Second pre-hearing conference on Hidden Quarry coming Tuesday

The issues list provided by the Concerned Residents Coalition is below.

Event details:

• Tuesday, March 1, 2016
• 11 am
• Guelph Eramosa Township Offices 8348 Wellington Road #124
• West of Brucedale, North of Rockwood

Concerned Residents Coalition Hidden Quarry Issues list

The sub-heading associated with each grouping of issues is to facilitate the organization of the issues and shall not restrict or constrain the evidence that can be given by any of the proposed witnesses.

Hydrogeology

• Will the proposed quarry result in any unacceptable impacts to surface water or groundwater resources including with regards to domestic wells and municipal wells.  If so, should the application be approved?  If the application should be approved, what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?
• Is the underlying geology karst or highly fractured and, if so, has the implications of such geology been properly taken into account in proposing the quarry?

Vertical Zoning

• Should the proposed site specific extractive zoning be applied only to the subject lands to a certain depth?  If yes, what is the appropriate depth?

Blasting and Vibration

• Will the proposed quarry result in any unacceptable impacts from blasting?  If so, should the application be approved and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Natural Environment

• Will the proposed quarry result in any unacceptable impacts to the natural environment?  If so, should the application be approved and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Noise

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable noise impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Traffic

• Does the proposed quarry result in any unacceptable traffic and transportation impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?
• If the application is approved, should access to the quarry be permitted onto the Sixth Line and, if so what improvements need to be made to the Sixth Line.
• Has the evaluation of the haul route study been completed and, if not, is the application premature pending completion of this evaluation?

Visual

• Will the proposed quarry operation result in unacceptable visual impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Dust/Air Quality

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable dust and air quality impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures should be imposed?

Agricultural

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable agricultural impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Cultural Heritage

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable impacts on cultural heritage resources?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?
• The Sixth Line has been identified as a cultural heritage landscape.  Will the proposed quarry conserve this cultural heritage landscape?

Economic Impact

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable economic impacts?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Radon Gas

• Will the proposed quarry result in unacceptable impacts in terms of radon gas?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?

Planning 

• Is the proposed zoning by-law amendment consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) and, in particular, with:
  1. Section 1.2.6.1;  
  2. Section 2.5.
• Will the proposed application for a zoning by-law amendment conform to the applicable policies pursuant to the County of Wellington Official Plan?
• Will the proposed quarry result in any unacceptable impacts with respect to land use compatibility or other land use goals and objectives?  If so, should the application be approved, and what if any mitigation measures, monitoring and enforcement should be imposed?
• Does the proposed zoning by-law amendment represent good planning? 

Operational Plan

• Does the operational plan demonstrate that potential impacts from the proposed quarry will be satisfactorily mitigated and minimized?  If not, should the application be approved?

Aggregate Resources Act

• In terms of whether the licence under the Aggregate Resources Act ("ARA") should be issued:
  • has the position of the municipality in opposition to the quarry been properly taken into account;
  • has the effect of the proposed quarry on the environment and nearby communities been properly taken into account;
  • are the progressive rehabilitation and final rehabilitation plans for the quarry suitable;
  • is the applicant's history of compliance with the Act such that issue of a further licence for the proposed quarry appropriate.

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