O.M.B. HAMMERS HAWK RIDGE HOMES

Well as far as I am concerned this comes right out of left field. There are a hundred good reasons not to be putting a new residential subdivision on Union St. across from Sulco and Chemtura. Even those two companies had the good sense and decency to publicly advise the Ontario Municipal Board, the developer and three levels of government their concerns with having new residential neighbours situated so nearby. It's not often that a many time environmentally convicted chemical company will give a public warning that moving in beside them, despite their best efforts, could be a very risky proposition.

The O.M.B. and the relevant planning legislation made it clear that they didn't give a rat's butkus for the possibilty/probability of killing or seriously harming these new folks coming to town. What has turned the O.M.B. off of this proposed subdivision is NOISE. I did mention this months ago here in the Advocate. I attended one of the Hearing dates in the Township Council and was shocked and appalled that the Hearing seemed to be boiling down to the height of a noise fence! Well the Decision came out a few days ago and the Board have dismissed the Appeal by the proponents saying it is premature as the NOISE issues have not properly been dealy with. I agree railway noise is not a pleasant thing in the middle of the night. Nevertheless it won't kill you but just talk to the former residents of Duke St. a decade ago. They were often rousted from their beds, in the middle of the night, gasping and choking for air. They literally had to flee the Town and the adults and children were subjected to fumigations that no one honestly knows won't have long term effects upon them.

The Region, the Township, Chemtura, Sulco, citizen groups including yours truly were mentioned in the Decision regarding our opposition to this asinine plan. The Plan has currently been rejected. Not for the obvious common sense reasons, but rejected nevertheless. Let's see what happens next. Will the subdivision plan be amended and resubmitted or will the developer take either the Region or Township or both to court to recoup their lost money based upon the residential zoning that was inappropriately in place?