RIDEAU LAKES — Rideau Lakes Township will not extend municipal maintenance on a portion of Poonamalie Road, citing a lack of legal access to a nearby property.
In a report to Committee of the Whole on April 13, Manager of Development Services Tom Fehr said the township is unable to extend maintenance by approximately 150 metres as requested by a property owner, because the intervening land is owned by Parks Canada.
While the township currently maintains about 265 metres of the road beyond its formal boundary as part of a historical arrangement, staff said extending that maintenance would not resolve the underlying issue.
Fehr noted that township staff consulted with Parks Canada regarding the possibility of establishing legal access across the federally owned land. Parks Canada confirmed that an easement would not be granted and that the position would not be reconsidered.
The report states that for a property to be considered a buildable lot, legal access must exist from a publicly maintained road. Without an easement, the property does not meet that requirement.
The property was purchased through a municipal tax sale in 2024 and was sold “as is,” with no guarantees related to access, servicing or development potential.
Extending maintenance would also result in additional costs and potential liability for the township, as it would involve servicing land outside municipal ownership.
Staff are recommending council advise the property owner that the township cannot proceed with the request.
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