Why shoreline road allowances are so important to have knowledge on when purchasing your waterfront dream!

 First of all, what is a shoreline road allowance (SRA)? Well, in the late 19th century the Crown instructed their surveyors to lay out 66-Foot road allowances along the banks of lakes and rivers in Ontario. These road allowances were used for logging and transportation of goods. Today, there is very little use, if at all commercially for the road allowances. Since road allowances were no longer of interest to the general public for commercial uses the road allowances were turned over by the Crown to the individual municipality the lakes were in. This leaving the road allowances being owned publicly.

Over the years individual land owners were offered to purchase the SRA from the municipality to have exclusive use. Having ownership of the SRA would mean there would be less restrictions the seller would have on usage and building. Many did purchase the SRA, many did not. In the past municipalities would not enforce rules so many cottages, boathouses and docks were built on these SRA’s. In todays tighter enforcement and environmental protection, problems can now arise with current and future usage if the SRA is not owned. That said “riparian rights” does say you could build a dock on the SRA, for example and enjoy it without any problems.

Closing or purchasing your SRA was always an option at anytime as long as land owner was willing to pay the costs of purchase plus a purchase price to the municipality. No one could purchase the SRA other then the abutting land owner. There is an application process to purchase the SRA, I would recommend to approach the municipal planner about any plans to do so. There are some municipalities now that limit how many of the SRA’s they sell per year as the SRA’s are future funds for the municipality. They would like to spread out the returns as rates escalate over time along with real estate values.

In some cases purchasing the SRA just does not make sense for a property owner. Existing cottages and buildings are well off the SRA. Their access is secured by riparian rights, so usage is not an issue. As long as there is no future plans to build or need the set back amounts there is no reason to purchase.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell contact me at

705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Team Lead at The Brad Sinclair Team

Royal Heritage Realty

Your inside source for cottage country waterfront real estate

November 4/2019 Walk and Talk-Selwyn Farmers and Businesses need Selwyn Council to stand up for them

November 4/2019 Walk and Talk

-Selwyn Farmers and Businesses need Selwyn Council to stand up for them!

-How can a Farmers Market have so much controversy?

Hey everybody, Brad Sinclair here, your local Realtor, Looking to earn your real estate business by bringing you local knowledge, representation and service. Welcome to today’s walk and talk. Another Selwyn business has been ousted from the Peterborough and District Farmers Market Association’s Saturday Mornings Farmers Market located at Morrow Park. According to the Peterborough Examiner, Kyoto Coffee located between Lakefield and Peterborough in the Township of Selwyn has had its application for a booth denied at the market after being a member for 15 years. Of course, the esteemed operations manager of the market Wade Matthews and the previously convicted of fraud, chairperson Cindy Hope was again not available for comment for the Examiner's front-page story. It does amaze me how these people make these decisions affecting local businesses, then disappear when challenged on the decision. This is not the first time a Selwyn business has been ousted from the local Farmers Market. I do wonder if Selwyn Council is going to just idly stand by or will the Mayor and council stand up publicly for the Selwyn farmers and businesses and condemn the actions of the Peterborough and District Farmers Market Association. The city has asked for applications to run the farmer's market for the next 3 years. There were two applicants. The current association who has been running the market since 1984 but has been ousting local businesses and involved in deep controversy over the last few years or a new Association that has been running the downtown farmers market smoothly without any controversy. This city has to make a decision by December 4th. Selwyn farmers and businesses deserve to be part of the farmers market and I truly believe with Selwyn council support of the ousted parties will weigh heavily on the cities decision Who will run the market.

Background! Here is the CBC story on the nonsense of activities happening at the farmers market
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4306231

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell in Selwyn or Peterborough contact me at 705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Solving Problems and Making Things Happen in Real Estate since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca

www.royallepagerealestate.com

www.gowaterfront.ca