Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue sets new dock regulations
A bylaw regulating the dimensions of residential boat docks and gangways in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue has been amended to accommodate the realities of the water and the concerns of citizens.
Mayor Paola Hawa said the town brought in a nautical expert to talk to citizens about what elements were important for the council to consider as it worked on revising the bylaw.
The mayor told the Montreal Gazette that council had updated the dock bylaw last year, but that dock owners complained because the changes did not reflect the realities of the water and would be difficult to apply.
“So it was back to the drawing board,” Hawa said. “I’ve learned so much. You can’t, for example, impose some sort of standard size for a dock. You have to consider the depth of the water and the force of the current near the dock.”
The new dimensions included in the bylaw are based, in part, on the expert’s calculations of the average depth and force of current. But there was another important element to consider — one particular to the town’s situation.
“What is special about the water here is that so many big boats come to use the Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue locks,” Hawa said. “Big boats create a big wake. You need larger docks to keep the boats steady when they are moored in this situation. It’s a real issue. The Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue locks are the most frequented locks in the Parks Canada network.”
As a result, dock dimensions in the amended bylaw have been increased to accommodate for the swell created by the boat traffic.
“The other side of the story is that we also hear from people who say big docks obstruct their view,” Hawa said.
A concern raised by more than one resident during the public consultation about docks held earlier this month was the excessive speed some boats employed when approaching the dock.
And then there was the issue of dock parties. Hosting a party on a dock could lead to alcohol being consumed and drinking alcohol with a boat moored an arm’s length away could tempt a reveller to pilot a boat while intoxicated. And it’s no surprise that with dock partying, comes noise. Article 6.1 of Ste-Anne’s nuisance bylaw regulates noise, stating that it must be contained between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Drinking and speeding while boating is a police matter. Montreal police marine officers keep an eye on waterways around the island, including Lac St-Louis in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue territory.