Feature Article March 6, 2002
LAND O'LAKES NewsWeb HomeContact Us
South Frontenac Council gives final approval to Official Planby David BrisonCouncil met on Thursday, February 28 in Sydenham, and after listening to listen to reactions from the community on proposed changes, gave final approval to the Official Plan.
The Plan now awaits signing at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Area residents may then appeal the final plan to the Ontario Municipal Board. There have been 11 requests of notice to appeal.
The South Frontenac Council and the Ministry have been negotiating changes to the plan over the past 16 months. Council had already agreed to the changes put forth by the Ministry in order to bring the document in line with provincial policy statements. Council also had revised their recommendations on minimal lot sizes. These recommendations, which increased the size of lots, were perhaps the most controversial, and may form the basis of appeals to the Municipal Board.
The minimum lot sizes are:
New farm or non-farm residential consents shall be a minimum of .8 hectares (2 acres) with a minimum of 76 meters (250 feet) of public road frontage, except for waterfront lots which shall be a minimum of 1 hectare (2.4 acres) with a minimum of 91 meters (300 feet of waterfrontage.
Concern was expressed that property values would decline because of the new lot sizes, and that development would be more difficult. Mayor Phil Leonard, when interviewed after the meeting, said that he didnt think that property values would decline.
The Ministry brought in new regulations to protect the environment. The plan was strengthened in regard to development near: the habitat of endangered and threatened species (50 metres); significant wetlands (no new development or site alteration within 120 metres); and fish habitats (no new development and/or site development within 30 metres).
A new section on lake trout lakes was added. The Township has one of the highest concentrations of inland lake trout lakes in the province. Lake trout require cold, deep, well-oxygenated water for survival. Development is one of the factors which may reduce the ability of a lake to maintain a healthy self-sustaining lake trout [population (from the introduction to the section).
The highly sensitive lake trout lakes identified are: Big Salmon, Bobs (Green Bay), Potspoon, Loughborough (West basin), Buck (South Basin and North Basin), Knowlton, and Garter. In addition, there were seven lakes identified as moderately sensitive: Big Clear, Birch, Canoe, Crow, Desert, Devil, and Gould.
New development will prohibited within 300 meters of highly sensitive trout lakes, and there are guidelines for development of existing lots on these lakes. For moderately sensitive trout lakes, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) may (underline added) require a Lake Impact Assesment.
The only query from the audience in regard to the environmental protection changes was from Steve Archibald, representing the Bobs and Crow Lake Association. He questioned why a Lake Impact Assessment wasnt mandatory, rather than optional, for moderately sensitive lakes.
Mayor Leonard said, This official plan protects our lakes. There seemed to be solid support for this section of the plan.
Mining is a contentious topic in the former Bedford area of South Frontenac as reported by Jeff Green in our January 30 and February 6 issues. In many instances, landowners do not own the mineral rights for their property. If that is the case, mining companies can come onto private property, and without the owners permission, stake a claim, do an evaluation and assessment, and eventually get a permit to mine all because the landowner owns only the surface but not the mineral rights.
The Official Plan contains one provision that might make it more difficult to extract minerals without the owners permission. If the proposed land use or development on the privately owned land serves a greater long-term interest than a mining operation, then a mine will not be permitted. However, several members present thought that this clause would have no teeth, and would not protect against the intrusion of mining on privately owned lands. Marilyn Crawford, a resident in the Bedford district, says it would be very difficult, and probably very costly, to show that land uses would be in the greater long-term public interest. Marilyn is also concerned about the environmental effects of the evaluation and assessment done by mining interests before a permit to mine is issued. I dont think the provisions in this plan will do anything to prevent damage to the environment during this phase of the operation, she said after the meeting.
Deputy Mayor David Hahn does not think that the new provisions will be effective in curtailing mining in the area. He disagrees with Mayor Leonard, who stated that mining companies now have another hurdle, and it will make it difficult for them to operate.
South Frontenac is ahead of both Central Frontenac and North Frontenac in the development of their official plan. Central Frontenac has submitted their plan to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and awaits word from the ministry on proposed changes. North Frontenac still has not approved in council a draft that can be submitted to the Ministry. The issues that all three councils are dealing with are similar, but North Frontenac, as reported in these pages by Will Cybulski, is still grappling with the issue of larger lot sizes.
