Following the issuance of Stop Work Orders, multiple property owners and their contractors have been charged under the Tree Preservation By-law and Site Alteration By-law. The charges involve three separate properties, two on Sugarloaf Island on Lake Joseph and the other on Brandy Lake. Orders to Remedy that require the submission of a satisfactory re-naturalization plan of disturbed areas were also issued.
The violations include altering the landscape and grade of the property in contravention of the Township Site Alteration By-law, destroying trees in contravention of the Township Tree Preservation By-law, and clearing property.
The property owners and/or contractors will have an opportunity to defend the charges in court. Total charges of all violations could bring fines of up to $320,000.
“For too long property owners across Muskoka Lakes have gone unchecked, often just doingthings that contravene by-laws, asking for forgiveness later. The charges are evidence that those who contravene Township By-laws will face significant fines as well as substantial Orders to Remedy their property, resulting in significant delays in completing their projects.” says Mayor Harding.
“The natural environment of Muskoka Lakes has made it a globally recognized place to visit, live and play,” says Mayor Harding. “Our vision is focused on protecting and enhancing these features – not destroying it for personal benefit.”
One of the levels of increased service approved by Township Council through its 2021 Budget is By-law Enforcement. Additional By-law Enforcement resources now allow for extended hours of enforcement during the summer months.
$320K? That’s it?
$320K is just pocket change to those with multi-million dollar properties.
Try $3.2 million on top of putting the trees back.
No permits until fines are paid and the Orders to Remedy their property completed.
$320K is not pocket change to anyone except Justin
The ignorance of some owners and their builders is incomprehensible. Do it then ask forgiveness is disgusting and the unfortunate part is that penalties are often ” Up To ” and not the max . Pathetic !
I agree. Go Jagmeet!
Totally agree!
Exactly!!! Up to $320,000 is nothing when you are multimillionaires/billionaires
They laugh at fine like this, get fancy lawyers and still will get away with it.
This is so sad, to think you can come in and destroy land like this for personal gain.
Fines need to hurt these people, shut them down, maybe it will help them feel a little less entitled.
Agreed-some people have a huge sense of entitlement. If the pressure was directed towards the related contractors, with loss of business license for deliberate disregard for By-laws, then maybe there would be much less destruction of the environment.
Totally with you on this. There has to be significant deterrent to put a stop to this, and other destructive behavior against our lands.
?
If they are contravening the laws, make them tear down the buildings that were not permitted and restore the land that they destroyed. Fines are useless for people with this kind of money. They go into a project knowing that they just have to add fines into the building cost. Suspend the contractors and tear the stuff down.
Who are they?? And who are the contractors?? WTH?
Maybe the township should be doing something to stop the caterpillars from killing all the trees. It’s outrageous no fines or court dates given to these tree killing caterpillars. There should be heavy fines for the caterpillars who deliberately disregard by-laws. Maybe even the death penalty for those caterpillars guilty of by-law infractions. Save the trees.
Sorry, this story is lacking info. They mention “the township” but not which one.
Muskoka Lakes
Looks like they were starting an open pit mining operation. Something in the ground we don’t know about?
Most of the people that complain are the people that have already had there massive place erected, and complete, and that do not want anyone else close to them. People often forget the trees that were taken down to build there place, as well as the landscape completely changed. Funny how that works. ?♂️
Typical of ones with money that think they can do what they want when they want! Then, when they get caught use big lawyers to get out of the charges. Shut the contractors down on all jobs till they get this fixed so next time they will do the homework first.
When I was a boy (many years ago) we used to stay at the summer home of a business associate of my father’s outside Port Carling. Back then the only development wad the heritage estates on “Millionaires Row”. Yes things have changed, but one thing hasn’t- the need for us to protect and preserve our rapidly declining spaces and the natural environment. The bylaws that the Township of Muskoka Lakes has created are a model for what we all should be doing including our Provincial government. I was a municipal councilor for several years in a small rural municipality in northern Ontario and tried to get a similar bylaw passed. However I was appalled by the ignorance and indifference on the part of some of my fellow Councilors, some who claimed that a home/property owner has the right to do anything they wish with their property. Today the streets of that once beautiful little town are barren, the houses have become tenements and it has become one of the most undesirable places to live. So hats off to the council and citizens of Muskoka Lakes who want to preserve the beauty of the area and its associated amenities.
The way I read it, $320,000 is the total if all 3 projects receive the maximum penalty, which won’t happen. I agree it’s just a cost of getting what they want. No big deal to those with really deep pockets.
Clear cut for a helipad. SMH. You think 300k to a billionaire means much if it get him/her? Not to mention… Check what historically the township has received in fine payments OR total fine values; they are a joke!!!! Cost of doing business to get what they want. The ONLY way to impact them is stop them from getting what they really want. Place a cease building order on the title for 5 years! Fines mean nothing to those that have more money than the township they are building in.
[…] Provincial Offences Court proceedings, a Brandy Lake property owner plead guilty to charges laid under the Township Site Alteration By-law 2008-56 and received a fine as a result. An Order to Remedy had also been previously issued to the subject […]