Addington Highlands Wends Its Way To A New Official Plan
A year ago this month, Addington Highlands Council spent a couple of meeting hours in a conversation with Planner Mark Touw from the Boulevard group, about the direction he was taking the township's new Official Plan.
Touw has been back before Council again since then, and public meetings were held this summer.
He is close to completing the document, and is waiting only for comments from outside agencies that will not likely have led to significant changes.
Touw returned to Council again with a presentation focussing on a small number of issues, all relating to the push and pull between council’s drive to promote development opportunities, while protecting the environment, and guarding against potential increased infrastructure and maintenance costs to the township.
One of the key changes to the plan, and this could have a ripple effect in other townships in Eastern Ontario, is the provision allowing for the creation of four new lots, plus a retained lot, both in designated settlement areas (hamlets) and on rural lots, with road frontage on township-maintained roads.
Waterfront lots are not included in the new definition, and will remain restricted to the creation of two new lots.
According to Touw, “the County [Lennox and Addington] did not identify any concerns with the proposed changes to the Land Division and Consent policies”.
Lennox and Addington is the approval authority for the Official Plans of the lower townships within its jurisdiction, with planners at the county level making sure to follow the dictates of the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the principle approval authority for county level (upper tier) Official Plans.
Touw had expressed resistance last year, when Council asked him to pursue the five lot limit with Lennox and Addington, and by narrowing the scope, he seems to have found a way.
Other discussion at this meeting centred on the new Official Plan tightening up the boundaries of settlement areas, and providing for increased township involvement in development on waterfront, in cases where there are no planning approvals required, but Council may still want to ensure new development does not have environmental impacts on water quality.
“'Site Plan Control is a tool that Council can use in cases where there is concern over impacts,” said Touw.
“I realise that waterfront property owners would just as soon see no increased development on their lake, but the township also has an interest in promoting growth, so there is a balance there,” said Deputy Reeve Ken Hook.
The new plan will also include specific provisions for Westlemkoon Lake in the western portion of the township, to deal with development pressures and impacts.
Council also discussed the possibility of including language in the Official Plan about issuing building permits, in limited circumstances, on lots that are located on seasonally maintained roads.
Touw addressed Council for over an hour, and pointed out that he is waiting for comment from a number of agencies to the plan, including the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of the Environment. One of five First Nations who were approached, Alderville, has expressed interest in commenting on the plan, and Touw is also waiting to hear from them.
The plan will be back before the new council, in the coming months, with adoption anticipated in 2027.
Tappings Bay
Addington Highlands has received a request from North Frontenac to fund 50% of the cost of a new 40' permanent dock at the Tappings Bay boat launch, on Mazinaw Lake. The boat launch is located in Addington Highlands, but most of the seasonal property owners who use the launch to access their island properties, are located in North Frontenac.
Council agreed to pay an estimated $10,000 towards construction of the dock, and $500 in annual maintenance.
The Mazinaw Property Owners Association will have the option of contributing to the project if they want the dock to be larger. The existing permanent dock at the site, which is rotting, is 100' long.
There is also a new removable floating dock at the boat launch that was put in by the township.
Bridge Street Culvert
Manager of Roads and Waste, Brett Reavie, reported that the failed culvert at Bridge Street in Denbigh, is now being replaced. The contractor working on the project, Crains Construction, requested a change from a multi-plate to an arched culvert, which is quicker to install and less expensive. The engineer who designed the project found the change to be acceptable. The cost savings are $68,000. The road was closed on October 19th when construction got underway. The project is slated for completion by early November. The culvert failed last fall and the road was closed at that time, but a temporary fix allowed for a single lane of traffic, between the spring and fall of 2026.
“I think people will be happy to see that this project is finally underway,” said Councillor Kirby Thompson.
Mazinaw Powerline Snowmobile Club
An agreement between the township and the snowmobile club to allow the use of a township roadway as part of the Mazinaw Powerline Snowmobile Trail, which runs mostly through private property, has been held up due to a back and forth over liability, and the wording of the agreement.
According to township staff, an agreement is close to being completed for the 2026-27 season, and they asked Council for leave for the “reeve and clerk to enter into an agreement” should the agreement be finalised.
The township has proposed wording and is waiting to hear back from the club, which is vetting its response with the legal team working for the provincial federation of snowmobile clubs.
“What happens if they do not agree before the snow comes?” asked Councillor Leveille.
“We are optimistic we have found the right wording,” said Deputy Clerk Patricia Gray, who has been working on the file.
Selling Land
Council agreed in principle to selling 30 undersized lots in a failed subdivision, in the former township of Abinger in Ward 1, to the abutting landowner. The lots, which are not suitable for building purposes, were the subject of a failed tax sale in 2006. The price will be determined by a realtor, and all associated costs will be taken up by the purchaser. Staff visited the site and inspected the lots to determine if they were viable building lots.
