Jun 16, 2009 - 02:15 PM

Scott Howard

Township council will continue negotiations to sell a portion of Concession 4 to aggregate company CBM.

That decision was made Monday night, with a packed gallery of residents concerned with the proposal.

CBM owns two pits on Concession 4, across the road from each other. The north pit has been closed for a number of years, while the life expectancy of the south pit currently sits at approximately three years. The proposal from CBM, which would allow the company to extract gravel from the road allowance, would prolong that life expectancy for five to eight years.

Council had been presented with two options for the sale.

The first would close 575 metres of Concession 4 fronting the pits, creating two cul-de-sacs at either end. The municipality would receive $1.7 million in compensation from CBM for this proposal.

The compensation drops to $1.1 million for the second option, which would see the eastern side of Concession 4 closed off by a cul-de-sac, with Concession 4 re-routed northwest on property owned by CBM to Concession 5.

In addition to cash, the municipality would also receive a fixed price on 150,000 tonnes of gravel should the proposal proceed.

Under either proposal, CBM would assume the costs associated with the approval process and road construction.

At Monday night's meeting, council directed staff to continue negotiations on the second proposal.

The motion to continue the talks was made by Ward 4 councillor David Marquis, seconded by Ward 5 councillor Ted Smith.

Prior to council's discussion on the motion, Mayor Larry O'Connor "dispensed with the normalities" of the meeting to allow residents an opportunity to comment on the proposal.

A handful took the mayor up on the offer, raising issues such as the effect on residential wells and property values, as well as traffic safety. Many of the same points were raised during a May 6 public meeting.

"What kind of compensation will we get for the devaluation of our property?" asked Denis Uzzell, who recently purchased a home on Concession 5.

Former municipal councillor Debbie Bath suggested that council examine the intersection of Concession 5 and Hwy. 12 before making a decision.

"You definitely need to take a look at that before signing any deal," she said.

Concession 4 resident Beth Gill also urged Brock council and Durham Region to improve the intersection of Sideroad 17 and Regional Road 13.

"If it doesn't get fixed, someone's going to get killed there," she said.

After the comments from the public, members of council began their discussion on the motion to continue negotiations.

Coun. Marquis said the decision was not an easy one to make, but there were many benefits to allowing the company access to Concession 4. In addition to the taxes paid to the municipality by CBM, Coun. Marquis also noted that the company provides employment for a number of local residents.

Coun. Smith added the municipality receives roughly $70,000 a year in aggregate royalties from the company.

"That is the biggest pit in Brock Township... Money does talk and has an impact on the bottom line," he said.

Ward 2 councillor Randy Skinner was the lone member to vote against continuing negotiations, noting that Concession 4 is one of only three roads in the area that connect Hwy. 12 with Regional Road 23.

"We have very limited road access in the south as it is," he said.

"I find it very difficult to sell off a road, even when it's $1 million involved."

"It isn't a sale yet, it's continuing the negotiations," Coun. Smith noted.

At the conclusion of the meeting, area resident Jim Carson urged council -- should it proceed with the deal -- to use the money to offset the cost of a capital project, such as the construction of a new firehall in Sunderland.

"It's a capital asset you're selling. I'm assuming that the money will be used for another capital project?" Mr. Carson asked.

While he didn't commit one way or the other, Mayor O'Connor said that prospect is being strongly considered.

"That would make the most sense," he replied.

Should negotiations prove fruitful, the sale must be approved by members of council.

Following that decision, CBM's proposal would be subject to an Environmental Assessment -- which would include a hydrogeological study to gauge the impact on the local water table -- as well as the Province's aggregate licensing process.