It’s a permitted use class that’s ubiquitous in the zoning bylaws of North Hatley and several other Eastern Townships municipalities.
Unfortunately, I’m having trouble pinpointing this use. Unfortunately, in the current zoning by-law of the Municipality of North Hatley, there is no definition or clarification. In fact, please correct me if I find the definition or more information, even though it is in all the use grids and prohibited everywhere except in zones P8 (beach) and P9 (federal wharf) and C-9 (non-waterfront zone) in North Hatley.
To shed some light on the subject, let’s first look at some ChatGPT definitions.
Extensive
The word extensive generally means something that extends over a large area or uses a lot of space in relation to the resources or intensity of the activity.
Extensive water-related activities
The term “extensive water-related activities” appears in several municipal zoning by-laws in Quebec, notably in municipalities such as Bolton-Est, Waterloo, Warwick, Stanstead and Valcourt. The term is generally used to designate recreational or commercial uses that exploit aquatic resources extensively, i.e. over large areas or intensively.
Although the precise definition may vary by municipality, extensive water-related activities generally include :
- Recreational water sports (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding).
- Sailing clubs or marinas.
- Outfitters or fishing camps.
- Swimming activities or public beaches.
- Guided excursions on the water.
Extensive water-related activities are recreational or commercial uses linked to aquatic environments, governed by municipal and provincial regulations to ensure their compatibility with environmental protection.
As I understand it, these are activities carried out in or near water that exploit aquatic resources extensively and/or occupy a lot of space in the aquatic environment and/or are intensive.
I hope these explanations will help you in your search to understand the boundaries of “extensive water-related activities”. As far as I’m concerned, this class of use is still very vague, even though it’s widely used.
Please note that I am neither a lawyer nor an inspector, so do your own research on the subject, or consult a lawyer who specializes in municipal law. Please share your research on the subject here.
