Written By Olena Riznyk
LUCAN BIDDULPH – Council moved through a mix of planning decisions, infrastructure issues and longer-term policy discussions, with discussions including development pressures and the performance of the municipality’s wastewater system, during its March 17 council meeting.
Council began by sitting as a committee of adjustment to review a minor variance application for a property on Saintsbury Line. The request would allow an attached garage to be built with a reduced side yard setback. Planning staff said the proposal met all required tests under the Planning Act, and with no objections from the public or reviewing agencies, council approved it with no questions raised.
Infrastructure, however, drew more attention later in the meeting.
During the presentation of the fourth-quarter wastewater report, staff outlined several compliance issues at both the Lucan and Granton treatment plants. In Lucan, one non-compliance event was recorded in October, when phosphorus levels exceeded permitted limits. Staff said the issue was likely tied to sludge transferred from the Granton facility following abnormal influent conditions.
The Granton plant reported two non-compliance events related to elevated ammonia levels, linked to a disruption in the biological treatment process. According to staff, corrective steps–including system cleaning and the addition of treatment-support chemicals–with levels returning to compliance by December.
The discussion also turned to broader system pressures. Heavy rain events continue to push higher volumes through the system, raising ongoing concerns about infiltration from sump pumps and downspouts. While staff said the issue is currently manageable, they noted that tracking down and eliminating unauthorized connections is both costly and difficult, often relying on homeowner cooperation.
Council also cleared the way for new housing development by approving a zoning bylaw amendment for the Timber Ridge subdivision. The change removes a holding provision on part of the site, allowing for the construction of 61 single-detached homes. Staff confirmed that servicing infrastructure is already in place and that the wastewater system has capacity to support the expansion.
Looking ahead, council reviewed updates on proposed provincial changes to conservation authorities. The province plans to consolidate agencies into nine larger regions by 2027. Despite the restructuring, Lucan Biddulph will remain split between two watershed jurisdictions, though funding responsibilities may shift to upper-tier municipalities.
Other updates included early-stage work on a five-year economic development master plan and the awarding of a la project that has been discussed for more than a decade tender to bring municipal water services to the Oneida area–a project that has been in discussion for more than a decade.
