REQUEST FOR DIRECTION
DATE: January 8th, 2020 Report No. CSS-20-002
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Blair McDonald, Director of Community Safety Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Private Use of Public Land - Docks
End
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
Does Council wish staff to continue with efforts to ensure Private Docks along the Gorge Waterway are in compliance with the Zoning Bylaw?
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole receive Staff Report No. CSS-20-002 for information and provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In January of 2018, staff presented a report to Council seeking direction in relation to enforcement of use of public lands by private entities. At that time, Council deferred the matter until after the completion of the Official Community Plan.
In March of 2019 staff received direction from Council to initiate a process wherein all owners of docks which were not in compliance with Federal/Provincial/Municipal requirements were to be advised of the requirements of dock siting and ownership and further, that they initiate the required steps to comply with regulations or face potential municipal bylaw enforcement action. Additionally, those persons who owned a dock that was attached to Township land were to be offered the opportunity to enter into an agreement with the Township to allow them to continue to access their dock via Township land, and further that they initiate the required steps to comply with regulations or face potential municipal bylaw enforcement action.
Staff, through legal counsel, initiated a regime which would allow property owners whose land abutted Township land along the Gorge waterway to enter into a Licence of Use and Occupation Agreement. The Agreement would allow those land owners who had possession of a dock in the Gorge that was attached to Township land, the option, provided certain conditions were met, to continue to access...
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