Angus Ratepayers' challenges servicing plan for Baxter

Posted September 5, 2012

The fledgling Angus Ratepayers Association has expressed its opposition to the Township's plan to permit a 200 plus residential unit subdivision to provide wastewater servicing through a pipeline connection to the sewage plant in Angus.

In her letter dated July 18 to council, the ARA's president Tami Harry highlights 11 reasons why the proposed sanitary sewer line extension from Baxter to Angus should not be approved.

"We suggest that the developers, working through their consultants, come up with a local servicing plan within the boundaries of Baxter to accommodate their development," according to Ms. Harry. "Approval of this extension would put extreme pressure on future Township of Essa
Councils to approve developments in rural areas and agricultural lands. It would also diminish commercial and residential opportunities in the settlement area of Angus."

Her letter also suggests that allowing further growth in Baxter would impact the community because it lacks services both public and private such as Fire, Ambulance, Secondary school, Employment, Shopping, etc., and with residential growth, would put a strain on and add additional costs to the ratepayers of Angus to provide these services."

In a reply letter dated August 24 and signed by Essa CAO Greg Murphy, and Colleen Healey, Manager of Planning, the 250 subdivision on the Marshall lands was approved back in 1999, with draft plan of subdivision granted in 2010. The servicing study has concluded the best option is to service the property from the wastewater treatment plant in Angus, which has additional capacity to accommodate it.

"The community of Baxter is properly serviced with Essa Township Fire
Protection. The School Boards are satisfied that secondary school
students can be accommodated in established schools in Simcoe County," according to the Township response. "There are some commercial lands in Baxter. The developer will provide for new parkland and a safe cross-walk in the community. The developer will also bring water servicing to the community which will allow existing residents the
chance to connect to a safe drinking water system (municipal} at no
expense to the Township's property tax-base. However, these existing
residents will be required to pay a connection charge to assist on
offsetting the costs of the water servicing."

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