January 10, 2024

NEC gives approval of parking lot south of Kimberley, local residents not amused

BY SOUTHGREY.CA STAFF — The Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) have conditionally approved a Grey County application for development of a parking lot on the parcel of vacant land at the southwest intersection of Grey Road 30 and Grey Road 13 in Grey Highlands.

The proposed 20-space lot would be constructed where a southbound ramp from Grey Road 30 currently turns onto Grey Road 13 just south of Kimberley and is conveniently located near access to the Bruce and Kimberley Forest Trails. The Old Baldy trail also exits along 4B directly across from the proposed parking lot.

"No one has been consulted on this proposal so we can only assume it must be part of the Trailhead Parking initiative," said Martha Rogers in a letter to Grey County CAO Kim Wingrove, written on behalf of the Kimberley Safety Group. In her letter, she urges that the County pause on this project and to withdraw the NEC application.

Citing the dangerous nature of the intersection, speeding cars and near-miss accidents, the group warns of adding pedestrians to the mix, walking considerable distances to access the Conservation lands into the Kimberley Forest, or to access the Kimberley Trail. "There are no safe off-road pathways to ensure safe walking."

In an attempt to have their concerns heard, the Kimberley Safety Group has proposed a public forum on the issue. Suggesting Monday, February 12, the group has invited "Grey County representatives to present their goals and plans for trailheads and roadways in and around Kimberley, and to hear from other local organizations invested in these same issues."

Currently, Grey County CAO Kim Wingrove is away from her office and was unavailable for comment. According to Grey County Communications Manager Robert Hatten, public engagement opportunities are planned but not yet announced, where concerns regarding the proposed parking lot can be raised. In a statement, Hatten said:

"We can certainly appreciate concerns around safety. Safety considerations are paramount an any Grey County project or design. At this point the NEC application is a proactive action we have taken. Road improvements for Grey Road 30 are included in the 2024 budget. The NEC application was submitted so a parking lot project could potentially proceed if it makes sense to do so during construction. We still need to sort out details like ongoing maintenance and have community consultation before anything will be decided. We are scheduling community information session for the whole of the Grey Road 30 project in the spring. Grey County initiated a Trail Head Study in 2022. This study identified a need for more parking in the Kimberly Forest area. Currently we see vehicles parked on the side of the road which creates its own safety concerns. This parking lot is being considered to support trail users and alleviate some of the safety concerns along this stretch of the road."

Within the NEC Notice of Decision, it is noted that the development approval does not constitute a permit and that development of the property would not commence until a proper development permit was issued.

For more information about the Grey County Trailhead Study, visit the County Of Grey website.

Anyone wishing to appeal the NEC approval, must submit a copy of an appeal form or a written letter, specifying their reasons for appeal, on or before January 16. An appeal form can be downloaded from www.escarpment.org.

 

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