Aggregate News
Peggs Mountain
Glen Thompson Pit & Quarry Application, Pegg’s Mountain Road
Lots 4 & 5, Concession 6
Proponent: 1668830 Ontario Ltd. (2014/15)
Located in Ryerson Township west of Burke’s Falls, Pegg’s Mountain is a Burk’s Falls landmark and therefore considered culturally significant. The Pegg’s Mountain area has 5 licenced pits, although the two closest to the Thompson site are inactive. [Why is another aggregate site required?]
On August 25, 2010 a new aggregate licence (EBR 011-0948) was requested by Glen Thompson to operate a below-water-table quarry and an above-water-table gravel pit on 81ha / 200 acres with “unlimited” annual tonnage. Additionally, a request was made to the Township of Ryerson for a zoning by-law amendment.
Ryerson Town Council turned down the zoning application stating that they did not have enough information to make a decision. The application went before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and shortly thereafter the proponent withdrew the application to hire a planning and engineering consultant (Skelton, Brumwell & Associates Inc.) and revise his plans.
In March 2012, a new request for a zoning by-law amendment was submitted to the township (letter). Plan revisions were as follows:
- exclusion of the Magnetawan River Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and 120m buffer
- 81ha reduced to 50ha site area
- 30 meters setback from the peak of Pegg’s Mountain
- north and west faces of the mountain will not be affected by the quarry.
- Initially requested to go below the water table, the revisions made it an above water table proposal. (i.e. intend to change later in the life of the quarry)
- Annual tonnage of 200,000 tonnes [intent] (was “unlimited”)
- 7am-7pm
- Phase 1 extracts mostly sand and gravel from west to east. Phase 2 will move from south to north extracting sand, gravel and quarry rock (requires explosives).
The site is in the Magnetawan River watershed and Magnetawan First Nations reside at the base of the river. The band is cautious due to river contamination caused by an abandoned and improperly closed graphite mine in the 1990s.
Opponents point to the road leading into the potential quarry. Residents had said Peggs Mountain Road is narrow and dangerous already. With and extra 82 vehicles per day or about eight per hour possibly using the road to get to and from the quarry, residents are worried that the road will become virtually impassable for local drivers and cyclists. Other concerns include noise, dust and air quality, tourism and property value.
Approval Process:
Zoning by-law amendment
Official plan amendment
Conservation Authority approval if applicable
MNR aggregate licence application
Permit To Take Water
Sewage permit
Timeline
|
Date |
Event |
|
2010-Jul-05 |
Application for licence under the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) (loaded to registry 25-Aug-2010) |
|
2010-Aug-25 to 2010-Sep-24 |
Public comment period
|
|
2010-Aug-26 |
Public Information Session |
|
2010-Oct |
Township comment period deadline (11 opposition parties) |
|
2010 Autumn |
Initial application for zoning bylaw amendment |
|
2010 December |
Skelton, Brumwell & Assoc. retained by Mr. Glen Thompson to re-work application |
|
? |
OMB |
|
? |
Proponent withdraws application |
|
2012-Mar-08 |
New/revised application for zoning bylaw amendment |
|
2012-Jun-12 |
Application deemed complete by the Township |
|
2012-Jul-19 |
ARA documentation (w/unresolved objections) sent to Ministry of Natural Resources |
|
2012-Jul-25 |
Public information meeting |
|
2012-Sep-07 |
Public comment deadline (township) including letter from First Nations |
|
2013-Apr-8 |
Special meeting of Ryerson Town Council approved first reading of resolution and zoning bylaw |
|
2013-Jun-25 |
Ryerson Town Council to read Thompson Re-zoning By-law 31-13 for second and third time |
|
2013-07-03 |
Second and third reading of the Ryerson’s zoning by-law amendment |
|
2014-07 |
Glen Thompson passed away. New proponent: 1668830 Ontario Ltd. |
|
2015-02 |
OMB Hearing wrapped up with all party settlement subject to a haul route agreement to be worked out by July 29, 2015. |
|
2015-08 |
No action on haul route agreement. |
News (reverse chronological order)
|
Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
|
2015-08-21 |
North Bay Nipissing News |
Rebecca Zanussi |
|
|
2014-05-21 |
North Bay Nipissing |
Rebecca Zanussi |
|
|
2014-05-13 |
Indiegogo |
Jennifer Cavanagh, Jan Ferrante, Hawksley Workman |
|
|
2013-09-05 |
Cottage Country |
Mary Beth Hartill |
|
|
2013-07-09 |
Baylis |
|
|
|
2013-07-08 |
Baylis |
|
|
|
2013-04-12 |
Cottage Country |
|
|
|
2013-03-28 |
Skelton Brumwell & Assoc. |
Letter: Planners letter to Township (file P/N 10-2442) (.pdf) |
Trudy Paterson, Senior Planner Request for zoning amendment |
|
2013-01-04 |
Ontario Ombudsman |
Letter: Closed Meeting Complaint (5-Nov-2012) - Township reprimanded |
Yvonne Heggie, Early Resolution Officer, Open Meeting Law Enforcement Team |
|
2012-11-05 |
Township of Ryerson |
Incamera meeting (.pdf) |
Details from Yvonne Heggie letter |
|
2012-09-20 |
Cottage Country |
Mary Beth Hartill, Huntsville Forester Thompson’s comments |
|
|
2012-08-03 |
Cottage Country |
Mary Beth Hartill, Huntsville Forester |
|
|
2012-08-03 |
Cottage Country |
Mary Beth Hartill, Huntsville Forester |
|
|
2012-07-26 |
Moose FM |
|
|
|
2010-09-16 |
Cottage Country |
Mary Beth Hartill, Huntsville Forester |
|
|
2010-08-25 |
Ministry of Environment (ON), Environmental Registry |
|
For more information:
Ryerson Township: www.ryersontownship.ca / admin@ryersontownship.ca
Armour Township: www.armourtownship.ca / info@armourtownship.ca
Opposition: www.savepeggsmountain.com / Facebook - Save Peggs Mountain! No Quarry
Opposition: Facebook – Save Peggs Mountain / @SaveOurMountain
“[The quarry] It’s good for Burk’s Falls. It’s a dead town.” Glen Thompson (article)
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Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
APPENDICES
https://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/Aggregate_Peggs%20Mountain/Peggs%20Mountain%20Overview.htm
Notes:
- Reference to Lot 13, 14 Conc. 6 – is this a mistake or something else?
- Is now the time to make Peggs Mountain a heritage site?
-