Muskoka Lakes Council has amended their bylaws to allow greater boat access to island cottages off Currie Landing in Bala.
An existing bylaw prevented the storage of boats on public docks in the winter. This was at odds with the long-standing practices of residents of Bala Park Island who would use the Currie Landing to access island cottages. The Currie Landing is on Weismiller Street in Bala.
Wednesday’s council meeting was the first time the new council officially met after being sworn in. President of Bala Park Island Cottagers Association Al Booth spoke to council to describe the unique circumstances of Bala Park Island. According to Booth, Currie Landing does not fully freeze over, which allows boats stationed there to be used to travel to island cottages in the winter season.
The existing bylaw would prevent these boats from remaining in the water during the winter. Residents looking to reach the cottages would need to put the boats back into the water during the winter. According to Booth, this is made more difficult by municipal snow plowing which creates high snow drifts.
“We acknowledge the fact that you need to have a general set of rules that everybody follows and that everyone can expect an outcome when they do follow those rules. However, what we’re concerned about is that our landing is different than most,” Booth said.
Booth stated that currently the boats in question have been removed from the water in compliance with the bylaw. He stated that boats in question are, at most, four small metal boats which can be rowed to an island cottage as well as several canoes.
Several councillors were sympathetic to Booth’s comments. Councillor Ruth-Ellen Nishikawa stated that new bylaw represented a change in how residents have acted for decades.
“People have been accessing Bala Park Island through the winter for years and years. Up to 30 years that I am aware of,” Nishikawa said.
Nishikawa also stated that the bylaw in question is targeted at motor boats or large barges, far larger than the small boats which residents use during the winter from Currie Landing. She stated that there should be an allowance in this case and that there should have been more input from the community.
While council seemed willing to grant an exception from the bylaw there was confusion over how this should be done. Council currently plans to develop a transportation master plan for the Township in 2023. Director of Public Works Ken Becking recommended that council make a temporary change in the bylaw for the present case, which would be clarified with the master plan next year. After deliberations, Kelley stated that because council needed to change a bylaw public notice was required, which meant that it would take at least a month until the next council meeting to make the changes.
Nishikawa spoke in favour of changing the bylaw immediately, rather than waiting several months when the issue would be less relevant.
“This is a very unique issue to this area, and I’d like to address it that way. I’m hoping that council will support moving forward and this request today,” Nishikawa said.
Mayor Peter Kelley asked Booth if quick action by council would allow residents to still use the boats this winter. Booth replied in the affirmative stating that quick action would allow residents easier access to the cottages for the holidays.
“Those folks on the island would certainly be very pleased with that,” Booth said.
Councillor Guy Burry commented that the process to amend the bylaw was overly bureaucratic and asked if it were possible to not enforce the bylaw as a way to expedite a solution.
“This seems overly harsh to the folks of the island without that being the intention,” Burry said.
Director of Development Services & Environmental Sustainability David Pink stated that council does have the authority to direct bylaw staff to temporarily pause on certain enforcement. But Pink cautioned council about possible confusion which could happen without proper public notice and consultation.
“No longer enforcing that section may not sit well with other members of the community who feel that the bylaw should be enforced,” Pink said.
Nishikawa stated that she was not comfortable asking the bylaw officer to not do their job. She also stated that as a councillor for Bala, she did not believe there would be local pushback.
“I’ll take the risk as a councillor in the area that we’re not bringing great harm. In fact, we may bring great joy,” Nishikawa said.
Bala councillor Glenn Zavitz stated that the request before council is unique to Currie Landing. Both Burry and Zavitz agreed that the bylaw was having unintended consequences on these residents.
Council decided to forgo public consultation and amend the bylaw immediately. With a seven-to-one vote council passed the amendment, which exempted Currie Landing from the bylaw restrictions.
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