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Orangeville bylaw forces quarry opposition signs from lawns

Town council to review sign bylaw


By Bill Tremblay Oct 14, 2011 - 12:02 PM

Opponents to the proposed Melancthon quarry may have to find a new way to voice their opinion in Orangeville. Following a single complaint, residents are being asked not to display their Stop the Mega Quarry signs on lawns within the municipality. Sheila Duncan, Orangevilles director of communications, said one resident was asked to remove the sign, as they violate the towns bylaw. Orangeville only allows posting of real estate, election or contractor signs on residential lawns. Orangevilles bylaw enforcement officers generally enforce municipal rules on a complaint-driven basis. It was a question of one sign being on private property and it is contrary to the sign bylaw, Duncan said. The signs, produced by the North Dufferin Agriculture and Community Task Force (NDACT), are available in Orangeville at Dragonfly Arts on Broadway. However, the stores owner Joan Hope was visited by a municipal employee earlier this month and said she was told the signs are not allowed on private property within town. It just made me very sad. It feels like the protest is being stifled, Hope said. It makes it look like Orangeville is not interested in the problem. I think that is far from the case.Mayor Rob Adams said the quarry signs are the first time a politically motivated sign has resulted in a complaint to bylaw enforcement. As this has come up now, we will have to look at it and give it some thought, Adams said. Its the first time it has been brought to my attention as an issue.Other sections of the towns sign bylaw are scheduled for review. Adams said council should add politically motivated signs to the discussion. We have a review of the bylaw coming up and certainly this will be considered and discussed by council, Adams said. The mayor added its hard to decide what to do with signs similar to the No Mega Quarry message. How do you balance free speech with property standards? Adams pondered. NDACT Vice-chair Carl Cosack suggested if Orangeville plans to enforce the bylaw, they should hold a public meeting to help quench residents thirst for information regarding the quarry. We hope town council takes a more active involvement in this discussion and tell this population the impact of this quarry on their daily lives, Cosack said. Cosack added he understands the municipal effort to enforce the bylaw. Unfortunately it is what the town chooses to do, I dont blame them for that, Cosack said. We all recognize these things are in place for a reason and we appreciate people putting having put out enough signs that Orangeville feels obliged to notice them.Cosack said residents would find new methods to voice their opposition to The Highlands Companies plan to mine 2,316 acres of land in Melancthon. Peoples opposition to this planned development is real. If they cant display their sign on their lawns they will put them in their flowerbeds or windows,

Cosack said. This issue isnt going to go away by enforcing the bylaw.

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