Resolution for residents seeking land access to their cottages may be in sight

Craig Bakay | Oct 26, 2022

“There is an end in sight,” Dep. Clerk/Planning Secretary Patricia Gray told representatives of the Snow Road Association regarding an access route connecting the end of Hartsmere Road with an existing municipal road allowance for the purpose of giving 15 property owners land access to their cottage properties at the regular Addington Highlands Council meeting Oct. 18 in Denbigh.

“It’s a slow moving machine and it’s been a long time (but I think) we can have it ready for spring and hit the ground running,” said Coun. Kirby Thompson.

Property owners started the process in 2014, a delegation consisting of Paul Car, Pam Boucher and Terry Boucher of the Snow Road Association told Council.

The process involved a transfer of Crown Land to the Township and began in 2014, the delegation told Council. In 2015, the Township took over the process at the request of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The Algonquins of Ontario gave their consent Aug. 17, 2016 and an environmental assessment was completed and approved and the Township received a Land Use Permit from the MNRF in November of 2017.

Land owners arranged and paid for a survey in March of 2018 before organizing as the Snow Road Association in May of 2018. A survey plan was registered in December of 2019.

“The Township or land owners have not been able to get an update from MNRF as where this file is within the Ontario Government and feel that enough time has passed that this file should have a close end date in the very near future,” the Association said in a letter to Council.

“I contacted MNRF and they’ve got the documents back from the Lt.-Governor,” Gray said. “The MNRF will not be the approval authority for things like culverts.”

Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie said he did not want to take responsibility for approving culverts on MNRF property.

“I know there’s swamps in there,” he said. “If there’s some kind of turtle in there and we damage its habitat, then it’s all coming back on us.”

“We’re not bringing it up to a Township standards road,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch.

Gray said they’d need to consult with an engineer to see what needs to be done and noted there would be a cost for that.

“Since you’ve been very patient, I’d recommend a 50-50 split on the cost,” said Thompson.

“I’d like an engineer to have a look at the site . . . maybe not design everything but doing due diligence,” said Reavie. “I can consult the engineer we usually use.”

“It would be Township property but whether it’s a road, an easement or a forced road, I’ll look into it further,” said Gray.

Council passed a motion to have staff come back with concrete recommendations as to the next step.

“I guess we’ll correspond with you once we find something out,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Minor Variance needed

The Hartsmere Road situation wasn’t the only long-time issue Council dealt with.

Brian Smith asked Council for a grandfathering clause in order to build a cottage on his Otter Lake property that was tentatively approved in June of 2002.

At that time a sleeping cabin was constructed and the next year, a septic system proposal was approved.

“The planning department has told us you need a minor variance to proceed,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

“You need to seek relief from the high-water mark for the proposed cottage,” said Dep. Clerk/Planning Secretary Patricia Gray.

Zamboni insurance

Council decided to seek legal counsel on whether a Township employee could run the Zamboni machine at the Flinton rink.

Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch said there was a lengthy discussion about insurance at a Flinton Rec Committee meeting.

“Flinton Rec does have insurance but if an employee were running it, our (Township) insurance could tap in if there was an incident,” Fritsch said.

Building permits

“I probably have 50 incomplete building permit applications in a drawer,” Chief Building Official David Twiddy told Council. “They just have little things needed.”

Brushing

The grinding contractor (for brush, etc) is expected to begin at the Weslemkoon Waste Site around the third week of November, Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie told Council. Once that site is wrapped up, grinding operations will move to (in order) Vennachar, Mackavoy and Kaladar.