From Town of Halton Hills…

From Town of Halton Hills Planning Staff:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed amendments to R.R.O. 1990 Regulation 828.

As a reviewing agency for Niagara Escarpment Commission Development Permits, we carefully review all applications circulated to the Town.

Town Staff submit the following comments for your consideration as part of this process:

• Town staff request that as part of the proposed amendment process to Regulation 828 the MNRF consider providing permit exemptions for municipal road resurfacing and maintenance projects. Town staff also request that drainage and culvert rehabilitation works that are required to obtain Conservation Authority permits/permissions be included for permit exemptions.

• Further, Town staff request that municipal by-laws which pertain to Site Alteration and Entrances to a Public Highway should apply to the review of NEC permit applications and be included as part of these proposed amendments to Regulation 828. Should Site Alteration and Entrances to a Public Highway not be included then the Town requests that the Province make similar legislated changes to the appropriate Acts to permit a Municipality to include all NEC jurisdiction within our Municipal Bylaw for oversight, permitting and enforcement. Without the appropriate legislated support, there is a significant risk to the environment and residents.

• The proposal outlines that not all exemptions would apply across the entirety of the NEP area and that some exemptions may be limited to only outside of certain environmentally sensitive areas or natural features. Further details are needed to understand the implementation of these changes, potential impacts and how these changes are going to be communicated to landowners and businesses within the NEP.

Thank you for your consideration of the Town’s comments.