Current Issues - Westminster

Westminster/Woodhaven Park Dr. Stormwater Solutions

Update: At a Meeting of Council, held November 20, 2023, Council voted unanimously to uphold its original decision and direct staff to undertake a stormwater design for Westminster Drive and Woodhaven Park Drive based on retaining rural profile of the streets with open ditches and additional green infrastructure where it can be used.

Read the Inside Halton Article

The Facts. The Details.

An Environmental Assessment (EA) was undertaken as a drainage study for the residential area near Coronation Park.
It was completed and in 2017, and its stormwater recommendations for several streets in the study - including both Westminster Drive and Woodhaven Park Drive, formed the basis of the final report.

In that report, the EA report stated both Town staff and the general public wanted to retain the rural cross-section of the road - thus maintaining the natural drainage system of ditches that support stormwater conveyance. Please see information on green infrastructure below.

Result of the EA? A Combination of Measures

Recommendations in the Final Report are termed as being the 'Preferred Alternative' for each street in question. Below are the detailed plans for each street. These solutions incorporate a combination of the retention of our natural infrastructure (ditches) with enhances such as additional low impact development and a storm sewer.

Westminster Drive
* Ditch re-grading and landscaping
* Driveway and roadside culvert replacement
* 487m storm sewer
* LID (low impact development/green infrastructure) Best Management Practices to be assessed and incorporated where feasible during final design.

Woodhaven Park Drive
* Driveway and roadside culvert replacement
* Ditch re-grading and landscaping
* 1,084m storm sewer
* LID (low impact development/green infrastructure) Best Management Practices to be assessed and incorporated where feasible during final design.

Council Approval

In June of 2017, Town staff brought forth a report to the standing committee of Council (Community Services Committee) seeking approval of the EA and its Preferred Alternatives. Staff supported the recommendations of the report to retain the rural road cross-section, restore ditches, install new culverts, etc. and add to them with a sewer pipe and new, additional low impact development measures.

They even went so far as to include a table outlining the various solutions on a street by street situation. The committee voted approval.

One week later, Council met and approved the motion from Community Services. Oakville was on its way to providing a stormwater solution with green infrastructure and the latest technologies available.

Staff Doesn't Follow Council Directive

Fast forward to 2023.
** Staff announces it plans to undertake a construction project on Westminster that is entirely different than the plan that was approved by Council!
** Green infrastructure is gone, as are the existing ditches. And to add a further blow to residents they plan to add a sidewalk on one side.

The Issues Explained

What is Green Infrastructure & Why Do We Need It?

What is Green Infrastructure?
Green infrastructure is defined as natural vegetative systems and green technologies that collectively provide society with a multitude of environmental, social and economic benefits. The green technologies encompassed in this definition include porous pavements, rain barrels and cisterns, which replicate the functions of ecosystems, such as stormwater storage and filtration.

Green infrastructure can contribute to the effective implementation of a range of policy areas, including climate action, water, health, agriculture, growth and disaster risk management.

One of the key attractions of green infrastructure is its ability to perform several functions and provide multiple benefits in the same area, in contrast to its 'grey' infrastructure counterparts (e.g. storm sewers) which tend to be designed to only perform one function - drainage.
In terms of stormwater Our ditches are part of the green infrastructure system. We don't want to lose them. They need to be preserved and enhanced.

We need green infrastructure because it helps to mitigate the impacts of urban impervious surfaces on hydrology, erosion and aquatic habitat. Our ditches don't just convey water to Lake Ontario. They slow the water, thereby allowing it to be filtered and absorbed into the soil.

We must remember: Our drinking water comes from Lake Ontario. We must do everything we can to limit the harmful pollutants, chemicals, grit and micro plastics that enters it!
What is an Urbanized Road? Why Are We Against It?

IT'S ALL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MITIGATE IT

URBANIZED ROAD
Urbanized roads have a roadway surface bounded by curbs, gutters and catch basins. Beneath the surface of the road are large diameter cement pipes. As rainfall occurs, the water runs off the surface of the road into the gutters, down the pipes and into the large cement pipes. The rain water is not absorbed, not filtered and not slowed. It runs directly to its destination - in our case - Lake Ontario. Urbanized roads are contributing to climate change.

RURAL ROAD cross-sections consist of a roadway surface, shoulders and ditches which are adjacent to the elevated roadway where rainfall and runoff from the road drain. The water is slowed by the ditches and surrounding greenery, grass, etc. It infiltrates the ground and is filtered. Because of the slowing, filtering and cleansing process, less water enters Lake Ontario and the water that does is cleaner.
What is a 100-Year Storm?

The term "100-year storm" is a rain event that statistically has a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year.
Aren't Storm Sewers, Curbs and Gutters Less Money?

Green infrastructure offers the best value and comes with added benefits. Not only does it reduce volume of stormwater, it improves water quality, mitigates climate change, recharges our groundwater levels and beautifies our surroundings.

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The Sidewalk Issue

Oakville’s Official Plan, Livable Oakville in its Section 2 Guiding Principles states:
Preserving and creating a livable community in order to: preserve, enhance, and protect the distinct character, cultural heritage, living environment, and sense of community of neighbourhoods.

Residents who attended the PIC stressed the importance and value they placed on the area’s rural nature. It was a deciding factor for new residents who chose to move to the area and a long-standing characteristic strongly defended by those who are long-time residents. The ambiance and sense of neighbourhood of the Coronation Park community is, in part, shown through the practices of sharing the road by those who walk, roll and otherwise traverse the area. It has been a tradition recognized by residents for more than half a century and one that continues today.

During the Active Transportation Management Plan review process of 2016, with its Public Information Centres, stakeholder meetings, etc. no comment or identification was made by either organizers or the public regarding the desire, plan or need for a sidewalk on Westminster Drive.
Westminster was added by staff as a candidate for a sidewalk prior to the final report. Yet, no consultation, discussion or engagement was undertaken with area residents.

We direct your attention to Page 35 of the Active Transportation Master Plan Final Report 2017, where New Candidate Route Alternatives are discussed. It states “The new candidate routes and facility types that were identified for additional review and consideration are illustrated on Maps 3 and 4 as well. An assessment of each of these was completed using the route selection criteria confirmed in step 2, along with a significant amount of input from the public and local stakeholders”. As stated above, no input was sought from Westminster Drive residents at any time. The same is true of the period of time since the 2017 report to present day.

The Town has employed a practice of majority vote with residents who have requested sidewalk additions in already-established neighbourhoods. The same should be true for residents of Westminster Drive. If a majority of residents are in favour of a sidewalk and its placement on the west side of the street, the project would proceed. If not, the project is eliminated from plans.

No accidents between motor vehicles and pedestrians have occurred, nor have there been instances of altercations between cyclists, drivers and pedestrians. The share-the-road practices used by this tightly knit neighbourhood are proof that sharing space can be successful.

Our Position

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1. We Want What Council Approved!!!

Residents want the rural character of area streets to be preserved and maintained. The report and recommendations approved by Council were to retain/repair/enhance our ditches and culverts, NOT PAVE OVER THEM!
2. Staff Has No Authority to Quash Council's Vote

The Municipal Act, which directs how municipalities will govern, is clear in its instructions on the roles of Council and Municipal Administration.

It is the role of Council, (a) to represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality; (d.1) to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality;

It is the role of the officers and employees of the municipallity, (a) to implement council's decisions and establish administrative practices and procedures to carry out council's decisions.
3. The Preferred Alternative Accommodates a 100-Year Storm

The EA Final Report includes a map indicating how the Preferred Alternative drainage systems will perform in a 100-year storm event. On Westminster, flow is within the ditch in all areas with the exception of a short span on the west side near Warland. On Woodhaven, the same applies with the area adjacent to Lakeshore Road West being above ditch level.
4. Staff's Urbanized Road Doesn't Meet Council's Green Infrastructure First Policy

Council’s motion of July 11, 2023 states

‘that the Rainwater Management Strategy under development, and associated fees and studies, will ensure that green infrastructure be preferred and grey infrastructure only where necessary with a program of public consultatio, n’
5. Reduce Polluted Run-Off into Lake Ontario - Not Increase It!

The small sewer pipe recommended in the Environmental Assessment to work alongside ditches ranges in size from 300mm in diameter at the north end of Westminster to 675mm in diameter at the Lakeshore Road West junction.

Town staff's design uses a pipe that ranges in size from 450mm and then increasing as it travels south to 675, 825, 900, 1050 and 1345mm at Lakeshore.

That means a huge increase in polluted runoff that is being directed to the channel in Coronation Park and into Lake Ontario. That isn't what climate mitigation is all about. It is the direct opposite.
6. Decisions on Sidewalks Must Involve Resident Participation

The Town has employed a practice of majority vote with residents who have requested sidewalk additions in already-established neighbourhoods. The same should be true for residents of Westminster Drive. If a majority of residents are in favour of a sidewalk and its placement on the west side of the street, the project would proceed. If not, the project is eliminated from plans.

Questions?

If you have questions, additional details or help with understanding the issues, please contact us. We're here to help.

Last but not least, we need everyone to attend the November 20th meeting at Town Hall. It's important!

Coronation Park Residents Association

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