Complete information relating to the Community Plan is available here 

COMMUNITY PLAN / BUILDING PERMIT GUIDELINES

The vision for the Go Home Bay area is of a remote cottage community that respects and preserves the unique features that comprise the wilderness Georgian Bay landscape by ensuring that new development and redevelopment respects the overall goals and objectives for the area. The vision for the Go Home Bay area also foresees very limited new lot creation, modest new cottage development and redevelopment that protect the fundamental features of the area’s unique “sense of place”, protection of the natural environment, and careful management of change and development in the area.

What is it YOU value about Go Home?  The waters of the Bay, the remoteness, the low density of island and mainland cottages, heritage buildings, modern conveniences, enjoying the activities “up here”, the windswept pines and rocks of the Canadian Shield, Club lands and resources, or just plain relaxing with family and friends?

Whatever your preference, we’re sure you’ll agree that this is truly a special place that deserves our stewardship and protection so future generations have the opportunity to experience and love Go Home as we do today.

One of the ways this can best be accomplished is by having appropriate planning and land use policies in place at both the municipal (Township of Georgian Bay) and our community levels.

We work hard with the Township to ensure they understand and appreciate our needs at Go Home.  We’re pleased with the new Draft Official Plan and look forward to participating in the upcoming Zoning By-Law review which should get underway this fall. We are also proud of, and do our best to defend our Community Plan, for without it, we would quickly lose that which we value so much about Go Home.

We’re taking this opportunity to help inform and update you on some of the key things we need to think about when changes are considered to lands and structures here.  Sometimes reminders can be helpful - after all, we come here to relax and recreate, not to spend time going over rules and requirements like those in the planning documents that affect all of us.

So……….here’s a reminder and a request for a few moments of your time to read and reflect on this refresher……….
If repair, renovations or building something new might be in your future plans, please remember – first – you need to be sure you know what the requirements of the Township Official Plan, Zoning By-Law and our Community Plan are.  Can you do what you are contemplating, or will you need a planning approval or an amendment or variance to the rules?  The Township Planning Department can provide assistance and respond to any inquiry from you.

Some people simply forget to check those three planning documents – again – they are the Official Plan of the Township, the Zoning By-Law and our Community Plan – please try not to forget!  (these are on the Township website).  And if you do need to get some form of planning approval or an exemption from the Township remember that we have a Club Land Use Planning Committee, with the following members:  Bob Duncanson, Stoney McCart, Diane and Michael Leuty, Patsy Cross and Michael Williams (Madawaska Club Board Representative and Chair).

Their role is to review applications we receive from the Township, inspect the subject property and talk to the applicant and neighbouring owners if deemed necessary, make recommendations to the Mad Club Board, and, upon Board direction, provide Club comments on each application to the Municipality (Township).  This is just one way we ensure the integrity of our Community Plan is carefully considered.
A second step is to determine if other government agencies or regulatory bodies have any requirements that might affect your project (e.g. MNR when doing work near the water).

Of course, you’ll need to know about any potential building permit requirements next.  Contractors who frequently work in this area and the Township can help with this.  Many people often assume if they build something less than 100 square feet they don’t need a building permit under the Ontario Building Code and just ‘go ahead and build it’.  But wait!!  Can the planning requirements still be met, even if you don’t need a building permit? Docks, fixed and floating MUST be approved if replaced, added to or moved.

Might you need another check like a WETT (wood energy technology transfer) inspection for your wood burning appliance or an electrical inspection for your wiring work?

And have you thought about extending a common courtesy to your neighbours by discussing your plans with them?
These are just some examples – we hope this helps for your project planning – so that things go smoothly with no issues for you or the community.
There are two other things we are doing to help ensure there are no miss-steps with project work here at Go Home.  Your Board is writing to area contractors and builders asking them to be certain when doing work here that all appropriate and applicable required approvals (i.e. planning) and permits (i.e. Ontario Building Code building permits) have been obtained before work commences.  We have spoken to some of the key contractors who frequently work here and they agreed to help in this regard.

We are also confirming our verbal discussions with Township Officials, by writing a letter to them asking that they help with any planned projects by ensuring that both the Planning Department and the Building Department provide clear and consistent advice to any/all property owners in our area who approach them with questions about a project at the cottage.

If everyone understands what is required and we all do our part, up front, before starting any project work, we can all continue to enjoy the Go Home we know and love.

Thank you,
Madawaska Club Board