He is not new to politics. Before being elected mayor in 2021, Richard Desormiers held the position of municipal councilor for District 5 from 2013 to November 2021, where Domaine la Fierté is located.
During question period, a citizen takes the microphone and says that she has read several exchanges on the Facebook group The gallery
made up of residents of Sainte-Julienne, about clear cutting and house construction without permits
on the land of Domaine la Fierté, owned by Mayor Richard Desormiers.
Here is what is left of a wooded lot.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Aude Garachon
The citizen then asked the mayor: Do you have permits for everything going on there?
(Referring to cutting down trees and building houses.) And the mayor candidly replies no.
The citizen said she was surprised because, if she wanted to cut down a single tree on her property, she absolutely had to apply for a permit from the Municipality. Indeed, it is clearly indicated on the City’s website that anyone wishing to cut down one or more trees must first obtain a certificate of authorization.
The mayor replies that, since the creation of Domaine la Fierté in 1998, this has been the way of doing things. He says that previous administrations felt that it was working fine
and that the Municipality was content to collect the amount of taxes.
” It has always been tolerated; nobody ever said anything. »
Large house built at Domaine la Fierté, in Sainte-Julienne
Photo: Radio-Canada / Aude Garachon
With regard to the construction of houses, the mayor explains, during the municipal council, that at the time people who wanted to build or settle on his campsite had to obtain a permit from the City. But, according to the mayor, the latter could not issue any because its land was not a subdivided lot. Mr. Desormiers indicates that the Municipality is now trying to regularize the situation
.
Domaine la Fierté on Montée Hamilton, in Sainte-Julienne
Photo: Radio-Canada / Aude Garachon
The Pride Estate
Domaine la Fierté is a campground and resort located in Sainte-Julienne and set on 250 acres of land.
We can read on the website that the place has more than 230 sites for trailers and 200 others for tents. It is also possible to rent rooms in a motel.
There is a swimming pool, a lake, a bar, a performance hall, a snack bar and volleyball and pétanque courts.
Domaine la Fierté is reserved for men during the summer season. Naturism is permitted on the entire site.
Enforce environmental standards
During the municipal council of April 11, Councilor Joël Ricard, who is not on the mayor’s team, proposed a resolution on compliance with municipal regulations and environmental standards relating to Domaine la Fierté.
This resolution proposes that the council mandates the Director General of the Municipality to look into the situation at the Domaine, in particular by ordering the urban planning services to investigate the mayor’s compliance with the rules and to carry out an inspection of the site. .
This resolution could not obtain a quorum of the municipal council because the mayor and the members of his team abstained from voting in order to avoid a conflict of interest.
A trailer park occupies part of the Estate.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Aude Garachon
The MRC de Montcalm arrested
In the absence of a quorum, the director general and clerk-treasurer of the Municipality of Sainte-Julienne has the legal obligation to transfer the question of council to the regional county municipality (RCM) of Montcalm. This is what Nathalie Girard, the current general manager, did.
The council of the MRC de Montcalm, by resolution, then reiterated its confidence in the professionals and officers of the Municipality of Sainte-Julienne. The latter are already invested with the powers of inspection of the territory, and this, without having a request from the council.
Considering that there was a denunciation that possible violations of municipal by-laws had occurred, the office of the director general asked to carry out an inspection of the property and to report it to the director general of the MRC.
The lawyer Nicolas Rousseau of the MRC de Montcalm specifies that it must be understood that it is a question of the same treatment for all citizens: the law is the same for all.
City officials are investigating.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Elisa P. Serret
Response from the City of Sainte-Julienne
The Municipality claims to be aware of certain issues in terms of urban planning and specifies that the administration, as soon as a situation is brought to its attention, treats it as any file would be treated.
The municipal administration says it is preparing a complete report in order to establish a state of the situation and the actions that have been taken by the Municipality in the context of the Domaine la Fierté file. This document should be given to the council of the MRC by Montcalm.
Richard Desormiers declined our interview request.
The mayor’s party, Équipe Richard Desormiers, campaigned in November 2021, promising, among other things, to plant 1,000 trees over four years and distribute 2,000 trees annually.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca