The owner of a woodworking business proposing a major expansion has been directed to address neighbours’ concerns about noise as part of a request for relief from zoning restrictions.
Randy Kramer is seeking a zoning amendment to allow the expansion of his woodworking shop on Sideroad 17 from 9,000 square feet to 15,000ft2.
“It’s a large building. It didn’t enjoy the benefit of a zoning amendment at the time that it was located there,” noted Linda Redmond, manager of planning and environment for Wellington County, at a public meeting on Jan. 9.
Redmond pointed out the business is seeking to expand to create more space for storage and materials as well as an indoor loading area.
She explained the township’s zoning bylaw restricts such home industries to 2,500ft2 and two employees. Kraemer’s business currently employs nine workers.
Redmond noted these restrictions were established under former provincial policy requirements for secondary uses in Prime Agricultural areas, in which small scale was defined and further regulated through local zoning bylaws.
New provincial guidelines offer more flexibility, she explained.
“What’s changed in the provisions … is they now address it as on-farm diversified uses,” said Redmond, adding the province has “changed the criteria somewhat into how local municipalities address size and scale.”
While businesses attaining large size and scale “should really be in an urban area” she said, “the new provisions do allow for some flexibility in terms of size and scale,” in relation to the size of the related farming operation.
New policy allows for two per cent of the size of a farm, up to a maximum of one hectare, to be used for the business.
“The issue here is the size and scale of this building,” said Redmond. “But now with these new provisions, I think the township may have to start looking at these home industries in a bit of a different way and address some of our zoning provisions as well.”
Redmond said a site-specific zoning amendment should address not only the number of employees permitted on the site, but minimum distance separation (MDS) issues relating to a livestock barn across the road.
Letters from two neighbouring residents expressing concerns about noise from a dust collector at the operation and increased traffic were included in the agenda package at the meeting.
Kramer told council he has already contacted a company specializing in commercial noise reduction.
“Hopefully we can get that noise level under control and bring it to the right number of decibels,” he said.
On the question of increased traffic, Kramer stated, “It’s hard to say, but I would say at this point the traffic will really not increase at all. In the future it’s hard to define.”
Later in the meeting he said the number of trucks accessing the business, about half of which are semis, may “increase slightly.”
Noting “some of the concerns from neighbours seem to be pretty valid,” councillor Michael Martin asked if there are specific noise levels to which such businesses much adhere. He also asked if the expansion would result in louder noise than the business currently emits, or if noise would occur for longer periods.
“I think the only way to determine exactly how much mitigation is necessary and what would be satisfactory is to have some kind of acoustical study done,” said Redmond, noting options could include an acoustical barrier or a filter.
“Can council feel safe that you will address the neighbours’ concerns and try and make it a comfortable level for everyone?” Mayor Neil Driscoll asked Kramer.
“Yes, that is what I will try and do,” Kramer replied.
He added he did not anticipate additional noise from the expanded facility and is looking into newer, quieter dust collection technology.
Councillor Marlene Ottens questioned the proposal on a more “philosophical” level.
“The bylaw says 2,500 square feet and two employees and we’re already at 9,000 square feet and nine employees, so three to four times what’s currently permitted,” said Ottens.
“And now we’re asking for 15,000 square feet and who knows how many employees. So what’s too much? What would be considered too big of an ask? How big can it go before we say no?”
Driscoll said, “I guess the biggest problem that we face is businesses in Mapleton want to expand, whether they’re on a farm or they’re on our industrial land.
“But unfortunately for our businesses we don’t have industrial land to offer them. And second, the employees that work there live in close proximity to their jobs, which is a big benefit for any local producers.”
Driscoll noted the business will be taxed at commercial/industrial levels.
He also pointed out a new bridge recently built on the road will allow the township to provide better maintenance.
“To me it’s the best of two worlds. We’re not using up good farmland,” said Driscoll.
“The business is already there, the infrastructure’s there, we’re just going to build onto it and I think it’s just some of the old wording that’s actually holding us up or giving us these questions.”
Redmond pointed out planning policies consider “size also is relative to the type of business.
“So in this case woodworking shops generally need big areas for storage, they need big areas for machinery, so it appears as if it’s a large operation … if you were talking about a different type of industry out there …that didn’t have big machinery but had a lot of employees on 6,000 square feet, that might not be appropriate.”
Martin noted that, in terms of meeting road standards, “eventually it will come to a point where it’s not the business owner’s responsibility. It becomes the township’s responsibility.”
However, Driscoll pointed out that currently commercial or industrial businesses electing to operate on back roads are responsible for bringing roads up to municipal standards.
“I think it’s something honestly this new council would look at totally differently than other councils have in the past,” Driscoll stated. “I don’t think it is fair in my opinion to saddle the business owner with the total cost of rebuilding a road to municipal standards to get to his business that’s going to pay development charges, industrial taxes and commercial taxes and provide employment, economic development to a municipality … That would be a great discussion in the future I am sure.”
Council directed staff to prepare a draft zoning amendment, including a report indicating noise issues are being addressed to the satisfaction of neighbours.
