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4 Independent & Free Press, Wednesday, August 1, 2007 Environmental tribunal continues 15 YRS. EXPERIENCE National dog, horse shows in limbo LISA TALLYN Staff Writer It's still unknown if Halton Place will be able to host a national horse show and dog agility competition later this month as an Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) hearing continues. The fates of the two events are in limbo because five residents who live near Halton Place are appealing a Niagara Escarpment Commission decision issuing permits for them. The next date for the hearing is Friday Aug. 3, 10 a.m. at the Civic Centre. The dog competition-- the AAC National Championships-- are scheduled for August 16 to 19, and the horse show-- Canadian Country Classic-- is set for August 22-26 and August 29 to Sept. 2. The residents are also appealing the NEC's decision to issue a permit for the Summer's Here horse show held earlier this month at Halton Place. Residents appealing the decision are Jack Pemberton, Mike Shantz, Paul Dodson, Hilda Darcie and Ron Morin. On Monday, Pemberton called his daughter Ellen as a witness. She lives on another farm owned by Pemberton at 15 Sideroad and Fourth Line. She said when she is outside at home she can hear the announcements made over the public address system at Halton Place. She said she could hear it more clearly when she was at her father's farm, where she spends a lot of time on weekends. Her husband, Juan Aranda, who works at her father's farm, said the noise from Halton Place "bothers" him when he's outside and that there is more traffic in the area when there is an event at Halton Place. Janet Campbell who lives at 15 Sideroad and Hwy. 25 also testified at the hearing. She said she wanted to ensure the NEC treated the Halton Place application like all others. "My concern here is, is the Niagara Escarpment Commission planning on applying its own rules to this application?" asked Campbell. She asked if there were NEC rules about noise, septic tanks, facilities, driveways, traffic and manure disposal. "Are there rules and regulations that already exist that are there to be applied to this situation? And if there are, are they being applied? If not, if they are not being applied, why are we making an exception?" said Campbell. She stressed just because Halton Place is a larger operation than some others, or has more money behind it, there shouldn't be an exception to the rules. Dodson called Kelly Anne Patzer, a planning technician with the Town of Halton Hills as a witness, but questioning by residents based on the 2006 Town Official Plan which has not yet been endorsed by Halton Region was discounted by hearing officer Knox Henry because it is not the plan in effect. Megan Kruger, the general manager of Halton Place, described the farm saying it is a horse farm that encompasses breeding, training and competition. She said there are also hayfields and an apple orchard on the property. MEGAN Kruger said KRUGER horse shows allow competitors to evaluate their horses in comparison to other horses, gives them a chance to purchase or sell horses, and provides breeding opportunities. She said dog agility trials involve competition, discussion about breeding and new feeds. She said 90 per cent of the people who attend horse shows at Halton Place are related to the equestrian world. In the summer there are eight employees working at Halton Place, said Kruger. When asked by Halton Place's lawyer David Tang if an entrance into the property off 15 Sideroad on an Sbend hill the residents had raised concerns about previously would be used by people attending the upcoming shows Kruger said, "No, definitely not." She said the gate into the driveway is currently locked. Kruger explained why Halton Place went ahead with the Summer's Here show even after an appeal was filed. "In the past we have never had any appeals before," said Kruger. She said as the commission meetings dealing with the permits was so late, considering they had applied for them last November, "it was odd the appeal date would overlap the event date." "By the time the event started (July 4) there were no appeals received by Halton Place," said Kruger. She said she wasn't informed of the appeals until July 6. "In the letter of decision from the NEC it didn't specify if that process had not been completed you could not operate that event," said Kruger. She said according to Equine Canada they would have had to have cancelled the event 100 days prior. NEC planner David Johnston pointed out to Kruger the stipulation that the events couldn't proceed unless a development permit was issued. Kruger said approximately 600 horses were expected to compete in the Canada Classic, and the same number of dogs would be in the AAC National Championships. Pemberton asked where the beach volleyball, live band and beer garden would be held. Kruger said in the main area where the food concession is. He also asked if they were doing anything to lower the amplification system. Kruger said they were using speakers not horns and she is offering residents her phone number so if there's a complaint "then we can work on it." "There has to be a compromise where the sound is acceptable to everybody," said Kruger. The hearing also heard from Halton Place planner Glen Broll. "These three applications conform to the policies set out in Halton Region's Official Plan," said Broll. He said Halton Hills' Official Plan wasn't in effect for Halton Place, which falls within the Niagara Escarpment plan area. In reference to the Niagara Escarpment Plan he provided several definitions of animal husbandry, which he said, showed that the equestrian centre and the dog agility facility were agricultural operations. "Your policy may be if you can't convince, confuse," countered Pemberton. "You can't convince me that an agility trial is agriculture. It's got nothing to do with agriculture." 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Submissions must be received no later than August 22, 2007. Please include your name, address and telephone number. If petition is submitted to the Commission, please identify the designated contact person. Note: The AGCO gives the applicant copies of any objections. Anonymous objections are not considered. The personal information gathered is collected under the authority of the Liquor Licence Act. The principal purpose of the collection is to assess eligibility for the issuance of a liquor sales licence. Copies of all objections are given to the applicant. The information may also be disclosed pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Manager, Licensing and Registration, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario at the address, telephone numbers or e-mail address listed below. Submissions to be sent to: Licensing and Registration, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, 90 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M2N 0A4. Tel: 416-326-8700 OR Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-522-2876. Fax: 416-326-5555. E-mail: licensing@agco.on.ca