I live on Winhara Road and…

I live on Winhara Road and have recently become aware of a new proposal for Environmental
Compliance Approval for a soil washing facility. I am deeply concerned about how this proposal will affect the surrounding environment and our quality of life.

After learning about the proposal, I have several questions and concerns regarding its implementation. I fear that the proposed site location has not been chosen wisely. Although Winhara Road contains mixed zoning, it is home to many permanent residents of Gravenhurst. It is worth noting that many of the areas noted as General Industrial also contain a dwelling unit. Please see the attached link to view the numerous residential homes and their proximity to the proposed facility. In addition, there are several areas noted as Environmental Protection. For a summary of these areas, please refer to the attached markup.

It is important to note that Winhara Rd is not connected to municipal water, which means that all residents and adjoining streets rely on well water. There is a great concern that accepting this proposal could jeopardize this necessary resource.

Winhara Road lacks sidewalks and street lights. The sufficient rise in traffic and use of heavy trucks would increase safety hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and dog walkers who use the shoulder for travelling. Additionally, the district school board buses operate on this road with stops for students in the area, adding to the potential risks.

I feel that those who live on Winhara and the adjoining streets were not properly notified of the Class II waste facility that is being considered. 1490 Winhara is currently in construction and the terrain is being altered through blasting efforts. It is unknown to the general public if environmental/community impact studies have been completed. Although Terranevo's website advertises the location for business (ECA approval pending), the documents found on GeoHub do not match the permitted zoning uses. This document does not clearly state that a Class II waste disposal/soil washing facility is permitted on the property. Permitted uses current fall under pit, quarry, sand, gravel or rock excavation. I have attached the full document for reference.

I feel that I have been left uneducated on a potentially hazardous facility, the process the plant would use, and the impacts on our community. This would include but would not limited to the areas below:

Environmental
• I would like to understand if assessments or baseline tests have been completed for the surrounding area to understand if there will be any impacts to:

• Wildlife and the habitat
• Impacts to the surrounding environmental protected areas
• Groundwater quality and supply

•I have concerns about how much water the facility uses if the water being used is pulled from the ground and if this usage will cause wells to dry up downstream and surrounding areas.
•Any movement of soil has the possibility of containing invasive species that could rapidly spread and could have an effect on human health (hogweed) and/or our biodiversity. Invasive species can also have devastating effects on those who use their property for growing food. Each truck that is moving soil increases this risk.
• I have included a link to the Excess Soil By-Law Tool 2.0 - the summary helps to highlight this concern

Emergency response plans
• I have concerns regarding leaks in the plant and how this would affect the immediate residential community
• I have concerns that the public will not be involved in reviewing or receiving these plans

Noise
• From the plant itself (I.e., heavy equipment, general machinery)
• From the delivery of heavy trucks (air breaks, general driving) along Winhara
• The hours of operations stated (7am-7pm) have the potential to increase the noise level outside of standard business hours

Air quality & Odor
• I am not educated on the type of chemicals the plant would use and have concerns about how the site would exhaust contaminates into the air or dispose of hazardous waste onsite
• I have concerns that the plant would generate unpleasant odours that would lessen our enjoyment or ability to be outdoors
• Dust from the plant and transportation of the soil could also impact our quantity of life

Traffic & Road conditions
• Once in phase 3- 1800 tonnes of soil would be granted for transportation a day. Equating to over 100 heavy trucks a day
• Winhara Road falls under weight restriction during the spring- this would mean the number of trucks has the potential to double during peak deliveries with over 200 allowed per day.
• I would like to understand the traffic and road impacts

Lack of consideration of property value
•I feel this facility could greatly devalue the neighbourhood.

I request that the proposal is reconsidered to a location that is better suited for this type of business, such as a dedicated industrial area that can handle high traffic from heavy equipment and noise levels. A primarily residential zoning location, such as Winhara puts unnecessary risk to those that live on the street and the surrounding area along with the environment.

Thanks kindly