ELORA – The property owner at 6949 Wellington Road 7, just south of Alma, is seeking a zoning change to allow a farming-related business to set up shop.
Council heard about the application and from a member of the public at a public meeting on Aug. 25.
The property is currently zoned prime agricultural and core greenlands.
The owner is seeking to sell a piece of his land to allow for a repair and maintenance shop for farm drainage equipment.
The property is 4.5 hectares in size with 455 metres of frontage on Wellington Road 7.
Currently there is a livestock operation on the property as well as a home and accessory buildings.
There is also a Grand River Conservation Authority watercourse that runs through the property.
The proposal would remove a barn and replace it with a repair shop and parking.
Rob Stovel, of Stovel and Associates Inc., spoke on behalf of the landowner and explained the property is an awkward triangular shape because the railroad used to run through it.
“That gives constraints to farming,” Stovel told council.
Currently livestock can graze there but it’s not big enough for large-scale farming.
The property is to be purchased by AWF Farm Drainage and used for the repair and maintenance of its own vehicles.
“Drainage contractors are important to agriculture,” Stovel added. “This supports agriculture.”
To concerns about storage of fuel on site, Stovel said most farms have tanks for their own fuel storage and this would be no different.
“It’s for them only,” he said. “They would meet TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority) requirements.”
Alma resident Heather Smith delegated to council and asked:
- if residents of Alma notified;
- if Mapletown Township was notified;
- if the proposal would impact water quality in Alma; and
- what kind and how much fuel will be stored on the site.
Smith was informed wells in Alma will not be impacted, Mapleton Township had been notified, and the barn to come down is currently unsafe and unsightly.
“It will be safer and look better when that barn comes down,” said property owner Ron Lesley.
Councillor Lisa MacDonald noted cows currently graze this piece of property and worried about losing prime agricultural land.
But councillor Bronwynne Wilton thought that because it is a farm-related business, the application should proceed.
“I would argue it’s important to keep agricultural services near farms,” she said.
“I think this is an appropriate use of this odd-shaped parcel.”
Council didn’t make any decisions at this meeting. The matter will return to council at a future date.