Howard Smith, Managing Director of the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, sent the letter below in opposition to the development of the Lippa Pit and Quarry.

RE: Lippa Pit and Quarry

Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Is a wildlife rehabilitation facility located off Crawford Street east of Rosseau. We are opposed to the development of yet another quarry In the area for several reasons. Firstly the greatly increased truck traffic can negatively affect the part of our operation that brings several thousand people a year to visit our facility. Part of our mandate is to educate the public on the environment and co existing with wildlife. This we do through guided tours of our permanent wildlife area to tourists, school classes and local public. As well, we have 18 km of hiking trails that are used by local people and tourists from local resorts to view classic Muskoka landscape and see free ranging wildlife. The volume of traffic on Muskoka road 3 Is already quite high with large trucks and the addition of a massive increase in truck traffic will not only be a safety issue but will detract from people wanting to travel from particularly the Huntsville direction. As we are expanding and developing our education program as a tourist destination for clients of area resorts, this truck activity will negatively affect people’s experience and desire to visit.

Additionally there are concerns about the quality of the road and the safety of people bringing animals to us, given the relatively narrow road with really no shoulders. Already with tight corners large trucks cross over the center line. Recent paving in the last few years is already cracking up with existing traffic pressure.
There are other ecological concerns such as has there been a comprehensive environmental assessment completed addressing water quality issues, the negative Impact on Species of concern and rare wildlife such as the hog nosed snake.

In closing, with all the existing quarries in the area, some 25 we understand, where is the demand that would outweigh all the negative aspects this quarry will bring?

Howard Smith
Managing Director

Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
1116 Crawford St.
Rosseau, ON
P0C 1J0
Phone: 705-732-6368
info@aspenvalley.ca
www.aspenvalley.ca

103 Maumee Dr.
Monroe, OH 45050
May 16, 2017

Dear Mr. Pink,

In 1926 my grandfather and uncle bought two small islands near the northwestern shore of Skeleton Lake. 91 years later those islands are still in the family and have provided countless memories for four generations. The first time I visited the islands I was two years old; the first time my son went he was 4 weeks old and learned to smile while he was at the island.

There are so many ways we have enjoyed summers at the lake. We have listened to the patter of raindrops on the roof and heard the waves lapping on the beach. We have seen beavers, bears, deer, a porcupine, snakes, plus endless numbers of chipmunks and squirrels roaming through the woods and sometimes in the houses. Hummingbirds have dive bombed one another at our feeders; herons have left their footprints in the sand as they were surprised and flew as our canoe gently cruised by the weeds in the water; the haunting call of a loon sang us to sleep at night; cedar waxwings have perched on a dead tree over the water; swallows and robins have built their nests under the rafters and raised their families; seagulls have chased our boats to be sure we didn’t venture too close to their nests.

We’ve had cold rainy days when we huddled under blankets by the fireside to keep warm and hot sunny days when we sat in the water to keep cool. In the daytime we have worked to maintain the property and during the evening we’ve played games together and strengthened our family ties. There have been happy times when we celebrated engagements, weddings, new babies, and children learning to swim and canoe, and times when we celebrated and remembered the lives of the first persons in our family who made it possible for us to continue to enjoy Skeleton Lake today.

The thought that a place which means so much to all our family may be changed forever by blasting from daybreak to nightfall, by the vibrations it causes, by hearing heavy trucks carrying gravel and rumbling down a road that was not designed for this type of traffic all day long, by the danger of polluting the streams feeding into the clear water of our lake fills us with great concern. Peace and tranquility will no longer exist.

My family and I strongly oppose the rezoning of property on Butler-Mill Road off Aspdin Road which would allow Lippa Pit and Quarry to begin operations and ask that this request be denied.

I leave you with two quotes. Lady Bird Johnson once said, “Natural beauty feeds the soul and lifts the heart.” And from the First Peoples who said, “The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth.”

Please forward this letter to other members on the Planning Commission.

Best regards,

Barbara Alder

May 19, 2017

Donald Furniss – don.furniss@muskokalakes.ca
David Pink – dpink@muskokalakes.ca
Ruth-Ellen Nishikawa – ruth.nishikawa@muskokalakes.ca
Sandy Currie – sandycurrie@muskokalakes.ca
Donelda Hayes – donelda.hayes@muskokalakes.ca
Allen Edwards – allen.edwards@muskokalakes.ca
Linda Barrick-Spearn – Linda.barrick-spearn@muskokalakes.ca
Gault McTaggart – gualt.mctaggart@muskokalakes.ca
Phil Harding – phil.harding@muskokalakes.ca
Jean-Ann Baranik – jean-ann.baranik@muskokalakes.ca
Terry Ledger – terry.ledger@muskokalakes.ca
Jack Hepworth – hepworthjack@gmail.com
Rod Osborne – rodosborne@gmail.com
Re: Proposed Lippa Pit and Quarry

IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

Skeleton Lake is very unique in many respects. It is the cleanest lake in the region with exceptionally clear contaminant free water. This is due to several factors. The most important is the fact that it is the only lake in the region with a limestone shell bottom. A geology/geomorphology professor, Michael W. Milner (now retired) has studied the region from north of Lake Simcoe through Muskoka to North Bay extensively. This region has numerous meteorite impact craters. According to Mr Milner these impacts have fractured the mantle and allowed mercury to leach through the fissures into the lakes. MNR studies have shown that fish taken from the surrounding lakes have very high mercury contamination due to this fact. Skeleton Lake is the only lake in the region that has a limestone shell bottom which protects it from mercury contamination. Also, being at the top of the water shed, other contaminated surrounding lakes do not empty into Skeleton Lake. Skeleton Lake is the only lake with clean water and no mercury contamination.

Effect of the proposed quarry

Mr. Milner explained the effect of high volume quarrying. Removal of high volumes (mass) of stone in a confined area creates a differential pressure in the earths crust. Often “pop ups” occur as the pressure tries to balance itself. The stress created is particularly important in the area of impact craters where fissures already abound. Compounding the problem is the effect of blasting. Shock waves bounce off the fissures and cause them to refracture, thus opening the pathway for mercury contamination. This allows mercury to enter the ground water which drains into Skeleton Lake. The effect of blasting may also crack the limestone shell and allow direct mercury infiltration to Skeleton Lake. The water source for the proposed quarry is stream water indicating that surface water mercury contamination is extremely likely. Mr. Milner indicated that there are many remote areas more suitable for quarrys in the region.

The proposed quarry on Aspdin Road is so dangerously close it poses a direct threat to Skeleton Lake as well as the residents in the area. Blasting shock waves from quarry operations travel great distances through bed rock (witness such damage done to homes near the Hutcheson Sand and Gravel quarry near Aspdin Road/ Ceasars Lane). The direct effect on aquatic life may be catastrophic. More research needs to be done to determine the effects of shock waves on aquatic life. There are many residential water wells in the area which will be affected by shock waves and mercury contamination from blasting, not to mention the devastating effects on the foundations and structures of residential buildings in the area. Mr Pippa is wrong when he says there are no significant buildings in the area. My home on Aspdin Road is a significant stone structure of 5000 sq.ft with a value in excess of three million dollars and it is within shock wave distance from the proposed quarry. Peoples homes are their castles and none can be treated as trivial in order to justify unacceptable behaviour by someone who wants to profit at their expense.

The blasting is not the only source of shock waves. Imagine the vibration and noise from 140 heavy trucks travelling the same route in front of your home EACH DAY!!! Not only would this disrupt and endanger normal travellers and wildlife but affect our QUALITY OF LIFE. Aspdin Road is a windy, hilly road. It is dangerous at the best of times with normal traffic but heavy trucks in a hurry rarely stay in their own lane when negotiating these winding corners. Allowing such traffic on Aspdin Road WILL result in deadly crashes. Residents live in this area because of the clean air, quiet and serenity here. Our elected representatives have a sworn duty to represent those who have elected them, not those trying to harm us. It would be a travesty to allow the quarry to proceed at the express wishes against it by those who will be affected by it simply to put profits into the pocket of the owner without any perceptible benefit to anyone else and great trauma to the residents and ecosystem and the Muskoka way of life. The meagre benefit to the area of a maximum of 4 to 6 hourly paid employees it takes to operate a quarry does not warrant the ruin of our ecosystem and tranquility of the residents lives.

The values of our homes will plummet as will our quality of life. The effects on tourism and cost of road repair are unacceptable.

Sincerely,

John Alanko
Utterson, ON

May 14, 2017

David Pink, Director of Planning
Township of Muskoka Lakes
P.O. Box 129 Bailey St
Port Carling, Ontario P0B 1J0

RE: Proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 46 Zoning By-Law Amendment 2017-51, ZBA 13/12 Proposed Lippa Pit and Quarry

Hello Mr. Pink,
I am writing to express my opposition to the Lippa Pit and Quarry on Butler Mill Rd. I oppose rezoning my neighbourhood for extraction.

We live on Aspdin Rd. For 7 months a year I can see up Butler Mill Rd from inside my home, and the northeast corner of my front yard is at the intersection of Butler Mill Rd and Aspdin Rd. The heavy use of this intersection by a large number of trucks will severely devalue my property by presenting health, safety, and noise concerns. Trucks screeching to stop or slowing to turn as well as accelerating up the hills will spew diesel exhaust, clutch and brake lining material (asbestos) and raise silica dust. There are about a dozen children within a mile of this intersection. We use Aspdin Rd and Butler Mill Rd recreationally for walking and cycling, but this will end when an average of 150 additional truck trips daily pass through it.

The Township of Muskoka Lakes Strategic Plan states as a goal to “decrease noise and light pollution.” Running a rock crusher, heavy equipment, blasting, and thousands more heavy truck trips less than 2km from Skeleton Lake (and even closer to Mud Lake and Lambert’s Lake) would defeat that goal. No sound attenuation berm can effectively protect “Muskoka’s natural and unspoiled beauty”. Berms tend to work acceptably in noisy urban settings but not in quiet natural habitats.

It also states it will “educate public on the importance of maintaining water quality”, yet the quarry will be blasting, removing rock, and running heavy extractive equipment on the watershed between Lake Rosseau and Skeleton Lake, with the real possibility of negative effects on both, deeply conflicting with the the stated goal to “build on current efforts to protect and promote the health of the environment and waterways”

The “long term Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan” is not consistent with running many extra trucks on Aspdin Rd… although marketed as a nice cycle route it will be rather un-scenic and unsafe with extra dump trucks on this narrow, winding road without paved shoulders.

The plan also states as a goal a “year round economic strategy” which is not consistent with pit and quarry operations. Our winter weather is too severe for pits and quarries to be significant year-round employers or year round license-fee-generators.

The township states “We accept responsibility for decisions and actions” , but what will this look like in regards to the pit and quarry? If roads degrade, will the township take responsibility? If safety on the only possible haul route is compromised by unsafe passing of slow trucks, will the the township accept responsibility? When trucks leak and crash and close the main artery from Parry Sound and Rosseau to Huntsville, stopping residents from getting to work and children from going to school, will the township accept responsibility? When wells go dry or homeowners stop improving properties because this becomes a dirty industrial area, will the township accept responsibility? If every homeowner affected by the Lippa Pit and Quarry pays lower property taxes (than they would without an extra quarry) over decades what will that look like for the Township? The consulting agencies that published the proposals on behalf of Frank Lippa take no responsibility, and I invite you to find relevant evidence in the many pages of their reports showing why this neighbourhood should be rezoned.

Please consider carefully your political, professional, and ethical legacy. Will your names be remembered as protecting Muskoka or as looking to make a quick buck on ($0.0006 per ton) license fees? I realize this issue will probably go to the provincial level, but your support of our community and environment will be remembered. Please also consider this Ontario policy document No: A.R. 4.00.03 http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/aggregates/269321.pdf section h) ” If the access is onto municipal roads, approval must also be granted by the municipality via an entrance permit before the aggregate permit is issued. ”

Sincerely,

William Nease

May 11, 2017

David Pink, Director of Planning
Township of Muskoka Lakes
P.O Box 129 Bailey St.
Port Carling,
Ontario
P0B 1J0

RE: Proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 46 Zoning By-Law Amendment 2017- 51, ZBA 13/12 Proposed Lippa Pit and Quarry

I am writing this letter to state my extreme opposition to the Lippa Pit & Quarry located at 1089 Butler Mill Road. I have taken time to read all 14 reports listed on the Muskoka Lakes Planning website. The following quotes were taken from the Planning Justification Report.

On pg.36, “The proposed Lippa Pit & Quarry is located in an unpopulated, rural area of the Township of Muskoka Lakes, surrounded by densely forested vacant land.” This is incorrect; please see figure 1, a map of the surrounding area and who lives there. On Butler Mill alone, there are 3 year-round family homes. 1002 Butler Mill, family of 4 (whose family has owned land here since the 1950’s, the road is named after them), 1054 Butler Mill Road, family of 4 (lived here for over 5 years), 1152 Butler Mill Road, family of 2 (who have lived here for over 23 years). That totals 10 people who live on Butler Mill, this does not include the numerous other people who own land on Butler Mill that use it recreationally. For example, South part of Lot 4 Con 4, the Creasor,s (whose family has owned property here since the 1940’s). There are many others who live close by to Butler Mill Road, myself included. Within just over a Km there are 20 homes, 15 permanent family homes & 5 recreational homes and at least 12 children. To me, that is not unpopulated.

On pg.37, “The proposed pit & quarry is an economic opportunity which does not conflict with recreation or tourism or other rural uses in the Township of Muskoka Lakes.” So how many full time year-round jobs for Muskoka residents are guaranteed verses jobs for Mr. Lippa’s friends and family from Toronto? It most definitely would conflict with recreation, tourism and other rural uses! Due to the high volume of heavy truck traffic there would be conflicts with cyclists, homeowners along Butler Mill & Apsdin Road and the local businesses in Rosseau, such as the Rosseau Retreat Bed and Breakfast (located right at the stop sign on the end of Aspdin) and Crossroads Restaurant whose patio can be seen from the road. How many local businesses will suffer due to the increase of heavy truck traffic.

On pg.38, “The proposed pit & quarry will support long-term economic prosperity & diversity of the rural economy by optimizing the use of land through resource extraction in an unpopulated area of the township.” Again, unpopulated means “a place with no people living there”, which I have proved not to be true. The amount of jobs produced I believe would be insignificant to the job market in Muskoka. Certainly not worth the potential contamination of the pristine Skeleton Lake and the negative impact of noise, air pollution and well water contamination to the countless people living along Aspdin Rd.
On pg.41, “will be appropriately buffered & designed to ensure that there are no unacceptable impacts to nearby sensitive land uses”. I do not believe they can accomplish this at the proposed pit and quarry location. It would be impossible. Yes, I have read all the Reports and I don’t think that the noise, dust and possible contamination of water could be contained to their property only. An unacceptable impact for me would be the extreme heavy truck traffic passing my door every 4.4 minutes. You can’t tell me that I wouldn’t feel or hear the blasting from this quarry, especially on a clear quiet day. The proposed site encompasses a percentage of the Skeleton Lake watershed and it is less than 2 km away from the lake. Skeleton Lake is such a rare treasure in all of Canada since it was formed by an ancient meteor strike and scoured by several ice ages. Due to the spring fed nature of the lake, the water is exceptionally clean and clear. Do you really want to take any chances contaminating such an exceptional natural wonder? Once the water becomes contaminated you can’t put the pollution back.

On pg.43, “operation activities will not be visible from Aspdin Rd”. Except for the heavy trucks coming out every 4.4 minutes!

On pg.43, “The development of the pit & quarry will not conflict with the tourism base of Muskoka.” This is utterly false. Of course it would conflict with the tourism base! What about the numerous cyclists who use Aspdin Rd? They use Aspdin Rd from Huntsville to Rosseau. Do you think they will feel safe and have an enjoyable ride with all the extra heavy trucks on the road? It is dangerous enough as it is. What about people using Aspdin Rd as a scenic drive? Would they like to be stuck behind a convoy of gravel trucks? What about the quaint village of Rosseau? Would their tourism base not be affected by all these extra heavy trucks? Would the trucks not negatively impact the Rosseau Farmers Market on Fridays?

On pg.46, “There will be no negative impacts to the scenic corridor along Aspdin Rd, due to the development and operation of the pit and quarry.” “No scenic vistas will be impacted by the development of the quarry. There will be no impact to the tourism industry resulting from the quarry development & operation.” I respectfully disagree with these statements. Of course there will be negative impacts to the scenic corridor and the tourism industry! Again, let’s think about what a significant increase in heavy truck traffic will mean to cyclists, cottagers, full time residents and the village of Rosseau.

According to the Planning Justification Report on pg.32 the Township of Muskoka Lakes will receive $12,000 a year and the District of Muskoka will receive 3,000 a year from Mr. Lippa’s Pit & Quarry. Is that amount of money really worth destroying the lives of people who live close to the proposed pit & quarry and those along the haul routes? Nobody I have spoken to (and there are many) want this pit & quarry. There are many other locations across Muskoka that would be much better suited for this type of development.

On pg.58, “Any use which a third party makes of this report, or any reliance and or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of such third parties. Skelton, Brumwell & Associates accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by a third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.” So according to this statement then we should not take these reports seriously since they will not stand behind them. That takes all liability away from Frank Lippa and the company that produced the reports. If it is in fact reliable data that we can trust and believe in, then why not stand behind it? Who is going to fact check those reports?
Where are the Road Geometric reports evaluating the only possible haul routes along Aspdin Rd? There was only a small mention in the Traffic Report of the poor sight lines at the intersection of Butler Mill Rd. and Aspdin Rd. I would like to know about the many curves and hills that would compose the 21 km to Hwy 11 and the 14 km to Hwy 141. Are the roads wide enough to safely accommodate the trucks, and would there be enough road clearance on the unpaved shoulders? I would like to see mention of the narrow bridge on Aspdin rd (close to 5400 Aspdin Rd). It is currently in rough shape and will cost a huge amount to upgrade. Will there be mention of the countless wetland habitats that are found along Aspdin Rd? I would like to know who will pay for all the road upgrades once Aspdin Road is destroyed by these extraordinarily heavy trucks from the quarry? There are already numerous pit & quarries that service the Muskoka area.

Are you also aware of the close proximity to the Eastern Cardwell Forest Conservation Reserve, which is protected area? No mineral exploration or mining is allowed here. Please see figure 2, this map shows how close this pit & quarry will be to protected lands. I encourage you to research this. More information can be found at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/eastern-cardwell-forest-conservation-reserve-management- statement. Or you can simply google “Eastern Cardwell Forest Conservation Reserve C102”.

A few points to summarize my opposition:

1. Negative impact on air quality from dust pollution with this type of industry and trucking haul route. Citizens living adjacent to pits and quarries or in surrounding areas have a higher instance of bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Fine dust particulates are particularly hazardous to children and the elderly.

2. Proposed pit and quarry will be operating above and below the water table leading to potential contamination of ground water and surface water. Numerous water wells and Skeleton Lake are at risk.

3. Negative impact on species of special concern and rare wildlife – bird species such as the Eastern Wood Pewee and the Wood Thrush and turtles such as the Snapping Turtle.

4. Lower property values along Aspdin Road and haul route.

5. Heavy use from trucks will put wear and tear on our municipal roads leading to higher taxes and road delays.

6. Negative impact on safety – Poor sight lines on Aspdin Rd means it will be less safe for cars entering and exiting driveways/side roads, school children getting on and off the bus, pedestrians, and cyclists.

7. Proposed pit and quarry will be operating 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 6:00am to 9:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 9:00am to 9:00pm .
8. Increase in heavy truck traffic will have a negative impact on tourism on and near this designated scenic route and will affect local businesses in Rosseau.

9. Negative impact from extra noise and vibration from trucks traveling on haul route, blast zone and processing materials.

10. There will be a massive increase in heavy truck traffic on Aspdin Rd — an average of 150 heavy trucks per day at capacity, which translates into 1 truck every 4.4 minutes.

I’ll leave you with one final question. Would you want to a new pit & quarry next to your house?

Thank you for your time and attention.