By Adam Frisk
Dysart et al council once again voted to defer proposed amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw concerning accessory buildings within the minimum water setback, pushing the debate to a third public meeting in January.
The deferral came during a public meeting last week, after the director of planning and land information, Jeff Iles, presented another staff report and provided more feedback on the municipality’s response since the public meeting in November.
The December 9 meeting reviewed policy adjustments made after earlier council direction. The changes to the proposed shoreline policy include only allowing gazebos and storage sheds within the water setback. Sheds would only be permitted on lots with a minimum slope of 15 per cent. Both gazebos and storage sheds must be at least five metres from the water, while the design, including exterior colour, must “blend with natural surroundings” and be “screened from the view from the lake and neighbouring property.”
Iles told council that the municipality received nine new comments from concerned residents and cottage associations, with a majority opposed to the proposed amendments.
Lipsey Lake Cottage Owner Association was among the new letters addressed to council and expressed “strong opposition” to any changes, warning that allowing structures near the “fragile shoreline” would affect the lake, which is a key habitat for several fish and bat species. The association went on to argue that allowing development in the “ribbon of life” will lead to algae blooms and further harm wildlife.
Vice president of Kinesis Lake Cottage Owners Association, Jim Prince, suggested that “an education program about the rules for shoreline structures in Dysart would have been a much better investment” and noted that the amendments would not solve the apparent persistent problem of illegal structures and compliance complaints.
Bitter Lake property owner Petra Hamann supported the original amendments that included saunas, arguing that all three structures (sheds, saunas, and gazebos) have comparable environmental profiles when placed responsibly within natural vegetation.
“These structures are small, low-impact, and do not meaningfully affect lake health or shoreline vegetation,” Hamann wrote in a letter to council. “Their environmental footprint is minimal—no different in practice from placing a deck box near the water.”
A key issue that prompted the staff recommendation for deferral was that Harcourt Park requested a process allowing their leaseholders to apply for site plan agreements without burdening the corporation with approval or registering the agreement on the entire property title.
“It does add liability to them,” the director of planning and land information said.
Iles said that staff would consult with the municipal solicitor and Harcourt Park to find a solution that allows the agreement to “carry forward with the leasehold, not the land.”
Another issue was that recent amendments to the Planning Act, removed the municipality’s approval or right to address exterior design of residential buildings, including accessory buildings.
“This is something that is included in the policies today,” Iles said. “So, staff recommend deferral so that I can amend those policies.”
Council subsequently passed a resolution to defer the proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments, directing staff to bring the file back for consideration at a public meeting in January.
