Council news: ATV bylaw amended to restrict Mulmur boundaries

Clearview Township has amended its ATV bylaw yet again. Council voted in July to permit the use of off road vehicles (ORVs) on several township roads which had previously been off limits, particularly in the Creemore and Dunedin areas. The township was subsequently contacted by the Township of Mulmur with concerns that the amendments contradict the Mulmur bylaw, which does not permit ORVs on any township roadways.

Clearview council voted this week to change the bylaw to prohibit ORVs on the Mulmur Nottawasaga Townline and any boundary roads under the jurisdiction of adjoining municipalities, unless specifically authorized.

Clearview to support Battery Energy Systems

Clearview council will give blanket support for applications to create Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the township. The Independent Electricity Supply Organization (IESO) recently called for proposals to build storage facilities designed to ensure long term stability of the power supply. At Monday’s meeting, council heard a presentation from IPA Power, one of the players who will be applying to build a facility in Clearview. The proposed IPA site is at Brentwood Road and Concession 3, which is currently zoned agricultural. A company representative said it would be a clean energy project with substantial economic benefits to the community, generating millions in tax revenue and creating 200- 300 temporary jobs during the construction phase and 6 permanent jobs over the 21-year operating life span of the plant.

The BESS would utilize 15 acres of agricultural land, chosen for its proximity to the existing power corridor, but would mitigate the impact by protecting a comparable sized piece of land, and pledging to remove all equipment and restore soil to its original condition at the end of the project.

Council has directed staff to prepare a Blanket Municipal Support Resolution. Deputy Mayor Paul Van Staveren was pleased at the prospect of full- time jobs associated with the IPA proposal but was careful to point out that the blanket support should not prejudice any future decisions of council.

“This is about council endorsing the idea of a battery storage system as opposed to a specific project,” he said.

An expression of municipal support is part of the procurement process for ranking all proposals received by the IESO.