Newsclips: County sets hearing date for Beeton tree cutting permit appeal
New Tecumseth Free Press Online
Opponents of Tecumseth Estates (Rizzardo) Special Permit to clear more than 30 acres of woodlot on their property in Beeton, will have the opportunity to state their case directly to Simcoe County council on Tues., April 14, beginning at 11 am at the Administration Centre in Midhurst.
As reported here first on Feb. 13, Simcoe County councillors approved its forester’s recommendation to issue a special permit to Maria Rizzardo (matriarch of the Rizzardo family) which initially was to remove 35 acres (14.2 ha) of “predominantly … mature, mixed hardwood” on Part of Lots 8, 9 and 10, Concession 9, 6386 and 6416 9th Line, New Tecumseth. That was reduced to approximately 30 acres following further revisions. The total property covers 241 acres in area of which approximately 60 acres is currently woodland with the remaining 181 acres in agricultural use. Agricultural land class is 1-3 and 4.
For its purposes, The New Tecumseth Awareness Committee (NTAC), which was formed as a result of this matter, will host a public meeting on Wed., March 25, at the Beeton arena beginning at 7:30 p.m. A public forum will follow at 8 pm “to address this notice of hearing and update the concerned citizens of where the process is at and how they can be involved.”
Appeal hearing date set for Beeton landowner’s tree-cutting permit
BEETON – A hearing date has been set to allow Simcoe County council to hear a Beeton landowner’s appeal to a stop work order issued to prevent trees from being cut down.
The hearing will be held Tuesday, April 14 starting at 11 a.m. in Simcoe County council chambers at the Administration Centre in Midhurst.
The stop work order was issued by the county March 3 to allow an investigation into the process that led to property owner Maria Rizzardo (Tecumseth Estates Inc.) being granted a special permit to remove about 30 acres of trees from the property.
Shortly after, the landowner filed an appeal to the order.
Tree cutting activity at the property located at 6386 and 6416 9th Line took place between Jan. 27 and March 2, prior to New Tecumseth council asking the county to suspend the permit to allow for a number of environmental and public notification concerns to be addressed.
According to the hearing notice posted on the county’s website, county councillors will have the option to lift the stop work order with or without conditions, or cancel the permit.
Anyone who wishes to make a presentation, either with or without a lawyer, must register with the county clerk Brenda Clark no later than Tuesday, April 7 at noon.
Clark can be reached at 705-726-9300 ext. 1243 or brenda.clark@simcoe.ca.
It is important to protect our forests, especially in Simcoe County, which was turning into a desert before they were restored. Beeton’s forests were planted to protect their water supplies. My friend Danny Beaton once said on his way to jail for stopping Dump Site 41. “Who will speak for the water.” I hope people come out to speak for the forests, which protect the water.