A proposed woodland campground on Pinery Road would offer glamping domes, forest surroundings and overnight stays in a converted school bus.
Montague Township will hold a public meeting Sept. 1 on an application from Michael and Robyn Pineault to rezone two hectares of their 64.7-hectare property at 525 Pinery Rd. from Rural to Tourist Commercial.
The change would allow a small campground with four glamping domes and one “skoolie,” or converted school bus, as guest accommodations.
A traffic study submitted with the application says the campground is proposed to operate year-round beginning in 2026, with full occupancy anticipated by 2027.
The proposed operation would use bottled drinking water, incinerating toilets and grey-water pits. The applicants have described a “leave no trace” operation, with accommodations placed in natural clearings to avoid vegetation removal.
Written submissions to the township include support for the project as well as concerns about its compatibility with neighbouring homes and farms.
Pinery Road resident Benoit Comeau described the proposal as a “positive addition” that could attract outdoor tourism while retaining the area’s rural character. Mike Ecklund wrote that it could support small business, generate revenue and increase public interest in Montague Township.
Other residents raised concerns about noise, traffic, fire safety, trespassing, garbage, lighting, environmental effects and possible conflicts between campground guests and established rural activities.
Amanda Fisher questioned what guests would do at the property, noting “this isn’t a lakefront or a ski hill.” She also raised concerns about privacy, wildlife, traffic and the possibility of guests wandering onto neighbouring land.
Byron Budd, whose family operates a farm across the road, asked the township to protect nearby agricultural operations from complaints about livestock, manure spreading, machinery and other normal farming practices.
The proposed campground would abut the property at 571 Pinery Rd., with the closest dome approximately 20 metres from the shared lot line. No perimeter fence is proposed, although staff says the boundary would have to be clearly marked through a site plan agreement.
Parts of the property are identified as having a high wildland-fire hazard. A mitigation plan approved by the township’s fire chief calls for extinguishers in each unit, buckets of sand at outdoor campfires, maintained buffers and an ATV fire and emergency trailer equipped with a 1,000-litre water tote.
Township mapping also identifies significant woodlands and unevaluated wetlands on the property. Staff determined that an environmental impact assessment would provide “negligible value” because the accommodations would be non-permanent and situated in naturally cleared areas.
If the rezoning is approved, the owners would be required to enter into a site plan agreement with the township. Building permits and engineered drawings would be required for the domes, along with permits for the grey-water systems.
Council will not make a decision at the public meeting. Staff will consider the comments received and return to council at a future meeting with a recommendation.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Montague Township municipal office, 6547 Roger Stevens Dr., and will also be livestreamed.
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