Bluewater Council briefs

By Dan Rolph

Magnetic Moments campaign requests $250,000

Bluewater was asked to commit $250,000 in support over five years to the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital’s Magnetic Moments MRI campaign during the June 15 council meeting.

The campaign, which has been receiving support from groups and individuals throughout the Huron County community, aims to bring an MRI to the hospital in Goderich that would serve residents throughout the county and beyond.

To become a reality, Magnetic Moments needs to find $6.5 million in funding. The campaign has so far garnered over $2.9 million in support through various sources.

Following a presentation to council, a motion was passed to bring back a staff report during the 2027 budget deliberations about the possibility of supporting the campaign financially.

Short-term rental restrictions

A London-based realtor is asking council to disclose legal advice about the continued implementation of a limit on the number of short-term rental properties allowed to operate on a single street.

Under the municipality’s short-term rental bylaw, a maximum of 15 per cent of properties on a street are allowed to operate as short-term rentals, while those properties are also barred from abutting one another. The limit was introduced when Bluewater implemented its short-term rental licensing system in 2023, though properties already operating as short-term rentals were grandfathered into the regulation.

In a letter to council that was included in the meeting agenda, realtor Tyler Bartelenasked that council publicly make available any legal advice or opinions related to its short-term rental limits.

“The community should not be expected to accept that the location limits are enforceable based only on a general statement that legal advice was received, especially where the by-law continues to deny otherwise compliant (short-term rental) licence applications based on location,” Bartelen wrote.

Councillors have continued to maintain the limit on short-term rentals since their introduction, though a report from development services manager Aaron Stewardson recommended the removal of those limits in 2025.

Study to review Highway 21 improvements

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation will be studying potential improvements along Highway 21 at its intersection with Mill Road and Cameron Street, as well as at Clan Gregor Square in Bayfield.

According to a notice included in the meeting agenda, the province is considering the installation of a traffic light at the intersection and a controlled pedestrian crossing near Clan Gregor Square.

Once the study is completed, the project will move ahead into a review of design options.

Council discusses allowing hens in residential zones

A motion was brought forward by Coun. Winona Sangster that would have seen the municipality permit the keeping of chickens on residential properties.

“Residents have expressed interest in having backyard hens in the settlement areas and the residential zone properties for food security, reducing grocery shopping stress and preserving the rural lifestyle character,” said Sangster.

However, a motion to further investigate the keeping chickens on residential properties failed to pass as members of council expressed skepticism about the benefits of such a bylaw and noted concerns about the spread of avian flu.