Town wants more time to study Hornby power plant proposal

The Town of Halton Hills wants more time to focus on key elements within the TransCanada Energy (TCE) power generation plant proposal, and has requested the next level on the review ladder-- an Environmental Assessment. TCE wants to build a 683-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant on the Sixth Line in the 401 Corridor. Town staff is processing the TCE's filed site plan in parallel with its review of TCE's environmental review report (ERR). While the Town had requested an extension to TCE's March 26 deadline for a response to the ERR, the two-week extension to April 10 was not enough. The bump up to an individual Environment Assessment is a mechanism to give the Town and TCE time to work through the issues, said Director of Planning Bruce MacLean. An Environmental Assessment (EA) is a study, which assesses the potential environmental effects of a project. "There's nothing adversarial about this," said MacLean. "We're simply making sure what expected is delivered." TCE, he said, has agreed to the Town's need for certainty that all its top issues are covered. TCE and Town staff has been working "hand in hand" with mutual cooperation on both sides to ensure all the issues are addressed, and if there is a stumbling block then the Ministry of Environment could mediate. Top issues include urban design and landscaping, site layout, land use, drainage and traffic. Preliminary comments included requests for a Subwatershed Impact Study, Traffic Study, study of the structural integrity of the Sixth Line bridge and roadway, noise concerns addressing Hornby Park, and a tree preservation plan. Milton and Halton Region have also requested bump ups to individual Environmental Assessment. Regional staff preliminary comments surround air quality, odour, wildlife impact, traffic, and noise. Copies of the report are available at www.transcanada.com/haltonhills. TCE has invited concerned public or groups to contact them to explain the report. Meanwhile an OMB hearing will be held on April 16, after a local landowner appealed a Town of Halton Hills Committee of Adjustment decision on the project. MacLean said staff will monitor the proceedings but is not a party to it. TCE, he said, will ask the OMB to dismiss the landowner's appeal. The Committee of Adjustment approved changes to the TCE's application to allow 200 ft. ventilating stacks, taller buildings and more building coverage of the property. The committee gave permission: · to increase the maximum coverage of accessory building and structures (excluding the towers) to 3 per cent (9,644 sq metres or 104,000 sq. ft.) · to increase the accessory building and structure height from the permitted 6 metres (19 ft) to 37 m (122 ft.). · to permit the ventilating stacks to be 25 metres (82 ft.) above the 37 metres (122 ft.), rather than the permitted five metres (16 ft.). · to reduce the required loading spaces from four to two · to reduce the required parking spaces for the primary building from 74 to 15 · to reduce the required parking space for the accessory buildings and structures from 321 to 0. · to permit the inclusion of a switching yard. The decision was opposed by neighbor John Zdunic who worried the stacks and the height of water towers will impact the value of his property. Committee of Adjustment member Paul Dray voted against the variances, stating he believed they were major zoning issues. Member Erik Kowal, a Hornby resident, excused himself from the debate citing a conflict of interest.