LAURIE WEIR
A tie vote at Rideau Lakes council has defeated a motion to review the township’s current lot coverage limit of 10 per cent.
The proposal, brought forward by Deputy Mayor Paula Banks and seconded by Coun. Jeff Banks, would have sent the matter back to the planning advisory and committee of adjustment for further review. The April 7 vote followed a renewed debate about whether the township should consider increasing the maximum lot coverage to 13 per cent — a move some councillors said would help small waterfront lot owners.
“I think this would be beneficial for those small-lot property owners,” said Jeff Banks. “This isn’t carte blanche — the idea is to cap it at 2,000 square feet or 13 per cent. That way, we still have control over the size of buildings on properties.”
The motion was not to approve a new coverage limit, he added, but simply to direct the planning committee to revisit the issue, gather input and assess potential changes to the zoning bylaw.
But the request was met with resistance.
“This has been debated over and over and over again,” said Coun. Marcia Maxwell. “A 2,000-square-foot home on a very small lot — the lake associations are not going to be happy. It’s been put through the wringer so many times. I don’t know why we keep bringing this back up.”
Coun. Ron Pollard agreed, noting that small-lot owners already have the option to apply for minor variances, which are often granted.
Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said the existing 10 per cent rule reflects good planning principles and has widespread support from the public, lake associations and environmental agencies.
“If we go to 13 per cent, then committee of adjustment will soon be looking at 14, 15, 16,” he said. “More coverage means more runoff — more pollutants potentially finding their way into the water. If we want to protect our most valuable asset, we should not even be considering this again.”
P. Banks said the suggestion was made to align with other municipalities that allow more than 10 per cent lot coverage.
“Four years ago, we were more flexible with taxpayers, and I liked that,” she said. “I’m getting a lot of good feedback from people that we’re being reasonable. I don’t want to see that change. I’d like to see 10 to 13 per cent — so it’s not a hard line in the sand.”
J. Banks said the township needs to plan for increasing interest in residential lots on the water.
“We’re running out of valuable, good lots to build on,” he said. “I’d like to have a plan in place that helps people who want to develop responsibly.”
Coun. Deborah Hutchings agreed that further discussion was warranted. She said as long as the plans didn’t have an adverse effect on the water, she’d like to hear from property owners.
“For us to say we won’t even talk about it again — that’s archaic thinking,” she said. “We’re tying people’s hands. I want to hear what everybody has to say. Democracy matters.”
In a recorded 4-4 tie vote among members, the motion was defeated, with Hoogenboom, and Couns. Linda Carr, Marcia Maxwell and Ron Pollard voting against the motion.
