Pontiac council report - new planning bylaws postponed
Mo Laidlaw
Pontiac

Over 60 people were present to see Roger Larose pass his first test as Mayor of the municipality of Pontiac, on November 19 at the Luskville community centre, when the new council held its first public meeting since the election of November 3.

The planning bylaws
After the mayor and councillors took the oath of office, and the first question period, the minutes of the October 1 meeting were approved. Newspaper reports had suggested that Mayor Larose would not adopt these minutes as a way of postponing the adoption of the new planning bylaws on Town planning, Zoning, Subdivision, Building, Permits and certificates, PIIA (architectural integration), CCU (advisory committee), and Minor exemptions. Instead a motion to end the adoption and coming into force of these bylaws was passed by 4:2 votes, “to allow time to reflect on land use planning.” Councillor Amyotte questioned what would happen to residents who were illegal before the new bylaws: “Will they be illegal tomorrow?” (Yes.) On the other hand, the freeze that came into effect between the new bylaws being passed and coming into effect would be ended, so it will be possible to issue building permits.

Another resolution was to modify Pontiac’s input to the MRC des Collines’s master plan (Schéma d’aménagement), to a second version written by the planning department on November 15, replacing the first version adopted on October 1. Two items were removed from the first version: that farming on a residential lot is not allowed, (to allow hobby farms in the agricultural zone); and allowing an incinerator for disposal of dead animals.

Amendments to bylaws
Councillor Denis Dubé gave notice that he will present an amendment to the bylaw to allow regular council meetings to start half an hour earlier, at 7:30 pm. Mayor Larose indicated his agreement, saying that “meetings last too long.” Dubé also gave notice of a draft bylaw to modify the zoning bylaw to include new standards applicable to the protection of riverbanks, shores and floodplains.
Councillor Jean Amyotte gave notice that he will present an amendment to the town planning bylaw to include the definition of “natural high water mark.”
Councillor Tom Howard and Councillor Brian Middlemiss gave notice that they will present modifications to the zoning bylaw to include new standards applicable to landslide zones.
These modifications will bring the planning bylaws into agreement with provincial laws.

Municipal buildings
The fire hall in Quyon will now be called Édifice Léo Ladouceur” after the long-time fire chief.
The community centre in Luskville will now be called “Édifice Marcel Lavigne” after the recently deceased Marcel Lavigne. Mr Lavigne was mayor of Pontiac from 1979-1990 and from 1994-1998.

Money matters
The following were approved:
Invoices for October amounting to $132,561; fixed expenses for September and October of $716,020, incurred expenses for November of $17,232.
A borrowing bylaw for $692,100 for paving municipal roads.
A maximum of $3000 from the special projects budget for 2014 to change a culvert on a road in l’Ancienne Ferme Laverdure.

Archived reports are at: http://www.heritagepontiac.ca/Municipality 
The Action Pontiac blog at http://actionpontiac.blogspot.com has information about local events.