HomeMy Public PortalAbout2011-04_MunicipalInsight-compressed
municipal insight
A quarterly newsletter from
the Municipality of the District of Chester
LOOK INSIDE FOR…LOOK INSIDE FOR…LOOK INSIDE FOR…
New Building Code (pg. 2)
Find out where to find a copy.
What’s all the stink about? (pg. 3)
The dos and don’ts of the municipal sewer system.
Explore Life with Rec & Parks (pg. 4)
An exciting new lineup of programming this Spring.
Our Volunteer of the Year (pg. 4)
Meet Barb Boutilier: Volunteer Extraordinaire
www.chester.ca “keeping informed about your municipal government” Spring 2011
also inside...
IS YOUR WASTE DANGEROUS?
STREETSCAPE UPDATE
NEW CHANGES TO DOG BY-LAW
BE SAFE (find out more on page 5)
CONTACT US:
Municipality of the District of Chester
151 King Street, P O Box 369
Chester NS B0J 1J0
(902) 275-3554 phone
(902) 275-4771 fax
administration@chester.ca
www.chester.ca
Sap Running at Ross Farm Museum - photo taken by Matthew Gates, Ross Farm Museum
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Look for 2011/12 budget information in the next issue of Municipal Insight.
Serving you better...
· Did you know that your tax information is available online? Call us at
(902)275-3554 to set up your user account.
· Please bring your municipal account numbers with you when paying your
property taxes in person at the tax office - it speeds up the process. These
numbers are clearly indicated on the remittance portion of your tax bill.
· If your mailing address changes, please update us as soon as possible.
· Please ensure that you use ALL eight digits of your municipal account
number (including any zeroes at the front) when paying your account
online with your financial institution.
· Questions regarding your property tax assessment should be directed to
Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC) at 1-800-380-7775.
· Questions regarding deeds should be directed to the Registry of Deeds at
(902)527-5379.
The Province of Nova Scotia will adopt the new 2010 Building
Code soon. A copy of the Building Code can be purchased by
phoning 1-800-672-7990 or visiting the National Research
Council Canada at www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/index.html.
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Please remember that the Building Department will
start their summer hours for the months of July and
August. The office will be open from 8:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. for your convenience. Please drop by for
inquires, permits and information on your building
projects and we will be happy to assist you.
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Treating water that
doesn’t need to be
treated is costly and uses up plant capacity. This means no sump or
foundation pumps. Section 14(a) of our Sewer By-Law states,
“No person shall discharge, cause to be discharged, or continue to discharge or
cause to be discharged...any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof run-
off, subsurface drainage, cooling water or any unpolluted industrial process wa-
ters into any sanitary sewer, except by motion of Council...”
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Do you need to apply for a sewer connection? Building or Occupancy permit? Development or Subdivision
permit? Check www.chester.ca for the municipal applications you need.
Central Sewer and Septic System
Do’s and Don'ts
W hile Municipal workers are responsible for operating central sewer systems, there are
things that you, the user, can do to ensure it remains in good working order. The tips
below can help protect our sewer system from harsh chemicals, keep pumps and
manholes from becoming clogged or damaged, and prevent a sewer line back-up in your home.
DON’T pour fats, oils, and
grease down the sink. Garbage
disposals do not keep grease
out of the plumbing system.
Also, additives that claim to dis-
solve grease may only pass it
down the line and cause prob-
lems in other areas.
DON’T pour paint, engine oil,
or chemicals down the sink. It
poses a threat to the environ-
ment AND to the health of
maintenance staff .
DON’T forget the location of
your sewer line when landscap-
ing. Plant roots are a common problem with pipe
breaks and can easily be prevented.
DO scrape excess grease into a container
and dispose of it in the compost.
DO put food scraps in compost for disposal
and scrape dishes before washing.
DO dispose of waste - such as diapers, con-
doms, personal hygiene products, syringes,
bandages - in a wastebasket, not a toilet.
DO use a strainer over the plughole in your
sink, shower and tub. Empty the collected
material into the garbage.
DO use the manufacturer's recommended
amount of kitchen or laundry detergent. De-
tergents hold large amounts of oil, grease,
and fats in suspension which makes cleaning
and treating waste water difficult and costly.
Also, there will be less phosphate in the en-
vironment to cause the growth of algae.
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If you did not receive a copy of “EXPLORE LIFE”,
our Spring Recreation & Program Guide, check it
out online at www.chester.ca or call the
Recreation Office at 275-3490.
Barb Boutilier, Aspotogan
Canadian Cancer Society Fundraiser
Heart & Stroke Fundraiser
Terry Fox Foundation Volunteer
Special Needs Volunteer
Community Baker
All Saints Church Janitor
Local Sound Technician
General Community Fundraiser/Volunteer
Barb’s volunteering started in the early 1980’s with the
Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart & Stroke Founda-
tion. Since then, she has volunteered with the Terry Fox
Foundation, the All Saints Church, Community dinners, Heri-
tage Day, community variety shows, special needs fundrais-
ers, and lots of other various community events and activi-
ties. She is always willing to help the community in just
about any way she can. For her efforts, Barb has been se-
lected to represent the Municipality of Chester at the Pro-
vincial Volunteer Awards Ceremony in Halifax on April 4.
The Municipality of Chester
is hosting a Volunteer
Awards Ceremony on
Wednesday, April 13 at
7:00 p.m. at the Chester
Legion to celebrate and
thank ALL the volunteers in
our communities.
Everyone is invited. Please
RSVP to the Recreation
Department by Tuesday,
April 5.
A special thanks to the other nominees. Your fellow community volunteers
recognize the tireless energy and commitment you offer unselfishly every day.
Jim Barkhouse Sandy Morash
Barb Boutilier Sharron Myler
Agnes Clinton Heather Norwood
Susan Connors Douglas Oickle
Natalie Forsyth Jerry Parsons
Dawn Harwood-Jones Sue Pattillo
Christine Hirtle Janice Reeves
Becky Hodder Jan Shilletto
Donna Larder Eleanor (Mag) Walker
Roy Lohnes Walter (Bubs) Westhaver
Bonita MacLean Don Wright
Marie Meister Chester Basin 250th Anniversary Society
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Lots of students choose municipal government as a project topic. Call us if you need resources.
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Safe Sharps Disposal
All sharps (syringes, needles,
and lancets) should be dis-
posed of in proper contain-
ers ONLY. These containers
are specifically designed to
store sharps and can be
picked up for free at your
local pharmacy or Canadian
Diabetes Association Supply
Centre. Once the container
is full, just return it to the
pharmacy for free, safe dis-
posal.
NEVER place sharps in a blue
bag, garbage bag or green
cart. Sharps don’t belong in
plastic bottles or jugs for dis-
posal, either. Used sharps
must be handled properly;
otherwise, needle-stick inju-
ries could occur. These inju-
ries can cause infection, dis-
ease, and undue stress.
Whether you have been us-
ing sharps for some time, or
you have just started, please
visit your pharmacy and ask
about the Safe Sharps pro-
gram. They will be happy to
provide you with a container
and instructions on how to
use it.
Household
Hazardous Waste
Household Hazardous Waste
(HHW) is any corrosive, flam-
mable, reactive or poisonous
products that we use in our
homes. They include paints,
pesticides, cleaners, fertiliz-
ers, propane tanks, oils and
fluids, fuel, solvents, batter-
ies, thinners and Fluorescent
lights. These items should
never be thrown into the
garbage. A more comprehen-
sive list is found online at
www.chester.ca or in the
Waste Collection Calendar.
The HHW Depot is located at
the Kaizer Meadow Environ-
mental Management Centre
and will accept these items
for free, from residential cus-
tomers only. Any products
being dropped off at the De-
pot must be in a labeled,
leak-free container. The
Kaizer Meadow Environ-
mental Management Centre
will accept HHW Monday
through Friday 8 a.m. until 4
p.m. and Saturdays from 8
a.m. until 12 noon.
If you have any questions
regarding the safe and
proper disposal of HHW,
contact the Kaizer Meadow
Environmental Management
Centre at 275-2330 or at
info@kaizermeadow.ca.
Are you being
as safe as you
could be?
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You may have heard that the Mu-
nicipality is introducing a new
Dog By-Law and you may have
wondered why. Is it necessary?
What has changed? I hope this
article will explain the changes
and why they were needed.
Dogs
The basic requirements for those
who own dogs within the Munici-
pality have been in place for
years and have not changed in
the new By-law. Your dog must
be licensed and wear a tag, it can
not run at large, and you must
clean up any mess it may
‘deposit’ whilst out for a walk.
The old By-Law gave the Munici-
pality little choice in how to deal
with various incidents involving
dogs, and had little or no consid-
eration for the wishes of the dog
owner. The changes allow us to
deal with each incident on its
own merits, and allow for a num-
ber of options.
Let’s take a dog bite as an exam-
ple. Your lovable, flea-bitten old
Labrador has been teased by
some kids who are new to the
neighbourhood. Eventually the
dog gets a little tired of this and
nips one of the kids. The bite is
not serious, but the kid is upset.
In the past, we would have had
little option in how to deal with
this incident. The dog would
probably be impounded and the
owner fined. The new By-Law
allows us to look at the circum-
stances of the incident, the dog’s
past history and the wishes of all
those involved. We could then
choose the appropriate course of
action. We can issue a warning,
have the owner sign a binding
agreement regarding the dog,
issue a fine, impound the dog or
any combination of these. In the
most severe cases, we also have
the option of applying to the
courts to have the dog destroyed,
but even under these circum-
stances the owner still has a
chance to present their case be-
fore action is taken.
All things considered, I believe
the new By-Law is fairer to all
concerned, and allows the Mu-
nicipality a greater degree of
flexibility when dealing with inci-
dents involving dogs.
Kennels
The major change to the By-Law
is the introduction of rules gov-
erning kennels, doggie daycares
and other similar establishments.
Currently, kennels operating
within the Municipality are
largely unregulated, other than
having to comply with the re-
quirements of the relevant Land
Use By-Law. The new regulations
require all kennels to be licensed
annually. To obtain a license, the
kennel must be inspected and
meet certain standards relating
to its location and operation.
The licensing process also takes
into account any objections from
the neighbours immediately sur-
rounding the kennel.
Existing kennels have a grace pe-
riod in which to comply, and I will
visit as many kennels as I can
over the coming weeks to discuss
requirements of the new By-Law
and address any concerns the
kennel owners may have.
Download a copy of the Dog By-
law at www.chester.ca, or obtain
a copy from the Municipal of-
fices. Alternatively, feel free to
drop into the Municipal offices or
call me. I am only too happy to
speak with you.
Animal Control
Whilst on the subject of dogs, we
recently contracted Brian and
Bonnie Truelove to provide Ani-
mal Control services. Both Brian
and Bonnie have extensive ex-
perience working with dogs dat-
ing back many years. Their im-
pound facilities are modern, cli-
mate controlled, and they have a
proven track record of caring for
animals and providing canine be-
haviour training.
Please join me in welcoming
Brian and Bonnie on board, and
wishing them well in their new
role.
If you need an Animal Control
Officer, have a question for Brian
or Bonnie, or require urgent as-
sistance with an animal-related
matter, please call 277-0017, any
day of the week.
WE HAVE A NEW
DOG BY-LAW
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By Dave Brettell,
By-law Enforcement Officer
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O ver the past year, resi-
dents and businesses in
the Municipality participated in
a public consultation process to
address future growth along
Highway 3 between Robinson’s
Corner and Stevens Road in
East Chester. As a gateway into
the Village, Council felt it was
important to ensure that future
development along this route
encourages economic develop-
ment and creates a positive
first impression, while keeping
our residential areas intact.
Council received the final re-
port for the “Streetscape De-
sign for Highway 3” on January
28. Ekistics Planning & Design
worked with a Steering Com-
mittee to develop the vision
and prepare the report. It con-
tains recommendations for de-
sign standards such as land-
scaping requirements, site de-
sign, and architectural guide-
lines. The report also makes
suggestions for reorganizing
land use patterns and traffic
circulation along the corridor.
Chester Village Planning Advi-
sory Committee (PAC) started a
detailed review of the recom-
mendations in order to deter-
mine how they would best
translate into Municipal policies
and By-laws. The PAC will meet
in Municipal Council Chambers
on the following tentative
dates: April 27, May 4, May 25,
June 1, and June 22. For meet-
ing times or information, call
the Planning Dept. at 275-2599.
New Planning Advisory Com-
mittee (PAC) Being Formed
Are you interested in making
sure that your community is
livable, sustainable, and ready
to face the challenges of the
next decade? If so, we need
you to be part of a new Plan-
ning Advisory Committee!
A Planning Advisory Committee
is a forum for citizen input into
the planning process. Make
recommendations to Council on
land-use matters, community
plans, zoning applications and
development permits. Heritage
issues are also included, as the
PAC will take on the role of the
former Heritage Advisory Com-
mittee.
Municipal Council has restruc-
tured some of its Committees.
There will now be two Planning
Advisory Committees (PAC). A
newly formed PAC will deal
with planning issues at the Mu-
nicipal level, with the exception
of the Chester Village area. The
existing PAC will continue to be
responsible for all planning
matters related to the Chester
Village Area.
One of the first items on the
agenda for the new Municipal
PAC will be starting a review of
the Municipal Planning Docu-
ments that will guide develop-
ment in the Municipality.
The Committee will consist of
one representative from each
District, as well as two Council
members, and the Warden.
There are seven vacancies in
total: four two-year terms and
three one-year terms. These
positions represent each of the
seven Council Districts and are
for the general public. Follow-
ing the first year, all one-year
terms will be advertised as two
year terms.
If you are interested in helping
to shape the future of your
community, forward a letter of
application outlining why you
want to serve on the Committee
and whether you prefer a one-
year or two-year term. Send
applications to the Municipality
of the District of Chester, PO
Box 369, Chester, NS B0J 1J0
or email to pmyra@chester.ca.
Deadline to submit an applica-
tion is April 20. Representatives
will be appointed by Council at
an upcoming meeting of Ches-
ter Municipal Council. For more
information, please contact
Pam Myra, Municipal Clerk at
275-3554.
HIGHWAY 3 STREETSCAPE DESIGN
MOVES INTO NEXT PHASE
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Due to the high rainfall last autumn, the Regional
Emergency Management Organization advises of
an increased risk of flooding this spring.
Consider the potential impacts of flood conditions including
fast moving water, debris, road damages and possible evacuations. Have a
plan! Listen to weather forecasts and any emergency broadcasts. If flooding
occurs, put your plan in place. Stay away from fast flowing water, keep pets at
a safe distance, never drive through flooded roadways, ensure your family can
be safe at home for 72 hours, and be ready to evacuate if required.
More information flood preparation can be found online at our municipal and
fire services website, www.chester.ca. You can also pick up a flood awareness
information package at the Municipal offices.
F L O O D
A W A R E NE S S
As the last of the snow melts and the trees begin to bud, we face some new safety concerns. Here are a
few tips! The Municipality and your local Fire Departments wish you a happy and safe spring and
summer. Please visit our Fire and Emergency Services page at www.chester.ca for information.
Change the Batteries
When you "spring ahead" to Daylight Savings
Time, clean and replace the batteries in your
smoke and other detectors. Know the sound of
the alarm and have a home escape plan.
A clean house is a safer house
Clean up trash, boxes, piles of clothes and other
combustibles in our garages, attics and sheds.
Take advantage of our Special Pick-up and Leaf
Collection from April 4 to 15. Hazardous house-
hold wastes must be taken to Kaizer Meadow
Environmental Management Centre.
Reduce the risk of electrical fires by checking
household appliances. Repair or replace dam-
aged cords, clean behind and underneath the
washer and dryer, and make sure the dryer vent
is clear of dust and lint.
BBQ Season is just around the corner
With the warmer weather, we all want to fire up
the grill on the patio. BUT, did you know there
are nearly 8,000 home fires each year involving
grills, hibachis or barbecues? Thoroughly check
gas grills before using. Always use the grill out-
doors in a well-ventilated area - never indoors.
Wildfires: A concern in the spring and summer
Springtime raises the danger of grass and forest
fires. Keep dry or dead vegetations, firewood,
overhanging branches, and other combustibles
away from structures. Contact Nova Scotia
Power if trees or branches are not clear of
power lines. Also, check with the Nova Scotia
Department of Natural Resources on regula-
tions concerning any outdoor burning.