MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH

Transcription

1 MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH TO: FROM: NOVA SCOTIA UTILITY AND REVIEW BOARD GLENN HORNE, MUNICIPAL CLERK TREASURER SUBJECT: AN APPLICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 369 OF THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT ACT DATE: DECEMBER 19, 2014 SUMMARY The Municipal Council of the Municipality of the County of Antigonish makes application to the Nova Scotia Utility & Review Board (the Board) to confirm the number of polling districts, and to change the boundaries of districts. This submission has been prepared to inform the Board that Municipal Council has considered options for the review of the number and boundaries of polling districts in the municipality, their fairness and reasonableness and the number of councillors. As per Section 369 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), this submission will share, with the Board, the considerations and process employed by the Municipality in coming to its request that the Board confirm the existing number of councillors and polling districts, while altering the boundaries as described herein. BACKGROUND There are currently ten polling districts that comprise the Municipality of the County of Antigonish. Each is represented by a councillor and from among them a Warden is elected and by policy presides for a four-year term. The following is a brief outline of each district as it is currently composed (Please refer to the map entitle Existing Electoral Districts ). District 1 is the largest in the Municipality, extending from the Pictou County line along the shore of Northumberland Strait, around Cape George to the northerly area of Antigonish Harbour. It is sparsely populated and is comprised of the communities of Arisaig, Malignant Cove, Ballantyne s Cove and Georgeville on Highway 337 along the coast. District 2 lies along Antigonish Harbour, extending inland to the west and south to the north-easterly boundary of the Town of Antigonish. It includes the communities of Lakevale, Harbour Centre, Mahoney s Beach and Lanark along Highway 337, as well as Cloverville and Fairmont in the western mountainous area, and North Grant on Highway 245. There is significant residential development in the fringe area near the Town. Page 1 of 7

2 District 3 covers a large area situated at the southwestern extremity of the Municipality between the Pictou County line on the west and the fringe area districts and District Six on the east. It is very diverse geographically, being mountainous and heavily wooded in the west, with a large agricultural area at its centre, and Lochaber Lake and other bodies of water in the South. It is rural in character, and includes the communities of St. Joseph s/gaspereaux Lake and Lochaber. District 4 is located to the west of the Town, extending northwesterly to the boundaries of Districts 1 and 3. It features significant residential development and schools near the Town boundary. In addition, there are further residential areas and agricultural lands along Trunk 4, Back Road Brierly Brook and the Clydesdale area. District 4 also has the largest concentration of commercial development in the Municipality in the Post Road area of the Trunk 4. District 5 encompasses the area to the east of Antigonish Harbour extending west to Pomquet, and south to Highway 104. The northern limit is the shore of St. George s Bay. The district is home to a large and thriving Acadian community. It also includes the community of Southside Harbour and a 300 unit mini-home park in Lower South River. District 6 lies to the south of the Highway 104 and extends to the Guysborough County line. It is a large district and rural in character, but also has significant residential areas in St. Andrews and Lower South River. The district contains a large number of farms as well as the Municipality s Industrial Park. District 7 extends from St. George s Bay to the Guysborough County line between Districts 6 and 8. It is not densely populated, rural in character, and has extensive agricultural and resource uses. Communities within the district include Heatherton, Bayfield and the Paqtnkek Mi kmaw Nation. District 8 is another primarily rural district in the eastern part of the County, centered around Tracadie Harbour. It includes residential and agricultural uses along Trunk 4, as well as the communities of Tracadie, Monastery, Linwood and Mattie Settlement. District 9 lies at the eastern end of the County. It includes the village of Havre Boucher, as well as the communities of Frankville and Auld s Cove, at the Strait of Canso. The district, given its proximity to the industries, employers and services in the Port Hawkesbury area, has strong connections to the Strait region. District 10 sits to the immediate east and south of the Town of Antigonish. It extends north to William s Point at the harbour, and south along Highway 7. It features extensive residential development as well as commercial and agricultural land uses. Population statistics are not available for each district. Statistics Canada divides Antigonish County (excluding the Town) into two parts for census purposes: Subdivision A, which corresponds approximately with Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10; and Subdivision B which encompasses Districts 5 to 9. The Census figures from 2001 to 2011 can be viewed in Table 1, below. Page 2 of 7

3 Table 1 Population Statistics Subdivision A Subdivision B Total ,702 6,819 14, ,730 6,509 14, ,253 6,439 14,692 STUDY PARAMETERS In February 2014, staff met with Municipal Council to begin preparations for the boundary review study. At that time, it was decided that the study would be prepared by municipal staff, specifically the Municipal Clerk Treasurer and Deputy Municipal Clerk with assistance from planning staff. At that time, staff brought forward preliminary discussion items for Council s consideration to inform the parameters of the study. Those items included consideration of implementing a mayoral system and a discussion on the number of councillors/districts. It was determined that a mayoral system would not necessary or desirable at this time. Similarly, it was determined that a change in the number of councillors/districts was also not desirable at this time. Across the province there is no standard number of elected officials for a municipality (see Table 2). Of the municipalities with a comparable population, some have less and some have more than the 10 councillors who currently represent Antigonish County. If you look at the average population of a municipal district, Antigonish County aligns closely with this set of comparable municipalities. Table 2 Comparison of Population / District Municipality Population # of Elected Representatives Population/District Annapolis 17, ,590 Antigonish 14, ,470 Chester 10, ,514 Cumberland 16, ,600 Inverness 14, ,482 Pictou 21, ,553 Richmond 9, West Hants 14, ,573 *This table is based on population data from the 2011 census rather than electors. Updated numbers on electors in most municipalities is not readily available. However, population provides a reasonable comparison for this purpose. Antigonish County is home to many vibrant communities, and as such there are a number of demands put on councillors from both the Municipality and from their electors. The number of commitments and responsibilities required of councillors only grows as our communities grow. To carry out the role of a councillor and to most effectively govern as a council, it was felt the number of councillors met the needs of this municipality. Page 3 of 7

4 DESCRIPTION AND CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS The Board has determined that for municipal boundary review applications, the target variance for relative parity of voting power must be ±10% from the average number of electors per polling district. Staff has spent a number of months developing options on which consultation and further Council consideration could be based. Above all, this concept of parity of voting power was held in highest consideration in preparing options. Table 3 outlines the current and proposed number of electors in each polling district. As you can see, a number of polling districts were outside the desired 10% variance, which guided the proposed adjustments to all polling district boundaries. The proposed adjustments to these polling district boundaries address the differences in all districts using this vote power parity metric. Table 3 - Elector Variation Among Districts District Current Variance With Proposed Adjustments Variance Change AVERAGE 11,154 11,154 All figures are based on the 2012 municipal electors list. A description of the proposed adjustments is as follows. depiction. Maps are attached to provide a visual Districts 1 & 2 (Refer to Map titled Districts 1 & 2 ) All electors residing on Glebe Road and Beaver Road would move from District 2 to District 1. All electors residing north of civic #1631 on Highway 245 would move from District 2 to District 1. All electors south of and including civic #1630 on Highway 245 would remain part of District 2. Considerations: Districts 1 & 2 varied from the mean by similar and opposite proportions. Therefore, it appeared desirable to adjust the boundary between these districts to allow each to meet the desired 10% variance. This objective was met as described and depicted above. While the number of electors is within the variance through these proposed adjustment, this further expands an already large Page 4 of 7

5 geographic area. This is a situation that the Municipality will continue to face as populations grow in districts closer to the serviced area surrounding the Town of Antigonish and fall in more rural areas. District 3 No proposed change. Districts 4 & 10 (Refer to Map titled Districts 4 & 10 ) All electors residing on Keating Court, Tamara Drive and those between on Highway 7 would move from District 10 to District 4. Considerations: Due to the increase in population in District 10, the boundary was adjusted to move 118 electors into the neighboring District 4. Districts 4 & 10 are similar in their composition (a combination of dense population in the services area and more rural/agricultural land owners) therefore this proposed adjustment was a logical solution to achieving relative parity in voting power. District 5 No proposed change. Districts 6 & 7 (Refer to Map titled Districts 6 & 7 ) All electors residing on the south side of Highway 104 from Pomquet River Road to Highway 316 would move from District 6 to District 7. All electors residing on Pine Ridge Road and Lorraine Lane would move from District 6 to District 7. Considerations: To address the variance in electors in Districts 6 & 7, the above referenced solution was considered. This proposal may appear unorthodox for its geographic make-up. However, it was specifically considered to address concerns in a previous boundary review. In the most recent boundary review it was proposed to move electors residing in the Pomquet River Road/Meadow Green Road area from District 6 to 7. This proposal faced significant opposition by residents for a number of reasons, most significantly by identifying St. Andrews as the centre of a community of interest that included these areas. At that time a petition signed by 81 residents was submitted to the Municipality and the Board in opposition to the proposal. The proposal before you intends to avoid these concerns as it was felt the residents of Pine Ridge Road and Lorraine Lane identified less with District 6 and the community of St. Andrews. Districts 7 & 8 (Refer to Map titled Districts 6 & 7 ) All electors residing on Summerside Bayfield Road north of Trunk 4 would move from District 8 to District 7. Considerations: The proposed adjustment was conceived to consolidate all residents of Summerside Bayfield Road north of Highway 4 in the same District, while increasing the number of electors in District 7. Page 5 of 7

6 Districts 8 & 9 (Refer to Map titled Districts 8 & 9 ) All electors residing on Linwood Road, Linwood Station Road and Grosvenor Road identified in the green hatched area on the map would move from District 9 to District 8. Considerations: Districts 8 & 9 are both below the average number of electors per district, but by different proportions. To even out this difference, it is proposed that the community of Linwood as described here be moved from District 9 to 8. This adjustment would also align with a community of interest as many residents in Linwood are part of the St. Peter's Parish located in Tracadie, near the geographic centre of District 8. PUBLIC CONSULATION Like the Board, Municipal Council considered public consultation to be an inherent component of this process. At its monthly meeting on September 16, 2014, the Municipal Clerk Treasurer provided Municipal Council with an update on the municipal boundary review process and outlined the methods and scope of public engagement. At that time, it was indicated that the adjustments proposed here were the preferred option of Municipal Council, however, any and all comments or options would be received through public consultation and taken into consideration. In addition to the press coverage of that presentation, which included the Antigonish Casket and Port Hawkesbury Reporter as well as the Hawk and 98.9 XFM, the following opportunities for public engagement were advertised: A document outlining considerations and soliciting feedback was posted to the Municipality s website and comments were to be ed to clerk@antigonishcounty.ns.ca before October 17, Two Open Houses were scheduled to introduce the options to residents and receive comments at: o Rev. HJ MacDonald School, Heatherton, on Tuesday, October 14 at 7pm. o Four Valley s Fire Hall, Maryvale, on Wednesday, October 15 at 7pm. The locations of the Open Houses were specifically chosen because those areas were to see the most significant changes to their boundaries. Ads promoting the Open Houses were placed in both the Antigonish Casket and Port Hawkesbury Reporter for the two weeks immediately prior to the date. In all, no comments were received via and four members of the public attended the Open Houses. Page 6 of 7

7 CONCLUSION By motion of Municipal Council, this report has been submitted to the Board to confirm the number of polling districts, and to change the boundaries of districts. Dated at Antigonish in the ) County of Antigonish, this 19 th ) Russell Boucher, Warden Day of December, ) ) ) ) Glenn Horne, Municipal Clerk/Treasurer Page 7 of 7

8 THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANTIGONISH COUNTY Nova Scotia Cape George EXISTING Electoral Districts Malignant Cove Lakevale Arisaig DISTRICT 1 Maryvale St Georges Bay DISTRICT 2 Harbour Centre Havre Boucher PICTOU PICTOU COUNTY COUNTY Clydesdale North Grant Frankville DISTRICT 9 Strait Aulds Cove James River DISTRICT 4 Brierly Brook ANTIGONISH DIST. 10 West River Beech Hill Lower South River Pomquet DISTRICT 5 Heatherton DISTRICT 7 Tracadie Monastery DISTRICT 8 MULGRAVE St Andrews St Joseph DISTRICT 3 Pinevale DISTRICT 6 Frasers Mills Lochaber GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY GUYSBOROUGH

9 Highway 245 THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH ELECTORAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY REVIEW DISTRICTS 1 & 2 Difference from Variance Mean ( All Electors District Electors Mean (%) Districts) Moved 2013 Boundary MALIGNANT COVE Proposed Boundary PLEASANT VALLEY CLYDESDALE MARYVALE NORTH GRANT BIG MARSH CLOVERVILLE!I( SYLVAN VALLEY Kilometres BRIERLY BROOK BACK ROAD DISTRICT 1 Glebe Rd Big Marsh Branch Rd LOWER NORTH GRANT Mill Rd 68 Voters in hatched areas moved from District 2 to District 1 % % FAIRMONT West Lakevale Rd Last Residence in District on Hwy 245: Civic# 1630 ANTIGONISH LANDING NORTH LAKEVALE South Lakevale Rd BROPHY 1596 LANARK Brophy Rd DISTRICT 2 North Lakevale Rd DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 2 First Residence in District 1 on Hwy 245: Civic# 1631 LAKEVALE WEST L WILLIAMS POINT Beaver Rd MacDougall R WILLIAMS PO

10 MacInnis Way Elliott Lane Highway 7 Garvie Rd South Hill Dr Greenhill Dr Tamara Dr Keating Crt DISTRICT 10 DISTRICT 4 Highway 104 EB Highway 104 WB Market St Ponderosa Dr Heritage Dr Chisholm Dr Lower West River Rd THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH ELECTORAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY REVIEW DISTRICTS 4 & 10 DISTRICTS 4 & 10 DISTRICTS 4 & 10 DISTRICTS 4 & Meters!I( 118 Voters in this area moved from District 10 to District Active Voters Per Household District Voters Diff %Diff Mean Change Proposed

11 SOUTH RIVER STATION SOUTHSIDE ANTIGONISH HARBOUR THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH ELECTORAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY REVIEW DISTRICTS 6 & 7 Proposed Boundary District Electors 2013 Boundary Dunmore Rd Blueberry Island Rd Highway 316 South Side Harbour Rd Difference from Mean MONKS HEAD POMQUET TAYLORS ROAD UPPER POMQUET Taylors Rd Variance (%) Pomquet Cove Rd Mean ( All Districts) Electors Moved 105 Voters in this area moved from District 6 to District 7 DISTRICT 6 Monks Head Rd DISTRICT 5 Dagger Woods Rd Pomquet Lake Rd POMQUET STATION Pomquet River Rd Pomquet Monks Head Rd POMQUET FORKS HEATHERTON SUMMERSIDE Summerside Rd!I( Kilometers Farm Rd Frasers Grant Rd Bailey Rd Bayfield Cross Rd DISTRICT 7 BAYFIELD BAYFIELD ROAD 13 Voters in this area moved from District 8 to District 7 Highway 4 New France Rd Highway 104 Afton Rd Active Voters Per Household Summerside Bayfield Rd AFTON STATION Gorman Rd DISTRICT 8 Afton Rd

12 DISTRICT 7 THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH ELECTORAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY REVIEW DISTRICTS 8 & 9 Difference from Mean AFTON STATION Variance (%) Mean ( All Districts) District Electors 2013 Boundary WEST ARM TRACADIE Electors Moved Proposed Boundary Voters in this area moved from District 6 to District 7 BARRIOS BEACH EAST TRACADIE TRACADIE BIG TRACADIE DISTRICT 8 MONASTERY!I( Kilometers Linwood Harbour Rd Highway 4 CAPE JACK WEST LINWOOD LINWOOD Highway 104 Linwood Rd LINWOOD Grovenor Rd MATTIE SETTLEMENT HAVRE BOUCHER WEST HAVRE BOUCHER DISTRICT 9 80 Voters in this area moved from District 9 to District 8 Active Voters Per Household

13 THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANTIGONISH COUNTY Nova Scotia Cape George Electoral Districts REVISED 2014 Malignant Cove Lakevale Arisaig DISTRICT 1 Maryvale St Georges Bay DISTRICT 2 Harbour Centre Havre Boucher PICTOU PICTOU COUNTY COUNTY Clydesdale North Grant Frankville DISTRICT 9 Strait Aulds Cove James River DISTRICT 4 Brierly Brook ANTIGONISH DIST. 10 West River Beech Hill Lower South River Pomquet DISTRICT 5 Heatherton DISTRICT 7 Tracadie Monastery DISTRICT 8 MULGRAVE St Andrews St Joseph DISTRICT 3 Pinevale DISTRICT 6 Frasers Mills Lochaber GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY GUYSBOROUGH