Guelph-Eramosa council supported an Ariss consent application that has some unique characteristics.
On Jan. 15, township planning consultant Rachel Martin told council the owners of 7223 Wellington Road 51 have requested to sever a 0.5-hectare parcel of land from a retained parcel, which will measure 3.9ha and contains agricultural land and bush.
The severed parcel, with 40m of frontage, contains a house and a shed and is located within the Ariss hamlet settlement area. The retained parcel of land would be designated prime agricultural land, primarily outside the hamlet, and the use would be restricted to agricultural purposes. Martin added zoning permits one house to be built on the retained parcel.
“Up until now the house is part of this whole property,” Wolk said. “Are we not talking about severing off the house and the remaining property, which was agricultural, is still agricultural?
“How does it qualify to have a house built on it?”
Mayor Chris White added, “Because normally we would say this merges with some other farm or something, we can’t build a house.”
Township planning consultant Dan Currie explained that in a typical lot severance outside a settlement area, building a house would not be permitted. However, in this case the application is severing off the urban portion.
“This parcel … remains agricultural, has to comply with the agricultural regulations, can only ever be used as agriculture,” Currie said. “This property owner could live on their agricultural parcel, build a new house and live there.”
Council supported the consent application with a condition the owner obtain a minor variance because the retained lands do not meet the minimum lot frontage of 120m or lot area of 35ha.
