John Van Gaal

Appeals were brought under the Drainage Act regarding the Engineer's Report for the proposed StageCoach Road East and West Municipal Drains.

The drains were petitioned for by developers to provide a legal outlet for stormwater from a new residential subdivision.

Downstream landowners, including an active farmer, appealed, arguing the drains were unnecessary and would burden their lands.

The developers also appealed their assessments.

The Tribunal found that the subdivision lands already had sufficient outlet to overdesigned stormwater ponds, and the downstream lands did not require drainage.

The Tribunal set aside the Engineer's Report, cancelling the drainage projects, and ordered the developers and the City to share the non-administrative costs incurred by the municipality.

The appellants appealed the engineer's report and a decision of the Court of Revision regarding the Pleasant View Municipal Drain and Branches.

Following adjournments and revisions to the report, the major affected landowners reached a Consent Agreement on revised assessments.

The Tribunal accepted the Consent Agreement, ordered the removal of grant references from the schedules, allocated future lot charges to the Township, and legalized the Northwest Tile Drain with future maintenance costs assigned to the appellants' lands.