Introductions
Invited guests:
- Glen McNeil
(Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township)
- Phil Beard, Chris Van Esbroeck, Patrick Huber-Kidby (Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority)
Communications Coordinators and designated alternates:
- Represented:
Amberley Beach,
Ashfield Beach South,
Cedar Grove,
Horizon View,
Hunters Beach,
Huron Sands,
Huron Sands North,
Lakeland Estates,
Mid-Huron Beach.
- Not represented:
Ashfield Beach North,
Birch Beach,
Brindley Beach,
Bogie's Beach,
Buchanan's Beach,
Goat Trail,
Green Acres Cove,
Huron Shores,
Kintail Beach,
Linfield Beach,
Kingsbridge Shores,
Maple Grove,
Menesetung Park,
Port Albert,
Shamrock Beach,
Sunset Beach,
Victoria Beach.
ACW Township update
Glen McNeil, Mayor
- ACW's 2023 budget includes a tax-rate increase of 7.17%; adding
County and Education, the result is an overall 5.84% increase. For
details, see the Treasury section of
the ACW website.
- 2023 capital projects along the lakeshore ... paving Camp Kintail
Road, rebuilding the washrooms at Ashfield Park, funding contribution to
MVCA for the 3rd year of the shoreline-mapping project
- ACW staff are developing an implementation plan for Council's
approval for a septic-inspection program that would apply throughout the
Township.
- At last year's ACLA neeting, a request was made that ACW extend
weekly garbage/recycling pickups along the lakeshore from June-September
to include May and October. ACLA will prepare a written submission
detailing the request and present it to Council.
- Council has recently approved a
Ten-year Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. It includes
recommendations on potential locations for additional public access to the
beach.
Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
Chris Van Esbroek, Watershed Stewardship Services Co-ordinator
- Last year, ACLA donated $10K to MVCA to increase stewardship
initiatives in the shoreline watersheds. MVCA staff have been doing
"targetted promotions" for landowners interested in undertaking projects
such as stream buffering, windbreak planting, and cover crops. So far, $4K
of ACLA's contribution has been combined with funds from other sources for
some of those projects.
- An effort is being make to incorporate the results of the Garvey
Glen project into the 18-Mile River watershed. Forty of the 200 farmers in
that area attended a focus-group workshop that MVCA conducted.
Phil Beard, General Manager
- Unfortunately, the provincal funding for the "Healthy Lake Huron"
program for 2023 didn't include anything for projects in the 18-Mile
watershed. MVCA has contacted MPP Lisa Thompson to attempt to arrange a
meeting with the Minister to pursue the needed funding, and will invite
ACLA representation if that meeting is to occur.
Patrick Huber-Kidby, Planning/Regulations Supervisor
- An
interactive map is now available that displays the results of the
Shoreline Hazard Mapping project.
- Determining changes to the shoreline regulations as a consequence
of the new mapping is a process that will involve more consultation with
the lakeshore community.
- MVCA will be seeking funding for the next several years to
incorporate additional services such as hazard assessments and more
mapping tools.
ACLA administrative matters
Treasurer's report
Beth Ross, Mid-Huron Beach
- Bank balance as of April 2022 was $7,426.
- Since ACLA
did not request the annual contributions from the
member assocations last year, the only income was $0.70 in bank
interest.
- Expenses were $149 for annual website-hosting and
domain-registration fees, and $9 for bank charges.
- Balance as of April 2023 is $7,269.
Annual request for contributions from local associations
In the absence of any additional projects warranting ACLA funding in
the immediate future, those present agreed to waive the annual request for
a contribution of $10 per local-associtation member this year. However, it
was suggested that the local associations should continue to collect this
amount and use it for their own purposes this year.
Issues from the floor
- There was an incident this spring where a drain leading to the lake
became blocked and resulted in a spill over the land. ACW is urged to
incorporate regular inspections of all such drains.
- The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation opeates a Coast Watchers program
that is in need of more volunteers. ACLA-member associations are urged to
make their local members aware of this opportunty to participate in
gathering data that will help improve the lakeshore environment.
- Huron Perth Public Health has not yet published the results of its
beach-inspection program for 2022. The link to these reports leads to a
"myHuronPerth" webpage that says only "coming soon". It has been like that
for over a year now. ACW is urged to contact HPPH to rectify this problem,
and to incorporate the correct link into its own website.
- There continue to be disruptive problems created by properties that
operate as short-term-rental businesss. There are currently more that 40
such properties in ACW, according to one lakeshore association's recent
survey of listings on AirBNB, VRBO, etc. Operating a residential property
as a business is not listed as an acceptble use under ACW's
Zoning By-Law.
ACW's complaint process falls under its
Noise and Sound By-Law. ACW believes that the number of complaints
received to date is not sufficient to warrent creating a licencing program
and hiring staff to administer it.
Severe disruptions may not be occuring at every lakeshore, but where
they do occur, the current ACW process is not adequate. ACLA will pursue
creating a presentation to Council proposing the creation of a
licencing/permitting program that it believes could deal with these
problems without requiring additional staff.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 10:30. Next year's meeting will be
at 9am on Saturday May 18, 2024; method and location TBD.