Amid 'flood' of opposition, Robert Street East subdivision on hold

If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a video shown to Penetanguishene council by concerned citizens hammered home one resounding message: fix the stormwater system.

A deputation by resident Tony Huguenin addressed concerns regarding a draft plan of subdivision application at 123 Robert St. E., culminating in a three-minute video of stormwater drainage inadequacies during the heavy rains on June 26.

The video, subtitled “Opposition to Subdivision re: Revised Stormwater Management Design”, provided annotated footage and photographs from 123 Robert St. E. to Payette Park from several angles, over a half-hour span in the early evening of that day.

Council sat quietly during the video which only held the sounds of vehicles passing through curbside pools, the rush of water in the drains, and the heavy rain itself.

Described as a “self-explaining video”, Huguenin made a claim that development of the proposed subdivision would be contrary to a section of the Penetanguishene Official Plan dealing with aggravation of existing flood problems.

Mayor Doug Leroux thanked Huguenin for the deputation, but commented that the extreme weather conditions on that day weren’t average in any sense.

“The storm of June 26, 2021, was one for the books, and the video could probably have been taken anywhere in Penetanguishene, including down at Beck Boulevard where I have a large ditch that was overflowed, over the streets,” Leroux explained.

On the agenda was a report which addressed concerns of an April public meeting by residents petitioning against the development on Robert Street East, condensing the comments into three key sections: traffic and intersection improvements, private parking and on-street parking, and compatibility with surrounding neighbourhoods.

Huguenin’s July 21 stormwater management design objection and attached petition from residents was entered into the report as an additional concern.

Property owner Bryan MacPherson made a presentation to council immediately following Huguenin’s video deputation, addressing and defending the decisions within the April public meeting report, but staying away from the municipal stormwater concerns.

Before council could vote to accept the staff recommendation that the concerns for the April public meeting had been met, which would further development of the subdivision, a question period was offered to the public.

Brian Kinnear called into the meeting, having provided several of the photos within Huguenin’s video, and made a plea to council.

“I’ve been providing the town with documentation and pictures of this flooding for at least five years now,” said Kinnear, stating that his backyard was subject to flooding up to twice per year. 

“My question is: What are the assurances that the changes that are going to have to be done between my house ... and the storm pond at the park, at Payette, are going to get done before the subdivision goes in?

“Because I, quite frankly, don’t want my backyard flooding anymore,” added Kinnear. “If there’s more water coming down through that system, my flooding gets worse.”

Kinnear closed by stating, “Just from the little downpour we had before this meeting started, I had flooding in my backyard. That’s what it’s like.”

Coun. Debbie Levy acknowledged Kinnear’s concerns by informing the frustrated resident that the matter would be looked into. “I know that people in the neighbourhood have had to send their kids out with personal floatation devices on their own property,” admitted Levy.

CAO Jeff Lees also added that staff would be in communication with Kinnear and other concerned residents in an upcoming discussion regarding the “site-specific challenges that they’re facing”.

Further hesitation by Coun. George Vadeboncoeur over density of the subdivision’s housing culminated in council going against staff’s recommendation in the report to proceed with draft approval and amendments, instead opting to refer the matter to staff for further discussion with the applicant.

The draft plan of subdivision public meeting report, as well as Huguenin’s deputation, are available on the town of Penetanguishene website.

Meetings of Penetanguishene council are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, and can be watched live on Rogers TV cable 53, or on the Rogers TV website.