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Tim Andersen of the Southampton Residents Association (SRA)
presented a number of concerns to Saugeen Shores Town Council at their first
meeting of the new year on Monday, January 14.
Posting Notices and Agendas One of the group's main concerns was over the timeliness of posting public notices of fee-paid development proposals on the County website. Andersen pointed out that ensuring prompt publication would provide full use of the 120-day period between filing of a proposal and the last day for decision by Council to approve or reject it so that interested parties would have the necessary time to comment. In the same vein, he also raised the concern that the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) was also not posting its agenda to allow sufficient time for an organization such as SRA to be represented. Andersen also stressed that because many of the residents are retired and winter in warmer locations such as Florida, the internet should be used in a broader way so that they could have access to local information. "We are concerned about major proposals that appear in the winter months when many retired Saugeen Shores residents are away. If the changes are implemented, we will monitor the web-sites and review notifications we receive as new members of the Planning Department's circulation list … to make every effort to be prepared to make submissions." The SRA also raised the issue surrounding dunes grasses and height restrictions of dunes on Southampton's beach, particularly, at the foot of Chantry View in front of a cottage belonging to Judith Todd and at the base of Harmer Street. According to the SRA, the Harmer Street residents contend that because they pay lakefront taxes, they want to be able to see the lake. Dune Control Andersen, on behalf of the SRA, requested that the Town Works Department convene a meeting with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority and the SRA to "explore ways in which the Harmer Street dunes can be scaled back in a manner consistent to the proper environmental conservation of the Southampton Beach."
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(continued) Councilor Victoria Serda, an avid environmentalist who is a Canadian representative with the Al Gore organization, pointed out that, "Studies have proven how dunes contribute to the overall health of a shoreline. The health benefits accrued by leaving dunes to develop on their own far outweigh the need to simply have a view of the lake. In fact, beaches without dunes have been found to have higher incidence of e-coli." Deputy Mayor Doug Freiburger, also Chair of the Sagueen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA), strongly pointed out that, "We made it clear there is no way we can manage dunes. Once you take the top off you take away the entire support structure for plant life. As a result, at least another one-third will be lost. There is nothing we can do to mitigate a dune's growth without destroying it and we will not do that." Beach Grading The SRA in its statement indicated that it was in agreement with grading the beach on an ad hoc basis, such as after a major storm. The Town's Bill Jones is to continue to monitor the effectiveness of the program with a view to protecting the beach from erosion and creating better aesthetics. Water Quality & Testing Another area of concern to the SRA is the methodology used for water quality testing at Southampton's shoreline. "We feel," said Andersen, "that there should be a wider distribution for testing. Instead of out 15 ft. from shore in waist-deep water, testing should also be done along the water's edge where children often play. We realize it is under the mandate of the Grey Bruce Health Unit, but we would ask that the Town support us in being an advocate for better testing." While Andersen commended Town Staff for their support and efforts, he also brought several other issues before Council in the lengthy submission, including, control of the invasive species 'phragmites' currently be done by senior volunteers, signage which is in disrepair, by-law enforcement, sidewalk sweeping and storm drains.
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