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IN THE NEWS
Taken From The Free Press
Tiny Township council’s tough challenge
FoTTSA expresses visitor
concerns to township
By Sharon Weatherall
Free Press Special
Parking, beach access and land use have flared up once more in Tiny Township, causing frustration on all sides of the fence – township, public and beach associations.
“Trying to find some common ground in Tiny is an unbelievable challenge” said Tiny Township Mayor Bob Klug after listening to a deputation by Judith Grant on behalf of The Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Owners Association (FoTTSA)
In a 10-page package, the federation asked Tiny councilors to consider some suggestions at last week’s committee of the whole meeting regarding concerns about parking controls, signs, garbage pick-up and amenities.
“If we are not going to follow the Official Plan, then we should change it. It’s very frustrating to know there is an Official Plan that is now being used” said Grant.
Grant said FoTTSA members had met several times to come up with suggestions for council and after reading the document suggested council might want to take time to review and discuss it at a second meeting.
“Long consultation went into this and a lot of input” she said. “Beach associations had consultation meetings and drafts were presented”
“I am here for answers.”
Grant opened her deputation by sharing frustrations felt towards visitors on the beach.
“At present visitors to many shore parks and road allowances have no idea what point they leave township property. They blithely take over privately owned picnic benches and cabanas and beach chairs.
They leave garbage behind for Tiny shore residents to clean up. They change on the beach and urinate in the bushes or the lake,” said Grant.
“If something important happened, the property owner, not the township, would be vulnerable to a (law) suit. Even on municipal property, our bylaw officers have trouble making charges stick because rules are not spelled out,” Grant added.
Grant outlined three main suggestions which FoTTSA believes may help the situation. Firstly, they suggested signs be placed at each of the large and small parks and road allowances along the shores of Tiny Township. Grant said two signs are needed at each location: 1) a sign to establish the extent of the Township’s park or road allowance by presenting a schematic map-the map outlining beach areas and township areas, but leaving off the names of the beach associations and with township property marked in green; 2) the other sign would indicate what activities are permitted.
Secondly, Grant said there needs to be action taken on park/road allowance boundary definition on the beach itself and went on to give possible examples.
Thirdly, FoTTSA members say parking arrangements should reflect the Official Plan principles.
“We ask that only permit parking be available at all small community parks and road allowances and that open spaces in proximity to such parks and road allowances become “No Parking” areas back to the Nipissing Ridge,” she said.
After hearing the deputation, Klug said the government mediation process was still in limbo.
“We have a parking problem, but I am uptight about moving the parking bar to the left or to the right. I would like to speak to the mediator and see where the process is at. A lot of pieces of the puzzle still have me quite confused,” said Klug.
The matter will be discussed at the next committee of the Whole, said the Mayor.
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