MINUTES

TORBAY ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAILS COMMITTEE

Thursday, June 3^rd, 2010, Kinsmen Centre

Members in Attendance: Terry Sanford, Robbie Hicks, Gerri Labrie, Madeleine Florent, Michael Gardiner, Helen Spencer, Jeff Hearn Sylvia Warkentin, Marina Cheeseman, Ross Travers, Shirley Thorne

1. Approval of agenda and last week’s minutes from May 6^th’10 – read and approved.

Notes of Interest

*Torbay tree day a huge success – thanks to all who attended.

-High school planting underway – thanks to Michael and friends.

- Council sends congratulations to everyone for a VERY successful "Tree Day in Torbay".

Action for next Year

- Need more instructions for planting printed sheets ( > 50)

- Make donation pot available to public and advertise in flyer

- Need more bags and encourage people to bring their own (advertise)

*Bird viewing and hike – low turnout at last week’s meeting

*EHJV Management Plan.

-Meeting with EHJV attended by Madeleine, Helen, Gerri and Sylvia was encouraging and positive

-Committee agrees that Stewardship zone should be increased.

-Meeting with town council and EHJV scheduled for July 7’10 – members to attend TBD.

Agenda

1. Forest Landing (FL) / Whitty’s Ridge (WR) developments

- Phase 7 for FL is begging to get underway – announcement in paper with very little response from public.

-concerns raised include

- Where is the green space?

- Drop in flow of Island Pond Brook

- Flooding and erosion issues

-can we slow development

- What is an adequate size lot for a septic field?

- We need a detailed hydrogeologic study completed in order to properly assess what is happening

-Bridge Road – foundation poured well inside buffer zone – Who is responsible for ensuring that developers abide by the buffer zone rules?

Whitty’s Ridge Notes

- Petition with 27 residents and landowners presented to council with a great turnout – Robbie to get more signatures from the neighborhood.

-Ross also spoke with civil servant in Dept. of Health Darrell Johnson – 729-3422, Mr. Johnson encouraged all concerned citizens to send letters to him regarding our issues with WR.

-Developments need 2 exits/entrances, Burns Lane is not wide enough (60ft) for a main route and it has been proposed as an emergency exit Whitty’s Lane as main thoroughfare.

-Current residents not happy with this plan.

-Will the town expropriate?

- Access a very big concern

-Ross raised concerns about the comprehensive plan released about WR development and how it appeared to be inadequate in addressing environmental concerns. Recent plan suggested 200 homes in a cookie cutter type design.

Action:

1. Write letters to: Darrell Johnson, Director of Environmental Public Health at Dept. of Health and Envi. – Also encouraged to send letters to other Municipal Affairs, MHA’s – basically anyone who will listen to our important concerns. Meeting regarding letters at Sylvia’s – June 9^th at 7.30 pm.

2. Make a proposal to council to increase lot size. Does council have the mandate to preserve green space in residential development? We must preserve the existing trails and strive for developers to incorporate new trails in new phases of development.

3. Can we make Whitty’s Ridge Torbay’s first green community? Can we get a new zone of development – “conservation zone”. Will the Town of Torbay begin to develop a sustainable community much like Portugal Cove – St. Phillip’s is proposing.

2. Lower Street River Clean up June 5^th’10, 10AM – 12 PM

- will go on rain or shine.

-clean up from the bridge to the beach.

-attended by MHA Kevin Parsons.

-press coverage with Cecil Hare – CBC Radio 0ne.

-Gerri to pick up garbage bags and hotdogs – submit receipts to TETC

-no issues regarding disruption of bird’s nesting or fish according to a DFO rep.

3. Mayor’s Walk – June 19^th’10, 8:30AM

-Heart and Stroke Foundation pledge sheets available at the Town Hall

4. Property Beautification – Held over

Action

Sylvia – To call Myra and clarify a few questions.

5. Walkway / Trail Maintenance Manual – available at the Town Hall

6. Hike – Sunday June 6^th ’10 , 2:00 pm

-Meet at Town Hall.

-Leave cars at Satellite Road and Power’s Road

Helen will send email regarding future bird hikes in a couple of weeks.

7. Town of Torbay – Community Profile

- Has been released by council and describes Torbay as “urban”.

- There was a general consensus that Torbay is a “rural” community and would like to propose that the town change this.

Action

Madeleine will contact the council and relay our concerns.