Infrastructure Master Plan
Infrastructure Masterplan Project Update
Loyalist Township's draft Infrastructure Masterplan (IMP) has been completed, and the formal Notice of Completion was issued on March 14, 2024. The projects have previously been presented for public and agency consultations, alternate solutions have been evaluated, and much of the technical analysis has been completed for the road right-of-way, potable water, sanitary sewage, and stormwater systems. The project study period is 25 years.
The issuance of the Notice of Completion represents a major milestone according to the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process, which is approved under Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act. This starts a 30-day period for the public, agencies, and other stakeholders to comment, and a concurrent 60-day period of review by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks, with the final day for public and agencies to submit comments being April 13, 2024.
Following the conclusion of the comment period, the final Infrastructure Masterplan, incorporating public and agency comments, will proceed to Loyalist Township Council for final adoption.
Where can I read the draft IMP?
We are pleased to link the IMP document and its supporting documentation below for review:
- Loyalist Township Infrastructure Masterplan (11MB)
- Appendix 1 – Technical Memoranda (22MB) – Studies and calculations undertaken by Township staff and specialist consultants, forming the basis for the conclusions of the IMP
- Appendix 2 – Schedule B and C Project Summaries (2MB) – Description and estimated budget
- Appendix 3 – Consultant Reports (225MB) - Reports completed for Loyalist Township by external consultants
- Appendix 4 – Consultation Record (147MB) - Documenting the consultation and engagement process required under the MCEA with Indigenous Communities, the public, stakeholder agencies, and the development community.
You can provide feedback during the comment period by emailing the project team no later than April 13, 2024.
Background
The project formally commenced in May 2021. The Infrastructure Masterplan has line-of-sight to several Township documents, including but not limited to the Strategic Plan, the Official Plan, the ResiLienT Loyalist Township Climate Action Plan, and the Amherstview West Secondary Plan; as well as the Asset Management Plan, which focuses on the replacement and renewal of Township infrastructure. The IMP, by design, compliments but does not overlap the infrastructure assets within the Township’s Asset Management Plan. Specifically, the life cycle maintenance and replacement of assets are not included in the IMP.
The Infrastructure Masterplan is being conducted according to the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process, approved under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act.
What is the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA)?
Infrastructure master plans lans are conducted in accordance with the master planning process following the requirements of Phases 1 & 2 of the MCEA. Phases 1 & 2 include:
- Phase 1: Identification of the problem or opportunity
- Phase 2: Identification of the alternative solutions and selection of a preferred solution
In accordance with the MCEA process, the Township is required to confirm the need for the project by defining the problem and/or opportunity under consideration, identifying a preferred solution by evaluating all reasonable and feasible alternatives, assessing the potential impacts on the natural, social, and economic environment, and identifying reasonable measures to mitigate any potential adverse impacts.
Project Timeline
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Spring 2021 – Notice of Commencement and initiate public feedback
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Summer 2021 – Technical research and focused public feedback
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Fall 2021 – Continued community involvement and public feedback
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2022-2023 - Compilation of the technical memos and IMP document
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Spring 2024 – Notice of Completion and Infrastructure Masterplan completion
Interim IMP Projects List
In their report to the Committee of the Whole on April 4, 2022, staff identified the following projects for potential inclusion into the Infrastructure Master Plan. The list of potential projects is a dynamic document. Public feedback will be collected prior to finalization.
Draft IMP Presentation to Committee of the Whole
On September 14, 2023, project staff presented a draft of the Infrastructure Masterplan to Committee of the Whole. The report and a link to the video of the meeting are available here.
Public Information Session
A Public Information Session was held on June 22, 2021. Read questions and answers from that session here.
Public Surveys
Thank you to everyone in the community who contributed to our Intercommunity Trails & Urban Sidewalks and Traffic Calming surveys, conducted in late fall 2021. The input received from the surveys and the follow-up analysis will be used by staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the Township’s current Traffic Calming Policy. The compiled data will become part of a report circulated broadly to the public as part of the development of the Infrastructure Master Plan.
In May 2022, staff provided a response to the feedback we have received with respect to traffic calming concerns. It outlines some of the steps being taken to approach traffic calming concerns, as well as identifying some locations that have deemed as priority areas for analysis for potential traffic calming measures.
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Frequently Asked Questions |
What is the Infrastructure Masterplan?The Infrastructure Masterplan (IMP) for Loyalist Township is a plan to address the needs of core infrastructure, specifically road right of way, potable water, wastewater, and stormwater systems within the Township for the next 25 years. The IMP will be driven by five themes: growth, new legislation, new technology, addressing remedial issues, and adapting to climate change. How does the Infrastructure Masterplan relate to the Amherstview West Secondary Plan?The Loyalist Township Infrastructure Masterplan will evaluate the core infrastructure required to address the Township’s future growth and change over the next twenty-five years; having begun the IMP process in 2021, this will bring us to 2046. The core infrastructure that will be studied under the IMP includes: transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transit, and walkways, potable water systems, sanitary sewer systems, and storm water systems.
Will future utility needs (i.e., power, phone, cell service) be included in the IMP? If not, where are those needs addressed?Non-municipal utilities are not included in IMP. The Township is solely looking at municipally-owned infrastructure. The municipal projects subject to Environmental Assessment are listed within provincial regulations. The Township doesn’t have a lot to do with external utilities, as they are regulated by federal legislation, other than the coordination role for infrastructure placed in the road allowances. Loyalist Township regularly coordinates with Enbridge, Bell, Hydro One, etc., to make sure services are in place for new developments, and that those companies are aware of what developments are upcoming so that their services can meet the consumer demand. The exception to this is the rural cell and internet coverage which continues to be an issue, however there are political efforts underway for this. For communities relying on wells, are there plans to link those communities into the municipal water structure?As part of the IMP, the Township will examine extensions of the municipal water system to facilitate planned development that will be occurring, but we are not generally looking at extending these municipal water systems into these areas currently serviced by wells. Loyalist’s Official Plan delineates the current urban boundary, and those are the areas we’ll look at servicing with municipal water services. Are developments happening adjacent to the rural community to the urban one?The Township must follow the Official Plan, and as of now there are no developments being considered which are located adjacent to any rural communities, other than Amherstview West Secondary Plan Area which extends westerly to Parrott’s Bay. Previously, Loyalist Township Council provided draft plan approval for the Babcock Mills development in Odessa, which is adjacent to the current westerly limits of the designated growth area for Odessa. Is there additional storage being contemplated?Water storage needs in all serviced communities are being evaluated based on the expected growth. Will timing of plant upgrades include allocation for specific areas? Can triggers be established to expedite upgrades in high growth scenarios?The Township doesn’t formally allocate capacity until Draft Plan Approval, however the Township can informally set some capacity aside. The development applications will need to go through the proper process as laid out in the Planning Act before that allocation is finalized. Land developers are encouraged to make sure the project team is aware of your plans, and the infrastructure placement will only be done in accordance with the Official Plan. Loyalist Township has evaluated its existing infrastructure and current capacity for development in Bath, Odessa, and Amherstview, and determined that the Amherstview West area is best suited for development for several reasons related to municipal servicing and transportation considerations. This area is currently being evaluated in detail through the Secondary Plan process. There are other pieces of infrastructure that are existing that will factor into some of these considerations for servicing in specific communities, like storage capacity and water and sewage pumping capacity. Part of this process is to make sure the development community is aware of this proposal and provide feedback for the Township’s consideration. Loyalist Township has sent Notice of Commencement letters to all active local developers. Will existing Secondary Plan areas be allocated capacity prior to proposed secondary plans and prior to draft plan approvals (i.e. Capacity for Odessa vs Amherstview West)?Capacity is allocated from draft plan approval. Which projects get draft plan approval, is decided by Council. Staff are working on developing a policy for allocation of capacity, so that may answer some of these questions. For proposed intersection upgrades, is there a team to address accessibility needs (i.e. for visually impaired, individuals with mobility challenges, etc.)?Loyalist Township is obligated to meet Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requirements and will be accepting comments from anyone regarding this topic. Many sidewalks at intersections don’t meet modern standards. The Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee of Lennox and Addington has been sent formal Project Notification information regarding the Township’s Infrastructure Masterplan. It is expected that this group will participate in project evaluation. As an example, it is important to note that roundabouts are great for traffic but have their own specific pedestrian issues, and modern signalized intersections have audible chimes for pedestrians. Please send in any comments that you have for the location of any accessibility concerns that you may have. Transit accessibility concerns should be forwarded directly to Public Works. Where do I send my questions and/or comments?Send comments and questions to us via email. |
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