Much Ado About Talking

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Ross Sutherland

Community Consultation

Councillor Ruttan and I held a community town hall in Perth Road village. The discussion among the 30 residents who attended was lively, respectful and wide ranging. I want to thank those who attended. Your input is necessary to make governments and community’s work. Click here to read the meeting notes.

We have taken action on a couple of issues raised and will report to all participants, and anyone else who is interested, in a couple of months. We also plan to hold similar town halls in other parts of Loughborough district later this year.

Disappearing Meetings

Two years ago, Council decreased the number of Committee of the Whole meetings in favour of smaller committee meetings. This change raised concerns that there would be less input and oversight on Township issues from the whole Council, the public and the media.

In February the Committee of the Whole meeting was cancelled; as were the Development Services and, the Recreation and Leisure Committee, and the Corporate Services Committee did not meet. The Council meetings were both under an hour. While some of these cancellations were due to on-off events, most were due to lack of agenda items and continue a trend to shorter and fewer meetings. When the sub-committees do meet, they often discuss issues which would benefit from input from all Councillor’s but are only three Councillors can talk. The sub-committee meetings are almost never attended by members of the public or the media.

It is time to have an evaluation of the new committee structure: the community is not well served by less debate and scrutiny.

High Speed Internet Plans

Currently, only 46% of rural Eastern Ontario meets the Canadian Radio and Televisions Commission’s standard for internet access with South Frontenac having its fair share of these areas. the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) recently updated Frontenac County Council on the next steps to improve internet access. Click to see the slide show: EORN Presentation

The next step is a $213 million investment over the next five years to achieve the goas of 99% cell coverage (10% currently have no cell coverage), 95% with standard definition internet access and 85% high definition access. Of that $213 million dollars, 71% or $152 million is public money.

These coverage targets do not consider that if you live in area served by a Bell tower you may not be able to get Telus or Rogers reception. Similarly, access in areas served by other companies’ towers may be limited. Effectively an individual resident will have less access to internet services, and any benefits of competition, than coverage targets identified by EORN.

Considering that these projects are largely paid from public money it is reasonable that all towers be required to carry all providers. So far, this is not a requirement.

The next step, to increase service to the standard of 50:10 (speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 10 Mbps upload) would cost a further 500 to $700 million. Many new provincial and Federal programs are being applied for.

It is a slow and frustrating process.

Regional Services

Over the last few years South Frontenac has been cooperating more with the other Townships in areas like landfill monitoring and road maintenance. The four Frontenac County Townships have received a 150-thousand-dollar provincial grant to study other opportunities for regional cooperation. The benefits of cooperation are significant, though our biggest potential partner is the City of Kingston and they are not involved in the study.

A goal in all the Townships should also be to also maintain good local public input and oversight of any coordinated regional service delivery. Increased regionalization might require a review of governance.

Wilmer Road Boat Ramp

One of the concerns raised was the safety of the Wilmer Road boat ramp into Sydenham Lake. It was reported that part of the steel mesh had broken. We have written to the Cataraqui Conservation Authority (CRCA), who owns that ramp, and asked them to investigate.

A bigger concern is that with the increasing number of closures of the Sydenham Boat Ramp to facilitate community events (Canada Day, Lakes and Trails Festival, the Sydenham Canoe Club regatta) the Wilmer Road ramp is the only public access to the lake and it needs an up grade. We have also asked the CRCA to re-evaluate the maintenance and re-development plans. The Township may also need to include some extra resources to make this ramp a suitable access to Sydenham Lake.

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High Speed Internet Access Plans

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Ross Sutherland

On January 29, the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN), the organization tasked with bringing high speed internet access to Eastern Ontario, updated Frontenac County Council on the next steps. Click here to view their presentation:

EORN Presentation

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February 8 Town Hall Meeting Report

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Ross Sutherland

On February 8, 2020, Councillor Ruttan and I held a Town Hall in Perth Road Village to discuss any municipal issue of concern to residents. About 30 people attended and there was a lively discussion that filled the two hours.

The following are the short form notes on what we heard on topics raised by meeting participants. Immediate actions are to give this list to staff for their consideration and to send a letter to the Cataraqui Conservation Authority alerting them to safety concerns with the Wilmer Road boat ramp into Sydenham Lake. More follow-up on specific points discussed will be provided over the next few months.

Thank you to all who attended and participated.

TOWN HALL February 8, 2020, what we heard:

Official Plan
. accommodation of growth
. concern about becoming a township of “exurbs”
. maintaining sense of community
. get residents involved in this community where they live

Property Standards Bylaw
. compliance vs. lifestyle
. who decides?
. diverse opinions expressed
. guidelines vs. open ended
. structure township service
. reasonable – expense
. create positive community feeling
. use of volunteers to help people clean up property if owners agreeable
. Free drop off of “junk” at dumps if clean-up warranted
. education and enforcement
. Is there a number/agency to call to get help with property maintenance?

Septic Inspection
. lake vs. non-lake location
. regular maintenance is pumping every 5 years
. inspection program
. what if some issue is identified?
. rebate on taxes program to help with repairs
. do we know where all septic systems are located
. RFP for pumping tanks
. general agreement that something needs to be done to make sure septic systems are working properly and water resources are protected

Dumping Garbage on Private Property
. who is responsible for cleanup?
. dumping on township property
. possible township bin at Dean Smith and Leeland Road intersection. Is that piece of property Township owned?

Climate Crisis
. concern expressed that the Township is not doing enough
. suggested to work with Nature Conservancy of Canada,
. create parking lots to encourage shared commuter driving
. electric vehicles for township

Political Will
. how do we make sure the public will is heeded by politicians at all levels

High speed Internet
. still a problem, can anticipate increased access if grants applied for through the Eastern Ontario Regional network are obtained

Old Perth Rd Fire Hall Site
. what are the future plans for this site? Township has no immediate plans for selling. Possibility of housing was raised

Water Access to Sydenham Lake e.g. Canada Day
. limited access when the Sydenham ramp is closed
. need to engage the Conservation Authority to fix up the Wilmer road ramp. There is a damaged steel grate.
. Also, no access to Eel Bay for ice fishing huts and limited water access in summer.

Roads
. North Shore Road to be resurfaced
. Perth Road being used by commercial trucks – enforcement and/or limiting this use. Will this lead to widening of the road? Opposition expressed.
. Billy Green and Leeland require work
. Eel Bay Road just past Charlie Green is a terrible piece of road
. who approves new roads being bulldozed on private property which compromise the environment and species at risk

Old Scofield Camp
. What is happening? Would the Township consider buying? Is this a good idea?
. Questioned the inclusion of commercial clubs in zoning.

Communication with Township Roads Department
. a direct line to roads complaint desk rather going through the automated attendant

Seniors Housing and Transportation
. need more affordable housing, though Perth Road may not be the best place for seniors housing
. coordination of services for seniors
. need some sort of transportation service for those who cannot drive

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Protecting the Public: Septic Development

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Ross Sutherland

Septic System Inspections

The staff’s next-three-years work plan, accepted by Council, includes “develop cost effective approach to septic concerns.”

South Frontenac residents have had a longstanding concern about contamination from septic systems. These concerns have been heightened by blue-green algae blooms and recent research identifying our area as one of Ontario’s deteriorating-ground-water-quality hot spots, a fact behind the controversial water fights in Sydenham and Hartington.

The Federation of Ontario Cottagers Associations (FOCA) and the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) recently held a webinar (view the webinar) that examined existing voluntary, discretionary and mandatory Ontario septic inspection programs.

One of the discretionary programs in the Algonquin Highlands found that 57% of the systems were older than 20 years and about 25% of all systems, and 62% of holding tanks, had some sort of code contravention.

Many of the contraventions were relatively minor, like solids occupying more than a third of the tank or no holding tank haulage agreement: problems often easily fixed with routine maintenance. A few were more serious, like no alarms on a holding tank, and rusted metal tanks.

Key conclusions from the webinar were:

• Education is key to a successful inspection program.
• Voluntary programs do not find the septic systems most in need of inspection.
• Residents fear the cost of needed repairs.
• Many older septic systems are not in municipal records.
• Inspection programs only find deficiencies that already exist.
• Many good programs are already operational.

Developers to Hire Own Building Code Inspectors?

The Ontario government has raised the possibility that developers could hire their own building code inspectors, rather use the ones employed by municipalities.

The proposal is consistent with other changes made by the Province to make it easier for developers to proceed as they like and harder for communities to control their development.

Inspections that are independent from developers allow inspectors to step outside the conflict between a company’s mandate to make a profit and the extra cost of protecting the public. Regardless of how good inspectors are, if the company is paying their salary, when it comes to judgment calls, of which there are many in any program, an inspector who wishes to be called back by a company will tend to make those calls in favour of the company rather than in favour of the public.

There is also the matter of liability. What happens if a building code violation is inadvertently passed by the developer’s building inspector?

I can illustrate this circumstance with a personal story. The first two winters we were in our home there was significant heaving in part of the house. Some investigation found that there was no foundation below grade in one corner of the house. We were the second owners of the house. A letter at the time of purchase confirmed that the house had been passed by the Township’s building inspector.

When these facts were established the Township accepted liability and its insurance paid to fix the problem.

When a house is passed by the developer’s inspector and something goes wrong who is responsible? What if the problem does not come to light until years after the building’s completion? What if the company or building inspector has gone out of business? Do we need to set up a new bureaucracy to police the police and insure them?

The current system provides a focus on public interest, clear accountability and long-term responsibility if an error is made. As with all program’s improvements can be made in the inspection process but these should not include allowing developers to inspect themselves.

Upcoming events

Councillor Ruttan and I are holding a Town Hall on Township Issues for the Perth Road area on Saturday, February 8 from 10am to noon in the Harris Hall. Everyone is welcome.

A group of Sydenham residents is organizing a free children’s ice fishing derby on Sunday, February 16, 10-4 off the Point Park in Sydenham. Register here.

South Frontenac’s Family Day Festivities are being held at the Piccadilly Arena on Monday, February 17 from 10 to 2. Everyone is invited to attend for a free day of fun winter activities.

The first organizing meeting for the Fourth Annual Lakes and Trails Festival is on Monday, February 24 at 7pm in the Sydenham Library Community room. Come out and help improve this community Festival, or send along your ideas.

 

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Endings and Beginnings

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Ross Sutherland

In December Council finalised the Township’s 2020 budget and 2019-2022 Strategic Plan.

2020 Budget

South Frontenac’s 2020 budget is 30 million dollars with 20 million raised from taxation: an average 2% increase.

Overall the budget maintained traditional priorities.  the top five expenses are: roads (45%), police (10%), general government (9%), Fire (7%) and solid waste management (7%). For those that look at the budget you will note that general government is 5 million, or 16% of the budget, but approximately half of that is transfers to reserves for future expenses.

The budget details include:

  • A decrease in roadside spraying for invasive species, but an increase in roadside mowing, which has less negative environmental impact and should be more effective in the long run.
  • Reducing the staff proposal to help maintain the Cataraqui Trail, one of our biggest recreation areas, our only truly 4 season park and well used, from 15 thousand to 5 thousand dollars.
  • Deferring the recommendation to install an electric vehicle charging station, the only action directly related to cutting carbon emissions, for further discussion, though it is still in the budget waiting final approval.
  • Similarly, a proposal to hire another planner, needed to improve our monitoring of development, prepare more comprehensive and enforceable subdivision agreements and bring planning control back to the Township, is in the budget but deferred for more details.
  • Establishing a 30 thousand dollars fund to assist with studies on lake health.
  • A larger increase in winter control expenditures than the increase in the overall budget, reflecting the more adverse and unpredictable winter weather in a changing climate.

2019-2022 Strategic Plan

At the December 17 Council meeting a new, streamlined strategic plan was approved.

Attachment 1 – DRAFT Proposed Strategic Plan

Along with being more accessible, the Strategic Plan includes a new South Frontenac Vision statement: “Natural, vibrant and growing – A progressive rural leader”.

The strategic plan includes stronger language on environmental protection but does not include a specific statement on climate change, our biggest environmental threat.  This reflects the relatively few times climate change was mentioned in the public input on the Strategic Plan. Conversely, the community consultations on the Official Plan, including more comments from younger members of the community, identified climate change and three other environmental concerns as four of the top five issues to be dealt with in the new Official Plan.

What’s Ahead in 2020

Council agendas in 2020 should include:

  • Further public consultation on the new official plan, including a Township vision and growth study;
  • A bylaw to control signs on public road allowances;
  • Discussion on using more electronic signs to advertise Township events;
  • A staff report on a climate change action plan;
  • A review of the major items outstanding on the Johnson’s Point Condominium Development; and,
  • A public engagement plan for the Sydenham water system including my comments on one possible approach.

Three other projects percolating are a new seniors housing project in Verona, plans for new Township administrative offices, and reports from the new recreation committees on improving recreation opportunities in the Township.

I want to thank everyone for the thought you have given to Township issues in the past and I look forward to more comments in the future.  Also, thank you for the many volunteer hours you spend and the donations of personal resources you make to community projects South Frontenac.  They make the Township, and the world, a better place to live.

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South Frontenac’s 2020 Budget

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Ross Sutherland

2020 Budget Package – Dec 17 2019

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Residents and Species at Risk

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Ross Sutherland

Ambulance Shortage

South Frontenac’s Fire Chief’s quarterly reports contain all sorts of information on fire and rescue services in the Township.

In his last report, as it is in most, the largest number of calls that our volunteers respond to are medical calls, that is calls with no fire or rescue component.

I asked the Chief about these calls. The Chief said that our emergency services get called out for medial emergencies when there is no ambulance able to respond within 15 minutes. In the first nine months of this year our services responded to 212 medical emergencies. In other words, South Frontenac residents called 911 for medical help 212 times when there was no ambulance able to respond within 15 minutes. Last year the total number was 243, and we are likely to exceed that this year.

Our fire and recuse personnel are well trained first responders, they do their best and can initiate very valuable, potentially lifesaving, first aid, like control bleeding, administering oxygen and delivering a cardiac shock. Nonetheless, they do not have more advanced lifesaving skills like administering medications nor are they able to transfer a patient to hospital.

One comment at Council was that recent cuts in funding for ambulance services was partially to blame, as are overcrowded emergency rooms, which tie up ambulances.

Regardless, we are still at risk. I presented a motion to council earlier this fall asking the provincial government to maintain, at least, the current level of ambulance services. Unfortunately, it was defeated in a 5-4 vote. Perhaps, if the Fire Chief’s report had come out earlier, the vote would have been different.

Johnson’s Point Species-at-Risk Benefit Permit

There is a new twist in the Johnson’s-Point-development-and-its-threat-to-the-provincially-significant- wetland-and-species-at- risk saga that has been going on for years.

One of the small victories at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) that approved this project was an order that the developer apply to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for a benefit permit: a permit that requires the MNR to evaluate the site for any species-at-risk and issue orders to protect, or mitigate, the damage to those species. I have written before about the limitations of this process.

The MNR issued the Johnson’s Point benefit permit this past month with significant portions blacked out. The OMB ordered that the benefit permit has to be incorporated into the conditions of approval for the development, conditions the Council has to vote on. The conditions of approval also guide how site plans for the development are created and how the building department issues permits.

After final approval is given to the project, it is the Township’s job to enforce the conditions of approval. Fulfilling all of these responsibilities seems impossible if the recommendations in the benefit permit are not known.
The planning department is working to have a full, un-redacted version, which has no deletions, attached to the final conditions of approval.

While obtaining the full benefit permit is a work in process, it is one that needs to be completed for the OMB decisions to be honoured and the Township to do its job monitoring the development.

Official Plan Consultation Results

The first round of pubic consultations for the new Official Plan have concluded. 125 people provided input at the open houses and 129 responded to the online survey. The most common words attendees at the open houses used to describe what they love about South Frontenac were: lakes, close to the city, community, rural feel and people.

72% felt that growth should take place in the villages and hamlets. 18% of respondents identified the environment, 13% water quality, 13% the economy, 10 % growth and 8 % for each of agriculture, lakes and rivers and rural character as top issues to be addressed in the Official Plan.

The top five issues that respondents to the online survey want discussed in the Official Plan process are were: natural environment, climate change, water quality and quantity, state of the lakes and affordable housing.

There were many more comments on the challenges the Township faces, the vision for the Township and a variety of other issues. A full list of all comments and further analysiscan be found in the agenda for the November 25 Development Services meeting.

These results provide the basis for initial research and drafts. There will be more opportunity for the public to comment in the spring and fall next year.

 

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Signs of Progress: Roads, Plans, Budgets and Signs

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Ross Sutherland

Desert Lake Causeway

After years of promises and consultations, progress has been made on redeveloping the Desert Lake Causeway. The new culverts are in and the road bed is wider. The new boat ramp, while not yet fully usable, looks much safer with the concrete mesh base. It is already a significant improvement. The work will be finished next spring with a separation between the beach and the road way, parking spaces, hard top and a dock by the boat ramp.

The agreement on Council was that the culverts would not permit boat access between Desert Lake and Holleford Lake. At this falls low water level, it was possible to get a canoe through the culverts, though it is tight. With normal summer conditions this would be a difficult, if not impossible, maneuver.

New Official Plan

The community process to write the Township’s new official plan is truly underway.

Close to 100 people came to the Storrington Lions Hall and a further 60+ came to the Sydenham library to learn about the new official plan process and give their initial input. At both meetings people were attentive, asked staff lots of questions, and participated in the opinion gathering exercises.

There were many comments on a wide range of topics. Staff will collate all these, plus information from the online survey, and consider them in their background work on a new official plan.

A casual glance through the responses at the meetings showed two issues that attracted a lot of attention. A desire to protect and improve our water, lakes, wetland and the environment was on many participants minds. Second, focusing growth on hamlets also had broad support.

There will be more opportunities for those who missed stage one to have their say. And everyone will have more opportunities to comment on the concrete proposals as they become available. It will take the better part of two years to complete the process. If you want to be on the contact list for updates please send me a note or contact the planning department.

Repaired Roads

Last winters the many freeze-thaw cycles caused parts of some roads to disintegrate. To address this need about six hundred thousand dollars for urgent repairs and upgrades was added to last summers road work. Murvale Road has been rebuilt and sections of Holleford Road have had major repairs. Thank you for your patience and thank you to those users of other roads where work was delayed by a year to facilitate this urgent work. The last major repair resulting from last winter is the rebuilding of North Shore Road which will happen next summer.

Draft 2020 Budget

The draft Township budget for 2020 has been posted.

Council asked Staff to prepare a budget with a 2% increase over 2019: this draft achieves that goal. Now we have to see what that means in terms of service delivery. That is the work for the next month.

On Tuesday November 5 at 7 pm, there is Council meeting specifically to hear from the public their comments on the draft budget. What should be left in, what should be taken out, and what is missing. If you would like to speak at the meeting please contact the Township Clerk, Angela Maddocks, 613-376-3027. You can also pass along your comments in writing.

Council is debating the full budget at a special meeting on Thursday, November 9 from 9 – 2 in the Council chambers. This meeting is open to the public. Please pass on any thoughts you have; I would be happy to enter them into the debates.

Progress on Signs?

Many people have commented on the “mess”, the “unsightly chaos”, and the “blight on our environment” – take your pick -caused the many signs on Township roads that are fallen over, grown over, tacked to trees, put on Township road signs or simply littering our ditches.

Staff have been asked to report back to the Development Services Committee on how to deal with the mess. The report is expected early in the new year.
Some of the signs advertise directions to events and family parties. Some advertise local businesses and community happenings, all of which seem helpful: though they also can be very unsightly.

If you have comments on a signs-on-public-roads policy, please comment. Do we ban them? Or, are their regulations that could control the clutter and permit the transfer of community information.

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OP, PPS, and Docks

Posted on October 2, 2019 by Ross Sutherland

Official Plan Public Input Starts

The first public meeting on the new Official Plan (OP) was poorly attended.  There are two more meeting, please come and tell the Township staff what kind of community you want South Frontenac to be.  Your comments will be reflected in the first draft they produce.

Some issues that will be considered are:  the natural environment, affordable housing, climate change action, bigger but fewer hamlets, agricultural lands, more rural lots, more communal services, and commercial and industrial development.

There are two more meetings: have your say:

There is also an online survey on what kind of Township you want in 20 years. Please fill it in: https://www.southfrontenac.net/en/open-for-business/official-plan.aspx

Provincial Policy Statement Changes

The province has drafted changes to the Provincial Policy Statements (PPS).  These documents outline how development will take place in the province.  Municipalities must work within these guidelines.  They are important.

The PPSs cover: healthy communities, resource management and public health and safety.

While there maybe other significant changes three stood out to me:

1. Under the proposed changes, companies developing an aggregate mine could use rehabilitation measures to argue that the project will have no negative impact on the environment.

This seems to allow an aggregate operator to develop a quarry in an environmentally sensitive area or on prime agricultural land as long as they have a plan to rehabilitate the area when the operation closes.  In other words, companies would be able to dig up a sensitive area, strip the soil, remove the aggregate, and, in the future, replant and argue that there has been no negative impact on the land.

This proposed change would have significant short-term and long-term negative impacts, but it is nonetheless the proposal

2. In a variety of places, the proposed PPS mandates that municipalities develop plans to adapt to climate change. Only once does it mention that actions may be taken to lesson climate change.  It also has a separate section protecting petroleum extraction which could be read to include fracking.

The documents accept that there will be significant changes in the climate, but do not encourage action to lesson the damage from climate change.  This is the “pound of cure is better than an ounce of prevention” strategy. It is neither financially nor environmentally sustainable.

3. The document encourages rural areas to develop communal services, like water and sewer systems. Preference is given to private systems where municipal ones are not “available, planned or feasible”; and feasibility includes a municipalities willingness to pay.

For instance, in a new subdivision or rural land condominium developers would be encouraged to install a private communal water and sewer system.

A few problems immediately come to mind.

  1. It is more expensive for private developers than governments to access capital to develop these systems leading to higher housing prices.
  2. If you had a couple of developers is an area, say around Inverary or Harrowsmith, the services would have different owners and possibly use different technologies making it harder, that is more expensive, to develop a broader community system when that is needed.
  3. As the law currently stands, if any of these private systems fail, the Township is obligated to take them over. The Township’s ultimate liability can be lessened by regulations, covenants, and deposits. All of these require monitoring, and potential legal action, all of which involves more cost above what would be incurred with a municipal system.  And none of which remove the Township’s ultimate liability.

Please read the proposed PPSs on line and comment.  There maybe other sections you find positive or concerning.

Encroachment on Public Lands: Docks

The Township’s Development Services Committee is considering a public land encroachment policy.

Historically, on a case by case basis, private individuals have been allowed to develop on pubic property.  The immediate issue sparking this discussion on whether we need a more uniform approach is the use of the Desert Lake causeway by private, unsanctioned, docks.

The initial discussion focused on a general principle that public lands should be protected for public uses.

When a strong argument can be made, like access to a lot, or historic use of docks for a commercial business, Council could consider granting a long-term lease for encroachment on public land.

 

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