MAPLETON – The hamlet of Yatton may soon be home to its own butcher shop.
Homeowners here have applied for a zoning bylaw amendment to allow meat processing activities for a custom butcher and meat packaging plant, including some sales on site.
Mapleton held a public meeting on the application on Nov. 11, and while no one in attendance spoke about the proposal, some neighbours submitted comments about it.
The 0.3 hectare (0.7 acre) property at 7291 3rd Line is currently zoned residential, with a site-specific exemption to allow two horses to be kept in a barn. This 56 square metre (600 square foot) barn would be converted into the meat processing and packaging plant, if approved.
According to a report from Mapleton planner Linda Redmond, “the proposed use is utilizing an existing building on the property and is small scale.
“The use is located within a hamlet which allows small scale commercial uses. Staff have no concerns with the proposed use.”
Redmond told council Yatton is an appropriate place for “stores and smaller services” such as the proposed meat processing and packaging plant.
The site-specific exemption permitting horses would most likely be removed, she noted.
Redmond received a phone call from someone who lives across the street from the proposed butcher shop, and said while the caller was not necessarily opposed to the application, they did raise some concerns.
The caller was concerned about meat being smoked, the disposal of remnants and slaughtering on site.
Redmond said she assured the caller “this zoning would actually indicate that the meat could not be slaughtered on site.”
Applicant Cleon Brubacher said they will not be smoking meat on the property, and remnants would be picked up by a rendering service.
Mapleton clerk Larry Wheeler read aloud submissions from other neighbours, including Lisa Molenar, who wrote, “I don’t feel this is an appropriate business to start in town with homes nearby.
“A custom butcher building would be much more appropriate away from existing homes with appropriate space for customer parking and commercial vehicles,” Molenar’s email stated.
She noted the road can be very busy with children walking to and from school as well as buggies, people biking, large farm equipment, cars and transport trucks.
“If road parking is allowed this will create a safety hazard,” she said.
“Other businesses within Yatton all have parking on their property for delivery staff and customers – will this location be able to provide space?”
Brubacher confirmed parking would be made available on site, and Redmond added this would be a requirement of the site plan approval.
Molenar also expressed concern about smells from smoking meat, how remnants would be handled, and whether the water and septic system would be able to support the business.
Councillor Lori Woodham also asked about septic capacity, and whether the building permit would cover that.
Chief building official Mike Walsh confirmed the building permit process would include any necessary septic system upgrades.
Wheeler said Yatton residents Dave and Christine Shantz “have no issues with this being accepted and … welcome the small meat shop to Yatton.”
Councillor Michael Martin agreed.
“I think it’s a great little spot for a business like this – a boutique-y butcher shop,” said Martin.
“I’m not sure how you’re going to flavour it but I think it puts Yatton on the map for all the right purposes.”
