Council votes 6-3 Against Second Legal Opinon On Reid Rd. Quarry

By: Laura Steiner

Milton Council voted against getting a second legal opinion on imposing a Temporary Control Bylaw on the proposed quarry to be located at the corner of Reid & Twiss Rd.  The 6-3 decision came in a recorded vote at their Monday afternoon meeting.

The motion was brought forward by Ward one councillors Kristina Tesser-Derksen, and Colin Best.  It proposed an interim control bylaw, which would allow for additional study on the quarry proposed by James Dick Construction Limited (JDCL).

Ward 4 Regional councillor Zeeshan Hamid questioned the strategy. “I don’t think getting a second opinion helps,” he said.  Council was advised at a confidential session regarding the issue. That opinion has not made public because it’s considered solicitor-client privilege.

Ward 3 Councillor Mike Cluett questioned the need to seek outside advice.  “I can’t recall a time where we’ve asked for a second opinion,” he said.  The opinion would have come from a law firm specializing in land-use issues.

Tesser-Derksen says council was never part of the initial instruction to solicitors.  “It’s incumbent upon us to seek as much information as we can,” she said.  Responding to a concern over whether council would then proceed to a third opinion, she assured: “We will not seek a third opinion,”

The development has faced strong community opposition from Action Milton.  Approximately 1,000 letters of objection have been sent to JDCL, citing concerns over everything from damage to the water table, to traffic and air quality.  They have up to two years to respond to the concerns.  Milton MPP Parm Gill has formally asked the Minister of Environment, Conservation, and Parks for an environmental assessment.  For more information on the Reid Road Reservoir Quarry visit the Town’s website.

Voting in favour were: Ward 1 Councillors Colin Best, KristinaTesser-Derksen, and Ward 3 Councillor Rick Di Lorenzo.  Voting against: Ward 3 Councillor Mike Cluett, Ward 4 Councillors Zeeshan Hamid, and Sameera Ali, Ward 2 councillors: Rick Malboeuf and John Challinor, and Mayor Krantz.