By-Law Enforcement

The Animal Control By-law deals with issues such as:

• Licencing dogs
• dogs running at large
• "poop and scoop"
• dog attacks

In the Township of Huron-Kinloss no person shall have more than three (3) dogs on any premises unless they own and operate a licenced kennel.

The Animal Services webpage provides detailed information about this By-Law.

The Exotic Pets By-law regulates the housing/keeping of non-domestic animals. To understand whether a certain animal is permitted to be kept in the Township of Huron-Kinloss refer to the Exotic Pets By-Law. If you have any further questions call the By-Law Enforcement Officer at 519-395-3844.

Non-domesticated animals (i.e. skunks, raccoons, possums etc.) are not dealt with through the Township of Huron-Kinloss. Local trappers may be contacted to rid your property of the pests at your cost. Contact the By-Law Enforcement Officer to obtain contact information for local trappers. Please review attached fact sheets concerning Animal Distemper and Living with Coyotes. In response to bear sightings, please report to the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-866-514-2327.

The Township of Huron-Kinloss does not regulate hunting. The Township's enforcement interest concerning hunting is pertaining to noise, namely the discharge of firearms. The lawful discharge of firearms is permitted between one half hour prior to sunrise; or 10:00a.m. on Sunday until one half hour after sundown. To report any hunting contraventions or unsafe hunting practices please contact the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-877-847-7667.

During hot weather, the demand for water increases. To make sure there is enough water, the Township has lawn watering rules passed by by-law.

What you need to know:

• If your property address ends in 0,2,4,6 or 8, you can water your lawn or garden on calendar days that end in 0,2,4,6 or 8.
• If your property address ends in 1,3,5,7 or 9, you can water your lawn or garden on calendar days that end in 1,3,5,7 or 9.
• You can water lawns between the hours of 6:00AM to 9:00AM and 6:00PM to 9:00PM except for properties that have automatic sprinkler systems.
• If you own an automatic sprinkler system, please schedule your lawn and garden watering between 4:00AM to 7:00AM.
• If you have newly planted lawns, this by-law does not apply for the first 30 days after planting.

We will issue a total ban on lawn and garden watering if the demands on the water supply are too high or there is an extreme drought. For more information or if you have questions about this By-Law contact our By-Law Enforcement Officer  at 519-395-3735.

The use of vehicles, including heavy equipment, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, can have a profound negative impact on both beaches and dunes.

Dunes are fragile systems and trampling by beach goers destroys the vegetation and results in deterioration of the dune. Destruction of vegetation makes the dunes unstable, increases wind erosion and causes the coastline to recede.

Since the dunes in Huron-Kinloss are a finite resource, it is critical to manage people's interaction with these features so that negative impacts are kept to a minimum. All other options to motorized vehicles on the beach should be explored due to the sensitive beach dune ecosystem.

The Regulate Motorized Vehicle on the Beach By-Law states that the use of motorized vehicles is not permitted on the beach.

The following motorized vehicles are allowed on the beach:

a) Municipally owned and operated ATV.

b) All other municipally owned and operated equipment.

c) Any other operator contracted and authorized by the Director of Facilities & Recreation.

d) Any other Contractor with a permit authorized by the Township of Huron-Kinloss.

The residents of the Township of Huron-Kinloss have a right to and should be ensured an environment free from unusual, unnecessary, or excessive noise which may degrade the quality and tranquility of their life or cause nuisance.

The Noise Control By-Law is a by-law to monitor noise pollution and control excessive noise which disturbs the peace and quiet of the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Township of Huron-Kinloss does not regulate hunting. The Township's enforcement interest concerning hunting is pertaining to noise namely, the discharge of firearms. The lawful discharge of firearms is permitted between one half hour prior to sunrise; or 10:00a.m. on Sunday until one half hour after sundown. To report any hunting contraventions or unsafe hunting practices please contact the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-877-847-7667.

Noise Exemption Request Form

The Township's Off-Road Vehicle By-law provides guidance to residents and visitors regarding what an off-road vehicle is and where they are permitted to be operated in the Township.

The Property Standards By-law sets standards of maintenance and occupancy for all properties located in the Township of Huron-Kinloss.

All property owners are required to repair and maintain their property according to these standards, including owners of rental residential properties, unless there is an agreement between the property owner and a lessee or occupant that assigns maintenance and repair responsibility to the lessee or occupant.

Refreshment Vehicle By-law regulates food vending carts/refreshment vehicles in the Township of Huron-Kinloss. No person shall operate a food vending cart/ refreshment vehicle without having first obtained the appropriate licence and paid the appropriate fee (consolidated fee by-law) to the municipality.

Every swimming pool, as defined by the By-law, is required to be completely enclosed by a gated fence. Whether the fence is new or existing, a permit is required before the swimming pool can be installed.

All documents and information for a swimming pool fence application can be obtained below. It is recommended you review the Swimming Pool Fence By-law prior to applying for your permit.

We allow street parking on many Township roads. Before you park on any roadway, please review the Traffic and Parking By-Law rules:

• Always follow no parking signs
• Do not park your vehicle over a sidewalk or curb
• Do not park within 3 metres (10 feet) of a fire hydrant
• Do not park within 9 metres (30 feet) of an intersection
• Do not block traffic, delivery lanes, or driveways
• Overnight parking is not allowed on any roads from November 1st to April 30th

Certain areas in the Township are protected by the Tree Preservation By-Law, which protects:

• areas from erosion and water run-off
• the natural environment
• wildlife habitats

The area protected, known as “the bluff”, spans from Amberley Rd. to Saratoga Road along the Lake Huron Shoreline (west of Lake Range Rd and Penetangore Row S.). The Tree Preservation By-Law Maps are a great resource for property owners in that area.

You must cut grass and weeds so they do not grow to a height of 20cm or higher. When grass and weeds become higher than 20cm, a By-Law Enforcement Officer can issue orders requiring residents to cut grass and weeds.

Making a complaint

To make a complaint, you can Report a Problem online or contact the By-Law Enforcement Officer at 519-395-3735

Zoning controls how land in Huron-Kinloss can be developed. This includes where you can build on your property and how you can use buildings.

Making changes to your property

If you want to make a change to your property, the Building department reviews the Zoning by-law. If the project meets the Zoning by-law requirements, you can get a building permit.