NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
CONCERNING AN AMENDMENT TO THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA OFFICIAL PLAN
District of Muskoka Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 57 Lake System Health Update
TAKE NOTICE THAT: The District of Muskoka Community and Planning Services Committee will hold a Public Meeting on:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
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This meeting will be held ELECTRONICALLY in accordance with the Municipal Act and the District of Muskoka Procedural By-law, which allow meetings to be held virtually.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO CONSIDER a proposed amendment to the District of Muskoka Official Plan of the Muskoka Area (OPA 57 – Lake System Health Update), pursuant to the provisions of Sections 17 and 22 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.13.
PROVIDING COMMENTS: Feedback on the proposed OPA is strongly encouraged to be made in writing, preferably before the public meeting date, but will be accepted any time prior to a decision being made by The District of Muskoka by emailing Brittany Manley, Planner, at brittany.manley@muskoka.on.ca. Members of the public or agencies wishing to make oral submissions either in support of, or in opposition to, the proposed OPA may do so at the public meeting through Zoom. A link to the Zoom meeting and instructions on how to participate online or via telephone will be made available in the May 18, 2023 Community and Planning Services Agenda. For those wishing to observe the proceedings (and not provide verbal comments), the District’s webcast can be accessed at the following link: https://www.muskoka.on.ca/en/council/agendas-minutes-and-webcasts.aspx
AGENCY COMMENTS: Agencies (i.e. District of Muskoka, Area Municipalities, Utilities, and Ministries) wishing to make a written submission should do so no later than May 20th, 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: All comments and submissions received will become part of the public record.
NOTIFICATION OF DECISIONS AND INFORMATION ABOUT APPEALS
NOTIFICATION OF DECISIONS:
If you wish to be notified of the decision of the District of Muskoka on the proposed District Official Plan Amendment, you must make a written request to the District Clerk:
Amy Back, Clerk
District Municipality of Muskoka
70 Pine Street
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1N3 (705) 645-2100
clerk@muskoka.on.ca
EXPLANATION OF THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED OPA: The proposed OPA would identify five additional lakes as vulnerable in Schedule E2 of the Muskoka Official Plan based on water quality indicators and would ensure that appropriate and proactive protections are applied through policy. These lakes experienced confirmed and documented blue-green algal blooms in 2021 and/or 2022. Waterbodies proposed to be added to vulnerable list include Fawn Lake, Town of Bracebridge/ Town of Huntsville; Mary Lake, Town of Huntsville; Menominee Lake, Township of Lake of Bays/Town of Huntsville; Muldrew Lake, Town of Gravenhurst; and Paint Lake, Township of Lake of Bays. One waterbody (Barron’s Lake in the Township of Georgian Bay) is proposed as being removed from the vulnerable lake list.
Any proposed development on vulnerable waterbodies would be subject to both the applicable standard and enhanced protection policies of the MOP. Vulnerable waterbodies are also eligible for District-led causation studies to determine the relative contributing causes to the lake’s vulnerability.
Full notice including key map is available at: OPA 57 Public Meeting Notice
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