Guelph-Eramosa council unanimously voted to sell the former Division Street road allowance to Alma Inc. for $350,000.
At the Dec. 5 meeting council accepted the offer for the former road allowance, which runs from 250 Alma Street to Inkerman Street in Rockwood, subject to solicitor and staff review.
A bylaw to convey the lands to the purchaser will come to council in the future.
OP comments
Guelph-Eramosa council endorsed the township planning consultant’s comments to Wellington County regarding official plan (OP) modifications.
The county is reviewing its OP to bring it more in line with the 2014 Provincial Policy Statement regarding agricultural and mineral aggregate resource policies.
Township planning consultant Mitchell Avis highlighted two key changes to agriculture policies:
– introduction of the term ‘on-farm diversified uses’ for prime agricultural areas which would include home occupations, home industries, agri-tourism uses and uses that produce value-added agricultural products; and
– more flexibility as to the criteria for agricultural uses including agriculture-related businesses (farm-related commercial and farm-related industrial uses).
Avis suggested the second point be modified to identify that agricultural-related business must “benefit from being in close proximity to farm operations.”
Avis also highlighted the two major changes proposed for mineral aggregate resource areas:
– encouraging ancillary uses that promote aggregate resource conservation; and
– requiring rehabilitation plans for progressive and comprehensive rehab.
Avis said these changes should only have a minimal effect on the township as the new zoning bylaw accounts for the range of uses in the provincial policy statement.
“End of day this is going to reflect what the province wants,” Mayor Chris White said.
Avis said the county has yet to begin the official plan amendment process.
Garden suite
The municipality has deemed the application for a garden suite at 5807 Fourth Line in Guelph-Eramosa Township complete.
The garden suite is proposed to be about 34m from the house. Councillor David Wolk asked if the garden suite would need its own septic system.
Chief building official Dan Sharina explained each situation is different and must be up to code.
“We’d have those discussions before permits,” he said.
The township will hold a public meeting to discuss the garden suite in the new year.
Parks and recreation fees
For 2017 the rental fees for community centres in Guelph-Eramosa Township will not increase over the 2016 fees in order “to ensure that we stay competitive and keep that small market that we have,” director of public works Robin Milne said.
There will also be no increase in the fees to use the indoor turf at the Royal Distributing and Athletic Performance Centre in Marden.
“As much as it’s in our township, it’s a regional facility and we attract a lot of users … from all over southwestern Ontario and so right now our rates are fairly comparable to the facilities in … neighbouring municipalities,” Milne said.
“We want to stay competitive because we know … the users that are in there have other options.”
On the other hand, outdoor Sports field rentals will be see a 2 per cent increase over 2016 fees.
“The operational costs far exceed the revenue but … it’s a service that we offer to our municipality,” Milne said.
“I think there’s an opportunity when we do the rebuild at Rockmosa to really revisit our policy on how we rent out Sports fields.”
