HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-304-87DN: 304-87
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TOWN OF NE~'CAST~LC''I~~~ ~'I~.'_~ ,.~_~ ~!; j~;~~?,il.
REPORT
F i 1 e # ~,5 °~~ `7
Res. #
~I~~COUNCIL
DATE: Monday, December 14, 1987
T #nD-3o4-s7 FIIF #2.2(5) _.
~~CT:COURTICE URBAN AREA
HYDROGEOLOGIC STUDY
OUR FILE: 2.2(5)
By-Law #
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that Council approve the following:
1. THA'N' Report PD-304-87 be received; and
2. THAT the Region of Durham be requested to immediately amend its Lot Levies to
incorporate a~ awe.- e levy for the provision of municipal wat~~ and sewer
services to existing privately serviced residential areas within designated
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urban area e~a~s impacted by urban development.
3. THAT the Region of Durham be requested to undertake detailed hydrogeological
investigations in accordance with Recommendation No. 2 of the Gartner Lee
Courtice Hydrogeology Study as part of their pre-construction engineering
design process for all Regional works within or adjacent to the Courtice
Urban Area.
4. THAT the implementation of the recommendations and mitigative measures
suggested by the 1981 Courtice Environmental Assessment and Recommendation
No. 4 of the Gartner Lee Courtice Hydrogeology Study conducted by Gartner Lee
be extended to all areas of the Courtice Urban Area.
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REPORT NO.: PD-304-87 PAGE 2
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5. THAT the Town retain a qualified Hydrogeologis~ to prepare terms of
reference for a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program for the entire
Courtice Urban Area including placement of necessary monitoring devices,
an ongoing maintenance and recording process and including amendments, if
any, to the Town's current Subdivision Agreement groundwater monitoring
requirements with an appropriate budget allocation for 1988.
6. THAT the Town continue to require subdividers to fund groundwater
investigation and monitoring programs in accordance with the
comprehensive monitoring plan suggested above.
7. THAT the Town continue to provide stringent inspection of subdivision
or development servicing activities.
BACKGROUND AND COMMENTS:
As the Members of Council will recall, at a Special Meeting of Council held on
August 14, 1987, Resolution ~#C-700-87 was approved directing Staff to
immediately retain a Hydrogeologist to review existing well monitoring data and
provide an assessment of complaints and to establish a base line for the water
table and potential impact due to development.
.Accordingly, on August 31, 1987, Staff retained the services of Gartner Lee
Limited to undertake preparation of a Report in respect of the Council
directive. The Consultant's final report has now been completed and copies
of same forwarded to the Members of Council under cover of previous memorandum.
The consultant's conclusions are found in Section 5.1 on Pages 26 and 27 of the
Report.
In general, Staff feel that the Report provides us with an adequate basis
for properly evaluating and assessing impact complaints and implementing
corrective measures. However, due to the long term implications of development
to the Courtice groundwater regime, we believe that it is essential that proper
construction techniques be adhered to by the Region of Durham, Developers and
the Town to minimize impacts on the groundwater. In addition, all available
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REPORT NO.: PD-304-87
PAGE 3
techniques should be utilized to permit groundwater recharge to occur to ensure
adequate baseflow to the watercourses within this area and a protection of the
associated environment. As an immediate objective, municipal services should be
provided to all properties presently utilizing private well and septic systems.
Planning Staff do not believe that the provision of water service alone will
correct the problem since, in the long term, it has been proven that the
availability of municipal water increases usage, placing a strain upon private
waste disposal systems, the replacement of which may be prevented due to small
lot areas.
The consultant's recommendations are found in Section 5.2 of the Report
commencing on Page 28. These are summarized as follows:
1. Institute a well complaint screening process.
2. Prior to undertaking construction of trunk services all proponents
should carry out a detailed hydrogeologic investigation with
groundwater monitoring prior to, during and for at least one year
following construction. This should also include an assessment of
groundwater quality.
3. Carry out a detailed field investigation of the Highway No. 2
alignment of buried services or alternatively, install a municipal
supply to affected residents.
4. Continue to require hydrogeologic studies for all subdivision activity
in Courtice including ongoing monitoring of groundwater with reports
reviewed by a qualified Hydrogeologist on behalf of the Town.
5. Further review existing developments to locate and correct any
specific dewatering impacts.
6. Continue to utilize their 1981 Study and its recommendations be
extended to all areas of Courtice.
Staff concur with and support these recommendations and offer the following
comments in respect of same.
1. The well complaint screening process will require an allocation of
staff time. This, however, has already been done by Council and is
presently carried out by Public Works Staff, but additional time will
be necessary in view of the increased level of detail and information
required.
2. This relates primarily to Regional and Provincial activities and in
some cases subdividers. The latter group is presently required to
carry out site investigations and monitoring.
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REPORT NO.: PD-304-87
PAGE 4
3. The decision has been made to make municipal water available to
affected residents. However, the continued drawdown of the water
table could have long term environmental impacts related to base flows
to the watercourses in this area and water quality in those streams.
4. This recommendation is presently a Town requirement but has cost
implications for consulting services. Staff suggest these costs are
recoverable and should be added to the engineering inspection
fees collected by the Town's Works Department through the Subdivision
Agreement process.
5. Staff continue to monitor and inspect subdivision construction and
identify potential impacts and require corrective actions.
6. The recommendations of the 1981 Study have, to some degree, been
implemented. There have been instances where compromises have been
made to facilitate implementation of the Official Plans.
These recommendations included:
a) develop a planning concept reflecting the environmental
sensitivity of the area. (Most of the landuse designations for
Courtice were predetermined through prior Official Plan and
Secondary Plan approvals. The one exception being the Courtice
North neighbourhoods where secondary plans reflect the intent of
the 1981 Study).
b) Develop an integrated drainage plan which respects the natural
drainage pattern. (With the exception of certain prior approvals,
the Courtice Storm Water Management Plan has been re-evaluated and
certain changes in objectives initiated to reflect this
suggestion).
c) Stage development to permit monitoring of impacts. (Earlier
attempts to emplace staging policies were met with resistance at
the Regional level due to implications to capital investments in
Courtice trunk services).
d) Pre-development monitoring should be established. (This has been
partially instituted through subdivision agreements, however, a
co-ordinated program is lacking for the whole of the area).
e) The Adelaide Avenue extension should be reviewed and the alignment
re-evaluated. (This was carried out and resulted in an amendment
to the Official Plan to delete this proposed major arterial road).
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REPORT NO.: PD-304-87
PAGE 5
In addition to the foregoing, a number of mitigative measures were recommended
that have only been implemented in the 1981 Study area. The present study
suggests extending these to all of Courtice. Staff note that to do so may
delay processing of new developments in Courtice and may result in deviations
from the Town's normal development standards in some instances.
It is Planning Staff's opinion that the urbanization of Courtice, as originally
conceived by the Darlington Official Plan, in 1960, and re-affirmed by the
Durham Regional Official Plan will have long term environmental impacts. One
such impact is manifesting itself in the current groundwater supply and
quality problems. The rapid rate and multiplicity of development has
compounded the problems and certainly will have a longer and more general
impact on the area's groundwater and private wells drawing from same.
We would recommend the following actions to Council:
1. THAT the Region of Durham be requested to immediately amend its Lot Levies
to incorporate an area wide levy for the provision of municipal water and
sewer services to existing privately serviced residential areas within
designated urban areas or hamlets impacted by urban development.
2. THAT the Region of Durham be requested to undertake detailed
hydrogeological investigations in accordance with Recommendation No. 2 of
the Gartner Lee Courtice Hydrogeology Study as part of their
pre-construction engineering design process for all Regional works within
or adjacent to the Courtice Urban Area.
3. THAT the implementation of the recommendations and mitigative measures
suggested by the 1981 Courtice Environmental Assessment and Recommendation
No. 4 of the Gartner Lee Courtice Hydrogeology Study conducted by Gartner
Lee be extended to all areas of the Courtice Urban Area.
4. THAT the Town retain a qualified Hydrogeologist to prepare terms of
reference for a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program for the entire
Courtice Urban Area including placement of necessary monitoring devices,
an ongoing maintenance and recording process and including amendments, if
any, to the Town's current Subdivision Agreement groundwater monitoring
requirements with an appropriate budget allocation for 1988.
5. THAT the Town continue to require subdividers to fund groundwater
investigation and monitoring programs in accordance with the comprehensive
monitoring plan suggested above.
...6
REPORT N0.: PD-304-87 ~ ~' ~'~ ~~ ,,'~ ~~GR' g~
6. THAT the Town continue to provide stringent inspection of subdivision or
development servicing activities.
Respectfully submitted,
Recommended for presentation
to the Committee
r-- ~ `~,
wrence .` otseff
Chief Ad i a.strative Officer