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Resort-event centre proposed near Port Rowan

Condo proposal will appeal to horse lovers

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PORT ROWAN — Norfolk County has received another proposal for a conference-event centre on Front Road along the lakeshore.

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This one comes from Long Point entrepreneur Jeff Bouck for a property at 436 Front Road between Port Rowan and Booth’s Harbour.

At the heart of the 59-acre property in the agricultural zone is a horse-riding facility and stable. The developer intends to elaborate this into a resort featuring 23 tourist cabins, a riding arena, a wedding and conference centre, and a restaurant with a “saloon” theme.

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In a report to Norfolk council, which will be considered Tuesday, senior planner Mohammad Alam says “resorted-oriented residential condominiums, tourist activities, and agri-tourism are historically present in the locality.”

The developer’s proposal to build tourist cabins as a freehold condominium corporation is more problematic. Alam says provincial policy in the agricultural zone doesn’t explicitly allow for this.

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“Staff believe that creating 23 new lots may need a creative approach to be consistent with the provincial policy statements,” Alam said, adding the developer may want to explore the ownership of individual cabins without subdividing the property into separate lots.

Bouck is represented by G. Douglas Vallee Ltd. of Simcoe. In a justification report, Vallee’s director of planning, Eldon Darbyson, says the proposal is consistent with tourism-, recreation-, and leisure- oriented activities established in the surrounding neighbourhood.

“The lands are small in scale, the proposed on-site uses are small in scale, and the development does not have impacts on agricultural land, natural features, the road network, or adjacent land uses,” Darbyson says.

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“The concept is unique in nature, is a desired local and tourism destination located on the lakeshore, and provides for needed overnight and roofed accommodations.”

In its comments, the Long Point Region Conservation Authority says the developer will have to be careful where he situates new construction.

“The subject lands are prone to flooding and erosion from Lake Erie and flooding and erosion from a watercourse draining into Lake Erie,” the authority says. “The lands also contain and are adjacent to provincially-significant wetlands.”

Provided all development is built away from water and erosion hazards, the LPRCA concludes there should be no issues.

In his report, Alam noted that no objections to Bouck’s proposal have been received. This is in contrast to a resort-hotel proposal on a 50-acre parcel at 2780 Front Road south of Vittoria. Council gave this application a first look last October.

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The proposal south of Vittoria was filed by developer Blair McKeil of Shoreline Developments. It prompted a 50-signature petition in opposition due mainly to increased traffic concerns in Port Ryerse and Fisher’s Glen and potential conflicts with surrounding agriculture. Delhi Coun. Mike Columbus and Charlotteville Coun. Chris VanPaassen criticized the proposal on these counts.

In response, McKeil informed the county April 9 that he was shelving the application. Instead, McKeil will focus on a 375-unit condominium proposal for the former Gamble Shipyard at the corner of Lynn Street and Chapman Street East in Port Dover.

McKeil referred that proposal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal after Norfolk County failed to process the application within the time frame set out in the Planning Act. In the same note to the county, McKeil expressed interest in collaborating with county planners on the Port Dover application.

Tuesday’s meeting of Norfolk council’s public hearing committee gets underway at 3 p.m. It is available for viewing at the Norfolk County website.

MSonnenberg@postmedia,com

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