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wpd amended road users agreement discussion deferred

UPDATE JULY 25 – Council chambers were full Tuesday night – but just for the first eight minutes of the meeting.

Attendees witnessed council agree to defer two items of interest – the amended road users agreement with White Pines industrial wind project, and discussion on what to do with the Picton Town Hall – to the September 19 Committee of the Whole meeting to allow better opportunity for public comment and deputations.

Councillors will review an amended Road Users Agreement with the White Pines industrial wind project in Athol and South Marysburgh.

July 24 – An agreement had been reached for the original 27-turbine project, its generators and hydro transmission lines, but must be amended following an Environmental Review Tribunal decision in April that reduced the size of the project to nine turbines – all north of Royal Road.

The orginal agreement anticipated amendments to the agreement once the ERT issued its final decision. Staff and solicitors for both wpd and the County were involved in preparation of the amending agreement.

wpd is expected to file a traffic management plan with the County and to make reasonable efforts to enter into a road users agreement with the County.

The amended agreement seeks information such as haul routes, reduced mobilation and scope of work such as site clearing and grubbing and provision of notice to the County. It removes mention of seasonal roads no longer required, or that led to various unapproved turbine sites. Only Maypul Layn remains, which was approved by the Ontario Energy Board for the hydro interconnection transmissionline.

The Development Reimbursement Agreement approved in December 2015 provides for a deposit of $10,000 to guarantee reimbursement of County costs related to the review of wpd’s various reports and plans and the preparation and approval of the amendment to the road users agreement.

The approved agreement provides for a road damage security – $2,775,115 – to be posted to ensure fulfilment of the terms, including the repair of any road damage arising from the project. With the reduced number of turbines and resultant reduced scope of work, a reduced security amount of $1,716,841 is proposed. As well, the amending agreement provides for pre-construction preliminary works, such as site clearing, at a $10,000 security level.

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  1. Fred says:

    The back shore is pretty much protected now and never was a profitable venture for farming. The last 9 turbines that are gasping for air, impact the profitable farmland and the residential community at large. They are not needed and not welcome. A few that do not care about the impacts and see the buck are on a slippery slope. If they ever are constructed unfortunately it will be a hostile act that will cause great divides.

  2. ADJ says:

    Have to say hockeyman I’ve lived here all of my 70 years and still wouldn’t sign off my property rights to an off shore company. I think some property owners were snowed by a good salesman who pitched what appeared to be a sweet deal. I’ve wondered too if a lawyer was ever consulted or was that part of the contract…you can’t reveal or seek out legal advice. What happens now to those contracts now that the project is cancelled at least in part?

  3. hockeynan says:

    ADJ,why would the contracts not be secretive?. It is nobody’s business other than WPD and the landowners.I also believe every contract reads the same and also why would they not contact a lawyer.

  4. hockeynan says:

    Very well said Paul. Some landowners are not as well off as some people who have moved here with good pensions or sold their house in the city and relocated here at a cheaper price. Try farming and bringing up a family on the back shore to get a better outlook on this project

  5. ADJ says:

    Agree with everything you say Paul Cole….just not for me. A bit like selling your soul to the Devil! lol Always curious why the contracts were so secretive….use your imagination I guess. How many of these contrcted landowners actually sought legal advice from their lawyer? But, hey, it’s their land, their life so whatever happens is their own fault.

  6. Paul Cole says:

    ADJ said “too much control by an outsider for a measly $1000–$1500 a month”.

    When you consider that a measly $1000-$1500 could possibly mean keeping the Family farm or losing it, maybe feeding the Family or going without. I’m pretty sure those decision were thought about long and hard. Some Folks are struggling to get by in this County…..

  7. ADJ says:

    I know that….but I’m betting not all contracts read the same. Some landowners were offered contracts just because their land lined up with the next farmland inline. Not because they would necessarily be a good producer so they probably didn’t get offered that primo deal. Just wondering that’s all. 25–40 yrs. is a long time

  8. Susan says:

    Buyer beware! Lol. It’s not just the contract you need to sell but the liability as well. And your neighbour’s sit frozen unable to sell as no one wants to be near the impacts from these monsters.

  9. hockeynan says:

    ADJ you have no right to read a contract unless you are a landowner getting a turbine.

  10. ADJ says:

    I’d be interested to read some of those landowners contracts that they were prohibited from revealing to public viewing. I know I wouldn’t lock up my land rights for 20–40 years. What happens after your dead and gone and the family decides to sell off the property? That’s if it can be sold! Try and find a buyer first then he in turn must agree to all the terms of the contract. Just not for me…too much control by an outsider for a measly $1000–$1500 a month

  11. Emily says:

    It’s not some in the community it is the vast majority that do not want industrial wind turbines placed here.

  12. Marnie says:

    But do they regard wind turbines because they believe they are saving the environment or instead to fund those hopes and dreams yo mentioned?

  13. hockeynan says:

    Some of the community may not want turbines but they’re not the only ones that live there?The people that want turbines pay taxes too and have a right too

  14. Susan says:

    Of course you mean taxpayers money for unreliable power that we do not require and in fact are dumping at a loss.

  15. Marnie says:

    They’ll get over it Hockeynan. We all have our hopes but that does not give us the right to inflict wind turbines in a community that is not a willing host. Pretty far-fetched to pin your hopes and dreams on the possibility of wind turbines.

  16. hockeynan says:

    What about the people that didn’t get turbines. Most of them could really use the extra money to do things they couldn’t afford to do but now their hopes are gone

  17. Emilys@pathwaysind.com says:

    Can only hope you are wrong for if it goes ahead a lot of property owners will be financially ruined. Not to mention more Ontario hard earned tax dollars down the drain.

  18. hockeynan says:

    I am positive

  19. Emilys@pathwaysind.com says:

    You must truly believe this is going to happen.

  20. hockeynan says:

    I am sure the landowners who are getting turbines arn,t feeling sad as the ones who lost out

  21. Chuck says:

    I feel for anyone owning property in the Milford area.

  22. Segue C says:

    And what size/MW are the remaining turbines to be?

  23. Chuck says:

    Yes indeed, Ontario needs more highly expensive power that they can dump to the States at a loss.

  24. Sam says:

    Wonderful to hear that wpd is still moving this project forward.

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