Central Frontenac Council - Aug 11/26
Ian Willans, a township resident who lives on Clarendon Road, made a presentation to Council about speed limits on the road, and ATV traffic as well. In an attempt to provide OPP officers with the ability to regulate the speed of ATVs on his road, Willans asked the township to post a speed limit sign and a note about ATV bylaw enforcing, which the township did.
But with the speed limit at 80km/hr for cars and trucks, and 50km/hr for ATVs there was a reaction about the 80km sign posing a risk, so it was removed, which Willans agreed with.
“We need to do something about the speed limit on these roads,” Willans said, “North Frontenac regulates those speeds with a bylaw, but we do not because of the cost of signs. I get that. Just to do Bell Line Road with a sign, every 600 metres as is required, would cost $30,000, which is money that needs to be spent maintaining the roads, not with signs,” he said.
North Frontenac has a bylaw for gravel roads, based on criteria that are standardised, so we could talk to them,” he said. “I know our public works manager would like to do something,” he said.
Council said they are aware the 80km speed limit is high.
Mayor Smith said that she drove on Clarendon Road from one end to the other recently.
“I’m known to be a pretty quick driver, but you cannot go 80 on that road, no matter what the speed limit is,” she said.
Members of council indicated they would like to hear back from public works about options for speed limits.
Construction Continues A Downward Trend
The township has sold permits for $5.9 million in construction in 2026 so far, down from $7 million at this time last year, and at about half of the total at this time in 2024, when it stood at $11.4 million by the end of July.
The report was submitted by the township’s new Chief Building Official (CBO) Don Reed, who said he is catching up with some of the permits that built up during the interim between the resignation of the previous CBO and his hiring.
Wagner Road Rehabilitation
Council approved a more expensive option for Wagner Road, which has been slated for improvement for four years, and in the interim it has deteriorated considerably. The cheaper option would be to pulverise the pavement and return the road to gravel, but the second option is to pulverise it, and then double surface treat it.
The second option, at a cost of $180,000, is to be funded with surplus from the Mountain Grove Road project, along with $58,000 from reserves.
Both of the councilors from Ward 3 (Oso) Bill MacDonald and Susan Irwin, spoke out immediately in favour of the proposal, with Irwin saying she has heard from more constituents about this road than she heard from about the controversial property standards bylaw.
Councillor Danny Meeks said that instead of taking money from reserves, the township could defer part of the Eagle Lake project, because that road “is looking pretty good now”.
Both of the Ward 4 (Hinchinbrooke) councilors, Nicki Gowdy and Philip Smith, said they did not think Eagle Lake Road should be pulled, with Gowdy saying “I think there will be a surplus at the end of the year because projects have come in under budget, so we will not really be taking that $58,000 from reserves in the long run.”
Council decided to stick with the original proposal and leave the Eagle Lake project out of it.
Carving Plan At Sharbot Lake Beach
Council received for information a proposal by Bill Bowick that after an Elm tree at the Sharbot Lake Beach is cut down, as it has succumbed to Dutch Elm disease, a portion be maintained and used to make a bear carving.
Bowick has consulted with the Shabot Obaadjiwan about the project and with Cheryl Matson, who has been working on the trees at the beach for a number of years. Township agreed to explore the project further to determine costs and see if there is a carver available to do the work.
Conservation Authority Concerns
Councillors MacDonald and Klages both expressed their concerns about changes to Conservation Authorities (CAs) and the fact that there will be only one Frontenac County member of the board for each of the St. Lawrence and Eastern Ontario Conservation Authorities. The St. Lawrence CA will be made up of four existing CAs (including Mississippi Valley and Rideau Valley) and the Eastern Ontario CA will be made up of nine existing CAs (including Cataraqui and Quinte Region)
Arden Road Speed Limit Review
A staff report based on a review of traffic along Arden Road determined that the road usage is relatively low, and even though the road is posted at 80km hr, the average speed traveled on it is less than 60km/hr
“Based on the traffic study results, the existing roadway characteristics and accepted traffic engineering principles, Staff do not recommend reducing the posted speed limit on Arden Road. “
“Staff also recommend continuing to monitor traffic conditions and reviewing future data should roadway conditions or traffic patterns change.”
Council accepted the Staff recommendations
Asset Management
Manager of Financial Services Michael McGovern reported that the state of repair of Central Frontenac assets had deteriorated over the last year, with the percentage of assets in poor condition jumping. Mcgovern also said that by maintaining the current practice of increasing taxes annually by 1.6% for asset management, and continuing to do so for 17 years, the township will be able to maintain its fixed assets into the future
