[All] Summery of Cambridge City Hall meeting re: Barries Lake.

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks
Connie Cody and I met with Yvette Rybensky, senior planner from the City of Cambridge regarding Barries Lake and planned road expansions, development projects that are part of the Cambridge West Master Plans. 
Currently there is an Official Plan  Amendment Application for the Cambridge West Lands submitted by Dan Currie of MHBC on behalf of land owner Brian Domm of Domm Farms who wants to build a mix residential subdivision in the area.  The City of Cambridge already approved use of the lands for the Highland Ridge subdivisons but it is now in the hands of the Region to give their approval via Rob Horne, Commissioner of Housing. There will be no further public votes on this.
The public can have a say when the amendment of the Official Plan takes place. That is when they bind the EA data for the Highland Ridge properties to the Official Plan with revised site specific EA data. At that  point we can use the City of Cambridge and Regional Official plans to flag issues of non compliance or flawed science if need be. 
The relevant legislation for all the projects in this area is the Current official plan of the Region, the City of Cambridge and the most recent version of the Provincial Policy Statement. 
Regarding the Road by Barrie's Lake
The road itself falls under multiple jurisdictions within the project zone. Within the city of Cambridge it is a City road but as it crosses into North Dumfries, it is deemed a Regional Road from that point on. The maintainance of the roadway may be spilt between all three jurisdictions. It's a complicated little area. (Reminds me of Wilmot Line's issues.) Roseville Rd. is the Regional portion, Cambridge's is called Blenheim Rd.
The process is a Class EA schedule C and they are only in phase 1 of the EA process for the road. Only one single public meeting has taken place with the goal to identify possible alternative routes to mitigate risks to the sensitive ecological features of the area. 
In terms of floodines risks I was told the GRCA are only using 100 year storm models to plan both the roadway and Highland Ridge: a proposed subdivision area to the North East. We should push to get 200 year storm criteria to adapt to climate change risks. 
Currently there is no testing of TCE taking place in spite of the fact contamination issues have already been identified nearby. 
Devil's creek has fresh water fish communities but it is experiencing some chloride issues as well. 
To date there has been no habitat delineation set for any of the endangered species in the area. 

EA testing is happening in the area. 

Regarding Residential areas aka Highland Ridge
Currently the City of Cambridge & Province has designated the properties as Light density residential which means  55 people per hectare. There is a photo of the plan in the attachments. It looks like a giant yellow stomach in the photos. This is from the MHBC application. Of 5 landowners of this area, only two are included into the consultation process that formed this report. 
Bright yellow is MEDIUM residential: (contrary to the existing LIGHT density designation via the ROPP and Cambridge Official Plan) Darker yellow is for multiple residential. 
Red is Local CommercialDark Blue is schoolDark Green is parklandGreenish Yellow is Natural Open SpaceTeal is Stormwater ManagementThe Circle is a proposed round about that is located in an area being used by breeding/nesting snapping turtles
The project involves a connector road going north from Bienheim Rd. by Barrie's Lake  and it travels to the north to connect to existing roadway systems there. There is a planned round about in the center of the development area where there is a small commercial zone on the west and a school on the east surrounded with residential housing. 
The rate of growth in the subdivision is dependent on access to the collector roads to the north and south. If they don't figure out the Roseville Rd./Blenheim Rd. area it could delay the rate of which they can develop these subdivisions. (Like West Side Lands and Erb. Street)
The development area appears to be on an outwash moraine system and they are relying on bore holes without Ground Penetrating Radar which is a problem. They should use both technologies to get a clear image of recharge capacity in this zones since bore holes alone are unreliable. 
They are looking at diverting storm runoff on site via a storm water management pond/direct infiltration area. No data yet to suggest that this is even possible but that is what they intend on doing. 
To date there is no storm water reports, no hydrogeological info other than the data of the previous subwatershed studies. 

Aggregate Risks
There is identified aggregate extraction area permitted that is located adjacent to Barries Lake nust north of Blenheim Road before the road elbows upwards. This is from the official plan. I'll include a photo of that in the attachments. Look for the spotted zone. 
SUMMERY: It is disappointing in my view to see approvals for subdivisions being given without securing proper scientific data such a critical habitat delineations, hydrogeological data etc. it seems premature.  Floodzone, chloride, rare species, possible heritage constraints. (That is still being assessed). Some critical properties are being excluded from the EA process to the south.  Logically a developer cannot justify the expense without having a project to aim for but it's really a cart before the horse type of system. Always is. 
Also included: A photo of the study zones. Lovely how they tend to omit potential habitats of Jefferson Salamanders to the West from review. By law those critters can have 1km radius around a pond for their habitat delineation. They also exclude zones to the south of Blenheim Road. 
That's it in a nutshell. Concerns regarding this project should be brought to Rob Horne at the Region of Waterloo.
Lulu :0)


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