Next up is the Regular Meeting of Council at 7pm. This is going to be a long meeting as there are a lot of registered delegates. Details and the agenda package are available on the @WilmotTownship website wilmot.ca/en/Modules/New…. Live tweet thread here 👇 
@WilmotTownship Mayor Armstrong asks for a minutes silence to think of the lives lost in last week's plane crash, as well as those facing the fires in Australia. Cllr Hallman reads the land acknowledgement.
@WilmotTownship Cllr Gordijk declares a pecuniary interest as her son-in-law works for one of the companies that will be affected by the Hallman Pit application. She leaves the council chamber as the public meeting is opened.
@WilmotTownship Mayor Armstrong reminds delegations that they are each limited to 10 minutes for their presentations.
Andrew Martin (Manager of Planning/EDO) delivers his report about the planning application.
Andrew Martin (Manager of Planning/EDO) delivers his report about the planning application.
@WilmotTownship The full report is on page 18 of the full agenda package. Today's public meeting is for information only; there will not be a vote.
@WilmotTownship First delegation is David Sisco, a consultant working with Jackson Harvest Farms Ltd, who filed the Hallman Pit application. His slides are available on page 134.
Mr Sisco is describing the application process and scope.
Mr Sisco ends his presentation. Cllr Pfenning says she'd like to hear from residents before asking her own questions.
First delegation is David Donnelly, who is the legal representative for Citizens for Safe Ground Water.
First delegation is David Donnelly, who is the legal representative for Citizens for Safe Ground Water.
Part of his presentation is the description of how other municipalities - not just in Canada - are responding to similar applications. "It's time to say goodbye to aggregate."
"What is being proposed is not acceptable to local residents." Mr Donnelly.
Next up is a hydrogeologist (sorry, missed his name). Says there are already some contamination issues - nitrates - from agricultural use.
Says his problem with the Hallman Pit application is that there is no description of the proposed aggregate washing process. Protection of nearby wells is also a concern.
Cllr Fisher: Refers to changes to the province's Bill 132. The delegation says he would prefer not to discuss this, as that is a legal question.
Richard Stevenson, a 15-year Shingletown resident, is the next delegation. Says he's concerned that, in addition to the noise and dust study, there wasn't a vibration study. He asks council to request one.
Mr Stevenson read a peer review of the noise study, which had issues with its methodology.
Robert Gebotys is the next delegation. His slides are on page 225 of the agenda package. He's talking about the role of municipalities and the province in the health of our communities.
Mr Gebotys reached the end of his 10 minutes. He asked for one more minute, which Mayor Armstrong declined, saying that there are a lot of other people who are waiting to speak. The mayor says if he allows more time for Mr Gebotys, he'll have to do so for everyone else.
Patricia Chevalier is next, speaking about possible health repercussions from aggregate extraction. Refers to expert health reports.
Mark Gordon, Shingletown resident, is next. Says the pit would be an intrusion into our rural lifestyle.
Mr Gordon talks about the loss of quality farmland.
Mr Gordon refers at length to Wilmot council's responsibility to the environment, and mentions that the council declared a climate emergency last September. Mentions that Doug Ford prioritizes aggregate over agriculture.
Complains that council refused to move to a larger venue to accommodate all the people who have been "sequestered" in the room on the lower floor of this building.
Douglas Huber is the next delegation. (We're not following the order of speakers listed in the agenda package.) Talks about the possible damage to well water quality.
Cllr Pfenning asks Mr Huber about methods for tracing well water quality.
Mayor Armstrong says we'll be taking a 10-minute "nature break"...
We're back. Next up is Linda Laepple, a local organic farmer, near Shingletown. Her farm is close to the proposed Hallman Pit.
Ms Laepple is discussing what she considers are discrepancies in the studies that accompany the application.
Christina Harnack is a Shingletown resident. She's speaking in opposition to the pit, which would be directly opposite her home. She's concerned about water quality and increased traffic, especially with regard to her young children.
Ms Harnack also refers to council declaring a climate emergency last September, as well as the Region of Waterloo's Official Plan.
"I'm not opposed to gravel pits, but should aggregate extraction be allowed without demonstrating a need?" Ms Harnack
Ann Dupej from Shingletown, where she's lived for 39 years. She's addressing the rehabilitation plan, stating that the industry has a poor record for completing rehabilitation.
She ends by saying that this gravel pit will be this council's legacy.
Ms Dupej is followed by Ed Dupej as the next delegation. He's addressing the traffic study.
Ms Dupej is followed by Ed Dupej as the next delegation. He's addressing the traffic study.
Next: Rory Farnan from Mannheim. He discusses the growing citizen movement within Wilmot; from just 20 people to overflowing meeting rooms with 110 attendees.
Mr Farnan considers how the township's declared climate emergency correlates with allowing a big increase in truck traffic, and how it will affect local quality of life.
Mr Farnan quotes Mayor @SusanFoxton1: "It can't ever be mitigated long term. It's like chopping a leg off […] it doesn't grow back." cbc.ca/news/canada/ki…
@SusanFoxton1 Michelle Lemire from Mannheim is next. Says this gravel pit is not necessary. Says as citizens we will have to live with any problems as a result of the running of this pit. She's worried about the safety of road users.
@SusanFoxton1 Samantha Lernout is now presenting. Says there is a lack of clarity in the application. "We need to make sure there are now negative impacts."
"It is up to the applicant to prove there will be no negative impact." Ms Lemire
Ms Lemire mentions the Walkerton water crisis in 2000.
Next is Louisette Lanteigne from Waterloo whose presentation begins by quoting scripture. Moves onto the Aggregate Resource Act 1990 and says that there is no regard for the Haldimand Tract.
Ms Lanteigne's slides are on page 268 of the agenda package.
Missed the next delegation's name; he isn't listed on the agenda. Talks about the potential drop in the value of his property if the Hallman Pit goes ahead. He's also worried about traffic, environmental impact and noise.
Yvonne Fernandes, former City of Kitchener councillor is speaking next. Talks about the threat of an LPAT appeal from the applicant. Says that the current provincial government has overturned rules laid out by the previous government.
Ms Fernandes reminds council that it represents the people who are here today at this meeting.
Jennifer Lauzon just talked about the connections she's made with her local community by joining the fight against the application.
The delegations who are speaking now are being given 5 minutes, rather than 10, as they registered just before the meeting began.
These speakers are covering similar themes to previous delegations, questioning the need for another gravel pit, the impact on local quality of life and the environment.
We've had the last registered delegation. Mayor Armstrong asks if there is anyone else who wishes to speak; there doesn't appear to be anyone.
The public meeting is declared closed. The report for this zone application has been received for information.
After a five minute break, Cllr Gerber makes a motion to continue the council meeting past the 11pm deadline, just so council can complete the items that need to be done today.
The consent agenda has been passed.
Dawn Mittelholtz (Director of Clerk's Services) is giving a verbal report on Offers to Purchase Unopened Road Allowance, Victoria Street, Northwest of Boullee Street. Cllr Gordijk declares a pecuniary interest. (Sorry, forgot to mention she'd returned from exile.)
Recommendation to award MTE Consultants be the contract for design and construction management of a multi-use trail along Sandhills Road from Snyder’s Road East to Gingerich Road, as per their proposal received December 20, 2019: Carried.
Notices of motion have been put aside until the next council meeting.
And we're adjourned at 11:14pm.
