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Norfolk lakeshore under study
Norfolk County’s lakeshore has been undergoing a study since last November and the first results are in. Last Wednesday about 30 area people attended a meeting in the community centre to hear what the project consultants, Marshall Macklin Monaghan of Thornhill, have been doing.
Their work is officially known as “Lakeshore Special Planning Area Secondary Plan”.
It all began in August 2006 when Norfolk county councillors approved a study of the extensive waterfront of 140 kilometres -- including Long Point. Norfolk’s waterfront is a valuable resource and with development pressures it needed to be carefully managed to protect the natural attributes. Work began in September 2006.
For about an hour on Wednesday, project manager Chris Tyrrell reviewed the research findings, saying a follow-up public meeting will be held in the summer and a third meeting in the fall before their draft plan goes to county council.
He pointed out the study area has many wildlife habitats, natural heritage areas, agricultural lands, beaches, urban areas of Port Dover and Port Rowan, as well as six hamlet areas (Normandale, Forestville, Port Ryerse, Booth’s Harbour, Messiah’s Corners and St. Williams). There are two resort communities, (Turkey Point and Long Point), as well as several waterfront settlements.
The meeting learned that over the next ten years it is assumed that Port Dover will get 900 new dwelling units and Port Rowan an additional 210 but it will be Norfolk County Council’s responsibility to service them. In reply to a question from Tom Millar of Turkey Point the meeting learned that his area would not likely be getting water and sewer services any time soon. Turkey Point has a year-round population and numerous summertime property owners.
With the use of a waterfront map, the project planners showed the “lookout points” from where people could gaze over spectacular natural waterfront beauty areas. Some are points perpendicular to the shoreline, others from higher elevations. The Port Dover area seemed lacking in this regard which caused Port Dover Board of Trade General Manager Milly Coulthart to question why that was so. The answer was those doing the study picked rural areas. That reply did not suit the Board of Trade’s representative and after further discussion Planner Tyrrell agreed that the Port Dover oversight would be remedied in the second draft copy.
The ‘views and vistas’ map shows only one existing elevated lookout point that being on Front Road between St. Williams and Normandale. The study indicates a possible location for five others (none at Port Dover).
The study lists ten proposed ‘views’ perpendicular to the shoreline.
The Lakeshore Study addressed the small hamlets and so-called ‘waterfront settlements’. Jim Pepper enquired about changes to Avalon Park overlooking the lake west of Port Dover which was established about 70 years ago. He explained there are 24 residences there (primarily summertime) and they did not wish to encourage development. Committee member Councillor Jim Oliver expressed the opinion that area will likely “remain status quo”.
Project Planner Tyrrell explained that most farm land in the waterfront study area had been classed as “prime agricultural land” and those lands were graded from ‘best’ to ‘not quite so good’ farm land (but still prime). This caused one farmer to question the designation -- since his tobacco farm with the top listing cannot grow any other crop.
When the matter of trees was discussed Turkey Point resident Lorraine Reynaert expressed her disappointment that when people purchase a woodlot to build a home on they immediately begin to cut down trees. She thought there should be regulations to save Norfolk’s woodlots. She stated “we need to preserve our woodlots and wetlands.” Committee member Councillor Jim Oliver agreed, reminding the gathering that “there is a tree-cutting bylaw which is intended to prevent that.” He added “saving every woodlot is important.”
For two hours the waterfront of Norfolk County came under close scrutiny. Apart from representatives of Marshall Macklin Monaghan there were members of Norfolk County Community Planning Services Division including Manager James McIntosh and Planner Mary Elder, Councillor John Wells of Port Dover and several other county councillors present.
It was stressed that citizens are encouraged to forward their opinions and suggestions to the Norfolk planning department.
A meeting similar to the Port Dover meeting last Wednesday was held in Port Rowan the following evening.
-- Wednesday, April 11, 2007
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