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Home My Public Portal About2016-11-03_Public Hearing_Additional Written Submissions -Presentation PackagePublic Hearing – November 3, 2016 Additional Written Submissions: 1. Carol Anne Wien, November 1, 2016 (email) 2. Mat Whynott, Chair, Sherbrooke Lake United Church Camp Council, November 1, 2016 (email) 3. S. Nadine Millett, November 2, 2016 (email) 4. Anne Rapson, November 2, 2016 (email) The above submissions were distributed on November 2, 2016. Public Hearing – November 3, 2016 Additional Written Submissions (received after 4:30 on November 2): 1. Calvin Knowles, November 2, 2016 (email) 2. Shawn and Laura Olsen, November 2, 2016 (email) 3. Olaf Lock, November 3, 2016 (email) 4. Phillip Broome, November 3, 2016 (email) 5. Marsha Yeaton, November 3, 2016 (email) Public Hearing – November 3, 2016 Additional Written Submissions and Presentation (received at the Public Hearing on November 3): 1. Lucille Keddy, Robert Manson, Terry Lgythle, November 3, 2016 (hand delivered) 2. Debbie Reeves, November 3, 2016 (hand delivered) 3. Larry Hagell, November 3, 2016 (hand delivered) 4. Garth Bangay, November 3, 2016 (hand delivered) 5. Hugh Harper, November 3, 2016 (Presentation – hand delivered) !! Chester Municipality Bylaw Amendment Land adjacent to inland waterways for public access and use ! ! Comments for Public Hearing November 3, 20 Hugh Harper 25 East Wind Drive, Chester and 120 South Point Rd on Sherbrooke Lake "1 •As a resident of Chester Municipality in two locations I support the bylaw amendments that pertain to development agreements for developments that pro- vide public access to inland waterways on property that is not owned by the Mu- nicipality of Chester or the Crown. •As President of the Sherbrooke Forest Home Owners Association, everyone that I have talked with about these amendments, support them. •We support the amendments because they pertain to all inland waterways in the Municipality of Chester •We support the amendments because they are a great ﬁrst step in protecting the health of our waterways, protecting the security of properties adjacent to any public access points, protecting the ambience of the area that drove cottage own- ers to purchase and pay taxes for their property and for protecting the wildlife of the area. ! ! WATER QUALITY CONCERNS: "2 ! ! •The above pictures were taken off my property on Sherbrooke Lake this summer in mid to late July. •The ﬁrst picture shows a type of algae scum that formed on my shore. I took samples of this algae, fearing that it might be the start of Blue Green algae. •I sent these samples off to Dr. Tri Nguyen-Quang, of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University. •The test results revealed that it was not harmful yet, but there was “a little bit of cyanobacteria species….we should consider those species are potent to be bloom- ing if the environmental conditions including nutrients become optimal” The second picture shows the level of underwater algae growing on the bottom on rocks etc. The bottom sand is no longer visible and covered with a blanket of this "3 stuff. When I bought my property in 1989, the water was clear and the rocks and bottom were clear and free of any algae growth. ! WHY IS WATER QUALITY A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION: •According to Dr. Tri Nguyen-Quang “I have just one comment for the ‘public access’ to SL: we will certainly in- crease the possibility and probability of algal bloom occurrence by the fact that the combination of anthropogenic nutrient loading, rising temperatures, enhanced vertical stratification (by boating activities for example), and in- creased atmospheric CO2 supplies will favor cyanobacterial dominance in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems”. •According to Barrie Clarke,Geology Professor a Dalhousie Univesity “Any development on a lake or a river including a public access point represents an environmental stressor” •Studies done on Mattatall Lake in northern Nova Scotia by Dr Tri Nguyen-Quang that was shut down because of a blue green algae breakout show “that some of the species of algae appear to be“inva- sive” meaning that they are not native to that lake. One of the ways that species can invade is on the hulls, trailers, and motors of boats that have been in other waterways.”….presented by Barrie Clarke at the December 10 meeting in New Ross. •just to the north and west of Sherbrooke Lake, Lake Torment has been closed because of Blue Green algae. This summer a lake in Yarmouth county was closed because of Blue Green algae. Unfortunately but im- portant that we maintain vigil on all waterways in our Municipality and that we try to limit boats from traveling from one lake to another via public access points. The amendment will help! •Quoting the EPA, in an article on “How do aquatic nuisance species spread?” “……some of the more common pathways are listed be- low…ballast water, boat hulls, ﬁshing gear and other recreational path- "4 ways. “Boating activities can contribute to the problem of aquatic nui- sance species. These species hitchhike from one body of water to an- other by, attaching to portions of your boat(e.g. hull, rudder, anchor) or trailer, ﬁshing gear, bilge or live well” •Quoting Ari Makela, Finnish Environment Institute, March 5, 2008….”all water craft are potential vectors for spreading aquatic nui- sance species. Given the ability of plants and organisms to attach to hard surfaces and survive even out of water, many infestations have al- ready taken place at different place in the world…..When using trail- ered boats and the road network is improving and extending many kinds of aquatic pests……will be carried from one water body to an- other, if preventive measures are not undertaken.” •This problem of hitchhiking from one lake to another is well docu- mented in many more articles such as University of Wisconsin’s Tim- othy Asplund’s “The effects of Motorized watercraft on Aquatic Ecosystmes”, RMB Environmental laboratories in Minnesota, “Boat Motors and Water Quality”, David Buetow MCDEP, “Impacts of motor boats on water quality”, “Impacts of Power Boating and water skiing on Lakes and reservoirs” by T.D. Mosisch and Angela Arthing- ton, Grifﬁth University, Nathan, QLD, Australia……the resource ma- terial for this subjects seems almost never ending on the internet! ! ! ! ! ! ! "5 ! ! ! ! Last point is that we need to understand the hydrology of a lake before we put in any public access. Sherbrooke lake proposed public access is a case in point. It is located in the Deep Cove area. This area is almost self contained and very removed from the out ﬂow to the LaHave River. As such, bad organisms and, spilled gas and/or oil and other pollutants "6 could circulate around in this area for a long time before they make an outﬂow point. ! OTHER COMMENTS •In section A….”neighboring properties will not be adversely affected….”I strongly urge that to the details of this section are added stipulations that call for a gated facility and “in season” the hours should be from 9am to 9pm and it should locked down from November 1 to April 1. Security and protection of neighboring ambience is very important….and during the winter months we want to prevent any ve- hicles from driving on the ice. •In section G….the developer should contribute monetarily to the fund- ing of water quality testing for the body of water in which the public access is granted. It is hoped that Chester Municipality will begin ne- gotiations with Lunenburg County to start a testing program similar to that of Kings County. ! "7   ! "8 ! "9