South Frontenac Council

Wilma Kenny | Jun 29, 2016

Cycling Lanes

Elizabeth Wylie of Perth Road, an avid cyclist, made a plea for more bike lanes along township roads, both for greater safety and to encourage a healthy mode of transportation and recreation. She also asked whether there was some way of addressing the problem of the annual bike ride from Ottawa to Kingston, which results in bicyclists riding as many as six abreast on the road between Westport and Kingston.

Mayor Vandewal said that it is a policy of the Roads Department to include paved bike lanes on all newly paved or reconstructed roads in the Township. He added that Council has written of their safety concerns to the Ottawa-Kingston cycle organizers, who agreed to try to enforce the two-abreast rule. Councillor Roberts said he lived on the Perth Road, and had seen police enforcement during this year’s ride.

Hartington Family Farm

Hartington resident Steve Leonard came with several family members to express his fear that the development of a housing subdivision in and/or near the village would prevent his continuing operation of his family farm. He was concerned that more wells in the area might cause his well to run dry, and asked what restrictions would be placed on the construction of farm-related buildings. He was assured that the only restrictions on new farm outbuildings are the MDS (minimum distance setbacks) already in the regulations, and that these already pertained to any neighbouring homes. The water supply and quality in the area is currently under assessment.

Canadian Guitar Festival

Planner Lindsay Mills brought a request for a July 22-24 exemption from the noise by-law for a guitar festival on private property just off Sydenham Road, on the south side of Loughborough Lake (Veseau). This will be the twelfth year for this popular event.

Last year Council had denied Veseau a noise by-law exemption for a concert featuring the group “Ambush” on the same property. He had held the concert none the less, and the Township had charged him of violation of the noise by-law. This matter is currently before the courts.

“However,” Councillor McDougall said, “the guitar festival is widely respected and features excellent performers.” There was general agreement, with the recommendation that there should be some restrictions added to the exemption.

The final form of the exemption will come to Council next week for official approval.

Proposed Medical Clinic on Rutledge Road

Planner Mills brought an information summary on a proposal to develop a medical clinic on Rutledge Road west of Sydenham Village. This would be located on property owned by C. Silver, directly across from the Ashwood development. Because the land in question borders Sydenham Creek and is low-lying, stormwater management and drainage is particularly important.

A formal request for site plan approval will come to Council at a later date.

No mention was made of whether for not this project would be for a relocation of the current medical clinic on Campbell Road.