North Frontenac Council - Jun 30/16

Jonas Bonnetta | Jul 06, 2016

Phosphorus Levels

Victor Castro, a senior aquatic scientist from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) out of Kingston, made a presentation to Council on Thursday on phosphorus and its effect on the area's water systems. He also provided direction on the best management practices for future development on lakes. Castro explained that phosphorus, and nutrient enrichment, are the primary water-quality concerns for Ontario's inland lakes. An increase in phosphorus can result in algae blooms in lakes as the nutrients stimulate the production of algae.

Phosphorus is found naturally in all aquatic eco-systems but can also come from surface runoff, upstream lakes, the agricultural industry, and atmospheric depositions such as rain, snow, or dust. Sewage treatment plants and septic tanks can also provide a significant source of phosphorous, although technology has improved dramatically in sewage treatment over the years, lessening the negative impact these systems can potentially have.

Castro also told Council that climate change, invasive species, and shoreline development are some of the other threats to Ontario lakes.

Removing trees along a shoreline, or building roads allows water run-off to occur more easily and this can increase phosphorus levels. Castro related this to the benefit that larger waterfront lots can have, because typically, landowners leave more of the shoreline in a natural state, which helps cut down on phosphorus getting into the water system.

Castro explained that a lake is considered vulnerable to water-quality issues if it has over 20 micrograms of phosphorus per litre of water and that the MOE has designed a model to map current water quality as well as predict future water conditions. He explained that they also use the model to predict the current amount of phosphorus in the lake. They then can confirm the model’s accuracy by testing the water and making sure the numbers are consistent. If a lake is under-capacity, as far as phosphorus levels go, the model can predict how much more development the lake can take before it becomes vulnerable.

“Mazinaw Lake,” Castro explained, “you could pound that lake with development and never see a change. You could develop that lake; you could put thousands of cottages on that lake and never see anything. … We've done capacity assessments on the most significant lakes in North Frontenac. We're the only jurisdiction in Canada that will set a limit and say that's enough (development).”

Castro explained a few different ways that a property can still be developed on a “capacity” lake. “If the tile bed of the septic system is set back greater than 300M to the waterline, or the property drains to a non-sensitive watershed, or the land is re-developed with no net increase of phosphorus levels.”

Private Roads Study

Joe Gallivan, the director of Planning and Economic Development for Frontenac County, presented his report on private roads to Council. The report was commissioned by County Council in 2015 after the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) put restrictions on new developments on private lanes across Ontario.

“The results of the study is that we now have the facts,” Gallivan said.

Gallivan spoke about the complexities of private lanes in Frontenac County. The shift to taxpayers becoming permanent residents instead of seasonal residents puts added stress on these roads.

Gallivan explained that of the 981 private lanes, or “cottage roads”, in Frontenac County, 189 of them exist in North Frontenac and that 95% of them lead to water. He also explained that North Frontenac has higher quality lanes than the other three townships in the County.

Gallivan said the study revealed 178 vacant waterfront lots in North Frontenac. He also said the study projects that they will have a need for 380 units over the next 20 years and so the current supply does not meet the projected demand. This included potentially creating over 30 units from infilling and extending some existing private lanes.

Gallivan suggested some potential policies for the township to develop including new private lane construction standards, infilling and extending existing lots, and even the township assuming responsibility over existing private lanes.

The private lanes study offers Gallivan and the County new data to fight the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the development restrictions they are trying to put in place. “We've done some analysis and the total assessment of the County is $5 billion,” Gallivan said back in February of 2015. “$2 billion of that is on private roads...[Development] means a lot to the financial stability of the townships.”

“The positions the ministry takes sometimes are blanket positions,” Gallivan explained. “They're applying it across the province the same way and that's just not right.”

“There are a number of things that are happening in Muskoka that might happen here,” Councilor John Inglis said. “Land prices are extremely high, the density on the lakes...It will happen if we don't take steps to prevent it. ..We are going to need help if we want to avoid this becoming a Muskoka.”

“The significant advantage that we have is the amount of Crown Land,” Gallivan said. “Almost 2/3 of the area is Crown Land. This area, relative to other areas like Peterborough and the Kawarthas and Muskoka, is different as it's still going to have that protected area.”

“How do you make sure that the Crown jewels that have lake development are protected?” Gallivan said “because it will be a very unique place 100 years from now if it's well done.”

Council to give $5000 honorarium to consultant

Council, in a recorded vote, decided on Thursday to pay Terry Gervais, a former Napanee Fire Chief, $5000 for mentoring work he did for the township. Gervais acted as a volunteer consultant to Eric Korhonen, the North Frontenac Fire Chief, while Korhonen prepared his Operational Review of the fire department recently.

“I don't feel this is proper,” Councilor Victor Hermer said. “I recall when Eric was hired, Terry Gervais volunteered his services and I specifically asked at the time 'what will this cost the township?' and he said 'absolutely nothing.’”

“I don't really know where this is coming from” Councilor Inglis said. “$5000 is a good amount of money. I'm kind of against it based on its lack of transparency.”

“The reason I put this together was I really appreciate the effort he put into this,” Mayor Ron Higgins said. “This is not being solicited by him. It was lots of travel, off-hour time, more of an appreciation of the volunteer work.”

In the recorded vote, councilors Hermer and Inglis voted against the $5000 and Councilor Gerry Martin, Deputy Mayor Fred Perry, and Mayor Higgins voted for it. The motion was carried.

Senior of the Year

“I do what I do because I like doing it,” Eileen Flieler.

Eileen Flieler was presented with the Senior Of The Year Award by Mayor Ron Higgins to a full house of family and friends at the June 30 council meeting in Plevna.