Leamington in a fix over costly dike repairs

Leamington council voted this week to change the land use in the much-studied and debated former marshland north of Point Pelee.

The municipality has been in a fix for about a decade over what to do with the dikes, roads and shoreline protection that need substantial improvements. “None of us — either the farmers or landowners or this municipality — can afford to pay for the upgrades that need to be done on the dike system and waterfront protection,” Mayor John Paterson said.

The cost of the east marsh dike repairs was estimated to be $5.9 million, including a direct cost of $1.5 million to the town. With a provincial grant, the cost to landowners would be more than $3 million. Farmers were opposed.

Council directed staff to look at strategies to change the existing land uses in southeast Leamington in the short and long term. That could mean a holding provision in the existing Official Plan to acknowledge new development would not be allowed in some areas. A public meeting would be held to address any proposed changes. The conservation authority already limits development in the area.

Staff could also examine a longterm transition in the area, such as changing the use from the existing homes and farmland to farmland only or a managed we tland, a controversial proposal from the conservation authority to solve the potential flooding issues.

Paterson said a holding zone could stop people from buying land they will discover they can’t develop or it could allow tax breaks for people with land that can’t be developed.