FOCA Friday #8 by Eleanor Young

Here in TTCB Lakes country we all use Limberlost Road, but for many of us, a trip to the cottage ends on a privately owned, or privately maintained, road. FOCA provides a wealth of information resources (https://foca.on.ca/road-issues/) to folks as they navigate the shared responsibilities that come with shared private road access.

What starts out as a "hand shake agreement" between neighbours may need to evolve into a more formal Road Association over time. Original owners may:

• No longer be able to do maintenance themselves

• Sell to new owners

• Become year-round residents and require road upgrades and maintenance not needed by all users

And any new owners may not be satisfied with the terms of the original agreement. FOCA can help address these and many other issues and concerns, as described in this overview:  https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/FOCA-Roads-Group-Stages-Overview-2022.pdf

A recent FOCA newsletter (https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FOCA_OntarioLakeStewards_WEB_2023.pdf) also addressed potential Road Association liability questions and pointed out that RAs that become FOCA members have access to discounts on insurance that includes a free legal helpline.

Finally, here in the Township of Lake of Bays, if your privately maintained road crosses municipal land or a municipal road allowance, you will need to apply for a License Agreement (https://www.lakeofbays.on.ca/en/municipal-services/resources/Documents/License-Agreement-Update-July-6-2022.pdf) which includes annual fees and a requirement to carry insurance.

Like many things in life, private roads may be more complex than initially meets the eye, but help is available, and compensation comes in the form of time spent at the lake

https://foca.on.ca/road-issues/?fbclid=IwAR1p_klFtvslIVRia_EvHiqYzfAAevuSr7ItP0btQNMLu-ci7l0P7ORHWXI

FOCA Friday #7 by Eleanor Young

Some people will be shocked to learn how little actual legal control property owners may hold over their waterfront in Ontario. Cast your mind back to the late 1800s. Surveyors laying out townships across Ontario left a 20-metre (66-foot) shore road allowance (SRA) around the edge of most lakes. You know, just in case that spot, in the middle of nowhere, might someday become a major commercial hub for shipping, logging or who-knows-what. Today, the SRAs are either owned by the municipality or are Crown land controlled by the Province, or some combination of the two.

And essentially that means that, if you haven't explicitly purchased the SRA land, you have access to the water's edge near your property, but technically, so does the general public. It also means your near shore improvements - docks, boathouses and the like, and perhaps even all or part of your cottage (!) - may be built on land that you do not actually own.

FOCA recently helped ensure small docks and boathouses do not require provincial permits under the Public Lands Act (foca.on.ca/docks-boathouses/), and continue to advocate on behalf of cottagers for reasonable provincial permitting and regulatory requirements.

Beyond that, here in the Township of Lake of Bays, most SRAs are owned by the Township, and there are two approaches to clarifying the situation: purchase the land, or apply for an Encroachment Agreement (https://www.lakeofbays.on.ca/.../sale-of-municipal-land.aspx). According to TTCB neighbours who have undertaken the purchase option, you can expect the process to involve 10s of thousands of dollars and years of back-and-forth with surveyors, lawyers, Township staff, and in some cases other levels of government. But the upside is you can ensure greater certainty around longterm access and control of your waterfront, and increase the resale value of your property.

https://foca.on.ca/docks-boathouses/?fbclid=IwAR25I3kqbNGdYHXYh_Q7uXNkk_P3NKCvDyrIL8uAXKFA2ZtgJTnG0qWY1wA

FOCA Friday #6 by Eleanor Young

This weekend marks the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower

( https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html , aka lots of shooting stars  ). Weather cooperating, we love being able to view it up here at the cottage where the night sky is so spectacular.  If you also love the dark night skies and brilliant stars of cottage country, you may want to consider the following information shared on the FOCA website:

How much light is too much light in cottage country at night? What are the impacts? Learn more and share the news: https://foca.on.ca/light-pollution/

(Attached picture included in original FB post.)

(PS - you may also want to watch the moonrise on Aug 30th when we'll be treated to a Blue Super Moon, which happens only about once a decade. A Blue Moon happens when we have a second full moon in the same calendar month, and a Super moon may appear extra large in the sky, especially near the horizon, and occurs when the moon makes its closest approach to Earth.)

https://foca.on.ca/light-pollution/?fbclid=IwAR39UqMj2CiKO6bXCXeMBK16QL1-PBXwToZqLVVD5yFVuBgVbbnGxaUXtQ4

FOCA Friday # 5 by Eleanor Young

As we all know,  S%#! happens and one of the most important ways we can protect our lake water quality and environment is by using properly functioning septic systems. FOCA offers a wealth of information on keeping yours in top running order (https://foca.on.ca/septic-systems/), including the excellent video below.

In our own Township of Lake of Bays, septic systems are regulated by the building by-law 2021-125 and any changes require permits and inspections (https://www.lakeofbays.on.ca/en/invest-and-build/building-and-renovating.aspx). As of January 3, 2023, all permit applications must be made online through the Cloudpermit E-Permitting system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VeTGVnkYA4&authuser=0

FOCA Friday # 4 by Eleanor Young

Well if boat traffic on Tasso last weekend is any indication, I'd say we're into peak cottage season!

Through our membership in FOCA, we are part of the Canadian Safe Boating Council. Their website (www.csbc.ca) is chock-a-block with great information to help us all look out for one another on and in the water.

5 Key steps to safer boating:

1. Wear a lifejacket

2. Boat sober

3. Take a boating course

4. Be prepared - you and your vessel

5. Be cold water safe

To these 5 key steps , I’d add: Please remember to watch out for all lake users, and swimmers, please have a boat escort if you venture out beyond the shoreline

Foca Friday #3 by Eleanor Young (Tasso Lake)

FOCA Fridays No. 3
Well this past week brought us some intense rainfall events that sent our lake levels up to those seen only occasionally during spring runoff and never usually during the height of summer.
As noted in other posts in this group, MNR Water Management is aware of the concerns and the Tasso Lake dam will be (has been?) adjusted as needed.
All this got me to thinking about preparing for climate change. As impacts begin to take hold, more of our rain will arrive in the form of more intense storm events, increasing the risk of flooding and elevated lake levels. Since MNR has to manage water levels throughout the watershed, it may not always be possible to release water from the dam because this may cause more severe flooding downstream. (In this sense we on the TTCB Lakes are fortunate to be relatively far upstream in the watershed and don't have a large area draining into our lakes.)
So waterfront property owners may want to think about getting ready for what's ahead. Once again, FOCA has valuable information available to members. They produced a report in 2016 (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/FOCA_ClimateChange_ManagingYourShoreline_FINAL_2016.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjqtZLVhZuAAxXrhIkEHdAIAW0QFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3U1psPqNDBH9hQEZthzjvs) that includes the following Top 5 Actions that shoreline owners can take:
1. Keep your shoreline natural and enhance it if possible
2. Keep aquatic plant populations intact
3. Maintain and improve your waterfront property’s health and biodiversity
4. Manage pests and disease
5. Stay informed

Foca Friday #2 by Eleanor Young - Tasso Lake

FOCA Fridays No. 2

Short Term Rentals (STR)

So I'll bet this is a loaded topic!

On the one hand, those of us fortunate enough to own or to benefit from cottage time through the generosity of family and friends shouldn't forget that there are many whose only chance for a cottage vacation is through renting. And some owners can only continue to pay their expenses through the revenue that renting generates.

On the other, we've all heard stories of noise, damages, overcrowding, garbage, traffic, etc when guests don't mind their manners.

The advent of online services such as Airbnb has brought new attention to this issue and many municipalities are grappling with it. FOCA's report on STRs came out in November 2022 (foca.on.ca/rental/) and they continue to follow developments closely across Ontario.

Our own Township of Lake of Bays developed an STR licencing program in 2021 (http://lakeofbays.on.ca/.../munic.../short-term-rentals.aspx) and all licensed STRs are listed on the website.

If you have concerns about an STR, such as unauthorized use, noise, violations of occupancy limits or other related issues, you can file a complaint through the Host Compliance Tips portal at the link above, or by calling the Host Compliance Complaint Hotline: (705)996-5123.

Foca Friday #1 - By Eleanor Young (Tasso Lake)

Welcome to what I'm calling "FOCA Fridays".

In an effort to (hopefully!) help out our TTCB Lakes Association members, every Friday from at least Canada Day to Labour Day, I'll share a link to the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association (FOCA) website. The link will be about a topic that our membership has shown interest in (or that at least has come up in passing!).

Since there's nothing much new under the sun, really, our membership in FOCA means we benefit from excellent, relevant information resources (and also support their development and distribution).

Based on our current membership, about $6 of your $35 annual TTCB membership fee goes toward FOCA fees. These posts may help everyone decide whether we're getting our money's worth.

So ... if you're still reading, first up:

Be #WakeAware

In addition to this short video, there's lots more info on boating issues on the FOCA website (foca.on.ca).