Ted Kaemingh, developer of the subdivision off Emo Road in Emo, attended council’s regular meeting last Tuesday (April 10) to propose an extension of the area currently home to more than a dozen families.
“The interest is there, but we’re running out of lots,” Kaemingh told council, adding two or three more homes are set to go up this year.
He, along with Doug Herr, presented a package they had put together for a long-term plan for the subdivision.
“It’s a 15- to 20-year window showing what we think could happen,” Kaemingh explained. “We like to do it in stages . . . potentially two or three homes a year.”
The proposed plan, depicting an eastern and northward expansion, displayed the possibility of a total of 56 residential lots—measuring roughly 30 metres wide by 50 metres deep—and four commercial spots along the highway.
“We know about the regulations, we’re just looking for approval before submitting applications to the ministry,” Kaemingh noted, adding six or seven parties would be involved in the process.
“But this is a plan over a very long period of time,” he stressed.
He added it’s an opportunity to strengthen the tax base and that people are interested in building.
“We’re basically down to no lots,” Kaemingh remarked. “And we’d like to get on it right away.”
Emo Reeve Ed Carlson noted the proposed plan “looked good” and council discussed the issue in-camera (i.e. behind closed doors) later in the meeting.
Council supported the staging plan in principle, but stressed the issue of water capacity will need to be addressed and conservation measures taken.
Still, council feels the infrastructure would be in place in the next few years to move forward with an expansion.
In other business at last week’s meeting, Emo council addressed a local farmer’s concerns over the Clean Water Act.
From what he understands of the act, Philippe Nussbaumer said it looks like it will be quite scary for all farmers in the district.
“We’ll have to fence off our property from the water source,” he noted, adding there will be regulations addressing how far back the fences must be and it won’t leave much area to farm on.
“Farms would be finished,” Nussbaumer warned.
Council agreed most district residents have a creek, river, or water source running through their property and so would be affected by the Clean Water Act.
Reeve Carlson said council had been interested in a pilot study on water source protection planning, as discussed at a February meeting, because it believed all parties would be working together.
“I got the impression people would have input and would be able to voice their concerns,” he said, noting if the township is not involved in the study, it would have no say.
But Emo council has not received word whether it’s been selected to participate in the pilot study.
“They told us in three years time this is going to happen anyway,” Coun. Fisher remarked.
“We’ve got to start telling [the government] that we won’t do this,” stressed Coun. Gary Judson.
Nussbaumer noted the farmers and municipal leaders have to work together on this. Council agreed, and indicated it would keep Emo residents informed on any information received about the act.
Also at last Tuesday’s meeting, Emo council:
•opened tenders for the sale of equipment and accepted the bids of $16,750 from Manitou Forest Products for the 1995 Western Star, Model 4964, 41/4 CAT motor, eight new tires, current safety to June 30, 2007, $15,900 from Keith Smith for the 2001 belly dump trailer, current safety to June 30, 2007, and $5,685 from Pat Pacarenuk for the 1977 Ford, Model L8000, CAT motor, gravel box and plow attachments;
•agreed to hold a public meeting on May 8 at 6:30 p.m. to address Consent to Sever Applications from both Tom Mosbeck and Marcine James;
•resolved to notify the Ministry of Natural Resources requesting to be included in an amendment of a regulation which would restrict the use of firearms within road right-of-ways during open deer season, for deer hunting only;
•approved use of a grant from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal in the amount of $100,000;
•agreed to acknowledge the Emo Walleye Classic as a community event;
•approved a request from the Emo Navy League to hold a tag day in Emo on May 21;
•decided to donate $200 towards the 2007 Household Hazardous Waste Day (scheduled for May 5 in Fort Frances); and
•agreed to waive the lottery licence fee for the Emo water park committee.
Emo council’s next meeting is slated for next Tuesday (April 24) at 7 p.m. at the municipal office.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
