Media Release: County Council April 10, 2024

For immediate release
April 10, 2024

Here are the highlights from the Lanark County Council meeting held April 10, 2024.

Warden Takes Mayors’ Monarch Pledge: Lanark County Warden Steve Fournier (Drummond/North Elmsley Reeve) has taken the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge for 2024.

Elizabeth Gallant, Climate Environmental Coordinator, explained at the public works committee meeting last month that the pledge is a program of the National Wildlife Federation that encourages mayors and other heads of local and tribal government to take action to save the monarch butterfly, which has seen an eastern population decline of 90 per cent in recent years. Municipalities work to create habitat for the monarch and other pollinators, as well as to educate residents about how they can make a difference.

Members must commit to at least three of 30 actions provided and report on those actions at the end of the year. Lanark County has taken the pledge each year since 2019 and has received special recognition since 2020 for completing eight actions as part of the “Leadership Circle.”

“The Mayors’ Monarch Pledge actions complement Lanark County’s long-term goals for pollinators on roadsides through the Integrated Vegetation Management Plan,” Gallant said.

In 2024, the county is committing to 10 actions:

• Public communication to encourage residents to plant monarch gardens.
• Engagement with relevant municipal staff to identify opportunities to revise and maintain mowing programs and milkweed/native nectar planting programs.
• Engage with gardening leaders and partners to support monarch butterfly conservation.
• Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.
• Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden in a community location.
• Plant milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants in medians and public rights-of-way.
• Launch or maintain an outdoor education program in school gardens that builds awareness and creates habitat and engagement around milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants.
• Initiate or support community/citizen science efforts related to monarch migration and health.
• Launch, expand or continue an invasive species removal program that supports re-establishment of native habitats for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
• Reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals harmful to monarchs, pollinators and urban wildlife.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Gallant, Climate Environmental Coordinator, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 3114.

Official Plan Amendments Approved in Mississippi Mills for Agricultural Land: Lanark County Council has passed a by-law to adopt Official Plan Amendment No. 12 in its Sustainable Communities  Official Plan (SCOP), as well as Amendment No. 29 in the Mississippi Mills Community Official Plan, which designates certain lands in the municipality as “agricultural.” This follows a lengthy public consultation process and multiple presentations and public meetings.

At the economic development committee meeting last month, Senior Planner Koren Lam explained the amendments designate prime agriculture areas as “agricultural” using a Land Evaluation Area Review (LEAR) methodology. The effect of SCOP Amendment No. 12 is to redesignate certain lands in Mississippi Mills from “rural areas” to “agricultural lands” and vice versa and to defer the implementation of this to Jan. 3, 2025 to give property owners affected by redesignations from “rural” to “agriculture” time to submit applications for development in accordance with the rural land use policies.

Dave Hodgson, President of DBH Soil Services, outlined the LEAR system to the committee and said recognition of the importance of agriculture and the identification and preservation of agricultural lands has been addressed through provincial policy and guidelines, as well as in municipal policy (official plans and zoning by-laws).

Hodgson explained the LEAR system was developed in 1997 by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as an alternative land evaluation system. “It was intended that LEAR would serve as the provincial standard and provide the basis for the development of municipal LEAR programs. Municipalities have the opportunity to modify the LEAR to reflect the agricultural character in a given area. Local input is fundamental to the development and success of a LEAR system.”

He said LEAR includes soil classifications and can include climate, and it reviews factors such as fragmentation, land in agricultural production, presence of tile drainage or proximity to non-agricultural land uses. The system includes a scoring process. “Decision makers review the LEAR result with the intent to protect large, contiguous areas for agriculture.”

Consultant Marc Rivet from J.L. Richards, which worked with Mississippi Mills during the process, explained the municipality chose the LEAR approach to designating land “because it considered more factors than the soil classification and it also included the opportunity for local input.” Input into the mapping came from the community, property owners, the Agricultural Advisory Committee and experts. Consultations have been taking place since April 2021 through open houses, public meetings, two mailouts and other meetings.

For more information, contact Koren Lam, Senior Planner, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1505.

No Parking Zone Established in Ferguson Falls: Lanark County Council has amended its parking bylaw to establish a new no-parking zone on County Road 15 (Ferguson Falls Road) on both sides from the Ferguson Falls Bridge southerly for 250 metres.

At the public works committee meeting last month, Public Works Manager Sean Derouin explained parking controls are needed in the area of the Ferguson Falls Hall to ensure safe, unimpeded movement of traffic and pedestrians, as parked vehicles on the road during large events are creating a hazard. The request came from Drummond/North Elmsley staff, and Warden Steve Fournier (Drummond/North Elmsley Reeve) explained improvements are planned for the hall parking lot to accommodate more vehicles.

For more information, contact Sean Derouin, Public Works Manager, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 3194.

Upcoming Meetings: County Council, Wednesday, April 17, 5 p.m.; Public Works, April 17 (following County Council); Economic Development, April 17 (following Public Works). County Council, Wednesday, May 8, 5 p.m.; Community Services, May 8 (following County Council); Corporate Services, May 8 (following Community Services). Watch for details about public access to meetings on agendas and through online notifications.

For more information, contact 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502. Like "LanarkCounty1" on Facebook and follow "@LanarkCounty1" on X!