Muskoka Lakes meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Muskoka Lakes agendas: noise by-law, road-widening land purchase, marina slips and an Acton Island trail dispute

Council and four committees in Muskoka Lakes were scheduled to meet between Oct. 5 and Oct. 8, 2026, with agendas covering a proposed noise by-law, a by-law to acquire land for road widening, a marina expansion proposal and a disputed road allowance on Acton Island. The material provided for each meeting is an agenda only; minutes have not been published, so no decisions, votes or dollar amounts are recorded in this roundup.

Council, Oct. 7: noise by-law, land for road widening, appointments

Council's agenda lists By-law 2026-069 to regulate noise in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and By-law 2026-111 to acquire lands for road widening at 1068 Brackenrig Centre Road, Bissell. A supplementary agenda for the same date adds By-law 2026-121 to appoint an Interim Fire Chief and By-law 2026-122 to appoint a By-law Enforcement Officer.

Council was also to consider zoning by-laws for 1613 Peninsula Road, 1589 Juddhaven Road, 1027 Old Bridge Road Unit 4, 1051 Joshs Bay Road Unit 1 and 1011 Beaumaris Road Unit #5, along with By-law 2026-105 and related by-laws 2026-106 to 2026-109 to implement an Administrative Monetary Penalty System. Report FIN-2026-012 concerns the 2026/27 Municipal Insurance Program Renewal. A closed session is listed under the Municipal Act, 2001 for litigation, solicitor-client privilege and a land acquisition matter (Confidential Reports CCS-2026-36 and CCS-2026-37).

Planning Committee, Oct. 8: marina expansion and four property applications

Unfinished business on a marina zoning amendment heads the Planning Committee agenda. A supplementary agenda lists public comment on ZBA-25/24 for Maple Leafs Marina at 1035 and 1043 Marina Road, and a presentation by Steve Rohacek on behalf of the Muskoka Lakes Association. The supplementary agenda describes a proposal to create 63 new dock slips in addition to 67 existing slips.

Four other applications are listed for public meetings: Consent B/09/26/ML and Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA-14/26 for Bennett & McNaughton, 4485 Aspdin Road; Consent B/29/26/ML and ZBA-23/26 for Delmar Island Inc., 6 Island M56 (Delmar Island); ZBA-15/26 for McMorran, 1134 Bert Sims Road; and ZBA-16/26 for Pillsworth, 1130 Bert Sims Road.

General/Finance Committee, Oct. 7: Acton Island road allowance, fire station design

The committee agenda lists a delegation by Rodney Gill of Goodmans LLP and the Acton Island Association on using a road allowance on Acton Island for hiking trails, and public comment by Jared Davis on the same matter. Report OPS-2026-026 on Fire Station Design includes a presentation by Joel Tremblay, OAA, and Appendix I - Draft Fire Station Design.

Also listed are Report DSES-2026-033 on 2027 Operating Grant Applications, with applications from the Muskoka Lakes Museum, Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Muskoka Chautauqua and "The Doonies," and Report DSES-2026-034 on a Declaration of Municipally Significant Events Policy, with draft Policy C-LS-22 and Draft By-law 2026-120.

Committee of Adjustment, Oct. 5: two consent and nine minor variance applications

The Committee of Adjustment was to hear two consent applications and nine minor variance applications. The consent files listed are B/38/39/40/26/ML for Rodie and Rickabaugh at 1051 Island Park Road, Unit #1 and a property with no civic address assigned, and B/42/43/26/ML for Dunn & Nevin at 106 Island M69A and 109 Island M69A. Minor variance files named in the agenda items include A-79/25 for Straus at 1869 Muskoka Road 118 West, Unit #5; A-21/26 for Dunin at 1063 Elgin House Road; and A-40/26 for Jones at 1210 Ferndale Road, Unit #4.

Appeal Committee, Oct. 5: rental licence and dog declaration appeals

The Appeal Committee was to consider an appeal of a short-term rental accommodation licence suspension for 42 Todholm Dr (Ranjit Gill), and an appeal of a dangerous dog declaration and notice to muzzle, DOG-2026-01 (Sarah and Joshua Gray). The agenda also lists a declaration regarding appeal adjournments for OTR-2026-05, 1 Island J36 (Star Island), PJD Properties Inc. Members of the public wishing to make representations must register with the Clerk at least three days before the hearing.

Coming up

The information provided lists no upcoming meetings for the next 14 days, so there is nothing to preview here. Readers should check the Township of Muskoka Lakes website for the published agendas and minutes of the meetings summarized above.

Muskoka Lakes agendas: noise by-law, land for road widening, marina expansion — but no decisions recorded yet

Muskoka Lakes council and its committees have scheduled a run of agenda items over the past two weeks, including a proposed noise by-law, the purchase of land for road widening, a marina expansion and a draft fire station design. As of October 13, 2026, minutes for these meetings have not been published. The material available is agendas only, so no decisions, vote tallies or dollar amounts are recorded in it.

Council: noise by-law, land acquisition, appointments

Council meets Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM in a hybrid format from the Council Chambers in Port Carling. The agenda lists By-law 2026-069 to regulate noise in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and By-law 2026-111 to acquire lands for road widening at 1068 Brackenrig Centre Road, Bissell. It also lists By-law 2026-121 to appoint an Interim Fire Chief and By-law 2026-122 to appoint a By-law Enforcement Officer.

Zoning by-laws are listed for 1613 Peninsula Road, 1589 Juddhaven Road, 1027 Old Bridge Road Unit 4, 1051 Joshs Bay Road Unit 1, and 1011 Beaumaris Road Unit #5. Council is also to consider By-law 2026-105 and related by-laws 2026-106 to 2026-109 to implement an Administrative Monetary Penalty System, and Report FIN-2026-012 on the 2026/27 Municipal Insurance Program Renewal. A closed session is scheduled under the Municipal Act, 2001 for litigation, solicitor-client privilege and a land acquisition matter, citing Confidential Reports CCS-2026-36 and CCS-2026-37. A supplementary Council agenda for the same date lists the noise by-law, the road-widening land acquisition and the two appointments.

Planning: marina expansion and four property applications

The Planning Committee meets October 8, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in a hybrid format from the Council Chambers in Port Carling. Public meeting applications listed are Report PLAN-2026-129, Consent B/09/26/ML and Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA-14/26 for Bennett & McNaughton, 4485 Aspdin Road; Report PLAN-2026-132, Consent B/29/26/ML and ZBA-23/26 for Delmar Island Inc., 6 Island M56 (Delmar Island); Report PLAN-2026-130, ZBA-15/26 for McMorran, 1134 Bert Sims Road; and Report PLAN-2026-131, ZBA-16/26 for Pillsworth, 1130 Bert Sims Road.

Unfinished business is Report PLAN-2026-144, Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA-25/24 for Maple Leafs Marina, 1035 Marina Road and 1043 Marina Road. A supplementary Planning Committee agenda lists a presentation by Steve Rohacek on behalf of the Muskoka Lakes Association, public comment on ZBA-25/24, and a proposal to create 63 new dock slips in addition to 67 existing slips. Delegations, public comments, and heritage and attainable housing sections are listed as "None."

General/Finance: Acton Island trail matter and fire station design

The General/Finance Committee meets October 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in a hybrid format from the Council Chambers in Port Carling. The agenda lists a delegation by Rodney Gill, Goodmans LLP, and the Acton Island Association on using a road allowance on Acton Island for hiking trails, and public comment by Jared Davis on the same matter. It also lists Report OPS-2026-026 on Fire Station Design with a presentation by Joel Tremblay, OAA, and Appendix I - Draft Fire Station Design; Report DSES-2026-033 on 2027 Operating Grant Applications, with applications from Muskoka Lakes Museum, Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Muskoka Chautauqua, and "The Doonies"; and Report DSES-2026-034 on a Declaration of Municipally Significant Events Policy, with draft Policy C-LS-22 and Draft By-law 2026-120. The agenda states no decisions or dollar amounts.

Committee of Adjustment: two consent files, nine minor variances

The Committee of Adjustment met October 5, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in a hybrid format from Council Chambers in Port Carling. Consent applications listed are B/38/39/40/26/ML, Rodie and Rickabaugh, 1051 Island Park Road, Unit #1 and No Civic Address Assigned, Roll No's. 5-6-012 and 5-6-009-01; and B/42/43/26/ML, Dunn & Nevin, 106 Island M69A and 109 Island M69A, Roll No's. 9-15-051 and 9-15-052. Nine minor variance applications are listed, including A-79/25, Straus, 1869 Muskoka Road 118 West, Unit #5; A-21/26, Dunin, 1063 Elgin House Road; and A-40/26, Jones, 1210 Ferndale Road, Unit #4. The agenda lists no delegations, unfinished business, new business or closed session; the only other substantive item is adoption of the minutes of the September 14, 2026 meeting.

Appeal Committee: short-term rental and dog appeals

The Appeal Committee met October 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM in Council Chambers, Port Carling, to consider appeals of Township orders. The agenda lists an appeal of a short-term rental accommodation licence suspension for 42 Todholm Dr (Ranjit Gill), Report AC-2026-02; an appeal of a dangerous dog declaration and notice to muzzle, DOG-2026-01, Sarah and Joshua Gray, Report AC-2026-03; and a declaration regarding appeal adjournments for OTR-2026-05, 1 Island J36 (Star Island), PJD Properties Inc., Report AC-2026-04. It also lists approval of minutes from the March 9, 2026 meeting. Members of the public wishing to make representations must register with the Clerk at least three days before the hearing.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed in the material provided for the next 14 days. That does not establish that none are scheduled; the Township's published calendar is the authoritative source.

What the record does not show

The agendas summarized here do not contain vote tallies, dollar amounts, or outcomes. Whether any item was approved, amended or deferred is not established by the material provided.

Muskoka Lakes meetings: $720,934 deficit transfer, 128-unit Legion redevelopment on agendas

Muskoka Lakes councils and committees met across a busy week of agendas, but no minutes have been published yet for any of the sessions. What follows is drawn from the agendas only; outcomes and vote tallies are not yet available.

Finance committee weighs $720,934 deficit transfer

The General/Finance Committee is scheduled to review the 2025 audited consolidated financial statements and consider transferring $720,934 from the Tax Stabilization Reserve to cover a 2025 operating deficit attributed to weather-related costs and revenue shortfalls.

BDO is listed to present the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025. The committee agenda also includes a Public Works Yard Location Study (Report OPS-2026-024), an Economic Development Strategy presentation by KLB Consulting covering 2026-2031, completion of a GIS Technician Pilot Project (Report OPS-2026-023), an amendment to Parking By-law 2022-043, and a request for immediate increased operational funding for Ontario Hospices. Hospice Muskoka is listed for public comment on that funding request.

Council agenda: zoning, land sales, noise rules

Council is scheduled to consider three zoning by-laws: 2026-073 for Macnamara at 2 Island J2 (Eagle Island), 2026-074 for Denbeigh, Grenier & Juneau-Grenier, and 2026-075 for Brown at No Civic Address.

Land matters include the sale of Original Shore Road Allowances to 1001054903 Ontario Inc. (By-law 2026-065) and Farnsworth (By-law 2026-076), the sale of an Original Road Allowance to Prymak (By-law 2026-068), disposition of lands for Adams-McGavin (By-law 2026-070), and land acquisition for road widening from Wise/Dewar (By-law 2026-071).

Other items: an amendment to discretionary operating and capital reserves (By-law 2026-067), regulation of noise in the Township of Muskoka Lakes (By-law 2026-069), and appointments of a Property Standards Officer (By-law 2026-077) and a By-law Enforcement Officer (By-law 2026-078).

Planning committee: severances, zoning amendments

The Planning Committee agenda includes a consent and zoning amendment request for 2755 Lake Muskoka Shore (Endicott & Singleton) to create two new lots, plus zoning amendments for Diamond Trails (Fundenco Inc.) and 29 SR403 Shore (Soberano). Steven White is listed to delegate regarding Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.

A supplementary agenda covers Report PLAN-2026-095, a zoning by-law amendment (ZBA-04/26) for Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary at 1116 Crawford Street. A Ministry of Mines memorandum dated May 8, 2026 concludes the historic pit on the property is stable and recommends no further action. No public comments or delegations are scheduled for that item.

Minett and Maple Avenue proposals

A Special Planning Committee is considering Official Plan Amendment OPA-64 and Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA-22/23 for properties at 1048 and 1112 Juddhaven Road in the Resort Village of Minett. The agenda lists proposed holding provisions tied to municipal water and sanitary sewer services, a requirement for a Master Development Agreement and Site Plan Agreement, and environmental impact and wetland compensation requirements.

A supplementary agenda proposes a four-storey mixed-use building at 1011 Maple Avenue on the Royal Canadian Legion property, replacing a one-storey building. The proposal includes 128 residential units, with approximately 33% intended as affordable or attainable, plus first-floor Legion facilities and a medical clinic. It requests increasing maximum building height from 14 metres to 22 metres and high-density residential allowance from 70 to 170 units per gross hectare, with rezoning from Institutional (I) to Community Residential – Multiple Residential High Density Sewer and Water (RM2).

Committee of Adjustment

The Committee of Adjustment is scheduled to review consent application B/17/26/ML for a right-of-way at 1800 Peninsula Road, Unit #5, and minor variances across properties including Island M55, Island M56, Innisfree Road, 1068 Brackenrig Centre Road, 1076 Needle Point Road, 1017 Lionel Ave, and 1037 Evelyn Road.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should watch the township website for posted minutes, which will confirm what was actually decided.