Selwyn Council has passed a motion that would see the expansion of Love Sick Lake Trailer Park in Smith Ward.
During the Nov. 12 council meeting, Selwyn council voted to approve the amendment of the current zoning and endorse an official plan amended at the county level to allow for 40 additional sites at Love Sick Lake Trailer Park.
According to a report submitted to council, the trailer park property is currently developed with 39 seasonal recreational trailer sites and three seasonal cabins along the shoreline of Lovesick Lake. The proposed 40 new sites would be located south of the existing developed sites on vacant lands located on top of the escarpment running through the subject lands. The lakeshore constraint overlay applicable to the subject lands would remain inplace.
A public meeting was held on June 17, 2024 to get public comments on this expansion.
Many of the comments made during that public meeting were focused around lake capacity and water quality, first nation consultation, animal and ecological impacts, and road access issues.
Staff responded to each of these concerns at the public meeting. In summary, the township has contacted their partners to gauge interest in conducting a Lake Capacity Study, the conservation authority is in support of this application, the applicant and township have both been advised by legal counsel they have met with the proper representatives for First Nation input, and access to the park will be through HWY 28.
During the council meeting on Nov. 12, Diana Keay, planner on behalf of Love Sick Lake Trailer Park, gave an update on the project for council.
The first item Keay mentioned was road access. She said that originally, the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) was requiring an additional access point to these new sites through Forest Hill Road. However, after the public meeting, they went back to the MTO and it was agreed that they would use the existing access point off of HWY 28 to access the new sites.
She said that not only did the MTO give clearance for this but so did the Selwyn Fire Department. However, they will be doing more to look into this in a more formal manner in the future.
Keay also said that in terms of the Kawartha Nishnawbe consultation, their legal team has advised that they are members of Curve Lake First Nations. The legal advice they got was that Curve Lake First Nation is the rights bearing community empowered to assert Aboriginal rights and title, so they are the ones to contact and comment on this matter.
Planner Per Lundberg told council that he was recommending the rezoning of the trailer park for this expansion and that council endorse the Official Plan amendment at the County level.
Lundberg said that in terms of agency comments, Otonabee Conservation Authority (ORCA) is in support of the development with some further detailed design issues that will be addressed at the site plan control stage of this project.
Hiawatha First Nation is in support of the development, as commenting was open to all Treaty 20 Frist Nations.
And the MTO and Selwyn Fire Department were also in support with further details at the site plan control stage.
Deputy Mayor Ron Black asked staff who would be responsible for the permits needed for this expansion.
Lundberg explained that it would be the township building department inspectors looking after the building permits for the site while ORCA would have their own permitting system they use.
Building and Planning Manager Robert Kelly also said, “Park Model Trailers are specifically regulated by the Ontario building code. So a building permit would be required for the installation of a new unit onto a site. So every unit that is moved on to any trailer park site, if it’s a part model trailer, will require a building permit. The foundation is included in part of that package.”
Black also asked how the construction workers and equipment for this new site will access the area.
Lundberg said it would be through HWY 28 and internal park roads system.
Mayor Sherry Senis asked staff if they had received any response from their partners about the Lake Capacity Study.
CAO Janice Lavalley said that they have not received any comments back. She said that Trent Lakes made a resolution but that Selwyn has not received any written formal response.
The recommendation was moved by Smith Ward Coun. Brian Henry, seconded by Black and was carried.
