .
Le conseil a dépensé plus de 200 000 $ en frais de consultation et juridiques à ce jour et 97 000 $, budgétisés en 2017, pour élaborer le cadre juridique du projet de condo, présenté il y a deux ans.
Si le plan de gestion de la MRC est approuvé par les provinces, le conseil peut accorder à tout promoteur les conditions qu’il juge appropriées pour s’assurer que le projet est construit. Bien qu’ils donnent du service verbal à la participation du public, ils ont le dernier mot. En lisant la critique de Paul, il sera évident que la situation est grave. Jusqu’à présent, nous savons que cinq lettres ont été envoyées au ministre, mais nous sommes convaincues que cela est nécessaire pour que cela ait un impact.
Alors que nous aimerions savoir combien de lettres sont écrites aux ministres, le contenu est votre affaire, donc une copie pour nous ne devrait pas être envoyé.
Les adresses électroniques des ministres sont les suivantes
English
Attached please find Paul St-Pierre’s request to the Ministries to critically review the MRC Flood management plan for our flood plain, filed in early December, for a 60 day government review. Paul has done an excellent critical evaluation, and now we need your help in letting the Ministers know, in your own words, how broad is support for a critical review. .
The council has spent in excess of $200,000, in consulting & legal fees to date, with another $97,000, budgeted for 2017, to develop for the legal framework for the condo project outlined two years ago .
If this MRC management plan receives provincial approval, as it is, then the council can grant any developer any conditions they see fit, to see that the project is built. Though they give lip service to public participation, they have the final say. As you read Paul’s critique, it will be evident how serious the situation is. To date we are aware of five letters to the Minister, but feel many more that this are required for this to have any impact.
While we would like to know how many letters are written to the Ministers, the content is your affair, so a copy to us should not be sent.
The e-mail addresses to the Ministers are :
Subject: Lettre au ministre / Letter to the minister
Le plan de gestion pour le centre de North Hatley a été adopté le 14 décembre 2016 par la MRC de Memphrémagog, et envoyé pour avis au ministre du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. Le plan de gestion prévoit la construction de trois immeubles (quatre et cinq étages) de 210 logements, avec une occupation au sol de plus de 7700 m2, au cœur même du village. Attachées à ce courriel vous trouverez la lettre — avec sa traduction en anglais — que je viens d’envoyer au ministre, ainsi qu’au ministre des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire, et de Sécurité publique. Je vous invite de leur écrire au sujet du plan de gestion, qui se trouve à : http://www.mrcmemphremagog.com/download/Reglements/Plan-de-gestion-zone-inondable-North-Hatley.pdf
The management plan for the heart of North Hatley was adopted on December 14, 2016, by the MRC de Memphrémagog, and sent to the Minister for Développement durable, l’Environnement et la Lutte contre les changements climatiques for his opinion. The management plan would allow the construction in the heart of the village of three buildings, four and five storeys in height, with 210 units, and a footprint of over 82,800 square feet. I have attached to this e-mail the letter I have sent to the Minister, as well as to the Minister for Affaires municipales et l’Occupation du territoire, et Sécurité publique. I feel this would be the time for citizens to write to the ministers about the management plan, before the opinion has been received. The management plan (available only in French, but a working translation can be obtained using Google Translate — pages 21 to 26 deal with what would be allowed to be built) can be found at: http://www.mrcmemphremagog.com/download/Reglements/Plan-de-gestion-zone-inondable-North-Hatley.pdf
Paul St-Pierre
Je viens d’envoyer un courriel au Ministre. (le 10 janvier 2017)
January 14, 2017
Monsieur David Heurtel, ministre
Développement durable, Environnement et Lutte contre
les changements climatiques.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Minister,
After careful consideration and study my concerns for this project lead me to believe that this project is high risk that it will lead to extremely high insurance costs and fail; leaving the town in dire straits if this development proceeds in the current state.
Concerns: Management Plan for the Massawippi River Flood Zone – Village of North Hatley
1. The plan seems to be based on 20 and 100-year flood plains which don’t exist anymore – everything is now 5 year and zoned accordingly. The risk being; it would now flood every 2 years out of five and the history of the river would confirm this.
2. The plan is to be built on a site that had 2 gas stations and a marina on or encroaching the site. It doesn’t appear that soil samples have been taken to determine a level of contamination; gas station remediation sites can put a 5-year halt on construction after soil remediation in some provinces.
3. Are municipal bylaws on height restrictions (3 floors) still in place that prevented a building of 27 stories in 1970?
4. The current capacity of infrastructure and at what cost to accommodate development with water and sewage aren’t present.
5. The plan violates current bylaws/conservation guidelines (Protection policy for Lakeshores, Riverbanks, Littoral Zones and Floodplains) that have been developed since the 60’s.
6. Perhaps downsizing the current plan; putting it up on pillars and removing the ground floor for parking which is lacking and re-submitting would be better suited than the current plan.
Addressing the environmental issues of a floodplain, land conservancy and water shed preservation are my concerns with a suitable development plan that does not put the municipality of North Hatley at risk!
I would be grateful if you were to take these considerations into account in your opinion on the Management Plan for the Massawippi River Flood Zone – North Hatley Village.
Sincerely,
Robert Richardson
c.c. Monsieur Martin Coiteux, ministre, Affaires municipales et Occupation du territoire, Sécurité publique.
Thanks Rob!
7. Safe guards (municipal bylaws) against developers and real estate speculators. Preventing Foreigners from laundering money and speculators from leaving units vacant and defeating the main purpose of the development in the first place.
Many thanks; also the financial ramifications: if North Hatley is currently in debt for $4 million, is there any attempt to pay down the debt or just pay the interest? How is the debt to be paid off when it appears that this project will only increase
Its indebtedness.
Marita Gilliam
4175 Chemin Magog
North Hatley
For Marita Gilliam
Your question is right on ! At the December 2016 Budget ,the council seemed a bit confused as to just what the village long term debt was, but finally suggested that it was in the $9 million range , of which $5 million was on an accelerated 15 year repayment of the new water plant. Annually they pay approx. $1 million in capital & interest. The overall interest rate is between 2% &3%. There were less than 15 attendees for this meeting . The budget for 2017 is $3 million.
Are these meetings closed; it would appear this is a rather poor attendance by a concerned town on its future? I have seen this before and it really doesn’t surprise me, but you really have to know where you are to know where you are going. Again, it would not appear that they could take on a development of this size. Thanks for this!
Dear FANCHA,
Please know that, today, I sent the attached letter to Ministère David Huertel with a copy to M. Martin Coiteux.
Thank you for your efforts to support sustainable development in North Hatley.
Sincerely, John LeBaron
Hello,
I have also just sent off letters protesting this proposal of Dec ember 14 2016.
Thank you for getting this important information out to us!