A Miner Lake Refrain
James and Michelle Rettie have a seasonal cottage on Miner Lake, a small lake with 22 cottages located around it, located near Canoe and Eel Lakes, in Bedford District of South Frontenac.
James appeared before Council last month (May 5) to encourage Council and the planning staff to consider whether to issue a building permit to the principals behind a company called Enhabit.ca, on a lot on Miner Lake, which is located about 500 metres from their property on the lake. James's assertion to Council was that the intended use of the new building was a commercial one, to establish a year-round, short term rental business at that location, adding to two existing properties that are currently rented out by Enhabit.ca, using booking on their own site, as well other rental sites.
The property is zoned as waterfront residential and Rettie asserted, and backed up with images from the enhabit.ca website, that the property will be used primarily for a commercial enterprise, if built.
As reported in the News last week, South Frontenac Planner Christine Woods, indicated that the building envelope and location proposed for the site, meets the township's conditions for issuing a permit. Woods did not discuss “intended use” except to say that it is her understanding a seasonal residence will be constructed.
The News was unable to reach James, or his wife Michelle, for comment last week, but they contacted us this week. The phone number and email address we had used for them were incorrect.
They told the News this week that they are disappointed that the planning department did not adopt, or address, their concern that the intended use of the property is commercial.
They are concerned that on Miner Lake, which currently has 22 family cottages, a property with up to 20 guests rotating through, could have an impact on the lake.
They are not clear on next steps as far as the Miner Lake build is concerned. It is possible to seek a court injunction to stop the permit from being issued. They are not tending that way but said some of the other property owners on the lake may be meeting with a lawyer to look at what that entails in terms of time and money.
“We are not opposed to short-term rentals, and we have no issue with these developers, but clearly they are being advantaged by South Frontenac's low level of regulations on short-term rental properties,” they said, in an email to the News.
They said they support a short-term rental bylaw in South Frontenac, which would not have to include licensing.
“The by-law should lay out guidelines for short-term rental properties through addressing items such as capacity, frequency of use, status of owner (available on site or absentee), etc. as many municipalities have already done,” they said.
Not having a bylaw in place when other municipalities do have one, could result in an influx of short-term rental projects that will be unregulated, they said.
The current council decided that it is not necessary to explore a short-term rental bylaw, and instead has looked at enforcing noise and other bylaws in the isolated cases where neighbours are impacted.
“In an election year, cases like this one might spur some debate among the candidates,” said Michelle Rettie.
The News is planning to publish a profile of Enhabit.ca to look at their operating and business plans. They have been in operation for 8 years, and their Black Oak Lodge on Canoe Lake, and the Frontenac on 13 Island Lake, are booked up for most of the summer season this year, but bookings are available in the fall and winter.
