MAP OF proposed residential developments on resort COMMERCIAL properties IN MUSKOKA

Developers are trying to push through Applications and changes to the District Official Plan that will allow for high-density, multi-storey and freestanding residential waterfront subdivisions on commercial zoned properties, by claiming that these homes are “resorts”.

There are over 100 waterfront commercial properties in the District of Muskoka that could become residential subdivisions.

Friends of Muskoka is currently opposing 5 waterfront residential developments on our lakes – including up to 3,600 units at the Resort Village of Minett

Friends of Muskoka encourages development that brings full-time jobs and sustained economic benefit to Muskoka. We are against high-density, residential waterfront development that only benefits the developers, will not create long term local employment and threatens to destroy Muskoka’s greatest asset — its lakes.

Muskoka

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Legacy Cottages

At the old Lakeside Lodge property on 470 ft of Lake Rosseau, the Rosseau Group plan to build 43 cottages. See a video of their progress taken November 2017 here.

Villas of Muskoka

The Villas property is zoned “waterfront resort-commercial”, which means the units are required to be available to the travelling public and cannot be used as a residential or cottage property by the owners of the units. The Villas want to allow owners of these commercially zoned properties to be able to use them as their own personal residences or cottages.

If the Villas were allowed, this is a massive de facto increase in the number of cottages on the Muskoka Lakes without the residential restrictions, such as 200’ of frontage per cottage, to protect the lakes. If allowed at the Villas, the precedent will allow housing projects at any of the 100 ‘resort commercial’ properties around the Muskoka Lakes.

Touchstone / Mist

Property is zoned and building permits issued as resort commercial. Now built, developers have applied to change to condominium / residential which if allowed translates to massive increase in cottage density without normal residential restrictions. Currently appealed to the OMB.

Marriott Red Leaves

The Marriott Red Leaves has applied to build 40 more cottages in this little bay on Lake Rosseau in Minett, Muskoka. The Marriott is zoned resort commercial, but they are hoping to sell these properties as residential units. There's a rush to get this done now before the public catches on and before the District and Muskoka Official Plans formally put an end to this unsustainable and unlawful development in Muskoka.

Clevelands House / Minett Village

The Village of Minett initially plans on building 1400 new units, but that number could be as high as 3300!

This little bay on Lake Rosseau is turning out to be one of the major battlegrounds to Save Muskoka. Lakeside Lodge (Legacy Cottages), Clevelands House (Minett Village) and Marriott Red Leaves are planning to build thousands of residential properties on land zoned resort commercial.

Gull Lake Residential

30 new residential units on the lake proposed.

Windermere

40 new residential units just North of Windermere

Little Long Lake

The potential to double number of cottages due to applied change in zoning. 

Leonard Lake

There is an application six waterfront lots on the North Shore (through severance) where one lot currently exists, and exempt property owners from a by-law prohibiting lot creation. The application also demands an Official Plan Amendment prior to lot creation because Leonard Lake is defined as an "over-threshold waterbody" according to the District of Muskoka Lake System Health Program.

Hearings are scheduled for September 12th and September 14th. Participation by Leonard Lake Stakeholders through letters of opposition to TML (sent prior to September 6th), and where possible attendance at the hearings, would demonstrate both a common voice saying "no" to new lot creation on a lake that is already deemed "over-threshold" and "at capacity", and a clear commitment to the long term health of our lake.

 

For more information, contact [email protected]  or visit http://leonardlakes.net