My lake association is considering putting a lake plan in place. Is that a good idea?—Maggie Muncy, via email
Sure it is! Since every lake is a little different, every plan is a little different. But, in general, it’s a document that identifies the possible issues that are affecting or could affect a lake and the environment around it, sets some goals to deal with those issues, and details the steps necessary to meet those goals. The point is to keep the lake and its surroundings in good shape for the future. That’s a win for any cottager.
A lot of lake plans address the health of the lake itself: has blue-green algae become a problem? Are there concerns about recent development impacting water quality? Did the population of zebra mussels or another invasive species recently explode?
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There are multiple steps in the process of implementing a plan, but one obvious early step is asking for feedback from cottagers on the lake, says Mark Scarrow, the president of the Leonard Lake Stakeholders Association, which approved its first plan in 2008. “Sending out a survey, and explaining that it could inform lake planning, is essential in finding out what people really think,” says Scarrow. Because, let’s face it: surveys are boring and people don’t like to fill them out. But if they understand that it could impact them—by, say, putting restrictions on how large they can make their dock or what they can do to their shoreline—they’re much more likely to respond. It’s important for a cottager association to engage with everyone on the lake, not just association members, says Scarrow. This will probably involve lots of meetings, lots of discussions, lots of votes—not to mention, lots of work on the part of association board members and other volunteers.
“Developing a lake plan is good, but it’s not for the faint of heart,” admits Scarrow. It can also be an ongoing process that takes years; some cottager groups produce several iterations of a lake plan, with the ultimate goal of having it embedded in their township’s official land use plan. That’s what the Leonard Lake folks did. “We decided we wanted to give the plan more teeth,” says Scarrow.
Is your shoreline healthy? Read the signs
This probably won’t come as a surprise, but the more teeth you attempt to give a lake plan, the more contentious it could become. Every cottager wants clean water, beautiful trees, healthy loons. They just don’t always want it if they feel it means an unwarranted sacrifice on their part. Still, everyone’s perspective has value; that’s why communication is the foundation of any lake planning process.
Clearly, implementing a plan is complex. But cottager groups don’t have to go into the process blind. Cottage-country municipalities can offer guidance. Some—Muskoka, for example—even offer a template for lake plans. And the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations produces a Lake Planning Handbook—a digital copy is free to FOCA members.
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