newsflash
January 12, 2021
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Langmaid's Protection Fund |
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Beginning February 1, the Lake of Bays Association and Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation are Joint Parties to a Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) hearing about the proposed development of Langmaid’s Island. The hearing will proceed virtually, and is scheduled to last up to 25 days. We are writing to appeal to you for financial help for the costs associated with this appeal, which are estimated to be $100,000.
Background:
Langmaid’s Island is special. It is the second largest island on Lake of Bays, with six kilometres of virtually undeveloped shoreline. It hosts diverse and sensitive habitats and biotic communities. Langmaid’s Island is designated as a ‘Natural Heritage Area’ in the Township of Lake of Bays Official Plan and, as such, this area “will be protected from incompatible uses or activities”. It also qualifies as a Provincial ‘Cultural Heritage Landscape’.
Notwithstanding the Heritage Area designation, the current owners of Langmaid’s Island, Langmaid’s Island Corp (LIC), applied to the Township of Lake of Bays to develop 32 lots, each with a cottage, three cabins and a boathouse; and to the Town of Huntsville to use land on South Portage Road to accommodate 105 parked cars with a shuttle to the island properties. In November 2018, planners from the municipalities recommended the applications be denied and LIC immediately appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).
Jointly, the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation (LBHF) and the Lake of Bays Association (LOBA) are parties to this appeal, as are the Township of Lake of Bays, the Town of Huntsville, and an individual property owner, Kelly Zytaruk. The environmental and municipal planners retained by LBHF and LOBA confirm the municipal planners’ views that the application does not represent ‘good planning’ and that the proposed development will have a permanent negative impact on the visual landscape and natural heritage values. We have a strong case.
Since 2018, LBHF and LOBA have been working together to represent our shared concerns about this proposed development of Langmaid’s Island. We thank our many members who have supported both organizations with donations to the LBHF Langmaid’s Protection Fund and LOBA’s Action Fund. Those funds have covered our costs to date for legal representation, and environmental and land use planners.
As of January 1, LOBA and LBHF are now jointly administering the LBHF Langmaid’s Protection Fund, and all costs of the appeal, will be covered by the fund.
If you are as concerned about this development as we are, we ask you to donate to the LBHF Langmaid’s Protection Fund. All donations qualify for a charitable tax receipt.
Donations can be made:
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With major credit card or PayPal at www.lakeofbaysheritage.ca/donate
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By Interac e-Transfer to donations@lakeofbaysheritage.ca. Please include your name, email and address and Langmaid’s Protection Fund in the comment section of the transfer. No password required.
- By cheque payable to Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation, with Langmaid’s Protection Fund on the Memo line. Mail to P.O. Box 81, Baysville, ON, P0B 1A0 and include your name, address, phone number and email address.
The Lake of Bays Association has made the proposed over-development of Langmaid’s Island a priority for over two years and we are in the final stages where your financial support is crucial. Please assist us in defending the municipal Official Plan policies that are in place to preserve one of the last natural, largely undeveloped islands left on Lake of Bays and donate today.
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Open Winter Board Meeting
Saturday January 23, 2021, 9:30 a.m.
Virtual Meeting on Zoom
Join us on Saturday January 23 for our annual January Open Board meeting-- your opportunity to get an update on the Association's activities in the last year. In addition this year, we are happy to present:
- Township of Lake of Bays Mayor Terry Glover providing an update from the Township;
- OPP Sargeant David Moffatt talking about boating safety, and;
- Paul Grinnell speaking about the ASHMuskoka program and road salt.
We will also speak more about the Langmaid's Protection Fund.
How to Attend:
This Zoom Webinar is being hosted by the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA). To attend, you will need to register by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 20, 2021 by sending your first and last name and email address to executivecoord@loba.ca. You will receive confirmation within two working days. The day before the meeting you will receive an email from FOCA with the link for the meeting. You must access the meeting from the email address you registered with.
More Information:
- All participants on the webinar will be muted, however, participants will be able to use the “chat” feature to type questions during the meeting. If there is an issue you would like to see addressed at the meeting, please submit your question when you register.
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FOCA will manage registrants’ names and email addresses according to their privacy policy and Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation and will not reveal or release the information to any third parties. FOCA may email event registrants following the event with an invitation to join 10,000 fellow subscribers on the FOCA e-newsletter (Elert) list.
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Baysville is 150-Years-Old in 2021!!
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Help prevent the Ontario Energy Board from eliminating the Seasonal Rate Class for electricity pricing
A message from FOCA's Executive Director, Terry Rees
I am asking you to visit our campaign webpage using the link below, and to write your cottage country MPP and tell them you can't afford the doubling of your monthly electricity bill from Hydro One! FOCA has provided a letter template that you can use or customize with your own words.
Start by typing in your cottage country address, to identify your MPP. Be sure to enter the postal code for your SEASONAL RESIDENCE, to ensure your letter is sent to the appropriate rural MPP.
When you hit the "Send" button at the end, your message will be delivered directly to your MPP, with copies sent to Premier Doug Ford; Minister of Energy Northern Development and Mines, Greg Rickford; and Minister of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fedeli. You will also receive a copy by email, for your records.
Our goal is to convince the OEB that eliminating the Seasonal Rate Class will harm nearly 80,000 Hydro One customers and cottage owners, and get them to reconsider their decision.
Together, we can make this happen.
With thanks,
Terry Rees, Executive Director
FOCA
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Reading, interesting links and events
Township of Lake of Bays
Town of Huntsville
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The purpose of the Lake of Bays Association is to promote, sustain and enhance a clean and healthy natural environment, a well serviced community and a safe and peaceful Lake of Bays.
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Lake of Bays Association
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