North Frontenac Council - June 14/11

Jeff Green | Jun 16, 2011

By Jeff Green

Committee wants township to fight province

With a public meeting coming up to allow for input into a new comprehensive zoning bylaw in North Frontenac coming up on June 25th, North Frontenac Council received a set of recommendations from members of its Committee of Adjustment.

The committee members are concern over the potential impacts of changes that are being recommended by the township planning consultant Glenn Tunnock in attempt to get the zoning bylaw approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

So, they made specific recommendations about minimum lot size, setbacks from the shoreline for new construction on waterfront lots, and the creation of new lots on private roads.

The current minimum lot size in North Frontenac is 0.4 hectares (1 acre). The Ministry of Municipal Affairs would like to see a 1 hectare (2.48 acre) minimum, and Glenn Tunnock thinks the Ministry might accept 0.8 hectares.

But the committee is proposing a minimum lot size of 0.6 hectares for new lots.

Committee member Frank McEvoy wrote that “if lot sizes are further restricted by access limits and increased lot size; the price for new buyers will increase out of the reach of many. The result will be a decrease in development and tax base for the municipality.”

The committee also wants to maintain a rule requiring a 15 metre natural buffer between lakefront cottages and the water in the township, while the Province seems bent on a 30 metre buffer. They also want the township to maintain the policy that a 25% window be allowed in the buffer for property owners to view and access the water, while the Ministry is recommending only a 2 metre wide swath for access.

Finally the committee said that if the township agrees to end the creation of new lots on private lanes, it will curtail growth as well, and they recommend that this measure not be included in the zoning bylaw.

Central Frontenac township has been though the same process over the last two years, and ended up accepting the ministry recommendations.

Committee member Ron Jones said that he contacted Cathy Macmunn, planning co-ordinator in Central Frontenac.

“She advised that they [Central Frontenac] had requested a 15 metre buffer. Aparently there were no ifs ands or buts about it, as the Province came back and said “No” it wil be 30.”

Still, the committee is indicating that Glenn Tunnock, who also works for Central Frontenac, should be accepting the committee's proposals.

“We believe that our Planner should accept our recommendations, even though they are not his personal preference and help challenge the Province to attain what the Committee of Adjustment recommends, not what HE wants.”

“We very clearly in a meeting with the Province that the private lane issue will not be debated. They are insisting on it,” said Councilor John Inglis.

“This is not about what North Frontenac wants,” said Mayor Bud Clayton. “The Province wants a better, safer Ontario, and the private lanes need to be brought up to a higher standard.”

We have a dispute between our committee of a adjustment and our planner here, and ultimately council will have to decide.”

Council decided to present the differing viewpoints at the scheduled public meeting on June 25th. (see ED)

Ompah Library Users Group Proposal – Council considered a request from the Ompah Library Users group to move their temporary library into the space that has been vacated by the Kingston Frontenac Public Library when they closed the Ompah branch last month.

A written proposal estimates it will cost $4,000 to keep the branch open for the summer and reinstate public Internet access at the site. The users proposed that the township come up with half that amount and they fund raise for the rest.

Councillors Wayne Good and Gerry Martin questioned the cost estimate, and said they would oppose spending $2,000 in un-budgeted funds.

Other Councillors seemd more receptive to the funding request.

Mayor Clayton said “we are not talking about a $2,000 commitment here. It's a lot more than that.”

It was proposed by John Inglis that the users gropd be given leave to use the space, with no financial commitment from the township, and that a staff report be prepared for the next meeting to determine what the cost will be to run the interim service for four or five months.

Township CAO Cheryl Robson reported that an invitation to the Kingston Public Library Chief Librarian Deborah Defoe and the Board Chair Claudette Richardson to come to a council meeting has met with an indefinite response. There may be a delegation from the Library Board at the June 27 Council meeting, but there may not.

Richardson and Defoe will be appearing before Frontenac County Council on July 6.