Update on the Georgian Bay Township Council Meeting of November 13, 2023
At the November 13 public meeting, the Georgian Bay Township Planning Council voted 6 to 1 to approve the Official Plan Amendment put forward by the Six Mile Lake Ratepayers Alliance. The wording for this new application had been significantly revised from the original OPA submitted in June. In addition to representatives from the Six Mile Lake Cottagers Association and the Six Mile Lake Ratepayers Alliance, the township planning staff and planning council contributed to the final wording of the document. With strengthened emphasis on protection of the environment, visual impact, and heritage of the lake, and by removing troublesome loopholes such as ‘in general’, all parties believe this amendment is a step forward, both in improving the Official Plan and in establishing a constructive relationship between formerly polarized organizations.
Although several speakers at the meeting made some strong arguments against the passing of the SMLRA amendment at this time, a majority of the letters received by the planning department supported the amendment, as did the elected board of the SMLCA.
There is more work to be done. The Official Plan establishes the policy that gross floor area (GFA) allowance is an important criterion when evaluating proposals for building on the lake. As indicated in the 2019 Landowner’s Survey, many SML residents favour increasing current GFA limits. GFA caps are found in our zoning by-law and it is there that we now need pay our attention. We hope we can all work together – the SMLCA, the SMLRA and those who did not agree with this OPA – to reach a consensus of lake residents for revised reasonable GFA limits on Six Mile Lake.
A recording of the meeting can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
This is the wording that was passed by council:
F.5.9.7 Size of Dwelling Units
F.5.9.7.1 The size of a dwelling, combined with its location on a site, will have a direct effect on the visual and environmental impact of the development. As such, proposed developments should avoid overly large dwellings on the lake. Dwelling size is regulated in the Zoning By-law through a combination of restrictions on the total footprint, gross floor area (GFA), width, and height, combined with setback and landscaping considerations.
F.5.9.7.2 The standards on maximum size of a dwelling may vary depending on the size of the lot on which it is located.
F.5.9.7.3 Recognizing variations depending on the size of the lot, the maximum size of a dwelling must respect the aesthetic integrity of the natural heritage and Character of the Community by limiting GFA, height, width, and setback. Preservation, restoration or proposed new native shoreline vegetation combined with increasing setbacks from Six Mile Lake may provide an opportunity for increases in the size of dwelling.
F.5.9.7.4 Variances to the established maximum size and/or width of a dwelling may be considered where the applicant provides evidence satisfactory to the Township that the dwelling will maintain and enhance the natural form of the area, the visual impact of the dwelling will not be significant, and is in accordance with all other applicable policies of this Plan including the Six Mile Lake Goals, Basis, Principles, and Environmental Policies.
If you have an interest in planning and would like to get involved in this process, please send an email to info@sixmilelake.net .
2019 CWS Authorization.pdf