Watershed Stewardship

 

MUNICIPALITY

 

The Municipality of Prince Edward's Official Plan (2004) proposes Shoreland Management Plans to "set development capacities for inland lakes to prevent ecological impairment………..to account for existing and future environmental and social issues". Friends of East Lake supports this – we ask that the County helps us implement its own proposals and puts a halt to commercial or high density development of our inland lakes until it can be seen what our lakes can support. (see HIGHLIGHTS - 2007 water chemistry results )

 

Friends of East Lake has started the Lake & Watershed Stewardship planning process which encompasses Shoreland and Watershed Management Planning.

 

Vision Statement

 

The County's new Comprehensive Zoning BY-Laws - October 23, 2006

Now approved, this revokes and replaces all local Township By-Laws previously in force. Many Prince Edward County rural waterfront properties on Lake Ontario and our Inland Lakes have been indicated as Shore Land on the County's Official Plan and may now be rezoned Tourist Commercial by you or any owner in your area.  Now watch the start of the real estate gold rush for unregulated, unprotected and unplanned waterfront development.  

 

Download PDF   Read The County's Strategic Plan

 

Download PDF   Read The County's New Comprehensive Zoning BY-Laws

 

The County's Official Plan - September 24, 2004  

 

Designates most of the remaining rural residential waterfront properties on East Lake including some active Farm Land as Shore Land. This is also the case for all our Inland Lakes and Lake Ontario. The Inland Lakes are all protected Fisheries.  There is in fact no comment in the PEC Official Plan that says " Tourist Commercial Development is a preferred use for Shore Land"  It is now however a new permitted use requiring a rezoning application. Developers may work for years with the Planning Department without public participation or notification. If you live within 400 feet of the rezoning you will be given three weeks notification. 

 

The PEC Official Plan for the County recognizes rural and residential as permitted Shore Land uses, it also states intentions to protect original Settlement areas, Farm and Hamlet buffer areas and our rural view scape's and charm.  We are concerned with the health and future of East Lake, it is the first settlement area outside of Picton, settled by 34 U.E. Loyalist families prior 1800. Routine testing has never been done and this is probably true for all PEC's  Inland Lakes. Can we drink the water from our shore wells, is it safe to swim in our lakes, can we eat the fish we catch?

 

We are working with Quinte Conservation to develop an East Lake and Watershed report card and are requesting a Shore Land Management Plan be developed. Friends of East lake will publish the results on this web site. We are requesting an environmental impact study on the lake head as promised by the Official Plan before high density tourist commercial development is permitted. Other such inland lake areas may also discover that they are now also legally unprotected. Some Schedule E land use designations require justifications, public review and corrections.

 

Download PDF   Read the County's Official Plan

 

Election 2006 – Candidate Questions from Friends of East Lake 

 

Click here to read the questions and answers posed to candidates in the 2006 Election...