Scrutiny

Council gives green light for Quinte’s Isle expansion

The expansion of Quinte’s Isle Campark— a file that was first presented in 2016—has officially been approved to move ahead after a five-and-a half-hour special council meeting held on Wednesday evening. The Ward family have been hoping to expand to the east into land already owned by Quinte’s Isle, which is situated on 821 metres of frontage on Lake Ontario. The expansion would see another section named Pebble Beach East added to the trailer park, with an additional 337 park model trailer sites. These sites are for three-season, owner-occupied park model cottages, with access from an existing trailer park to the west and are situated near two Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSW), the Soup Harbour PSW to the east and the Salmon Point PSW to the west.

RFA Planning Consultants Inc, who presented on behalf of the applicants, noted all sites at the Pebble Beach East Campark will back onto green space/parkette and are linked via trails through the site. The consultant also stated visitors who come in to camp at Quinte’s Isle contribute quite significantly to the local economy, spending money for local goods and services, to the tune of about $4.5 million annually. Twenty three permanent jobs will also be created by the expansion.

There were 26 comments from the public, all of which were against the expansion. Many had concerns over a lack of infrastructure and public road access, loss of farmland, overall safety and over-density. Don MacLean was concerned about the increase of traffic on Salmon Point Road. “Salmon Point Road is already a dangerous road and busy in the summer. The density of use is going up and is projected to go up 70 per cent, maybe more, and that’s a big expansion,” he said, suggesting that a new access is needed from Welbanks Road.

County resident and professional planner Nina- Marie Lister was against the proposal, stating that it doesn’t synergize with the long-term sustainability of the County and residents’ shared future. “It doesn’t conform to our vision, or to the provincial policy statement in terms of natural and cultural heritage,” said Lister. “It risks compromising a landscape of significant value for future generations, including our Indigenous neighbors and partners. Council does not have consistent, unbiased or transparent evidence before it, nor does it have convincing planning, justification and rationale. This is not the basis for an informed and defensible decision.” Lister said the expansion is ultimately a settlement area that will accommodate over 3,000 residents—double the population of Wellington. “Disregard the label seasonal and the study area is no different to a residential sub-division in Prince Edward County during the summer,” she added.

Planner Matt Coffey noted the Ward family has been willing to work with staff to take necessary measures to propose a density that is far less than what is currently permitted in the policy. “A total combined density for Quinte’s Isle would be 6.4 sites per hectare, where a maximum of 330 sites is permitted as part of this policy,” said Coffey. “The smallest site is 280 square metres where the minimum is 200, and there’s plenty of shoreline available for free sites, so there’s lots of amenity for the folks who are staying at this campark to enjoy the waterfront.”

Coffey also explained that the campark is not a settlement area. “The campark is for seasonal use. This is not a settlement area that is being proposed, this is a tourist commercial development, and is approved from May to November,” he said, adding that he and his staff were confident that the public had been adequately engaged up to the decision.

Councillor Bill Roberts addressed an earlier comment about County planning staff being blatantly biased. “We have professional staff. They give us their best advice and I have a lot of respect for them,” he said. Roberts pointed out that there are many folks who will take full advantage of what Quinte’s Isle has to offer. “They can’t afford to buy properties here like many of us can and are lucky too. But they are middle income families. Maybe even lower middle in-come families. I’ve always had a worry that we would lean into being some sort of exclusive Muskoka east for those that can afford it, and that is not something I am going to sup-port. It is wonderful that I and many of us can afford seven-figure family homes on the Bay and a couple of acres, but I am in no way inclined to exclude others of less means from being able to enjoy a bit of this paradise as well,” said Roberts.

Councillor John Hirsch told his colleague she was in a tough position. “On one hand we have an applicant who seeks to expand an already existing operation and who has over the last four years been willing to modify their proposal to deal with the objections raised. On the other hand there are environmental concerns that have been brought for-ward by several parties,” said Hirsch. “At the end of the day, we have to make a decision based not on opinion. Not on emotion, or exaggeration or NIMBYism but based on evidence. On the facts, and on our existing Official Plan.”

Councillor Mike Harper said he was weighing public interest based on needs and wants. “The County is an expensive municipality to run. We need more revenue. We need more tax dollars. We need more economic activity. We need more jobs. Ultimately for me, the staff report and the technical review very much lend support to carry through with this. I put a lot of weight on what our staff have to say. I feel that technically we are obligated with this,” he said.

Councillor Jamie Forrester noted that this was likely the most difficult application he has dealt with in his10 years as a councillor.”I think we have a pretty good application here. Right back to the early 1900s camping and cottaging has always been a huge part of Prince Edward County. It is a recreation that we have in our back yard that people from all over Ontario and the States enjoy,” said Forrester. He then asked Planner Matt Coffey if he and his staff were satisfied with the application. Coffey was quick to answer. “We are 100 per cent confident that this application is consistent with the provincial policy statement, conforms to the Official Plan and represents good planning.”

Councillor Ernie Margetson told council he came into this meeting in support of the file. “Based on my professional experience in being in development, working for a municipality and working for a conservation authority, this is a development I can support,” said Margetson.

Mayor Steve Ferguson said that he couldn’t recall an application that has gone through as much scrutiny as this over the course of many years, but that that very scrutiny had led to a better overall application. “Members of the public and all the folks that spoke here to day are only a small portion of the other members of the public who have communicated to us. Ultimately, I think their comments and their concern led to additional measures being considered by planning staff and the proponents. The proponents have willingly and generously made amendments and adjustments to the application to make it better,” said Ferguson. I think it is important that we afford where possible and make decisions on the basis of helping people who may reside here of lesser means. That needs to be part of the decision-making,” he added.

Council approved the expansion almost unanimously, with Councillor Kate MacNaughton being the lone vote against.