A special council meeting was held to inform and update on the status of the Hydro Bay cottage subdivision. J. Nichols has been in the process of developing land in the western side of Hydro Bay and the first public meeting seeking approval for the development was presented at a public meeting held April 19, 2021. The area and developments around Hydro Bay have been controversial since the township incorporated the first division to the east of the tower. Tax increases have been astronomical and further development might just push out existing residents as MPAC seems to hold the opinion that waterfront lots are becoming more desireable and are assessed at higher than normal values. 

J.L. Richards are the planning and engineers for the development and made the presentation to council during this special council meeting. Sixteen waterfront lots have been proposed and an amendment to the initial plan is in place to set the property dwellings back a further 20 meters from the shore and rezone 3 of the plots to open space. A private access road has also been proposed to the amendment. As woodland caribou occupy the area the open space plan would be increased.

There is also a request to rezone the main 16 lots to waterfront residential as opposed to seasonal recreational. There is still a lot of confusion as to what the definition of “seasonal” implies and implications regarding services and taxation.

Currently seasonal residents are taxed at the same rate as seasonal dwellers. One point of discontent is the exclusion of surfers and possibly other users of the lake. The boat launch will be exclusive to the property owners and could result in stranded boaters not being able to access the beach in the event of an emergency. The maintenance and servicing of the road will need to formalized between the township of Terrace Bay and the developer and owners.

Currently the few residents on the east side receive very little in the way of services such as water, garbage pick up or even street lighting. Road maintenance issues are ongoing in the area. Snow removal for example would come at great cost to the municipality as the area is very terraced and access in winter can be difficult.

One benefit of this development of course would be the extra revenue earned from the new tax base. The draft plan will be approved subject to conditions in the report being met by the planning committee at the next council meeting on August 2nd, 2022.