Loading...
10 26 1983 Sp Council Minutes . . . TOWN HALL - OCTOBER 26, 1983 SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL Council met in accordance with resolution of Council passed at a meeting held on October 3, 19S3, which set October 26, 1983 at 7:00 p.m. for the presentation by Orillia Airport Committee of a proposal for the locating of a joint Barrie/Orillia Municipal Airport in the Township of Oro. And, to hear presentations from Ratepayers Associations that have a prepared presentation. The following members of Council were present: Reeve S. Davie Deputy Reeve J. McEwen Counci llors: R. Drury 1. Halfacre A. Johnson Present from Orillia Ai Committee Alderman Bob Gregory Gerry Briggs Kathy Hall Bob White Bruce Bayne Calverley of Orillia Township of Mara Township. Clerk/Admin. And, Reeve William Reeve Dr. Tom Garry rs Associations CORA approx. 21 (according to attendance sheet) Oro Station Ratepayers 12 " II " " Bass Lake Ratepayers - 6 (3 areas) II II " II Barillia Park Ratepayers 3 II II II II Shanty Bay Ratepayers 4 II II II II Orillia Chamber of Commerce - 2 " II II " Media 5 II II II II Consultants (Bird & Hale Ltd) - 1 II II II II Plus 2 other Consultants A total of 80 names appeared on the attendance sheet. Although, approximately 120 were In attendance in the Hall during the evening. 135 persons Reeve Davie opened the meeting at 7:05 p.m. with prayer. Then advised of procedure to hear presentation from the Orillia Airport Committee whic~ would be followed by questions of Council for clarification, etc. After which, presentations would be heard from the Ratepayers Associations that had a prepared presentation. Reeve also made reference that only two Ratepayers Associations had advised of a prepared presentation. No questions from the floor would be entertained. . . . 2 - Committee were called upon for presentation. Chairman of the Committee, Alderman Bob Gregory of the City of Orillia commenced his presentation at 7:15 p.m. and concluded at 7:40 p.m., after which he responded to questions of Council as called for by the Reeve (Copy of presentation handed to each member of Council and Clerk and attached to the Minutes) Also Consultant Report on file. Reeve McEwen asked some specific questions. 1. Clarification of lots involved. 2. As to resolution of Orillia Council authorizing funds for proposal. 3. Number of land owners approached about purchase of land. 4. How many family units would be involved. 5. Percentage of flights private nature to Commercial and Recreation use. 6. Possiblity of passenger serVIce. Responded to by Bob Gregory. Councillor Halfacre What about deficit - how is it apportioned? Response 50% by Province up to 40,000, balance by negotiation - host Municipality not usually apportioned. Councillor Drury - No questions. Councillor Johnson the Township? Has Airport Committee met with any groups or Ratepayers Associations In Response No, but had advised CORA In writing that Committee or members of same would be pre- pared to meet with them. Reeve Davie - Is there still a chance that the proposal for an Airport could be referred to the City Barrie property in Concession 4? Do you acknowledge a good Airport 26 miles to the North and one to the east, and explain why they are not sufficient? Has Committee addressed problem of approaching Aircraft Noise level beyond contour? Noise factor affect on mink during season and location of runway in relation to mink ranches? Response by Alderman Bob Gregory. The time of presentation and question period was completed by 7:50 p.m. Reeve Davie thanked Alderman Gregory for the presentation and advised that same would be presented for consideration at the regular Council Meeting. Reeve Davie then called upon the Central Oro Ratepayers Association (CORA) to identify themselves for a presentation if one was prepared. Mr. Lloyd George commenced by relating previous proposal for an Airport in Oro had been first proposed for a 3,000 foot runway, now the proposal was for a 5,000 foot runway. -Job creation suggested in proposal 12, probably none from Oro would get work. -Deficit not to be apportioned to host Municipality but could be negotiated according to presentation. -No Airport in Canada without a deficit whether deficit is covered by Federal, Provincial or Municipal, all from public pocket. -Proposal leaves a lot to be considered. - 3 - . OF COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26 1983 He then introduced Mr. Maurice Johnston, a pilot and resident of the City of Barrie to make a presentation. Mr. Johnston, after addressing Council and all in attendance, commenced by making reference to the Thornton Site in Innisfil Township, quoting an article in the Orillia Packet on April 5, 1983 and advantages of that location to coincide with the suggested distance between Airports of 34 miles, making reference to Collingwood and Huronia Airports. . -Thornton would service commercial use for Barrie, Borden,Innisfil Township,Alliston,Angus, com- pared to Oro site servicing Barrie, Orillia & Coldwater. -Weather conditions much more favourable than Oro site, less snow, fog, and air currents more suitable because of hills in Oro. -Adverse conditions in Oro more prone to worms .,n runway which would bring in birds and the ani- mals. -Conditions at a site in Oro would minimize good flying time because of the aforementioned condi- tions. -Thornton site could serve as weather station to Base Borden. -Also more useful from crop dusting, etc., which is used more south of Barrie. -Cross winds in Oro because of hills such as at Horseshoe Valley - effect of winds make it more difficult to approach due to air currents. -Aircraft from and to Barrie, from South, East and West - wheel type, north use float type, therefore to north, smaller aircraft. -Thornton better sight for Barrie - traffic increase from Toronto - The greater Toronto gets the more need for Maple and surrounding Airports to become necessary for development land and in this case, Thornton would benefit. Commuter services along 400 Highway would benefit Thornton Airport. -Fire fighting serVIces in Oro not readily available. -Radar Service - advising service could become more easily available to the Thornton Site. -Latest Master Plan for Innisfil is for Industrial Service and could have compatible service with Airport at Thornton. -Oro Site - small productive land owners around the proposed site. -Thornton site more suitable to off land approaches. -Drainage better at Thornton Site than Oro Site. -Runway length not as suitable in Oro. -Barrie has attempted to co-operate with surrounding Municipalities in proposal. -Orillia Proposal means years of investigation, costs and possibility of no airport. - Barrie has undergone all the studies and investigations and costs for same. The presentation of over one hour, concluded at 9:00 p.m. with some further comments by Lloyd George. Reeve - asked if Council had any questions. No Questions. Oro Station rs Association were next called upon. Paul Elliott representing the Association, advised that the Association area covered from Highway No. 11 to Lakefront from the 4th to the 9th Concessions with a membership of 250. Questionnaire had been circulated to all members - he read the content of the Questionnaire. In response, 142 had been returned with the following result: Support of Airport Opposed to Airport Maybe 43 92 7 142 . (57% response to questionnaire) ~ . . . ~ - 4 - SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 1983 Copy of results and returned questionnaires presented to Council for record. Total presentation - 5 minutes. Bass Lake Ratepayers Associations Barillia Park Ratepayers Assoc. Oro Marigold Senior Citizens Shanty Bay Ratepayers Assoc. No presentation. No presentation. No presentation. Mr. Gordon Grant advised of a quick survey of some of the 300 members, resulted in 92% against and 6t% in favour. Reeve then asked once more if any other Association or group had a presentation to make. At this point, Mr. Allen Wayne of Plan 1212 at Guthrie suggested that in order to get a clear input from Ratepayers, the Township should call for a Referendum. There being no further input from Ratepayers Associations or Groups, the Reeve thanked all those that had made presentations and as well, thanked the audience present for their attentive manner and their interest and advised that Oro Council would consider the presentations. On motion of McEwen and Halfacre, the meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. ClerK ORILLIA AIRPORT COMMITTEE PRESENTATION TO ORO COUNCIL - BACKGROUND Although studies have b ~en conducted regarding a Joint Orillia-Barrie Airport for some time, a renewed interest by Orillia Businessmen in January of this year is primarily responsible for our current initiative. These interested business people made representation to Orillia City Council and the Orillia Economic Development Commission asking Council to reconsider its earlier stand not to proceed with a joint facility. As a result, Orillia City Council sent representatives to meet with staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to obtain up-to-date information regarding the development of a municipal airport. e In April of this year, a deputation was received by Orillia Council on behalf of business people further reinforcing the desire to locate an airport which would be conveniently located to serve Orillia as well as Barrie. In that presentation delivered by Mr. Allan French, it was stressed that an airport must be viewed In terms of its long term implication on the region as a whole. On behalf of the business community, Mr. French stated (and I quote) "with difficult economic times and high unemployment our cowmunity needs every possible advantage available to attract industry and to retain industry already located here." I believe this represents the thrust of our renewed interest. Following this deputation, Council passed a resolution which states in part "That the City of Orillia will commence immediately negotiations with the City of Barrie for the possibility of developing a joint municipal airport." This decision unanimously endorsed by the Council .~ of the City of Orillia set in motion a series of events aimed at obtaining such a facility. - 2 - I In our initial approach to Barrie, it was made clear that they felt committed to developing their, Innisfil site. As such they indicated they would only reconsider plans for a Joint Barrie-Orillia Airport if certain conditions were met. These are: 1. That Orillia obtain approval from Oro Council to host a municipal airport in the Township of Oro. 2. That Orillia be prepared to share the current out of pocket expenses incurred by Barrie thus far. 3. That Orillia make a firm financial commitment towards the cost of developing a joint site. At the same time, correspondence from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications suggested that while they may be prepared to support the location of an airport in Oro Township, the City of Orillia would be required to obtain approval from Oro in order to proceed. On May 30th, 1983, the Mayor of Orillia invited the Councils of Oro, Mara and Orillia Townships and the City of Barrie to meet with Orillia Council and representatives of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Although Barrie declined this meeting, it generated sufficient optimism to create a joint Airport Committee consisting of Alderman Gerry Briggs from the City of Orillia, Reeve Tom Garry from Mara, Reeve Bill Calverley from Orillia Township and myself as Chairman. Mr. Aubrey Ford was later invited to participate as the representative of the Orillia & District Chamber of Commerce. The Committee has been staffed by Mr. Bruce Bayne, Clerk-Administrator of the City of Orillia. 4It The expressed mandate of the Orillia Airport Committee has been to work on behalf of the three Councils which are represented to secure a joint e . ' - 3 - e municipal airport between Orillia and Barrie. The first step towards reaching this objective and the one to which the COillTIlittee has addressed itself is to obtain approval from your Council to enact the ne6essary zoning changes which will permit the development of a municipal airport ln the Township of Ora. As you are aware, the Orillia Airport Committee has attempted to involve the members of Ora Council in this process. We recognize that you had not been consulted extensively in the past and we hope we have eliminated this problem through our approach. From the beginning, we have acknowledged that it is you, the elected representatives of Oro, which must decide on this delicate matter and we have attempted to learn of your concerns and address them accordingly. PROCEDURE e --- From our initial discussions, we learned the following: 1. That you were interested in being kept abreast of the work of the Orillia Airport Committee. 2. That you had concerns about the previously proposed sites in Oro. 3. That you were eager to obtain much more information about the development and operations of municipal airports. 4. That you were interested in knowing the benefits and disadvantages of locating a municipal airport in your Township. (a) Consultation Throughout the process which has led to this presentation the Orillia Airport Committee has kept each of you informed. Early discussions e focused on your concerns for your constituents and we have provided you with copies of my reports to Orillia Council as well as correspondence from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. You have been - 4 - t invited to partake in the process including such ventures as the fact finding flight to other municipalities. b Site Location When we realized the concerns some of you expressed about the sites which had already been studied in Oro, the Orillia Airport Committee commissioned a study to look at an alternate site which we understood would be more acceptable. We purposely sought the services of the firm, Bird and Hale Ltd. , which had done the previous site selection studies for the City of Barrie. This was to ensure uniformity as well as provide you with comparative data between sites. The new site selected for study is located in Lot 16, Concession 8 of Oro Township. Physical and biological parameters were investigated and rated for this site. A copy of the Bird & Hale study will be left 4It for each of you but I would like to review some of the significant findings. First, the characte sties of this site make it quite suitable for the establishment of airport runways and ancillary buildings. The majority of the site is flat requiring only moderate grading and the sandy glacial till means construction problems will likely be minimal and drainage is good. The potential for surface water and ground water pollution is also minimized by the existing soil characteristics. The study area include forest cover, extensive areas of cultivated land and a small wetland at the north end. The potential for the area as a wildlife habitat is low and no rare or endangered species of plant or animals are known to occur. e - 5 - t The new site in Lot 16, Concession 8 is more suitable than other sites for a variety of other reasons. For example, this site is not close to any built up residential area, does not need to concern itself with the pipeline and the angle of the runways could be adjusted to cause the least amount of impact on existing off site agricultural operations. (c) Development and Operations of Municipal Airports The site study covers an area of approximately 1,000 acres of which only 400 to 500 acres would be required to accommodate runways, buildings and a buffer zone. Although land acquisition and development costs vary, it can be anticipated that costs would run in the neighbourhood of three million dollars. Of this, up to 80% of approved costs are subsidized by the Provincial government. e Ideally, the proposed airport would include two paved runways, one measurlng 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) and the other 900 meters (3,500 feet). Access to the airport would most likely be by Oro line 7 and efforts would be made to locate the runways in such a way as to prevent having to cross them to reach the buildings on the site. At this time, it is expected that approximately 60,000 aircraft movements per year will be generated at this facility. However, this and other more detailed information is contained in the next phase of development which is the creation of a "Masterplan". It is anticipated however that most trafficwill be similar to that which we saw on our recent visit to other municipal airports. I will leave a copy of the Peterborough "Masterplan" to give you an idea of the considerations taken into account e at this stage of development. The Masterplan addresses such items as projected air traffic use, location of beacons, landing systems, exact location of runways and buildings, utilities and services, construction costs etc. - 6 - We know that many municipally owned airports operate at a deficit. It However 50% of the deficit up to a maximum of $40,000 is absorbed by the Province. Also without exception every municipality with an airport views it as a valuable asset and an important tool to attract industrial and commercial development. Most joint municipal airports are operated by an Airport Commission with representatives appointed from the participating municipalities. Although the financial contribution by these municipalities is negotiable, it is assumed that Oro would have representation on the Commission. In this way, your Township would continue to have input into the ongoing operations of the airport and also have a direct voice representing your constituents. d Benefits and Concerns In order to gather information on the benefits to Oro of hosting an airport ~ in the Township, the Orillia Airport Committee hired the firm of AeroCan Aviation Specialists Ltd. A copy of this report will also be left for each of you this evening. It is important to note that much of the information on economic benefit for Oro is directly related to the Cities of Barrie and Orillia. Mr. Paul Hayes, Vice-President of AeroCan, concludes that the Barrie-Orillia Corridor clearly represents an economic region in and of itself. He states and I quote "The health of both Barrie and Orillia is essential to the economic welfare of Oro residents." Therefore, this study in effect addresses not only the direct benefits within Oro Township but also the benefits incurred through association with the surrounding cities. In addressing the impact of the development of an airport in Lot 16, Concession 8 of Oro Township the following concerns are recognized: e - 7 - l. It 2 . '" 5. 4. The compatability of an airport with what is predominantly a rural community. The acquisition of farm land. The noise and air pollution generated. Any expenses which may be incurred by the Township. First, there is no question that the people In the immediate vicinity of the airport will suffer the greatest degree of inconvenience. It is likely not all landowners in the proposed site will be willing to sell their land causing disruption to individual families. Although this represents a small number of residents it will undoubtedly be a factor when you decide whether to approve the location. The impact on the remainder of the Township not located immediately adjacent to the airport would appear to be minimal. Airplanes are not e unduly noisy nor do they produce high levels of pollution. Two quotes from studies of these factors support this: 1. From R. E. Winter and Associates 1981 "The normal noise produced by air operations... would be of a lesser magnitude than the noise of trucks, lawnmowers etc which would be heard in a typical town situation." 2. From Ontario Department of Energy 1970 "air pollution levels resulting from the operation of even large airports are less than those coming from a major highway." We also addressed a concern which was brought to our attention regarding the possiblity of audio visual signal distortions . Contacts with our consultants and Federal Aviation authorities reveals that there is no reference anywhere in the literature to this being a problem and it has e never been identified as a concern by any airport facility. - 8 - As has been mentioned the airport would require approximately 400 to ~500 acres of the 1,000 acre site studied. However, of this, only a small portion is actually taken up by runways and buildings. From our visit to other municipal airports, we learned that it is a common practice to lease back agricultural land to local farmers. At the Waterloo- Wellington Airport, we witnessed cattle grazing next to the runways and in Collingwood, a large portion of the land owned by the City for the airport continues to support agricultural use. None of the airports visited indicated any conflict between the airport and the surrounding farm community. The main thrust towards securlng a joint airport from the city of Orillia comes from the belief that an airport is a selling feature to attract new industry and keep existing industry In the area. Many examples have 4Itbeen sited where this is precisely what happens in municipalities which have an airport. The closest example is the Mitsubishipurchase of the R.C.A. plant in Midland where the company has indicated that they would not have located in Midland without the existence of the Midland Airport. This company will employ 250 people by the end of 1985. In this regard, we know that 45% of Oro's resident labour force hold jobs in either Orillia or Barrie. This being the case a direct benefit to Oro will be through increased employment opportunities for Oro residents. The likelihood that industries will locate in the Cities preserves Oro's rural character while at the same time providing jobs perhaps more particularly for young people entering the work force for the first time. A more direct impact may be expected from the jobs created by the actual 4t construction and ongoing operation of the airport. since Oro has no major construction companies this benefit is small, but there should be employment for casual labour and aggregate firms. The airport operation - 9 - and related services such as airport management, flying clubs, aircraft It maintenance and charter sales activities vIill typically employ 10 to 12 people with a payroll of $300,000 to $350,000 annually. Depending on other services provided at the airport this could increase substantially. Another direct benefit to the Township from hosting an airport comes by way of increased tax revenue. Although there would be a cost to Oro through the loss of taxes on farm land, which would be connected to airport use, this is more than offset by commercial taxes and taxes paid on runway areas and buildings. As well, the airport land which remains agricultural will still be subject to agricultural tax levies. This can be more clearly demonstrated by the experience of similar airports to the one proposed for Oro Township. In this regard Oro could realistically expect to lose only $1,200 to $1,500 per annum from agricultural tax e levies but gain $13,000 to $15,000 per year from municipal tax revenues from cOm~ercial uses associated with the airport itself. In addition, each host municipality visited during our recent trip collects taxes from the municipally owned airport on the runway area and buildings which are specifically related to the airport operations. I have already made mention that an Airport Commission would be established if a joint Barrie-Orillia airport is developed. Representation on this cOmmission and certain other aspects will evolve through negotiations and the development of a "Masterplan". Therefore, I trust you can see that the degree of benefit in some areas will not be fully known until such time as the formal commitments and plans are enacted. SUMMARY -_.---- It Tonight's presentation has been heavily weighted with the positive aspects of creating a joint Orillia-Barrie Airport. The reason for this however 15 not that information has been left out but rather the more in ion ., . - 10 - obtained the more benefits which surface. Clearly the Cities of Orillia t and Barrie will benefit through industrial growth but as you can see the benefits for Oro residents are also significant. Except for those landowners at the site any negative impace is minimal. On the other hand: 1. Ora can expect to gain significan-t increases In revenue through taxation. 2. Increased jobs in the City of Orillia and Barrie will provide employment opportunities for Oro residents. 3. The construction and operation of an airport will create jobs for which Ora residents can apply. 4. Aggregate firms located in Oro Township could benefit directly from the construction of an airport. ~ 5. Oro Council may maintain direct input into the operations of an airport through participation in the Airport Commission. It would be fair to say that tonight's presentation is in reality an appeal for your co-operation. As your decision will affect this area forever the City of Orillia and Townships of Mara and Orillia have taken your concerns seriously. We trust we have been able to answer your questions and provide you with the information to decide. It is our belief that the facts indicate there is tremendous value in locating an airport in Oro at the proposed site not only for our municipalities but even more so for your Township. A recent conversation with the Mayor of Barrie has confirmed that the City of Barrie feels fully committed to developing the Innisfil site. It However, they recognize and appreciate that our reasons for pursuing this matter is not to delay their plans but rather to share in the benefits ich will come rom the construction of the airport. .1 ,-~ ~. - 11 - An tin rport heavily subsidized by the Province will definitely be built Simcoe County. It is our wish to develop a joint Orill Barrie Airport to serve several municipalities in the area. With approval from Oro Council, we will be able to proceed in our negotiations with the City of Barrie and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. For this reason, we are asking for your approval to locate an airport at Lot 16, Concession 8 so we can continue to negotiate with these parties and hopefully obtain this facility which we see as vital to the progress of our region in the future. Thank you for your thoughful attention to this important matter and for permitting me to address you this evening. It ,