Storm water talk boils over

The part of the Laurentian Heights subdivision pictured here is selling well, although its developer is having trouble selling at least one North Bay city councillor on a requested revision to another phase of the escarpment housing development.

The request to reduce lots in the subdivision by seven, put forward by the developer’s consulting engineers, led to a spirited debate Monday night at the committee meeting of council, after a request by the developer’s engineering consultants raised the ire of one councillor in particular.

Northland Engineering Ltd told city staff the reduction from 151 to 144 lots was done so properties in the subdivision will have larger fronts to make way for storm water swales for runoff control.

But Coun. Sarah Campbell said there was no point in council even addressing the request since the developer, John Wallace, hadn’t, as required, submitted a final storm water management plan.

Campbell used the term ‘red-lining’ in referring to the new boundaries that would have to be drawn for the subdivision as a result of the request revision.

“My inquiry is where’s the information to say that we should be redlining these lots at these dimensions, because we need that storm-water management information first,” Campbell said.

“It’s good planning to get your information first, to get your storm water management plan submitted, signed, sealed stamped and authenticated.”

It’s not as if this is a new file anyway, Campbell added.
“My frustration is how long am I going to have to wait for this, since it’s been part of the planning process since 1990.”

Coun. George Maroosis asked planning services manager Ian Kilgour why council was “wasting our time” when a storm water management plan hadn’t been delivered yet.
“What you’ve given us here tonight is incomplete, inconclusive and it doesn’t mean a damn thing,” Maroosis said.

Coun. Susan Church, chairwoman of the community services committee, said the subdivision can’t go ahead without the plan and until the final plan of subdivision is signed.
“And we have a long way to go before that happens.” Church suggested Campbell “needs to relax a little” on this particular issue.

“I’m sure Coun. Campbell would love to have everything at her disposal immediately but this is a huge development which needs to be done properly and those engineering reports will come,” said Church, who plans to recommend council approve Northland’s request at Monday’s meeting. The requested revisions include realigning the Lakeview Drive extension to permit improved road grade.