Central Frontenac Council - Apr. 26/11

Jeff Green | Apr 28, 2011

Taxes going up

By Jeff Green

Central Frontenac Council finalised the 2011 budget at their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 26, and will formally adopt it on May 9.

The budget includes an increase of just under 10% in the amount of money Central Frontenac ratepayers will pay for local services. But since municipal tax bills also include payments for Education and County taxes, which are down this year, the total increase will be in the order of 5%.

Individual property owners in the township will pay increases of more or less than 5% depending on how their property has been assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). In general, waterfront ratepayers will see their taxes go up by substantially more than the 5%, and off water ratepayers will see increases of 5% or less.

At the last minute, township staff made some extra cuts to the budget to minimise the tax increase. The largest of these was a $59,000 cut in the public works equipment budget.

Bridgen’s Island revisited

By Julie Druker

Frontenac County Planner, Joe Gallivan, made a presentation to Central Frontenac Council on April 26, encouraging members to approve a township-initiated Official Plan amendment to allow for separate lot ownership on a portion of Bridgen’s Island, which is located on Eagle Lake,

The property has been owned by a cooperative, Bridgen’s Island Associates Limited (BIAL) for the last three decades. The amendment will allow for 14 lots to be created, and includes restrictions to prohibit any new construction on four of the lots, which are currently vacant. It also restricts further development of the 10 existing cottages on the island. The purpose of the amendment is to allow the cooperative to be converted from a single parcel to 14 separate properties, as well as to allow for the creation of a common beach waterfront area. Gallivan recommended that council approve the amendment following a public meeting planned for Tuesday May 10. “In my opinion this amendment is in keeping with the township’s official plan, is consistent with the official policy statement and will ensure that the Eagle Lake habitat will be protected,” Gallivan said.

Fireworks bylaw – Deputy Fire Chief Art Cowdy presented the first draft of a revised fireworks bylaw. Once councilors have read the new bylaw, it will be discussed.