Mapleton approves minor variances

MAPLETON – Minor variance applications for four  properties were approved during an April 15 Mapleton committee of adjustment meeting. 

Liquid manure tank metres from environmental lands

Township staff say a manure tank located less than five metres from protected environmental lands will reduce the farm’s environmental impact. 

The 46-hectare (114-acre) farm is on Sideroad 15 between Drayton and Moorefield. 

The owners are set to install a liquid manure tank four and a half metres away from natural environment land. 

Mapleton’s zoning bylaw requires manure to be located at least 30 metres from natural environment-zoned land.

Township planners say “there does not appear to be an alternative location that will not further reduce productive farmland.” 

The natural environment land is regulated by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), which approved of the manure tank’s location and has provided a permit for it. 

The manure tank will replace a manure pit that township planners say is “leaching into the surrounding lands. 

“This improvement in manure storage will mitigate the environmental impacts on the adjacent watercourse and contain the manure safely,” they state in a report.  

Township planner Michelle McCabe said the tank will be a “huge improvement for the lands.” 

“This is going to greatly help keep this watershed a lot cleaner,” agreed committee member Robert Stanners, who thanked the applicant for making the change. 

“I wish we had a way of going out in to the township and nailing a few others like this.” 

Committee member Peg Schieck said, “I always like to see an improvement. 

“I would like to see it out of the GRCA area and closer to the barn but if the GRCA is okay with it then I’m fine with it.” 

Township and county planners also stated they have no concerns as long as the GRCA supports the application. 

Feed stored near protected lands

Owners of a property on Wellington Road 8, a few kilometres southeast of Goldstone, are set to build a new feed room and feed bunkers. 

While these will be within the existing building cluster on the 40-hectare (100-acre) dairy farm, their location is closer to lands zoned natural environment than the bylaw allows. 

The area is protected because there is a watercourse and floodplain. 

The required setback is 30 metres, while the proposal is to build the feed room 11m from the protected land and the bunkers 17m from it. 

The GRCA has no objection  and issued a permit for the proposed feed room and bunker. 

Wellington Source Water Protection (WSWP) officials do not object and said while the property is located in a vulnerable area, “the proposed activities do not create a significant drinking water threat.”  

Mapleton planners said “there does not appear to be an alternative location that will not further reduce the productive farmland,” and have no concerns with the application

 County planners also have no concerns.  

The application was approved without discussion. 

Barn extension approaches neighbouring property

Another 40-hectare (100-acre) dairy farm, this one on the 14th Line just north of Alma, is set to build a barn addition closer to the neighbouring property than is usually allowed (13m instead of 24m). 

Mapleton planners said “there does not appear to be an alternative location that will not further reduce the productive farmland” and have no concerns. County planners also have no concerns.  

WSWP said the property is in a vulnerable area but the proposal does not create a significant drinking water threat. 

Schieck asked if the farm had ample space for manure storage to accommodate the addition and owner Peter Falkena said it does. 

  New house in range of barn, manure storage

Property owners are set to build a new house on a 20-hectare (50-acre) property on the 12th Line, a couple kilometres west of Alma. 

Minimum distance setbacks require the house to be at least 297m from neighbouring barns and 368m from manure storage. 

Instead, owners want to build the house 257m from the barn and 354m from manure storage. 

Mapleton planner Michelle McCabe said there are very limited options for where the house could be built, “so I think they are doing the best they can to locate the house in the best location to have the lesser impact on the surrounding livestock facilities. 

“So I have no concerns with the request,” said McCabe. 

County planners also have no concerns with the request.

Stanners said he’d visited the site and agrees that there doesn’t seem to be a better solution, adding the proposed location offers shelter from storms.