Thunder Lake area residents will have a chance to voice their opinion on what they would like to see for the future of the County of Barrhead’s municipal public reserve lands surrounding the lake.
Councillors unanimously set a public meeting for Aug. 29 at the Lightning Bay Community Centre to consult with residents on the purpose and use of the county’s Thunder Lake municipal public reserve land as well as potential changes in the bylaw that governs it.
Municipal public reserve land is a 30-metre strip of land surrounding the lake which purpose is to provide a buffer between residential property and sensitive ecological areas.
Council first discussed the need to address potential problems on its Thunder Lake municipal public reserve land in the spring of 2018 noting the county in recent years has received an increasing number of complaints from area residents about property owners who have used the public land as an extension of their property.
This year, on May 28, county staff, armed with a peace officer, took the extra step to tour its municipal reserve land and documented more than 400 violations of its Public Reserves Bylaw (50-85).
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said the public consultation process would also help them form an overall management plan for the lake.
“We’ve taken a baby step on Lac La Nonne,” she said, referring to a study conducted by Nature Alberta (Federation of Alberta Naturalist).
The purpose of the Love your Lake study was to determine the health of Lac La Nonne and work with adjacent property owners on steps they can to protect the lake.
“Getting their [public] thoughts can help council when it reviews its Public Reserves Bylaw or drafting a Community Standards Bylaw and ultimately when we draft our lake management plans,” Oyarzun said.
She then initiated a discussion on how the public meeting should be structured, more specifically asking councillors what role, if any, they wanted to take.
Oyarzun noted several staff members, such as the development officer, communications director, community peace officer, as well as herself, will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.
She also suggested that councillors should be free to attend, but should not take an active role in the meeting, observing only.
Oyarzun added administration also took additional steps to identify the main stakeholders, seasonal and non-seasonal residents, to ensure they have a chance to voice their opinions on the future of the municipal public reserve lands.
For those unable to attend the meeting, Oyarzun said they could drop-off their written comments at the municipal office or send them electronically.
“We also identified local realtors as another stakeholder because they can become a bit of an advocate for us and help us get information out there such as the differences between Thunder Lake and Lac La Nonne properties when they come up for sale,” she said.
Coun. Walter Preugschas noted as the municipal public reserve lands amounted the public-at-large should also be consulted.
Oyarzun agreed, saying the Aug. 29 meeting would be just one step in the public consultation process.
Another purpose of the meeting is to help clear up some of the confusion regarding who has authority over municipal public reserve lands.
Oyarzun said the confusion stems from the fact that the provincial and federal governments also have jurisdiction over waterways in certain situations.
“Our other goal is public relations, building relationships, to support that positive culture of growth and development. We are all in this together,” she said.
Coun. Darrell Troock asked if the topic of grandfathering will be part of the discussion, noting residents often have a different understanding of the term and when it applies.
Oyarzun agreed it was an issue and staff will bring it up at the meeting.
Discussion on whether or not councillors should attend followed.
Reeve Doug Drozd suggested councillor’s involvement should be almost non-existent, as the meeting was about getting the public’s opinion, noting he didn’t plan to attend.
