Burford Water and Wastewater Servicing and Drainage Plan

Quiet is nice up to a certain point… I hear some of the concerns below but from my perspective, I feel that Burford has been “still” for way too long. A few tiny businesses - and Pouf! They barely survive… or close. It needs more life, some kind of face lift. It’s not the charming village of a Hallmark movie in its current state… Taxes are up the roof yet, I’ve been here over 20 years and nothing changes. We have to leave town to find a decent place to eat… It’s certainly time for some upgrades, Surely there is a way to create a more vibrant - up to date / cleaner / downtown…( yes, that involves room for some growth ) without compromising the “small town vibe” that many residents seem to hold on to. A little more pride - should all resident contribute - in yard maintenance would help. Junky style? Not so much… :(

Basically, meeting the developers half way, accepting some level of growth, keeping our minds open so that we can “upscale / improve / revive the downtown is better than closing our shutters, remaining “still”. As is…it can’t last forever. A leap of faith sounds good to me…

I’m in no way wanting sewers or water services in Burford. I don’t want to pay a crazy amount just so developers and a few people needing septic repairs get off paying a lot less at my expense.
I also do not believe this is not already decided! Developers with their lawyers will push this through, regardless of what the majority wants. Please have a town wide vote so you get the real opinions of the majority. Not just the voices of the few looking for others to help foot their bill.

One thing I would always hear is Burford has the best tasting water.
Bring municipal water to Burford and that will change forever . Changing our water will change 
Burford from a nice quiet town to something that we are seeing in Paris .
Paris is unbelievable.The change within one year is shocking . I couldn't believe the amount of change . Would there be that much change if Paris had Burford
water ? No way . Burford is surrounded by farmland . If municipal water came to Burford , that farm land would vanish to be replaced
by crowded housing . The forest areas would also vanish . Recently there was a 
published comment by our newly elected Mayor that wasn't specifically about Burford
but about County of Brant that went something like this . If you don't like the way it is now then you better sell your house  and move because you won't like it 5 years from now . Not a nice thing to say . That just says to people we want to know what you think but we don't care because we're going to do what we want anyway . I went to the gathering at the 
Burford Ag Hall before COVID hit . It was a full house . It was a gathering about the purposed municipal water and drainage to Burford . 
The majority of the people there were against it . And there was a question asked and the answer
was pretty much we will decide ourselves what we will do after we have informed
the town of our plans . The town was informed at that gathering and it didn't change
anyone's mind . No matter how much  bringing municipal water to Burford is candy coated ,
the result will be the same.
#1-Bad tasting water .
#2-Substantial cost to the home owner to change existing septic systems and water supply .
#3- Reduced farmland , increased building construction  eg. low income apartments and with that increased crime .
It just seems as though we are being told what we want and made to believe we have a say in the matter but are being told the decision is out of our hands .
November 21st of this year there was a virtual meeting about the proposed plan . 
It could only be viewed by those connected to zoom which not everyone is . 
So far I have yet to see any video from that meeting or any information about it's outcome . 
There were a lot of questions and some answers . Where are they ? What are they ?
There was a Council meeting the very next day that can be viewed on Youtube 
but the most important meeting that concerns Burfords future can not be accessed .

The large gathering at the Ag Hall says it all.

Comment on Burford Water. I feel it is very important to keep what we have in Burford. We have a great little community. I have seen other places,e.g. Paris, expand and grow to be like a large overblown city. I know the provincial government wants more housing in Ontario, and is putting pressure on Brant County also, but Burford does not need to be where this happens. Burford is great the way it is. I want to keep my great water. Bringing water into here would promote growth. Lots of growth. It is unnecessary to have this kind of growth all over. Keep our village the way it is. We DON"T need growth, we need to MAINTAIN what we have. The downtown is great just as it is.MAINTAIN it. At the moment there is only one storefront that is not used. All the other places have businesses in them. This is as vibrant as we need. Sometimes, it is so vibrant, it's hard to find a parking spot. With water comes expansion, comes problems, not to mention the added price of bringing this water and sewage into our homes (not an insignificant cost). You don't know how good something is till you lose it. Let's not do something we will regret later.

I've lived in Burford my whole life. When I was a kid they said we have high "nitrates " in the water! We drank the water, no one has been harmed. What's the difference now? There hasn't been any major expansion of our community, and anyone that has needed there tile beds or wells upgraded have done it on there own. We have no need for "city" water that no one is going to drink anyway!
PLEASE LEAVE OUR VILLAGE ALONE! This is how we like to live.

Bigger is not better; people should not have to give up their wells and septic systems;
Farmland should not be eliminated.
The times of importing all our food has come and gone. We need to get back to growing our own food and that means we need farm land.

As representatives for the community, it is your responsibility to protect the farmland.

This is will be the final nail in the coffin for the agricultural community. What this town was built off of. Every year farming and farm land has become more difficult due to housing expansions that aren't even happening in our community yet. Every field taken away due to housing expansion in Paris is pushing farmers to rent or buy other areas, taking away from other farmers previously on that land. You know as well as I do as soon as city water and sewage are added, Burford will expand more housing projects to get more people on their systems. I couldnt disargee with this more. Burford will never be the same and the farming industry will suffer from this.

This is a classic example of pressure from developers. The County is not listening to the citizens - again. This is a very expensive proposition that will plague Burford for generations, This will only line the pockets of developers and ruin the town of Burford. There will be HUGE connection fees plus residents will pay some of the highest water rates in North America (fact - check it out). County of Brant already has the third highest water and sewer rates in North America

I am strongly OPPOSED to this idea. None of the residents want this. How about the county think about the residents of this beautiful, quiet and peaceful town. Urban sprawl has destroyed and congested the ONCE beautiful town of Paris. I guess they have given up on Brantford so now it's time to destroy every other town around. BUILD UP Brantford, it has the existing infrastructure. Leave the small towns alone. City water means high density residential approvals,
and higher taxes with lower quality water. High density housing and Burford WILL BE the next Paris debacle. Not enough roads, not enough amenities NOT ENOUGH CARE for the community!

I moved to Burford to escape the explosion of housing about to happen in St, George. I was so sad to see the white and green heritage house on Main St West beside Lions park have the residents moved out and now boarded up. I know the family that had lived there for generations and who moved out of the region. To me, that boarded up heritage home sums up what the county council thinks of their past. nothing, to discard it and not care.
Losing our surrounding farm land forever to poorly designed and built mega home surveys is what most people who moved here were trying to escape from the GTA.
Most people in Burford move here because they want peace and privacy and like having their own water and septic.
I do not want chlorinated water.
Where would all the waste water go? and the water treatment plant be? Its poisoning the fish and life left in the Grand river.
Our current system of supplying water and waste water is safe, but is it really good? good for peoples health and good for the environment???? NO it isn't. Its an old and antiquated system.
If you really wanted to do something to help the downtown businesses, you would research and invest in newer, safer and better systems to supply water and waste services to the businesses while becoming an environmental 'gold star'. Please don't do just same ol same ol,
You have a chance to do something great, new, innovative.
Look at newer technologies and better, safer, and environmentally cleaner ways of supplying services to the downtown. There are all kinds of new government grants and new businesses in this field specializing in new water systems. There is new science out there. Become educated in these transformational systems for the future of our environment.
and Let the residents decide if and when they wish to transition over to those services.
Thank you.

We moved to Burford a few years ago and enjoy our well and septic. Well water is the best tasting water and it is clean every time it is tested. We want Burford to stay a small community. I am very against this change.

It would be nice if this brought growth to the town of Burford. Although I hope it doesn't bring too much, I really like the nature around here.

I think this is a great idea. We need to revitalize burford and bring new housing in. The town has been stagnant for too long.

This is a big nope for me. We have all watched the ruin of small town Paris and surrounding PRIME agricultural land. What is being proposed is not to benefit the residents of Burford, but to line the pockets of developers and increase our tax dollars. The reason most of us live in Buford is because it's a community, we do not wish to complicate it. Leave our small town alone.

Nobody wants your services. I just had a 100% tax increase to the levels I had before moving here. My septic is new my water is perfect. How about speed enforcement lower posted speed limits. Other than that your government is not a trusted one. So stop your lie’s to the people of Burford. We do not need water and sewer. I will stop any work on my property to the full extent of the law. This town is just fine the way it is.

What do I think I think you’re trying to make a small town a city which nobody wants. I think you are going to push this through when nobody wants it. I think I will defend my property if anyone steps on it.

Years ago, around the time of the Walkerton crisis with their drinking water, municipalities starting forcing residents to go to water and sewage and they literally had no say after the decision was made. Innerkip was one such town. At that time, I knew a couple that had just recently built their own home and put in a well and septic before this sewer/water was implemented. If you have this you know what and expense that is.
I believe they had a choice of adding a set amount to their taxes or a lump sum of 25000.00 dollars. Of course, most people don’t have that kind of money to throw around so it was added to their existing taxes. The recently dug we’ll also had to be capped and couldn’t even be used for watering the lawn or gardens.
Residents of Burford should think long and hard and voice their opinions regarding this proposal.
I agree that it is likely for the betterment of the constant developers that are inundating our prime agricultural lands.
Paris has become an eyesore off the 403. That housing is a monstrosity and the only ones getting rich are the developers putting up huge housing and raising taxes.
Burford should have some growth, but I don’t think it should look like Paris.

Although it seems like water / sewage is a great idea it would seem the real purpose for this is to be able to build townhouses and highrises which Burford does not need. I love our little town just the way it is. Especially right now with Covid 19 running rampant, it is so nice to be able to go to a grocery store that does not have a lot of people shopping at the same time, you don't have to stand in line to get in the store and the faces you see are familiar so it doesn't feel like you are coming in contact with a lot of strangers. Everyone in this town is friendly and respectful, we are a community, housing growth takes that away. I feel like more information is required in regards to adding water / sewage system for Burford. What is the cost to homeowners? Where is the water coming from?

I’ve recently moved to burford and replaced my septic tank and bed (high cost) this replacement will have a long life span. In addition to this replacement I updated filters for our well water and improving the quality of water and these replacements again will have a long life span. Another point to consider is that how does the county plan on managing how home owners will pay for connections to sanitary and water services. Further more where is the water coming? Is there plans to develop a new waste water plant and water treatment plant?

Additionally the amount of reconstruction that will be needed and the scope of work needing to be complete will affect older century homes like our home.

I agree with others who dislike what has happen with Paris, fast low quality subdivision homes only raise property taxes not the quality of a community.

I would like to think the county would be better off to spend money on having a truck bypass and additional access to the 403 west of Rest acres. This would extend the life span of the downtown core roads, in my opinion.

MarcosB

As a long time resident of Burford I have a number of questions and concerns. Where will the water come from? Brantford? An artesian well? Brantford water is notoriously awful as it comes from the Grand River.
Secondly as a person who witnessed the absolute ruination of Ancaster when sewers and water was brought into that community I do not want to see the small town atmosphere of Burford destroyed. Look at pictures of Ancaster 50 years ago. A lovely town with large properties, spacious filled with trees. Now it is a high density area, seeing old homes torn down by developers who construct townhouses on these large lots. We are already seeing that here with the proposed and likely approved construction of TWO low rise walk ups on Maple AVe North. It seems the Count of Brant's greed for developer fees knows no limits. So once sewers are brought in what promises do residents have that lots will not be allowed to be divided, the valuable farmland will not be given over to development. The county has lost enormous agricultural land in the area south and north of Paris. The developments in the south end near the 403 are particularly hideous.