The City of Brampton Council rejects the Norval Quarry re-zoning

From our friends at Norval Pit-Stop community organization:
 

 

 

 

 

September 2014 Newsletter

Hundreds of citizens cram the Council Chambers to overflowing 

Many thanks to the hundreds of people who gave up their time to attend the Planning Committee meeting and the Council meeting last week. The decision made by Brampton Council was crucial to stopping the Norval Quarry development. The strong display of democracy in action from the hundreds of citizens overflowing the Council Chambers and packing the foyer will help give planners and politicians the confidence to develop good land use planning for this Greenbelt protected area. A multi-community celebration will be occurring soon!

 

The City of Brampton Council rejects the Norval Quarry re-zoning 

At the Brampton Council meeting Wednesday Sept. 10, Brampton Council rejected the Norval Quarry rezoning application, and supported fighting the quarry at the OMB. The Planning Department's recommendation report found that the Norval Quarry was not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, Greenbelt Plan, and the City's Official Plan in that it failed to show land use compatibility, protection of water resources, natural heritage, and connectivity between natural features. 
Now that the City of Brampton has taken a position to fight the quarryapplication at the OMB, other Municipalities will follow with similar positions. The Region of Peel has jurisdiction on Natural Heritage protection, water supply, and the proposed truck route. Town of Halton Hills and Region of Halton share similar concerns. All these Municipalities have submitted critical comments, which will likely lead to them taking a position to oppose Brampton Brick's quarry. CreditValley Conservation (CVC) will comment further on impacts to water quality and fish habitat. MNR & MMAH have yet to comment.

Proposed quarry is on Greenbelt land
Of the 1.8 million acres of protected Greenbelt land in Ontario, only 577 acres are in Brampton. This is only 0.03206% of the total Greenbelt area

Relatively small & scarce, Brampton's Greenbelt area performs a critical ecological function. This area follows the Credit River watershed and its tributaries and wetlands, but is under stress from growing urban development. The Credit River is cold water fish habitat, a wildlife movement corridor, within a Provincially significant wetland. The Greenbelt around Norval is in close proximity to the growing urban areas of North West Brampton & Georgetown, and performs a significant ecological function. Locating a quarry in this area is not a good choice of sites.

Support Norval pit–STOP's fund raising Brampton Brick hasappealed their quarry application to the OMB, and an OMB prehearing may be acouple of years away. Until then, Norval pit–STOPCommunity Organization will continue to represent citizen concerns. Funding is required to keep uppit–STOP's  vigilance, and your support is needed. Please consider volunteering at one of our future fund raising events, or sending a cheque to Norvalpit–STOP Community Organization at P.O. Box 1, Norval ON, L0P-1K0.