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Site Alteration and Tree Preservation By-laws

Upcoming August Open Houses: In-person and Online options

Would You Like to Submit Feedback?

Read the Revised Draft By-laws:
Helpful Updated Infographics:


August 2024 Open Houses

The draft Site Alteration & Tree Preservation By-laws have been revised to reflect public feedback gathered through engagement activities held over the course of Winter 2024. Following Council’s direction to proceed with an additional round of public engagement on the revised draft by-laws, the Township will be hosting a virtual Open House and an in-person Open House. The sessions will provide the public with an update as to how their feedback has been incorporated into the revised draft by-laws and will give participants an opportunity to ask questions and provide their input.

The session will commence with a formal presentation outlining the project’s current progress and an overview of the draft by-laws, followed by a question and answer period. Township staff and members of the project team will be in attendance to answer questions and discuss the draft by-laws. Participants are invited to attend either the in-person or online format, and are advised that the same information will be presented at both sessions.

Date and location details are below:

In-Person:

Online:

August 13, 2024 | 2:00-4:00pm

Pointe au Baril Community Centre
70 South Shore Road, The Archipelago, ON
 

August 22, 2024 | 6:00-8:00pm

via Zoom Meeting Platform
Meeting Invite to follow registration 

To receive the Zoom link for the Online Open House, please register at the link below:

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Register for Online Open House

Read the revised draft by-laws at the links below:


Background

Need for a Site Alteration By-law and Tree Preservation By-law

The Township of The Archipelago is situated in the middle of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve, designated as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO. It is comprised of many islands in Georgian Bay and a number of inland, freshwater lakes, all of which are used for recreational purposes. The impetus for creating the Township originated from a strong desire by its inhabitants and the Province to preserve the natural environmental and recreational land use in the area. 

The shoreline of the Georgian Bay in the Township, the numerous islands, and inland lakes provide a highly desirable recreational waterfront community. A significant contribution to the high level of appeal of the shoreline, island areas, and inland lakes of the Township is generated by the Crown land base that, for the most part, remains in its natural state.

The Township’s existing regulatory framework contains a comprehensive set of policies regarding landscape and waterscape alteration. These policies encourage the conservation of the overall natural landscape and waterscape to preserve the natural appearance, character, and aesthetics of the Township. They also encourage development to conform to the natural environment as opposed to the natural environment being altered to accommodate development, as reflected in the Township’s Strategic Plan (2022-2026). 


Protect & Preserve

Sustainable & Cost-Effective Services

Effective Relationships & Partnerships

Leadership & Communications


In early 2021, Council directed staff to proceed with the development of a draft Site Alteration By-law, and to provide further information with respect to the costs of the administration and enforcement of the by-law. This direction was given, in part, due to recent development within the Township which proceeded without the benefit of full federal, provincial, and municipal approval. On this basis, the Township would like to enact a Site Alteration By-law and a Tree Preservation By-law to provide itself with additional regulatory tools to realize Council’s strategic priorities for the Township. 

If adopted, the Site Alteration By-law and Tree-Preservation By-law will provide an additional layer of protection for the natural environment, over and above the minimum requirements for development as per the Township’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law, and an additional tool for the Township to ensure that development occurs in a way that is sensitive to and respectful of environmental features that make the Archipelago a great place to live, work, and play. 

See below for links to previous presentations made to Township Council over the span of this project:

Public Engagement & Report

January 2024 Open Houses

As an integral part of this process, the Township and its consultants hosted a virtual Open House and an in-person Open House in January 2024 to update the public as to the process and to give participants an opportunity to provide input on the draft Site Alteration and draft Tree Preservation By-laws. 

A recording of the January 30, 2024 virtual Open House is available below. 

Another virtual and in-person open house will be scheduled Summer 2024 for public feedback on the May 2024 revised versions of the by-laws.

Public Feedback Report

Following a public engagement phase including a survey and open houses between December 2023 and February 2024, J.L. Richards prepared a report containing a summary of the public feedback received and recommended next steps, which was presented to Council on March 22, 2024. A copy of the report and slideshow that were presented are available below for the public to review:

Resources

Contact

If you have any questions or comments about this project, please contact:

Cale Henderson
Manager of Development and Environmental Services
Township of The Archipelago
chenderson@thearchipelago.ca
(705) 746-4243 ext. 305

or

Rebecca Elphick
Consultant Planner
J.L. Richards & Associates
relphick@jlrichards.ca
(343) 803-4095