Queens County watercourse setbacks moving forward

“We essentially have created setbacks from watercourses of a minimum 50 feet in the Liverpool area and generally speaking 25 feet outside of the Liverpool area,” said Region of Queens Mayor John Leefe Oct. 18 at council’s regular meeting.

Council will set out provisions in the Land Use Bylaw with respect to the setback of development from the high water mark of a watercourse.

To protect property, people and the environment, setbacks and vegetative buffers are put along watercourses.

Developing a certain distance from a watercourse will avoid dangers such as erosion, storm surge and flooding.

“At the end of the day council has to decide if setbacks will be part of the document,” said Mayor Leefe. “What will those setbacks be, will there be one size fits all or will there be opportunity for some property owners to make an application for a variance.”

As council moves forward with the document, Mayor Leefe said it would go to the public for consideration.

“The intention of the document is to reduce the number of occurrences where the Department of Environment or Fisheries and Oceans may be required to come in and say how do we repair the damage that has been done,” continued Mayor Leefe.

The changes will not impact anyone who currently has a developed property, he added.

It is expected to come into effect next year.