City planner Prescott MacDonald wrote on December 4, 2006:

Attached is a summary of an application received for 3180 Albion Road

Prescott McDonald

Planning and Infrastructure Approvals Branch

Planning, Transit and the Environment Department

110 Laurier Avenue West, 4th Floor East

Ottawa, ON

K1P 1J1

Tel: (613) 580-2424 ext. 13854

Fax: (613) 580-2576

Erwin Dreessen wrote on December 5, 2006:

Dear Mr. McDonald:

Could you please explain what the policy basis could be for allowing this application for development within a floodplain to be approved?  I understand the City has to process any application that is submitted, but why would the applicant not be told that “prohibited” means “prohibited”?

Also, what was the “final and binding” decision of the Committee of Adjustment in this matter?

Mr. MacDonald replied on December 6:

Due to the recent stormwater works adjacent to the Airport Parkway for Sawmill Creek, it is the applicants contention that these lands should no longer be considered within a flood plain.  Supporting studies to that effect will be forwarded to the RVCA for review.

The consent application was granted by the Committee of Adjustment and was not appealed.

In conveying this response to the List (posted December 12), Erwin commented:

The $12 million artificial wetland at Sawmill Creek is having more consequences than any of us knew!