Pontiac Council - evaluations to be reviewed?

Mo Laidlaw

The monthly meeting of Pontiac municipal council was held on December 13, 2022 at 7:30 pm in the Luskville community centre. Only 8 members of the public attended. Councillor Laforest was absent. Mario Allen, the Acting director general (ADG) was present.

The MRC evaluation service and the Québec government are asked to review their calculations as assessments were made during a period when the pandemic caused a real estate boom and didn’t reflect the true value of properties.

Council agreed to accept the National Capital Commission’s proposal for payment of $270,300 in lieu of taxes for 9 properties in Gatineau Park for 2020 to 2022. (In 2020 the NCC contested the increased evaluation of these properties.)

The five contracts previously awarded to Patrick Brazeau for a total of $8,800, for winter maintenance of private roads were reviewed by council. It was decided instead that Public works would snow plough ch de la Pointe Indienne, chs Clavelle & Trappeurs, ch de la Sarriette, ch des Pêcheurs and ch des Draveurs.

Adding 0.45 km to the snow plough contract for sector G, for chs Destrier and de la Butte, results in an additional amount of $2,304 on this contract.

Michael McCann is awarded the contract for maintaining the skating rink in Quyon for $10,000, after proof of insurance.

$3000 is offered to the Table Autonome des Aînes des Collines for 2022 and $100 to La Voix des Collines radio station.

Planning

The Bylaw 12-22 concerning the keeping of laying hens was adopted.

Council supported four requests to the CPTAQ for non-agricultural uses in the agricultural zone, two to build residences, one for a sandpit and one unspecified. Five subdivision permits were authorized, creating 26 new parcels. All of these projects are “in line with the land use planning of the municipality, which consists of promoting residential and commercial development throughout the territory.”

A resident asked about the motion at the November 8 meeting that claimed that the “National Policy on Architecture and Land Use Planning (PNAAT) is not appropriate in rural areas like ours,” when it is specifically aimed at areas near cities like Gatineau and Montréal, to reduce urban sprawl and vehicle use. Mayor Larose later clarified that the policy means “we have to develop only the town of Quyon.” He agreed that “anthropogenic wetlands” (not in the PNAAT) means “man-made ponds”. It is unclear where this phrase came from although the motion “came from the MRC.”