• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Conservation authority notice halts work at Burl’s Creek in Oro-Medonte

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In Agriculture
Mar 25th, 2015
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By Sara Carson Barrie Advance

This story has been updated from a previous version.

The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority has issued notices of violation over development work at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds.

Laneway construction was halted two weeks ago when the notices were issued, said Ryan Howes, spokesperson for the Oro-Medonte festival venue.

In a prepared statement, conservation authority spokesperson Susan Jagminas said the agency issued “notices of violation to the property owner for development activities that are taking place without approval.”

Burl’s Creek, at Line 8 off Highway 11, is undergoing redevelopment to make way for major music festivals.

Along with the notices of violation, the conservation authority has “laid charges in provincial offences court related to these activities,” Jagminas wrote.

The notices of violation come under Ontario Regulation 179/06 – Regulation of Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses.

“As this is an ongoing enforcement matter, (the authority) is not at liberty to discuss this matter in any further detail,” Jagminas said.

Howes said Burl’s Creek is working with the authority and the township to meet the requirements.

The notices of violation were issued due to work on 20-foot internal laneways positioned close to a “very small, water holding area”, he said, adding the work did not contaminate the water.

“But when you do alter the lay of the land, you have to go through a certain process to notify the conservation authority and have them review the change,” Howes said.

A citizen’s group called Save Oro has voiced concerns over work being done at Burl’s Creek. Group member Ann Honeywood said valuable farmland is being destroyed and sugarbush has been axed.

Howes responded, saying The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has approved all the work done to date.

Save Oro has questions about how trash and sewage will be handled during and after two large events taking place at Burl’s Creek this summer: Boots and Hearts from Aug. 6 to 9 and WayHome Music and Arts July 24 to 26.

“Where is all that waste going to go? Because literally we are looking at doubling the Oro-Medonte population,” Honeywood said.

Burl’s Creek will hire a waste haulage company to handle trash and sewage, Howes said.

The material will then be spread across dumping stations in Simcoe County.

“We’re not going to over-bombard the Oro-Medonte one,” Howes said.

In February, Burl’s Creek submitted a temporary use bylaw change application to zone the entire property for event use.

Oro-Medonte Deputy Mayor Ralph Hough said residents will have an opportunity to provide comments when the township hosts a public meeting this spring.

Burl’s Creek will be releasing its traffic plan and final site design by early

The Save Oro citizens group meets tomorrow, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Guthrie Public School, 22 Line 5 S., Oro-Medonte.

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