Central Frontenac Council - Nov 29/11

Dec 01, 2011

CF Council weighs in on Property Standards and Strategic Plan

Chief Building Inspector Jeremy Neven made a presentation to council regarding the property standards by-law currently in place in the township. While Hinchinbrooke and Oso Township had by-laws in place prior to amalgamation, they were not adopted by Central Frontenac after amalgamation.

Currently the Township only has basic safety standard by-laws that pertain to property issues such as garbage, fire and physical hazards. The bylaws do not concern themselves with more aesthetic issues such as derelict roofing, siding, general maintenance and cleanliness and pests.

Following Neven’s presentation, Robert Pollard, a former OPP officer who lives in Central Frontenac and works as a prosecutor on behalf of the Municipality of Bancroft enforcing property standard by-laws there, recommended that council adopt a property standards by-law similar to that of Bancroft and other municipalities like Faraday, Wollaston and Carlow-Mayo.

"Driving through this township you can’t help but notice all of the derelict buildings surrounded by garbage, car parts and other refuse around so many buildings in this municipality. Driving from the south to the north, at almost every intersection there is a derelict building or an abandoned trailer and garbage to the nth degree. For a municipality that is trying to encourage people to settle and locate businesses here, these impressions are lasting. And for that very reason I think you need to adopt a property standards by-law,” Pollard told council.

Pollard came armed with a number of photos of derelict buildings in the township, but council did not want to see the photos.

Following the presentation, councilors weighed in on the matter. Councilor Tom Dewey strongly supported adopting a property standards by-law, while Councilor Norman Guntensperger said he agreed that safety was an issue but otherwise was opposed to measures of conformity.

“I think we need to tread very carefully down the road towards imposing conformity upon people in this municipality, for a number of reasons. People choose to live in the country expecting a certain amount of freedom, and secondly, a number of people who can’t afford what it might cost to replace a roof, for an example, don’t need another added stressor of being forced to do something that they cannot afford to do. For those reasons I will have nothing to do with it," After much debate council passed a motion directing staff to draft a property standards by-law and to host two public consultations on the subject.

Strategic Plan

CAO Shawn Trépanier presented his outline for a strategic plan for the township, which he said would take place in five stages, with the final stage to be completed by October 2012.

The plan would be flexible and be reviewed every few years in order to keep up to date with the goals of the municipality and would be based on information from all over the municipality. Following the presentation council unanimously passed a motion to begin the process of developing a strategic plan.

No blank CF cheques to televison crew

After a heated debate, council defeated a motion to grant funds to The Dimestore Fisherman television program. The show’s producers requested a fee of $11,900 plus the cost of board and lodging for the six days it would take the crew to film a fishing program in the area. They said it would be broadcast 18-20 times over six months in North America.

Mayor Janet Gutowski supported the motion but a number of councilors spoke against it, leading Gutowski to propose amendments designed to make it less expensive for the township, with the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation policy covering some of the costs.

Councilor Guntensperger then challenged Mayor Gutowski because she was trying to propose an amendment while she was chairing the meeting, and the original motion was put to vote and was defeated.