by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — Property owners had an opportunity to review any changes made to the Renfrew County Official Plan, which is undergoing a five year review, during an open house and formal meeting at the Cobden Legion on Monday evening.
For the first 90 minutes, people could wander around the upstairs hall reviewing the maps and talking with county staff.
Then, for another 90 minutes, planner Charles Cheesman reviewed the plan and answered questions from the crowd of about 70 people.
Just as the meeting was ending, Jim Munro, businessman, father and grandfather, said wording in the Renfrew County Official Plan encourages people to move away and not develop in Whitewater Region township.
“I understand that a lot of work has gone into the county official plan, but at a time when we sorely need growth and development to keep our schools open and keep us from exporting our young, talented bodies away to find employment, can you tell me why an official plan begins from a premise of a restrictive document, restricting growth and development,” he questioned. “Every-where you read in there is you can’t do this, you can’t do that and whatnot.
“There’s not a word of encouragement for our young people in terms of building a home or whatever,” he continued. “They’re starting off with limited cash…and this document is full of engineering studies and all these kinds of things these young people cannot afford.”
Mr. Munro continued, “We’re pushing them out the door and we’re not making any provisions for the ones we pushed out the door 30 years ago who want to come back and retire.”
Those returning to the area don’t want to trade living in a city subdivision to living in a town subdivision, he said. They want to live on a hilltop looking over the valley or looking over water, he said.
But, this official plan is written to sound like they aren’t welcomed to return, he continued.
“We shipped you out 30 years ago, stay the hell out – don’t come back.
“All of the language in the official plan is negative,” Mr. Munro said. “Where is the incentive to keep our young people here, raise their families, keep our schools open, keep our churches open.
“We’re doing a damn good job of exporting them and continuing at an exponential rate,” he said.
Dr. Munro continued, “We should all look at ourselves and be damn well ashamed of ourselves. If we can’t promote our own loved ones, and keep them here, and create employment opportunities for them, shame on us.
“I think we’ve done a lousy job,” he ended, receiving a round of applause.
Opening the formal part of the meeting, Mr. Cheesman explained that the official plan sets out council’s policies on how land should be used in a community and guides the physical changes to the built environment and the effects on the natural, social and economical environment. However, it must also be consistent with the provincial government’s Provincial Policy Statement (PPS).
The framework for land use is that it integrate matters of provincial interest in municipal planning decisions, Mr. Cheesman said. Municipal council decision-making must be recognized and there has to be co-operation and co-ordination among various interests, he added.
He provided a lengthy list of provincial interests municipalities must carry out, which include protection of agricultural resources; conservation and management of resources; energy and water; accessibility; full range of housing; employment opportunities…and many more.
Currently, the official plan is undergoing its five-year review and it’s at the public review stage, Mr. Cheesman said. Once the open house / public meetings are completed, county council will adopt the revised official plan and it will be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval, he noted.
Some of the key updates to the official plan include: projections for growth; adding agriculture land; expanding the uses permitted on agricultural lands; private roads, rural subdivisions and secondary dwelling units, he said.
A resident from Alice Township questioned what gives the county the right to tell him what to do with this property, and when told the Province of Ontario Planning Act, he said his land patent says he can do what he wants to his property.
“I’m familiar with the land patent issue and I will say, for the record, my information is that land patents do not exist on their own,” Mr. Cheesman answered. “They are subject to all the applicable legislation.”
Whitewater resident Donna Burns said in order for the county to tell property owners what they can do with their own lands, it must acquire the land or get permission.
It also states in various sections under the municipal act, permission must be given by the property owner, she added.
Ms. Burns’ questioned what does it mean when the county designates a piece of land, such as stating it’s wetland or woodland, and does that mean that the county governs that particular parcel of land.
The province has a number of interests through its PPS and expect municipalities to show those features on their planning documents, Mr. Cheesman said. And, development in those areas are to be consistent with the PPS and those features must be shown on the maps, he added.
“We do know the effect this has on people,” he said. “We deal with it every day.”
Ms. Burns said if the property owner cannot attend a meeting, what gives the county the authority to designate that land.
Mr. Cheesman said there is a notice to the public regarding changes to the official plan.
And, while she wanted to continue her statement regarding giving each land owner a notice, she was advised the meeting is not for debate about what the county can and cannot do, but to take statements and concerns.
Her next question was if the property owner is notified that certain areas of the property have been designated in a certain way, such as wetlands, is that property assessed separately from the rest of the property.
Mr. Cheesman said there are certain rebates for various designations. However, since he wasn’t sure, he would get an answer and that would form part of the completed document.
Ms. Burns questioned if the province regulates the property, and not the municipality, since it is the official body who designated it wetland.
Mr. Cheesman said no, it’s a policy under the planning act that is set down in the official plan as policy.
Ms. Burns then asked if a property owner could opt out of participating in the official plan by putting that statement in writing to the county.
“You could put it in writing, but you will be affected by the official plan,” Mr. Cheesman said.
Joe Kowalski, who lives on Grants Settlement Road and is owner of Wilderness Tours Resort near Foresters Falls, was concerned with lack of development on private roads, noting that in the county, development can occur on private roads if the property is on waterfront, he said.
“We’re running out of waterfront,” he said. “But, Whitewater Region, and the County of Renfrew, has lots of scenic vistas. Why can’t they have the same attributes? People want to be on water because it has certain pleasant attributes.
“Well, some people like to be high up on a ridge or a mountaintop,” he continued. “We would have a lot more development in our municipality and Renfrew County if the county would treat scenic vistas, and other areas where people want to build, like waterfront, and let them develop on private roads to scenic vistas.”
Mr. Kowalski is in his fifth decade of living and working in Renfrew County and there has been so little development. He said listening to the comments regarding the new official plan and new policy statements, there will be less development in the next five decades.
“Let’s do something about it,” he said. “A simple solution is treat rural Renfrew County like waterfront, not like it’s something in the backwoods. Let people develop with the same rules and regulations as waterfront, same size, same everything.”
Other speakers included representation from the Renfrew County Water Quality Leadership Group – Gerry Richards, Lynn Clelland and Ole Hendrickson — all focussing on water quality and water resources within the county.
Ms. Clelland said, “Our group recognizes the interdependence between a healthy environment, healthy communities and a strong economy. We represent a group of agricultural, other businesses and environmental organizations, that evolved from consultations over the last five years, most recently led by the agricultural sector over concerns, about water quality in Renfrew County.”
The group is pleased that the draft official plan includes objectives, language and a new watershed planning section, that if adopted, would help address water quality issues that threaten property values, economic development, recreational activities and ecological and hydrological integrity in the county, she continued.
Ms. Clelland suggested that the county provide full-time co-ordination and capacity support services to the watershed council, which in turn would allow the watershed council to take a leadership role in various capacities, such as promoting awareness and stewardship initiatives so the public understands and values sustaining and improving freshwater quality, levels and flows across the watersheds in Renfrew County and attract funding for the development, implementation, tracking and adaptation of the plan.
Mr. Hendrickson, president of the Ottawa River Institute, which is also a member of the Renfrew County Water Quality Leadership Group, spoke about climate change, referring to various sections within the official plan.
Mr. Cheesman said people can provide written statements regarding the official plan until the end of September. Submissions can be made by email to [email protected] or mailing it to Planning Department, County of Renfrew, 9 International Drive, Pembroke, ON, K8A 6W5.
