District Municipality of Muskoka Planning & Economic Development Committee Public Meeting
Camel Lake Delegation Opposition to S2015-3 Camel Lake Subdivision Proposal
Jack Horrocks, Cottage Owner & Presenter Susan Benson, Cottage Owner & Presenter Thursday June 21, 2018 Areas of Concern
• Recreational Carry Capacity and water quality of Camel Lake • Environment Impact from Construction Traffic Crossing the Camel Lake Wetlands and Headwater • Emergency Services Concerns
June 21, 2018 2 Dee River Watershed
June 21, 2018 3 Camel Lake Community
• 40 modest cottages • 90 sq metres on average, 80 sq metres median size • >50% shoreline undeveloped • No public beaches, No public boat launches, No public access points • 37 of 40 via private road • NOT a medium sized publically accessible high development lake
Source: MPAC “My Neighbourhood” mapping data
June 21, 2018 4 Evans Water Frontage
• 14% of undeveloped waterfront • 6 more = 15% increase in dwelling count
14%
Source: MPAC “My Neighbourhood” mapping data
June 21, 2018 5 Water Quality Sustainability - Recreation Carrying Capacity • Waterbody’s surface area available for recreation – water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, boating in general • Towship of Seguin recognizes Recreational Carrying Capacity (RCC) as key criteria for development • Osler Lake - OMB upheld RCC of 1.6 ha per dwelling as a community standard • RCC is community standard not unlike 5% parkland for any new development
June 21, 2018 6 Camel Lake’s Recreation Carrying Capacity • Camel Lake surface area = 57.7 ha • Camel Lake RCC surface area = 36.1 ha (deducting 30m shoreline buffer) • Camel Lake Community = 45 (40 dwellings + 5 buildable lots) • Today’s RCC = 0.80 versus standard of 1.6 (36.1 / 45 = 0.80) • RCC with 6 additional dwellings = 0.71
DANGEROUSLY FAR below the RCC standard Development needs to be frozen NOW, just like it has been for the past +40 years
Base map and GIS data through Open Government License – Ontario
June 21, 2018 8 Camel Lake’s Recreation Carrying Capacity
Camel Lake
Recreational Carrying Capacity Available Surface Area
30m shoreline buffer
Base map and GIS data through Open Government License – Ontario
June 21, 2018 7 Camel Lake’s Recreation Carrying Capacity • Today’s RCC = 0.80 versus standard of 1.6 • RCC with 6 additional dwellings = 0.71
DANGEROUSLY FAR below the RCC standard Development needs to be frozen NOW, just like it has been for the past +40 years REJECT the proposed sub-division to preserve water quality of Camel Lake and lakes downstream Base map and GIS data through Open Government License – Ontario
June 21, 2018 9 Water Quality Test - Potability Current • South end – Coliform 27, E.coli 2 • North end – Coliform 36, E.coli 2
Previously, few years back • Coliform 18, E.coli 0
Water in the lake is not potable Water is deteriorating Base map and GIS data through Open Government License – Ontario
June 21, 2018 11 Proposed Private Road • Services too many lots • Cuts through key wetland and lake’s headwater • Winter salt & sand in wetlands • Construction traffic • Emergency services
June 21, 2018 12 Proposed Private Road
June 21, 2018 6 Proposed Private Road
Wetland Recommendations from Muskoka Watershed Council http://www.muskokawatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/WetlandBrochure2.pdf Environmental Impact During Construction • Trucks will travel through wetland areas • The count is staggering!
June 21, 2018 18 Environmental Impact During Construction 6 waterfront dwellings with septic systems PLUS 1300m private road and driveways EQUALS 17,000 trucks EQUIVALENT TO 18 years of residential traffic
June 21, 2018 19 Environmental Impact During Construction 17,000 trucks EQUIVALENT TO 18 years of residential traffic
• Wetlands cannot handle that shock • Camel Lake water quality will be impacted • Proposal does not address construction traffic across wetlands
June 21, 2018 20 Emergency Services • Township’s Fire Chief written letter of concern regarding proposed roadway – Water Supply – Apparatus support on Roadways – Access to all structures during all 4 seasons
Fire Chief’s letter is in info packet
June 21, 2018 21 Emergency Services Roadway Limitations • Centerline radius too small (less than 12m) • Gradient along the wetland embankment exceeds a 1 in 12.5 falloff • No turn-around area
Fire Department cannot guarantee proper protection if access routes are not properly maintained or cannot support vehicle weight
June 21, 2018 22 The Clear Decision is NO! Three Mile Lake Association Letter • No more phosphorus in the Dee River Watershed • The slightest amount of additional phosphorus could push them over the edge
June 21, 2018 23 Petition: The Camel Lake Community is urging different levels of local government to STOP the proposed subdivision on Camel Lake. Allowing 6 extra dwellings on Camel Lake will tip nature’s delicate balance negatively. Cursory studies on the impact of the land around the lake have been done BUT the impact to the lake’s water quality and the Recreational Carrying Capacity need to be factored into the decision. We are a Community that cares about the health of our lakes and their sustainability. We are a Community that cares what happens in and around Muskoka’s waters. The Camel Lake subdivision must be stopped. This is a century decision. Our Township and District Representatives need to know you want them to vote NO. Camel Lake is a small, 40-cottage, spring fed lake atop the Dee River Watershed, which flows into Three Mile Lake that in turn flows through the Dee River to Clark Pond and into Lake Rosseau.
June 21, 2018 24 The Clear Decision is NO! • Township Committee of the Whole February 15, 2018 – Votes 5-2 to reject sub-division proposal – Roadside lot density and lake water quality were two of the primary concerns
June 21, 2018 25 The Clear Decision is NO! • Traffic across the wetlands – NO! • Emergency Services concerns – NO! • Water Quality deterioration – NO! • Recreational Carrying Capacity of 0.71 – NO! • Township Committee of the Whole – NO!
Please don’t make a 100 year mistake Vote NO to STOP the Camel Lake subdivision proposal
June 21, 2018 26 June 21, 2018 26 Scale of Camel Lake Sub-Division Proposal in terms of Big Three Lakes
Measurement Surface Volume Perimeter Observations Surface Area Scale >> Area (x104) (km) Surface Area for 6 Dwellings ------(ha) Lake 6 dwellings, a 15% increase Camel Lake 57.7 323 6.8 RCC decrease from 0.80 to (CL) 0.71 (standard is 1.6) Lake Muskoka Equivalent to (LM) 12,100 183,000 269 210 CL’s will fit on LM 1,260 dwellings
Lake Rosseau Equivalent to (LR) 6,390 153,000 151 111 CL’s will fit on LR 666 dwellings
Lake Joseph Equivalent to (LJ) 5,460 136,500 140 95 CL’s will fit on LJ 570 dwellings
Base map and GIS data through Open Government License – Ontario
June 21, 2018 10