Revised plans for children’s camp development on natural core land approved

By Sharon Harrison
The development of a year-round children’s camp for up to 531 guests proposed on a 32.8-hectare property situated on the north-eastern shore of West Lake (with 700-metres of shoreline frontage) received approval by council members, on the recommendation of planning staff, at Wednesday’s planning and development committee meeting.

A revised re-zoning recommended by planning staff means the proposed re-zoning would now limit the uses on the site to the establishment of private camp only under a new TC-61 zoning, but will not permit a tourist commercial development, and will not be open to the travelling public, as initially proposed.

The 12-1 recorded vote (with councillor Hirsch opposed, and councillor Harrison absent) in favour of the application proceeding came after plenty of discussion and debate around the horseshoe, along with comments from the public, in what proved to be a contentious and also emotional topic, with heartfelt comments from the many who spoke to it.

Under a new two-step process (effective Jan. 1), details of the proposed planning application came before council at a first statutory (overview) meeting Jan. 22, intended as information-gathering only. Wednesday’s statutory public meeting, the second part of the two-step process, came with a report and recommendation by the planning department for council’s decision, where discussion and debate is allowed (something not permitted in the first meeting).

Council previously heard details about the Campfire Circle proposal on Jan. 22, where objections from environmental community groups and members of the public largely centred on concerns about the natural environment and environmental impacts as the site is in a natural core area (NCA). Several local environmental groups said major development should not be allowed in the middle of an NCA. Click below for background story.

Environmental groups say significant wetlands is ‘wrong place’ for children’s camp

Other concerns expressed at that time included the scale of the project, the number of people it will attract, ground water concerns for neighbouring wells in a sensitive aquifer, increased traffic on a small rural road, and the significant parking needed. In his report, Matt Coffey, the County’s planning approvals co-ordinator, notes the concerns raised by the public have been addressed.

Wednesday’s special planning and development statutory committee meeting heard from John McAlister, head of communications for Campfire Circle, along with Miles Weekes, a planner with Fotenn Planning and Design. Half a dozen members of the public, specifically local environmental groups, continued to voice concerns specific to development on ecologically-sensitive lands, the construction of which may destroy the natural heritage of the area.

Located at 565 Wesley Acres Road (about two kilometers southwest of Bloomfield), the proposed overnight camp facility, intended to provide medical services to children with chronic illness, will see 10 camper residences (each with 32 or 46 beds, totalling 376 beds), a volunteer residence (33 beds), a director’s cabin (four beds), plus 23 flex beds.

The facility proposes to accommodate up to 531 individuals at any one time (387 campers, plus 144 staff).

It is to include a medical facility (private hospital) with 18 staff beds and five patient beds, a lodge (to function as a dining hall), maintenance facility, docking and decking facilities with fishing shelters (with shaded roof structures), a helicopter pad, and a large parking lot for 300 vehicles.

It is anticipated the complex will include various recreation amenities, such as an outdoor amphitheatre, swimming pool and splash pad, horse stable and equestrian/indoor sports arena (500 seats), archery range, greenhouse and gardens.

It should be noted the buildings will cover 7.5 per cent of the property.

Of note, the site is located within a natural core area (NCA) per the 2021 official plan (OP), and includes a provincially-significant wetland (PSW) and an area of natural scientific interest (ANSI), with the property designated shoreland.

An application for a zoning bylaw amendment has been filed by Campfire Circle to re-zone the property from rural 2 (RU2) and environmental protection–provincially-significant wetland (EP-W), to a new special tourist commercial (TC-61) on what is described as farmland that has been used for agricultural purposes over many years. While currently vacant, approximately 12 hectares of the 33-hectare site is currently being farmed for crops.

Under the new TC-61 zoning, only a private camp will be permitted to be developed on the site, where Coffey indicated planning did not support the potential establishment of tourist commercial/resort establishment development.

Speaking on behalf of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, Amy Bodman outlined how the site plan shows a substantial amount of development, and two significant woodlands.

“Not mentioned in the EIS (environmental impact study) or on the site plan map is the trenching required through these woodlands for utilities, including hydro and plumbing,” she said. “None of this development is permitted in our OP: policy 3.1.47 states that development shall not be permitted in significant woodlands identified through criteria in the MNRFs (ministry of natural resources and forestry) natural heritage manual.”

She further states the applicant’s EIS confirms that “the MNRFs significant woodland criteria was applied to the two woodlands, and significance was determined for both”, where she asked that the re-zoning request be denied until all of the proposed development is removed from the two significant woodlands.

Cheryl Anderson, representing the South Shore Joint Initiative, outlined how the land came to be designated a Natural Core Area in the 2021 OP.

“The piece of land the Campfire Circle charity paid $4.5 million in 2022 is in an area of natural and scientific interest and it is surrounded by an area of provincially-significant coastal wetlands, and includes two significant woodlands, and is home to at least five species-at-risk,” outlined Anderson. “From a natural heritage point of view, this piece of land is priceless.”

She said, of particular concern is the destruction of habitat that will take place during construction of the development.

Councillor Brad Nieman put focus on the children.

“These are kids coming that are suffering from cancer and they are not going to be running around ripping up the trees,” expressed Nieman. “They are there for that one week to have fun and being with someone dealing with the same thing and they are feeling normal. The idea that they are going to destroy the land, I don’t agree with that and that is the not the right approach to be taking.”

Coffey said, most of the site has had some sort of disturbance. “While there is some forested areas, they are not significant forests. There is opportunity to develop within them, not to eliminate the forest or clear cut, but to create some development within it that works within those areas,” he said. “The camp has been designed to ensure a low-intensity use that is adequate in scale in relation to the surrounding land uses.”

Anderson also mentioned how pharmaceuticals in waste water can harm human health and aquatic eco-systems. “We recommend that the developer be required to install state-of-the-art waste water treatments at the facility. In addition, we recommend that regular sampling and testing for pharmaceuticals of the wetland and West Lake water be required.”

Reading on behalf of Sandra Dowds, Bodman spoke to how Dowds has been involved as a citizen scientist in a marsh monitoring program for 10 years, and stating that marsh birds are challenging to monitor because they are elusive, quiet and well-concealed.

“Four times every year in June and July, three volunteers and I set up monitoring equipment at the edge of wetlands along Wesley Acres Road, including the one that borders 565,” she read.

It was noted how wetlands provide vital services, such as filtering and purifying water, protecting shorelines, reducing erosion, storing carbon, and providing rich habitat for a diverse range of plants and animals. She also spoke to the decline of wetlands generally, indicating how monitoring efforts have seen decline in many wetland-dependent species.

“We must be very cautious in how we use these valuable ecological resources, so that our efforts don’t result in irreparable harm,” read Bodman. “Once habitat is disturbed or encroached upon, many species will simply not tolerate this intrusion onto their space and will abandon their territory. This is what I am afraid of for the Wesley Acres wetland with this development.”

Councillor Sam Grosso responded to Dowds’ words.

“I just find it absolutely amazing that people want to hear birds talk back to them, rather than hearing kids laughing and enjoying the outside environment,” expressed Grosso. “So, if birds talking back to you, is that so important for you, I don’t know. Maybe, I’ll just shake my head at that.”

Permitted to respond to the comment, Bodman said, “I find that is a bit of an attack, councillor Grosso.”

County resident Evelyn Wilson spoke from the perspective of a family who has used Camp Ooch/Camp Trillium (merged in January 2020 and became Campfire Circle) and has been involved with the camp for more than 15 years, and who has lost young family members.

She explained how eastern Ontario has no camp (Camp Trillium closed a few years ago due to flooding), where she said eastern Ontario families aren’t utilizing the other two Campfire Circle camps because it’s a five to seven hour drive for the families, which a lot of the kids can’t manage.

“This is a giving families a chance. This camp is very conscious about nature, they want the kids to get outside after being stuck in a stupid hospital. The camp will look after the wetlands,” said Wilson. “The lady who just said, if you take away the wetlands then that’s going to create anxiety and depression. Well, think about the families of kids who are stuck in the hospital, they are full of anxiety and depression.

“And then the other lady who said, the species are at risk, our kids are at risk. Our kids are priceless, land isn’t. And the camp will work its magic to make sure everything is good. This is something our County needs. And they said, save it for another time, our kids don’t have time, so there isn’t time, now is the time.”

Councillor Kate MacNaughton addressed the challenges of navigating complex settings.

“We might not agree with what everybody says, but sometimes it points us in a direction that says we can protect this and provide this. This is the type of development that wants to bring children into the beautiful place described, and the beauty of that spot is what makes it so desirable and so important and so precious to provide the service.”

Fotenn’s Miles Weekes noted the plan has been revised significantly since its inception with changes made to concerns raised at prior meetings, to include notably the parking area which has now been broken up into smaller multiple areas, in order to assist with winter maintenance. As well, there will be a minimum 30-metre setback adjacent to all wetlands, and greater than 30-metres in many locations on the property.

“There are no further concerns regarding natural heritage features or natural hazards, both on or around the site,” said Weekes, who reminded it isn’t the end of the discussion around natural heritage. “I don’t think this is a case of natural heritage or camp. I think this is a case where he have to consider a balance of priorities, where perhaps we can have everything.”

He also reminded the application has to go through site plan control, a process that will continue to be reviewed in detail by County staff, Quinte Conservation, MECP (ministry of the environment, conservation and parks) and other regulatory bodies.

Speaking to the traffic concerns raised, Weekes said the camp has an established system where campers come by bus, with car pooling for volunteers and staff. “This is not a facility where you have hundreds of vehicles coming in every single day.”

Weekes said what is important to note is that all of the buildings being proposed are on portions of land that are already disturbed. “Effort has been made to work the project around the natural features, not remove them, not damage them, but to work within them, and to minimize impact to those features.”

Coffey noted an evaluation of the boundaries of the natural features was undertaken through the EIS which determined that the proposed development will be located outside of any natural heritage features and will maintain adequate setbacks to avoid negative impacts.

With respect to concerns regarding the NCA, Coffey stated the Ecological Services consultant has reviewed the ecological connectivity between the natural features and concluded that “the development will have no negative impacts on the core area or the connectivity of features”.

An updated concept plan notes the parking, the ‘campitheatre’, and other components of the development have been relocated to be an appropriate distance from the West Lake provincially-significant wetland, other wetlands, West Lake, and other natural environment features of note, according to the EIS peer review, undertaken by Muncaster Environmental Planning.

“The PPS (provincial planning statement) promotes the protection of resources, such as agricultural and aggregate lands as well as natural heritage features,” states Coffey’s report. “The subject lands are vacant, but do contain natural heritage features along with an open field utilized for farming purposes.”

Councillor John Hirsch said it has to be decided whether the proposed location is the right location, and is in accordance with the official plan. “This is not the right location.“

“Tonight, I want to remember that we are making a planning decision, not a decision of whether or not a very worthwhile children’s camp is a good idea: of course it’s a good idea, and it’s most welcome in the County.”

Having learned that the proponent is not expected to start construction at the site until 2026 or 2027 (if approved), Hirsch said he didn’t see what the rush was to make a decision, suggesting consideration should be delayed.

Hirsch indicated the elements of the OP should be looked at, elements which have not been considered in the staff report and which are “problematic” for the plans. He quoted a section of the OP: ”Development shall not be permitted within woodlands identified in natural features or areas or any significant woodlands identified during the planning process….”.

“The staff report does not address this issue,” he expressed, adding that Ecological Services EIS consultant for the project has identified the two woodlands on the property as being significant, “and yet there is development proposed in both woodlands. Our OP says no development is allowed in our woodlands,” he reiterated.

“These woodlands, by the proponents’ own EIS consultants, are significant woodlands, so they can’t be developed. I don’t understand how planning can excuse that as being previously disturbed areas, that is definitely one concern.”

While Hirsch had numerous concerns and was proposing a referral motion at one point to send the file back to staff, he was somewhat satisfied that many of the issues would be addressed during the site plan control process, since it is circulated to council. Planning staff confirmed the EIS and peer review recommendations will form part of site plan review.

“If we can be sure that all of these issues will be dealt with at site plan stage, then that’s fine,” added Hirsch, who opted not to bring forward his motion.

Councillor Bill Roberts spoke to the positive aspects of being in nature and the natural environment, and the benefits of nature-based activities, especially for children with cancer.

“I trust these people, I trust their track record, I trust our process with staff, and importantly, I applaud their [Campfire Circle] humanity. Their values are good, their vision is good, their priorities are good, the balance they talk about is essential, it’s all impressive,” declared Roberts.

Campfire’s John McAlister said Campfire Circle exists to help children take back their childhood, one campfire at a time, where all of the camp programs are designed to create opportunities for medically-fragile children to experience nature, build friendships and develop skills.

“When kids are diagnosed with cancer or serious illness, they miss out on so many opportunities; they miss out on school, extra curricula activities, time with friends, just the freedom to just be a kid,” said McAlister. “Thanks to our on-site medical teams and facilities, our camps empower kids to go from experiencing hospitals walls to climbing walls, from IV chemo drips to canoe trips.”

Mayor Steve Ferguson said he was struck by the people involved, the medical staff, volunteers and others that volunteer their time, as well as the substantial amount of money that has to be raised that is coming out of people’s pockets for the camps (which offer free services to families).

“This is not a big profit-oriented money maker, this is to enable kids to enjoy that one week, some of whom it may be their only one week,” said Ferguson. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our community to demonstrate its heart and its compassion. This is something that we can be very proud of.”

All planning documents related to this application can be found on the County’s website.