West Nipissing councillors are getting an idea of what shape a proposed bylaw governing camper trailers could take in the municipality.
A public meeting in Sturgeon Falls heard from a number of residents and one suggestion was to allow one trailer per acre.
The number of trailers would be capped at four and after that number, individuals would have to go through an application process to increase the number of trailers.
Jay Barbeau, the municipality’s CAO, says the number of trailers on a parcel of land is a sticky point because some people see it as municipal interference.
Barbeau says that’s not the intent.
He says council is trying to find a middle ground that works for everyone.
Barbeau says one thing the municipality has to do is protect the water and the environment.
He says no one wants to see human waste or gray water dumped from a trailer that’s close to a river since it obviously gets into the water.
Barbeau says a couple of issues council has to decide is agree on the number of trailers per acre and where water is involved, how close to the water can the trailer be located.
Another issue is licensing for registration purposes.
The public heard there may be a fee for this, which could amount to $50 a year.
One resident told Barbeau that he’s not paying anything now to have his trailer on land and that’s the way he wants it to remain.
Barbeau says the registration fee is simply a cost recovery mechanism on the part of the municipality to help it carry out the bylaw.
“We’re not trying to grab money,” Barbeau said.
He said the goal for the registration is so the municipality knows where the trailer is located.
He adds if a trailer owner isn’t complying with a section of the bylaw, the registration makes it easier to locate the person.
However, one resident told Barbeau that it may be hard to do if the owner doesn’t register or pay a licensing fee to start with.
The bylaw would not apply to trailer park owners because they are already regulated by the Ministry of the Environment.
It also does not apply to transient trailers if someone is up for a week visiting family.
Several more public meetings will take place throughout the month to flesh out more issues.
Following all the public meetings, council will begin the discussion process which is not expected until the New Year.
That means assuming there’s agreement on council, a bylaw governing camper trailers could become reality during 2020.