Proposed island development pushing some off the deep end

The future of Fairview Island, located in the south-eastern part of Huntsville, which includes a small area of Lake of Bays, is causing a lot of anxiety among surrounding property owners.

Bill and Geordie Konrad, two young brothers and the principals behind a conditional offer to purchase the 20 acre island, listed at just under $4 million, held the last of two public meetings at the Active Living Centre last Saturday, to share their vision for the island.

The two brothers told those present that they’ve been cottaging in northern Ontario from a young age. While in university, they started a technology consulting business with one other partner and have since grown to about 200 employees in various locations including Vancouver, Toronto and New York. The brothers told those gathered that their primary focus would be to turn the island into a family compound, while also offering it up to their own employees from time to time as a bonus or incentive. They also indicated that they would rent it out, on an invitation basis, to corporate clients interested in using the island as a business retreat.

The bothers assured those present that there would be no hotel, no resort, no booking agent – just the ability to rent it out to a small group of people on a corporate basis for things like leadership retreats. “It is not open to the public as a place for the public to book,” added Gordie Konrad.

Fairview Island marked in purple on a District of Muskoka map.

As far as access to the island goes, he said the primary access would be through surrounding commercial marinas. There are a couple of properties on Nithgrove Road, which fall under the planning purview of the Township of Lake of Bays, that come with the sale of the island. “As far as those properties, the only intention is that we would use those exclusively for our families, not for anyone else other than for our families. We’re not going to try to rezone or change those… there will be no change from the way they are currently being used,” he said.

Here is what they’re proposing and what is there now, according to a report compiled by their planner:

In order to proceed with their plan, the proponents will be looking for an Official Plan and zoning amendment, designating the lands as a Special Policy Area and rezoning the lands from Shoreline Residential Four to an Institutional Camp zone, which according to their planner, Marie Poirier, best meets the intent of what the applicants are proposing. But that didn’t sit well with most of the residents in attendance, concerned that rezoning the property could open the flood gates for future commercialization of the island.

“If it’s as low key as you say, why wouldn’t you just drop the zoning change and just put some cottages on the island?” asked one of those present. “This really draws into question what your long-term plans are.”

Gordie Konrad responded that while they are not planners and they’d rather not have to go through a lengthy rezoning application, he said the challenge with the residential zone is that they would not be able to have the number of buildings that they’re proposing. “So scale it back. I mean that’s not a small family compound,” said the resident, while another added: “You could do all the heavy lifting, be there for three years and say, ‘hey look because we rezoned it we could sell it to someone who wants a new Bigwin.’ We’re in it for the long haul.”

Poirier intervened by telling those present that any changes to the proposed site plan would solicit a public meeting and further planning approvals. “The zoning that will be attached to this island is extremely specific; it’s one use and one use only and any change in that use would require another public process,” she said, adding that it was once used as an institutional camp known as Campus in the Woods, attended by hundreds of people.

“It was a religious retreat with a volunteer staff,” said one of those present. “Yeah, not with multiple giant docks, they were very low-key; they were going to get back to nature. They weren’t getting huge buildings and developments…,” shot back another.

Both the proponents and their planner reiterated that the OP amendment would have to concur with the site plan being proposed and noted that there is an existing managed forest plan on the island that they intend to continue under.

Tracy Campbell, a full time resident on Lake of Bays, spoke to Doppler after the meeting and said she is still concerned about what’s being proposed for the island. “I’ve been on the lake 40 years and I have never even seen a light on the island and they say there’s going to be no change to the view, no change to the natural environment.” She said she does not want to see the zoning changed. She is concerned about added noise and light pollution and more boat traffic. “We get so much boat traffic right now because we’re on a point, that we won’t even swim off the front of our dock. We swim off the side of our dock because boats whip by so often.” She said she is also concerned about people coming up on weekends who do not have an attachment to the lake.

In terms of those who would argue that if the zoning were to remain residential and developer could still go in and sever the island into seven or eight lots with development rights on each, she said the attachment would be different. “My concern is just having a lot of people on weekends that don’t care about the lake. Whereas if they subdivide it, there’d be eight families and I think they’d be very committed to the natural environment and to the local cottagers and making relationships. These 40, 50 people they’re having on weekends are not going to be making relationships, they’re not going to be part of LOBA (Lake of Bays Association).”

Lake of Bays Deputy Mayor Nancy Tapley said issues related to access will fall under the planning purview of the Township, while the planning approvals for the island will fall under the jurisdiction of the Town of Huntsville. She said the plans have not made their way to their respective municipalities yet, but both will need to work together.

“There are development rights. The people are saying they don’t want the island developed. The short and nasty answer to that is if you don’t want to see a piece of property developed, you get together, you buy it and you put it into conservation,” she said. “What they’re proposing here is eight buildings but they are proposing it as a communal corporate retreat and everyone then jumps up and down because they’re worried that in the future, you’re going to see some huge commercial development on there, but you are very limited by septic (capacity),” she added. “You’re not on sewers, you’re not on water – it’s the reason that Grandview and Deerhurst can develop because they are on sewers, but if you’re not, then there’s a huge restriction right there.”

In terms of rezoning the island, Tapley said the proponents have openly indicated that they’re planning to rent the buildings on the island, which means you can’t legally do that while calling yourself a residential property. She also noted that there is much more restriction on commercial zonings. “You can lock down a lot more on what can be done in commercial. I know people are concerned, they’re always concerned, but they’re talking about things that are beyond anyone’s control. They’re saying ‘we don’t want to see big boats, we don’t want to see people water skiing there because we’re used to it being quiet.’ Well, if it was sold to seven individual units, you don’t know what they’re going to want to do with boats. So there are things that as a private cottage you’d have less control over.”

The applications were scheduled to be brought to a public meeting at Huntsville’s Planning Committee on June 14, but the applicant has since asked that they be deferred. You can find a site plan diagram of what’s being proposed here and the Town’s notice of application here.

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