Central Frontenac Council - Jun 14/11

Jeff Green | Jun 16, 2011

Public raises concerns over proposed Kennebec Lake Subdivision

By Julie Druker

At a public meeting on Tuesday night, June 14, 20 members of the public raised their concerns regarding an Official Plan amendment for a proposed 24-lot waterfront subdivision development on the north shore of Kennebec Lake. McIntosh Perry is the developer.

Township Planning consultant Glenn Tunnock presented his report to council, which raised two concerns. The first is that the total phosphorus (TP) concentrations are projected to increase as a result of the development. This contravenes a township policy that says that development should “maintain or improve the water quality by either maintaining or preferably reducing levels of phosphorus in lakes.” The second concern is that increased boat traffic could result in a potential increase of 75% in the level of human activity at the narrowest section of the lake.

Among concerns raised by members of the public, Grey Merriam who lives on the Salmon River downstream from Kennebec Lake, pointed out that the lake capacity assessment that McIntosh Perry presented had not been subjected to a peer review. He also said the assessment did not pay enough attention to the data that was used as input.

“The quality of the data came from an outdated 1975 model that depends on a single variable, which is the total phosphorus level in the water,” he said. “There is a whole array of additional variables, including light and aesthetic factors, which need to incorporated.”

Finally he pointed out that all waterfront development located 30 metres from the shoreline will require tertiary septic systems to fully prevent all phosphorus from entering the lake.

Lake resident Chris Sobanski had numerous concerns, particularly with the increased boat traffic that could come about. In addition to boats from the 15 waterfront lots, McIntosh Perry proposes to allow 27 square meter public dock spaces on a public waterfront lot, which owners of the nine non-waterfront lots will be able to use to keep their boats.

“I'm not against the development but another 24 boats on that narrow section of the lake will make it more busy than it already is.”

Terry Kennedy, president of the Kennebec Lake Association, made numerous recommendations, including that environmental care and protection be exercised through the application and enforcement of Site Plan control. He also said that all septic requirements should incorporate tertiary treatment and that council should be prepared to utilize additional planning tools to exercise control over all stages of development, construction and maintenance of the subdivision project.

Population/Housing Projections

Joe Gallivan from Frontenac County presented a population report to council, which predicts that the permanent resident population in Central Frontenac will be increasing over the next 25 years, and that the population will be ageing, putting pressure on housing and seniors services in the area.

The report says the permanent resident population will reach 12,000 by 2036, an increase of 2,000 from the current total, a rate of increase of 1.1% per year. Job growth is anticipated to be slow and steady. On average there will be an increase in 28 single detached housing units per year, of which 90% will be built outside of settlement areas. On average, 15 cottages will be converted to permanent homes each year. The implications to council will be more severance applications and subdivisions, a greater demand for waterfront development, a continued reliance on a seasonal economy, and more local employment opportunities.

Building Activity Summary

Although the number of building permits issued was down in May from last year (20 as compared to 23), the year-to-date total of 67 is up over the 62 issued by this time last year.

Construction values were well up in May, however - $1,199,188 in 2011 as compared to $440,000 in 2010. Year to date construction in 2011 is $3,354,463, well up from $1,679,000 by the end of May. 2010.

Septic Re-Inspection

Chief Building Official Jeremy Neven reported that council has re-engaged the Mississippi Rideau Septic System office to deliver the Voluntary Septic Maintenance inspection program for 2011, and inspections will begin with waterfront property owners on Sharbot Lake’s west basin and Eagle Lake. Council has budgeted $6,000 for the 2011 program. Additional funding in the amount of $5,000 has been applied for from Frontenac County.

By Jeff Green

Hawthorn Lane it is – In looking for a name for a private lane off of Brewer Road on Sharbot Lake in order to satisfy 911 mapping requirements, the township sent a letter to the residents on the lane suggesting Hawthorn Lane. Other names were proposed by residents and a second letter went out with the other suggestions as well as Hawthorn. The responses the next time resulted in a tie vote between Sullivan Lane and Partridge Ridge.

In their wisdom the township chose Hawthorn Lane.

“If we chose either of the other names we would have upset half the people. This way we upset everyone equally,” explained Township CAO John Duchene.

Netbooks yes, but not necessarily – Council agreed that $300 be allocated for each of them for netbooks. The goal of the project is to cut down the amount of paper the township is printing out in documents that members of council receive, which amounts to almost 60,000 pages per year in total. Documents will now be sent to each member of council through email or loaded onto a thumb drive for them. There will be a phase-in period however, as councilors acquaint themselves the netbooks. For the time being the paper versions of documents will still be available to members of council if they ask for them.

Tenders awarded – Council awarded the tender for two new Ford F550 trucks, complete with ploughs and other equipment, for $118,194 to Bence Motors.

A new backhoe will be purchased from Hartington Equipment for $138,760.

A biannual bridge inspection will be done by D. M. Willis Associates Ltd. for $6760. A ditching contract on Ardoch Road was awarded to Sanches Engineering for $7,944, and engineering services on Elizabeth Street in Sharbot Lake will be done by Jewell Engineering at a cost of $24,265.

A number of councilors thought the Ardoch Road ditching could be done in house or by a local contractor instead of an engineering consultant.

Public Works Manager Mike Richardson said that the Ardoch Road project involves “diverting a fair amount of water and we should be working with facts and figures about volumes before doing this, which is something a general contractor or our own crews don't have the expertise to calculate.”

The vote on the engineering contracts was close, with Councilors Wayne Miller, Tom Dewey and Jeff Matson voting against. Councilors Bill Snyder, Heather Fox, John Purdon and Frances Smith voted for the motion (Mayor Gutowski and Councilor Norm Guntensperger were absent from the meeting).

Beaver baffle program instituted – Mike Richardson brought a letter from Lesley Fox, from the Association for the Protection of Fur Bearing Animals, to council's attention. While Richardson did not recommend that the council pay for a beaver baffle expert from BC to fly to Ontario and show township staff how to build beaver control structures, he did say the township might consider some of these technologies.

“We could try a couple of pilot projects. The municipality is interested in beaver activity that threatens the roads. I think there is a potential program here that is not financially draining but can be beneficial to the whole municipality. I would like to go down that road, with a budget of about $2,000. Council agreed.