Short Term Rentals Discussion Put On Hold

Craig Bakay | May 24, 2023

The issue of Short Term Rentals (STR) won’t seem to go away and accounted for a substantial portion of the discussions at North Frontenac Council’s regular meeting May 19 in Plevna. In fact, the topic occupied two items on the agenda.

First up was a delegation from Bruce Moore, president of the North Frontenac Lake Alliance, an organization representing 14 lake associations in North Frontenac and 1,940 waterfront property owners.

Moore told Council there were three area of concern for his organization — septic inspections, STRs and lake carrying capacities.

Dep. Mayor John Inglis suggested putting septics on the next agenda but Mayor Gerry Lichty said: “we have a strategic planning exercise coming up and I think we should go through that before putting anything on the agenda.”

That prompted a response from Moore.

“I’m seeing having to go back to our membership and telling them the matter of two topics has been put on hold until you prioritize your strategic directions,” Moore said.

“We’re not saying we’re not moving forward, just putting our strategic planning first,” said Lichty.

“I’m concerned about jumping into a bylaw that could be expensive to enforce,” said Inglis.

However, even though Moore’s time was up, that wasn’t the end of the STR discussion. Later in the meeting, Coun. Roy Huetl had requested discussion on the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association April Elert, specifically the adoption of an STR bylaw by the City of Kawartha Lakes and the rejection of an STR bylaw by Seguin Township.

“I’ve talked to the OPP and to them, STRs are not an issue,” said Lichty. “We’ve had one confidential complaint last year.”

Still, Huetl wanted to “revitalize” the committee that had been looking at STRs.

“The committee’s not disbanded, it’s just on hold,” said Inglis.

CAO Corey Klatt said that he and Treasurer Kelly Watkins had been in contact with Central Frontenac Township regarding a joint policy.

Coun. Stephanie Regent said that part of the problem seems to be a requirement to put complaints in writing.

“A lot of people are complaining to me but there is a large gap with people putting that in writing,” she said.

“Is it STRs?” said Coun. Fred Fowler. “On any long weekend you’re going to have people partying and enforcement of that is difficult.”

“I had a meeting with the Reeve of Addington Highlands (Henry Hogg) and we agreed we should go slow and get it right,” said Lichty. “(And) it’s got to fit in with whatever else we have on our plate.”

Council directed Klatt to contact the three other Townships (Central, South and Addington Highlands) to see where they’re at.

“We should also look into the price of noise meters,” Lichty said. “One of our operators has one and if it goes off, the property manager calls the renters and says ‘you’re too loud.’ If it goes off again, he calls and says ‘you’re gone.’”

Astronomy Park

Council approved 2023 grants including $1,000 to the North Frontenac Amateur Astronomy Club to help fund construction of a second observatory and additional eyepieces for the telescopes.

Coun. Wayne Good opposed the grant arguing that it wasn’t right to spend taxpayers money on things that are used by people from outside the Township.

Coun. Fred Fowler countered that the Dark Skies facility was a “Township asset.”

Other grants went to the Land O’ Lakes Lions Club ($1,000) to assist with the cost of 2023 Santa Claus Parade, $1,000 to Clarendon Central Public School Parent Council for student transportation to excursions, $1,000 to North Frontenac Historical Society and Archives to assist with preservation projects, $1,000 to the Back Roads Studio Tour to advertise and promote the 2023 tour, $987.39 to the North Frontenac Fitness Group for the purchase o exercise equipment and Council approved the Historical Society’s request to install signs at the Dempsey, Ompah and Plevna/Ardoch Cemeteries and directed the public works department to have them installed this year.

Astronomy Park Sign

Council approved a logo design for the North Frontenac Astronomy Park with the words “A Dark Sky Experience and a couple sitting on the group and looking up and pointing at a field of stars.

However, Coun. Stephanie Regent requested a minor alteration, which was granted.

“I’m a little stuck on the finger pointing,” she said. “It doesn’t look like a first finger to me.”