Council approves gate, easements for Mazinaw, Shabomeka dam structures

Craig Bakay | Jun 24, 2020

North Frontenac Council met for three hours online Friday morning that included a 15-minute interruption to deal with Mayor Ron Higgins’ connection that suffered from echo issues.

The connection was good enough for Sally McIntyre, general manager, and Juraj Cunderlik, director of water resources engineering at Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority to appear as a delegation, asking for Council’s permission/support to install a gate at Mazinaw Lake Dam and also for easements at Mazinaw and Shabomeka Lake Dams.

McIntyre said the gate is to prevent vehicular and pedestrian access to the dam and structures.

The easements are needed to provide access (for MVCA equipment and personnel) to dam structure including spillway, boom anchors and install safety features.

She said the primary new safety features will include booms upstream of both dams and the infrastructure to attach them to. She said they had applied for $475,000 in provincial funding but that was not approved.

“We can’t give a complete detailed design until we hear back from the Ministry,” she said.

Dep. Mayor Gerry Martin was concerned about granting an easement on the west side of the Mazinaw structure because it has been a traditional canoe portage route.

“If there are any plans for restricting access there, you would have to provide an alternate route,” Martin said.

“If we had to move anything, it would only be marginally,” McIntyre said.

“I know it’s not a road or trail, only a pass but it would still have to remain people friendly,” Martin said.

McIntyre said they plan to consult with people using the portage as well as landowners who use the area as a boat launch (including Ontario Hydro).

She said they’re trying to determine land ownership in the area, which will require “considerable effort.”

She said MVCA will be going back to the Ministry looking for funding and asked if members of Council could be part of that delegation.

“Us going together would be a stronger voice,” she said. “Frankly, it’s been tough for us to get the Ministry’s attention.”

Council approved the gate and the easements “in principle.”

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Council amended its Animal Control Bylaw to provide “reasonable time for compliance,” and a revised noise bylaw.

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Council also passed its Yards Standards Bylaw to include wording that clarifies that there would be no ‘grandfathering’allowed.

“If there is an existing situation which is not permitted under the new bylaw, the new requirements can be enforced,” the bylaw now says.

Coun. Fred Fowler reiterated his opposition to the yard standards bylaw.

“What concerns me is we’re looking into having control over private property,” Fowler said. “It’s a tough thing to ask us to confront people with this bylaw.

“Controlling the height of grass and weeds is a little bit restrictive, I think.

“I feel uneasy about this bylaw.”

Coun, John Inglis agreed.

“There are such widely varying standards as to what people find acceptable,” Inglis said. “Some people find my property uncomfortably neat.

“I’m very uncomfortable with this bylaw.”

At least for the time being, Council removed a section dealing with ‘graffiti’ from the bylaw, which drew the concern of Community development officer Corey Klatt.

“What if it’s something really offensive or racial hate speech?” he asked. “I think we should have some way of dealing with that.”

“If it’s racial, it’s up to the OPP to deal with it,” said Coun. Vern Hermer.

Council opted to remove the section while directing staff to consult with the OPP as to what might constitute hate speech.

Fowler also had issues with the fixed height provisions for weeds and grass.

“This is an absolute liability offense,” he said. “Sometimes people fall on hard times and can’t comply.

“The measurement thing to me doesn’t make any sense.”

CAO Cheryl Robson said most of the time, the Provincial Weed Act applies.

“This is a complaint driven bylaw,” said Mayor Ron Higgins. “We’re not going to be out there in our trucks measuring people’s lawns.”

Inglis and Fowler both voted against passage of the bylaw

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Despite Mayor Ron Higgins’ insistence that Council had already agreed “in principle” to a reduction in Council size and the number of wards, a quick check back at the previous Council meeting revealed that what was agreed to was to discuss it further, have staff come back with some potential recommendations and the need for a public meeting on the subject.

“I’m not giving agreement in principle but I am agreeing to a public meeting,” said Coun. John Inglis.

“I’m for it but we haven’t agreed to it,” said Dep. Mayor Gerry Martin.

“We may have to slow the process down because of covid-19 anyways,” said Higgins.

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Mayor Ron Higgins reported that there are some gypsy moth traps being used in the Mazinaw area but “they are in short supply.”

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Dep. Mayor Gerry Martin reported that he took exception to a County Council report in which it was stated that the “lodges are doing very well through the covid crisis.”

“That may be true in South Frontenac but I’ve been talking to our lodge owners our lodges definitely are not,” Martin said. “There is a lack of travel from the U.S. and that’s where a lot of their business comes from.”

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Coun. John Inglis praised the North Frontenac Lake Association Alliance’s septic report saying “it’s a very good report” and that they’ll be coming to Council with a request for “limited testing.”