Property owner asks Rideau Lakes to extend maintenance on Poonamalie Road
RIDEAU LAKES — A request from a Rideau Lakes property owner to extend municipal maintenance on a portion of Poonamalie Road has been referred to staff for further review.
Sulaiman Olomi appeared before Rideau Lakes council during the March 2 meeting, asking the township to extend its assumption of maintenance responsibilities on approximately 150 metres of Poonamalie Road so his property could become accessible and potentially developed.
Olomi told council via video link, that he purchased the lot through a township tax sale in October 2024 and later discovered that access to the property runs through lands owned by Parks Canada.
“As it stands, our property is deemed landlocked and unusable,” Olomi said.
According to Olomi, the property fronts on Poonamalie Road and meets zoning and building requirements, but cannot be developed without either a right-of-way from Parks Canada or an extension of municipal road maintenance to the property.
He said Parks Canada declined his request for a right-of-way due to concerns related to liability and maintenance.
The township currently maintains approximately 265 metres of Poonamalie Road within Parks Canada lands, providing access to two nearby properties. Olomi asked council to extend that maintenance a further 150 metres to reach his lot.
Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said the request would be referred to staff for further review and report back to council.
Several councillors raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the purchase and whether the access issue should have been identified before the sale.
Coun. Linda Carr asked whether the access limitations were known before the property was purchased.
“When you buy a property, wouldn’t you check into this before?” Carr said during the discussion.
Olomi responded that the listing information and tax sale documents indicated the lot had frontage on Poonamalie Road and that he had consulted with township planning staff before finalizing the purchase.
Coun. Jeff Banks also questioned whether a right-of-way from Parks Canada would still be required even if the township extended road maintenance.
Deputy Mayor Sue Dunfield asked whether the advice regarding road maintenance and development potential had been provided in writing. Olomi said it had not.
Coun. Paula Banks noted that properties sold through tax sales are typically purchased under a buyer beware principle, meaning purchasers are expected to conduct their own due diligence.
“When people buy these tax sales, they are to do their own due diligence,” Banks said.
However, P. Banks said she supported exploring ways to make the lot usable and backed sending the matter to the planning committee for further review.
“I don’t mind making every effort to make this a buildable lot,” she said, adding she would like planning staff to examine the description used in tax sale listings and explain why the property is currently considered landlocked.
Council ultimately voted to refer the matter to the planning committee for further investigation.
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