Following this year’s public consultation and direction from Council, staff brought forward the proposed amendments to the Dock Encroachment Policy at the Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday November 16, 2021. This policy covers all private docks and boathouses on municipal property and allows staff to proactively manage them.

In recent years, the existing regulations regarding dock encroachments on municipal property have lacked details to resolve issues like overcrowding, safe distancing and the structural integrity of docks and boathouses. After hearing from the public, stakeholders and Council, staff have updated the policy to include:

• Proactive enforcement: Due to identified pressures and problems, Hickory Beach, Kenstone Beach, Hazel Street (Thurstonia) and Cedar Glen will be subject to proactive licencing enforcement.
• Increased boathouse fee: To help recoup administrative costs, the annual fee for boathouses will increase from $150 to $400. The $125 per year application fee $125 per year and $150 per year dock fee remain. The licencing fees include associated hydro, water intakes, staircases, retaining walls, decks and multi-story decks.
• Only existing docks eligible for licence: No new docks will be permitted and only existing docks will be eligible for licencing.
• Dock owners must live in the neighbourhood: The owners of a dock or boathouse must live within the identified neighbourhood of Hazel Street and Cedar Glen and elsewhere within 400 metres of the dock.
• Setback from road: Licensees will be encouraged to maintain a three metre setback from the edge of the travelled road.

Council also added a further amendment for Cedar Glen, permitting current dock and boathouse owners to keep their dock as long as they own their property and to put a limit on the number of docks currently in the area.

The amended policy will take effect January 2022 and staff will reach out to residents when the licencing process will begin.