South Frontenac OK with music events at Desert Lake Campground

Craig Bakay | Feb 14, 2018

South Frontenac Council had no objections to the concept of four amplified music events at Desert Lake Campground this year at its regular Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday night in Sydenham but have suggested a 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. timeframe rather than the 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. that the campground owners had requested.

The dates in question are July 1, July 14, Aug. 4 and Aug. 28.

Last year, Council granted exemptions from the Noise Bylaw for four events with the stipulation that the dates be forwarded three weeks in advance, be subject to assessment by Bylaw Services and be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

While there were no complaints registered, there was a suggestion that one of the events lasted beyond 10 p.m.

Coun. John McDougall told the 7:30 to 10:30 time was a compromise solution suggested by the Lake Association.

“This is a business that has been there for 50 years, log before many people on the lake got their little piece of heaven,” said Mayor Ron Vandewal. “I don’t know why we would want to penalize them without any concerns.

“(But) it has to be made clear to them that if there are complaints and they come back to us next year, we will be stricter.”

A resident’s request to buy a road allowance on the edge of his property will have to wait until Frontenac Provincial Park has a chance to decide how the road allowance relates to its new management plan.

The road allowance in question leads from shore to shore (of Big Clear Lake and Milk Lake) and is only accessed by a private lane and private land. Township policy related to the sale would result in a total price of about $42,730.

Coun. Mark Schjerning advocated for the sale to be approved, arguing that there was a chance Park policies could change and the Township would receive no money for the land.

Planner Lindsay Mills said that there was also a possibility the land could be split down the middle with one side each getting half.

“But if we do decide to sell, we’d have to ask the neighbours as we would with any such sale and the Park abuts the land,” Mills said.

Coun. Brad Barbeau said the Park has had six months to voice any objections and there was a limit to how long a landowner should have to wait for a decision.

Mayor Ron Vandewal said he and CAO Wayne Orr had met with the Park superintendent who told them he had to wait for a decision from his superiors.

Council decided to wait until that happened but also put a 90-day deadline to hear back from Park officials.

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Mayor Ron Vandewal told Council that the new drug store in Inverary is scheduled to open Feb. 20.