Please find below the letter the SMLCA sent to Nick Popovich in advance of the Council meeting on February 13, 2017. Please contact us at info@SixMileLake.net if you have questions or comments.

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Hello Nick and Jessica,

Thank you for providing to us Nick’s report on Wednesday February 8th and the various options proposed to Council.

The Board of SMLCA who represent this year approximately 550 cottagers, have had an opportunity to review the report and wish to make the following comments.

As the TGB is aware, in order to provide sound input on the Official Plan and Lake Community Plan, over the past years, SMLCA has conducted several surveys to secure feedback from the cottagers and property owners on the lake. As recently as last winter 2015–spring 2016 we conducted a survey specifically re the OP Amendment. This survey was sent to both our membership AND lake residents via email and Canada Post.

Responses were highly favourable of the OP Amendment however, as you well know, the SMLCA was strongly criticized, by members of the Ratepayers Alliance for the methodology and impartiality once results were tabulated and communicated.

Now in light of the current ICB and the important issue of GFA and “oversize cottages”, the Board believes that Option 8 in your report is the only appropriate course of action to follow. We urge Council to adopt Option 8.

This issue and any changes made in GFA definitions will have lasting impact on our lake from both an aesthetic viewpoint and a long-term environmental impact. It is imperative that the TGB makes the right decision.

We have great confidence in the capability of the staff of TGB to conduct a survey, but to avoid the same criticism and unfounded accusations that arose last year, we deem it prudent to engage the services of a consultant in at least some steps of the process. The costs associated with same hopefully could be carefully monitored and controlled.

The SMLCA agreed in a meeting in December with the Mayor, Councillor Bochek and representatives of the Ratepayers Alliance to work together to assist Planning in preparing survey questions. This offer from our perspective still stands and would be welcomed by our Board.

Finally, as much as we would like to see the ICB resolved quickly, we recognize that the process if option 8 is adopted would take several months. Such a timeline would be needed to secure any quotes for consultants, then meetings to work on survey questions, methods of communication to as many property owners as possible, etc., etc.  Detailed explanations of the GFA and other clauses would also have to be provided and perhaps an information meeting for residents, prior to sending out the survey, would be appropriate.  All of these steps will take time, but our Board believes they are essential in order to deal properly with this important issue.

We look forward to attending the meeting on Monday and hearing the response of Council.  I understand that Jessica will forward this email to the Mayor and Councillors for them to review prior to Monday’s meeting.

Thank you for the opportunity to share our views with you and Council.

Regards,

Marguerite Locke,
President,
SMLCA
cell 416-587-4444
c.c. Board of SMLCA