South Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | Sep 28, 2016

Harrowsmith Community Improvement Plan

Anne-Marie Young, Frontenac County manager of Economic Development, presented the details of the proposed Harrowsmith Village Community Improvement Plan, which came about after community consultations.

The township will be looking at major changes to Harrowsmith junction next year, which could help deal with safety issues and also help promote the trailhead at the foot of the village.

The Community Improvement Plan includes the following vision statement for the community:

“Harrowsmith will continue to build upon its strengths as an active and engaged community that has pride in its sense of community. As a group it values community safety, the importance of schools, recreation and businesses, active transportation and projecting a welcoming image for travelers. The village will continue to provide the day-to-day needs of residents and visitors. Improvements to the main north-south and east-west corridors will improve safety for pedestrians. Private property owners will be encouraged to maintain and improve the visual appearance of buildings and properties to support the development of a unique character for the community.”

The plan itself is a mix of grants and loans for facade improvements and other upgrades, including accessibility upgrades.

The county will make $70,000 available to the township to fund the program. The Harrowsmith CIP is the fifth one in Frontenac County. The first one was in Verona. That was followed by Marysville on Wolfe Island, Sharbot Lake, and the entire Township of North Frontenac.

A Public Meeting on the plan is set for October 4.

Council takes a hard line on Veseau property

Del Veseau hosts the popular Canadian Guitar Festival each summer on his property on Loughborough Lake south of Sydenham. The township has granted an exemption from its noise bylaw each year.

But as Planner Lindsay Mills said in a report to the committee, Veseau has also held unsanctioned events.

“These include one last year where he asked for an exemption and the township did not grant it, and he held the event anyway. After a complaint was registered with the by-law officer he was charged and will be going to court in October for a preliminary hearing in front of a Justice of the Peace,” said Mills. “And two weeks ago on September 10 he held another event and neighbours complained about the noise.”

Mills added that at one point in the past he had recommended that Veseau seek a zoning change, which would have permitted him to hold multiple events.

“I prepared a site plan that would have regulated what he could and could not do, but he never followed through with any of it,” said Mills.

Mills presented three options for consideration: continue to sanction one event per year and charge Veseau for any others; refuse to sanction any more events and charge him for any event he holds; or approve re-zoning the land to permit more events.

Mills also said the township could seek an injunction in civil court, and if one was granted then Veseau could face criminal charges for contempt of court if he held an event.

“He could even end up in jail in that case, although that is unlikely,” said Mills.

“I think we should proceed to civil court and take whatever action is appropriate. This gentleman thumbs his nose at the township” said Councilor Ron Sleeth.

“I completely agree even though I think the guitar festival is a great event for the township and its profile,” said Councilor John McDougall.

“I also agree we need to seek an injunction,” said Councilor Alan Revill.

The matter will come back to Council for a final decision on a course of action.

Recreation Survey

A survey conducted by the recreation department was filled out by 697 residents over the spring and summer. The results will be used as one of the inputs to the process of developing a five-year recreation plan, and to inform decisions about capital and operating budgets.