Ah_passes_zoning

Jeff Green | Nov 30, 2006

Back toHome

Addington Highlands passes comprehensive Zoning Bylaw

by Jule Koch Brison

It’s been almost 6 years in the making but at their last meeting on Monday night, the outgoing council approved AH’s comprehensive Zoning Bylaw, which will now give teeth to the Official Plan in regulating the use of lands, and the character, location and use of buildings and structures in the township. After notification is given to the public, there will be a 20-day appeal period.

The process of adopting the bylaw began just after the year 2000, when Henry Hogg was Reeve of Addington Highlands. Hogg is the new reeve-elect.

“DON’T PULL THE FUNDING YET”: Reeve Ken Hook gave an update on AH’s joint attempt with North Frontenac Township to persuade a cell phone service provider to build two towers along Hwy 41. The townships are offering a $50,000 incentive, and Rogers had asked for an extension of the deadline for application, to November 20. The Prince Edward Lennox & Addington Community Futures Development Corporation (PELA CFDC), which is providing part of the funding, called Hook for an update. If the incentive is unsuccessful, PELA CFDC will retract the funding, but Hook asked them to wait until the end of November. “If this doesn’t work we’ll have to try going through political routes again. We’ve tried everything,” he said.

CHANGES TO AGGREGATE RESOURCES ACT: Changes to the Aggregate Resource Act should mean that municipalities will receive additional revenue from aggregate operations, but in fact the changes will cost the municipalities more money because they will drive the prices of the materials up, according to Roads Supervisor Royce Rosenblath. All pits will have to register under the new rules, and Rosenblath said that will drive small operators out of business so there will be fewer pits. The township will therefore have to transport the loads over greater distances,

MTO REFUSING TO PAY FIRE DEPT. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) is refusing to pay claims that the fire department has submitted for their work at incidents on the highway. In particular, the claim for the fire department’s work during and after the devastating storm on August 2this year, has been rejected. The claim is close to $12,000. The storm closed Hwy 41 and side roads for many hours, and for a long time Addington Highlands’ fire department and road crews were the only ones on site, clearing roads and checking on residents. Fire Chief Casey Cuddy said, “If we weren’t there cutting the trees up, it would have cost MTO a lot to do the work themselves. A lady was injured in Bon Echo – if we hadn’t opened the highway up, who would have been responsible?”

Cuddy said there is also $8-10,000 worth of claims from other calls that they can’t collect.

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs is reviewing the matter, and in the meantime the fire department will send an invoice to Bell for the work they did repairing telephone lines.

Building Inspector Wayne Kivell asked council for a letter of support to present to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). Kivell wants the MNR to state more explicitly in the information they give to landowners that even though the MNR may not require them to get a permit when constructing boathouses and docks, they may still have to get a building permit from the municipality.

CHRISTMAS CHEER COMES TO COUNCIL: Council decided to reverse an earlier decision not to donate $200 to the Kaladar Santa Claus parade after a letter to the editor deploring the decision was published in the Frontenac News. “If we do it for one we’ll have to do it for all... what about the Northbrook parade,” said Councilor Louise Scott. “It’s for the children,” said Councilor Eythel Grant.

After more discussion council unanimously approved the $200 donation.