Dunes Lookout

West Lake resort given approval

Aproposal for a four-season tourist commercial resort located across from the white church in West Lake at 1874 County Road 12 was in front of Planning Committee last Wednesday for approval.

Picton resident and local Realtor Sean McKinney owns the site with his three brothers Kelly, Tim and Robin. They also share a family cottage 600 metres south of the site.

The property is 4.15 hectares in size and has 157 metres of frontage on West Lake in shoreland-designated lands. The former tourist camp that was on the property operated for 50 years as a legal non-conforming use. It was host to 18 seasonal trailers and three rental cottages with 10 docks and various outbuildings as well as a duplex on County Road 12.

The applicant was seeking a zoning bylaw amendment to permit 20 two-bedroom bungalow villas, a small guest amenity building, a central dock for swimming and light watersports activities, a reception and bike café in the existing duplex with dedicated pedestrian and cycling access and a walking trail through an existing woodlot. The setbacks from West Lake for all components of the build is 24 metres.

The property is currently zoned as RU1. The application seeks to re-zone the property to tourist commercial and special tourist commercial holding.

Cathie Coultis, Chair of the West Lake Community Association, spoke on behalf of the neighbours, and noted that adding the resort into the midst of an already busy corridor will lead to increased traffic congestion, especially at the intersection of County Roads 12 and 18, dangerous driving and environmental concerns.

“Drivers have been noted on numerous occasions to not stop when making a left or right turn at that intersection, and speeding also remains a serious issue,” she said. “To address the traffic congestion at this intersection, which would be increased by having a resort and bike cafe right here, and considering the dangerous driving practises that already exist, I will be requesting on behalf of our Association to give a deputation to the Traffic Committee requesting a three-way stop be installed at that intersection,” she added.

Coultis then asked what guarantee will be put in place that guests of the resort follow the County’s noise bylaw, and who will monitor any infractions.

“I am aware that the sound buffers and fencing will be dealt with through the Site Plan Control approval process, but sound also travels across water,” said Coultis.

Finally, Coultis told the committee that the resort will have a greater impact on an already heavily tourist congested area, with Isaiah Tubbs only 1.2 kilometres away, and the Wander the Resort, and recently approved Campfire Circle on the lake.

“Human activity has been proven to be disruptive to natural habitats, lake health, shore degradation, and contributes to the increased loss of bio-diversity. The increased impact from resort guests, aquatic activity, especially where guest gas fuel of water craft might be used, will be addressed by the on-going stewardship efforts of the West Lake Community Association and community volunteers to protect this area’s vital eco-system utilizing our lake health monitoring program.”

After hearing concerns from close neighbours, Ruth Ferguson Aulthouse of RFA Planning Consultants said it was important to note that the site isn’t at risk of being overdeveloped according to the zoning standards.

“All other tourist commercial uses, such as a marina, would not be permitted through this amending bylaw, so the proposed re-zoning bylaw will restrict these other uses that were of concern at the public meeting, and it will also restrict and limit the density to the 20 tourist cottages,” she said.

Ferguson Aulthouse also noted that the proposed development does not have a special events facility, which often generate noise through evening weddings.

“There will also be restrictions there in terms of the noise, so that there are quiet hours instilled in the resort,” she added.

County Planner Angela Buonamici also noted that noise and traffic fall outside of Planning’s jurisdiction.

“With regards to noise, there is a still a second process of going through site plan, where we deal with noise, fencing and those types of concerns. There is a noise bylaw. It is dealt with through bylaw enforcement, so that is not planning per se.”

The file passed with no questions from the committee.