Addington Highlands Council addresses Short Term (cottage) rentals

Craig Bakay | Jun 23, 2021

The issue of Short Term (cottage) Rentals (STRs) came to the Addington Highlands Council table last Tuesday at its regular (online) meeting via emails from residents and the Mazinaw Property Owners Association with a petition.

Reeve Henry Hogg questioned if Addington Highlands has a problem to the same degree some of its neighbours seem to be experiencing.

“There are some, like on Lake of the Bays but we certainly don’t have 350 STRs,” Hogg said.

Some councillors and staff wanted some legal advice as to just what the Township could do.

“Should we be contacting our lawyers?” said Coun. Kirby Thompson. “People do have rights on their own properties. “I’d really like to know how many of these are out there.

“Or is it just bothering some people who have their own little piece of paradise and don’t want anyone else around?”

“I think we should be encouraging people to bring their complaints to the office or to the OPP,” said Coun. David Miles.

“Yes, it needs to be documented,” said Hogg.

“We need to know how many complaints, what type and do we already have bylaws that can deal with this,” said Dep. Clerk/Planning Secretary Patricia Gray.

“Do we have to hire more people to regulate things?” said Hogg. “And complaints about what happens on the water aren’t our jurisdiction.”

“It would be a huge task to monitor,” said Thompson. “Do we have somebody going door-to-door asking ‘do you live here’?”

“I don’t know what the answer is,” said Coun. Helen Yanch. “Should we be consulting with North Frontenac because we share the Mazinaw?

“Should we say something like four weeks and after, it’s a business? If it’s renting all season, it’s a business and should be paying a tax.”

“A one-unit motel is a different story (and) I’d like to get legal advice,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “But just because we can’t enforce it, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a bylaw.

“We have lots of bylaws we really can’t enforce.”

Council passed a motion to monitor the situation for this season, receive information, get legal advice and reply to the MOPA.

Roads

Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie reported that he’s managed to secure a bucket for one of the Township backhoes at “a good price and delivery time.

“It’s hard to load gravel without a bucket,” he said.

Denbigh Community Centre

Building/facilities manager David Twiddy reported that all the preliminary planning and studies are complete on the Denbigh Community Centre and presented a series of options to Council.

“That building is somewhat confusing at times,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch.

Council opted for renovation and equipment upgrades for the Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems that CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed estimated would cost $417,000.

“We have that money put away from a Municipal Modernization Fund grant we received in 2019,” she said.

She said they’re also applying for another grant for the project that potentially could fund a new drop ceiling in the gym if successful, which she estimated would cost an additional $100,000.

Fritsch said the drop ceiling would not only reduce the volume of space needing to be heated/cooled but is also desirable for esthetic reasons.

“If it was in your house, your spouse would be on your back to fix it,” he said. “The ceiling was removed when the asbestos was taken out.”

COVID Measures

When the province removes covid restrictions and its safe for Councils to meet in person, Addington Highlands is considering keeping some of the electronic measures in place if it means more people can observe Council meetings.

“Right now, we have five people watching this on YouTube,” said CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed. “We’d be hard-pressed to have that at an in-person meeting unless there was something controversial on the agenda,” she said.

(Council renovated its offices in Flinton this past year, complete with a brand new Council Chambers that has yet to host a single meeting.)

However, in order to retain online capabilities, the Council Chambers would require some additional equipment, as well as expertise from L & A County.

But Reed said she thinks the new gear would be covid-related so it wouldn’t impact the tax rate.

There are additional details that would have to be worked out such as if councillors could attend meetings electronically when they are ill and how delegations (especially those from out-of-town) might be received.

It would also likely mean the end of monthly meetings in Denbigh since that would require additional costs and much better internet service.

“I’m still struggling with the idea of not meeting in Denbigh,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “I know people who will drive 15 minutes to attend a meeting there.

“But there are some parts of this (pandemic) that have opened our eyes to possibilities.”

“It’s a shame we built this nice new building and not to use it,” said Coun. Kirby Thompson.

“It’d be nice to have a few meetings there.”