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Home My WebLink AboutPD-145-97THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON DN: PULL- CON.GPA p REP ®IlT Meetin g: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # Date: Monday, October 20, 1997 Res. ii.�_ ) -c1 % Report #: PD- 145 -97 File #: PLN 18.1.4 By -law # Subject: CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR ADDITIONAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT CAPACITY FOR WHITBY, OSHAWA AND CLARINGTON (COURTICE) FILE: PLN 18.1.4 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD- 145 -97 be received; 2. THAT Report PD- 145 -97 be approved as the comments of the Municipality of Clarington with respect to the Class Environmental Assessment for additional water pollution control plant capacity for Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington (Courtice); and 3. THAT a copy of Council's decision and this report be forwarded to the Region of Durham Works Department. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 Following Regional Council's adoption of the Durham Regional Official Plan in June of 1991, the Durham Regional Works Department commissioned two engineering studies. The purpose of these studies was to examine the sanitary sewer and water supply requirements needed to service the level of development envisioned by the 1991 Regional Official Plan. 1.2 A number of major infrastructure projects were identified in the sanitary sewer study including the provision of additional waste water treatment plant capacity to service the communities of Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington (Courtice). REPORT NO. PD- 145 -97 PAGE 2 1.3 The planning of major municipal infrastructure is subject to the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act including the completion of an environmental assessment which details the impacts the proposed undertaking may have in terms of physical, natural, social and cultural aspects. 1.4 The Environmental Assessment process consists of five phases which can be generalized as follows: • Phase 1 Identify problem and hold a consultation meeting with public and review agencies. Alternative solutions to the problem and impacts upon the environment are also identified. • Phase 2 Screen alternative solutions to determine the preferred solution which is to be identified at a second consultation meeting with the public and review agencies. • Phase 3 Identify alternative design concepts for preferred solution including impacts and mitigative measures. The preferred design identified at a third consultation meeting with public and review agencies. • Phase 4 Finalize Environmental Study Report (ESR) • Phase 5 Complete the contract drawings and the tender documents. Construct project and monitor operation to determine the effectiveness of the Phase 3 mitigative measures. 2. PHASE 1 2.1 The Region of Durham completed Phase 1 in November of 1996. The study area was identified as the municipalities of Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington (Courtice) and the consultation meeting with the public and review agencies was held on i 0 REPORT NO. PD- 145 -97 PAGE 3 November 7, 1996 at the Lake Vista Community Centre in Oshawa. The preliminary list of alternatives were identified as follows: • an expansion of the existing Harmony Creek Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP); • the construction of a new WPCP in South Courtice; • the diversion of flow from the Harmony Creek WPCP to another existing WPCP in Whitby or Pickering; • the reduction of sewage flows through inflow /infiltration reductions and water conservation methods; and • do nothing. 3. PHASE 2 3.1 During the Phase 2 process, the aforementioned alternatives were screened on the basis of a set of approved criteria to determine which alternatives were viable and which one was preferred. The second public and review agency information centre was recently held on September 25, 1997 at the Lake Vista Community Centre. Approximately 35 persons attended the public information centre. 3.2 An information package was made available at the meeting which identified an expansion of the existing Harmony Creek WPCP or the construction of a new WPCP in South Courtice as the only viable alternatives. The advantages of constructing a new plant in South Courtice included: • the availability of large parcels of undeveloped land which allow for the incorporation of significant buffer areas; • the separation distance from environmentally sensitive features such as the Second Marsh; • the possibility of incorporating greater separation distances between municipal water intakes and effluent outfalls; and 7 REPORT NO. PD- 145 -97 PAGE 4 • greater flexibility to accommodate future increases in population due to the availability of large parcels of undeveloped land. 3.4 As a result, of the two remaining alternatives, the construction of a new WPCP in South Courtice was identified as the preferred alternative. The Regional Works Department is currently reviewing four (4) possible sites located in the South Courtice area as detailed in Attachment No. 1. The size of the parcels in the study area range from 55 hectares to 73 hectares which would meet the Region's minimum requirement of 46 hectares. However, it is noted that the final site size will be determined during Phase 3 and through land acquisition discussions with individual property owners. 4. SUBSEQUENT PHASES 4.1 The third phase of the process involves the identification of alternative design concepts for preferred solution including impacts and mitigative measures. A third consultation meeting with public and review agencies will be held and the preferred design will be identified. The Region anticipates that the third public and review agency consultation meeting will be held in the spring of 1998, likely at the Courtice Community Complex. 4.2 The fourth phase involves the finalization of the ESR which is then placed on the public record and filed with the Regional and Municipal Clerks. Upon approval by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, the Region would be in a position to commence construction (Phase 5) subject to budgetary considerations. 5. STAFF COMMENTS 5.1 Staff attended the September 25, 1997 public and review agency consultation meeting. As previously noted, the construction of a new WPCP was identified at that time as the preferred alternative. REPORT PD-145-97 PAGE 5 Staff support the selection of a site in South Courtice as the preferred alternative for constructing a new WPCP. This will address the need for services to the South Courtice Employment Area lands. This facility is crucial to the economic development of the Municipality. Without full services, the Municipality will continue to find it difficult to attract the types of industries and businesses required to be competitive with other municipalities with fully serviced employment lands. 5.2 Notwithstanding the above, staff feel that the new WPCP needs to be designed and constructed in such a way that it is sensitive to the waterfront in general and to Darlington Provincial Park in particular. These public assets are important to the Municipality's tourism industry. In addition, the Provincial Park and the planned District Park identified in the Clarington Official Plan are important recreational elements for existing and future residents. Design considerations should ensure the preferred site: • is sensitive to the landscape, views and vistas; • accommodates the waterfront trail in an open space link; • provides a visual buffer from the parks, the Darlington Park Road, the trail and the water; • does not result in odour affecting the parks or the trail; • complies with the nine principles of waterfront development as developed by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. The objective of these principles is a waterfront which is clean, green, useable, diverse, open, accessible, connected, affordable and attractive. 5.3 In addition, Sites 3 and 4 on Attachment No. 1 are situated on property currently designated Light industrial Area in the Clarington Official Plan. Staff's preference would be for the development of these lands with industrial uses in accordance with the Clarington Official Plan which would help to enhance the viability of these lands as an employment area. Sites 1 and 2 on Attachment No. 1 are situated REPORT NO. PD- 145 -97 PAGE 6 on property currently designated Waterfront Greenway in the Clarington Official Plan. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 It is recommended that Report PD- 145 -97 be approved as the comments of the Municipality of Clarington with respect to Phase 2 of the Class Environmental Assessment for additional water pollution control plant capacity for Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington (Courtice). Staff will keep Council informed regarding future phases of the Class Environment Assessment. 6.2 Copies of the Phase 2 report are available in the Planning and Development Department for inspection. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by, f � Franklin Wu, M.C.I.F Director of Planning and Development '., R.P.P., W. H. Stockwell Chief Administrative Officer Attachment No. 1 - Location Map: Possible WPCP Sites WM *FW *cc October 10, 1997 Interested parties to be notified of Council and Committee's decision: Region of Durham Works Department 105 Consumers Drive P.O. Box 623 Whitby, Ontario L1 N 6A3 J Li ATTACHMENT NQ. 1 0 h 0 V vN os avow vNnos ®o N 0 V �o H . 0 l NO/S -IMN00 V 1HOiNN�V'1 mu >1 3Nan00s0 " 8 Z SS V 3pbFdl IL o J V O 3ooanoo ` avna noo Q L� N 1'� 4 l Z V 0 3nia cl j V ' ` 31 v o a U W i_ � z _ Q wou Ovoa NMOO ♦/\ o g WJ CC J QD x a. w G im P W NosN� Q j J U- 14 0 LL c ■ 3WANOLLI 38d Z Q /� O � U W W g 1 J (1) Z cn h W � O V ti avoa 3Nn 1 621