MAPLETON – Council here is considering permitting the construction of a new livestock barn in a natural area.
A public meeting was held to consider the proposal on July 8, during which no one spoke for or against it.
The barn would be located on a 49.3 hectare property at 8700 Concession 4.
There is currently a farm and a house on the property.
The proposed barn would be located partially within an area zoned natural environment, which does not permit this use, so a zoning amendment is required to proceed.
“The amendment would also consider the location of the proposed barn in relations to an existing enclosed drain and may consider a reduced set back to the drain,” states a notice about the public meeting.
Notice of the meeting was shared with neighbouring properties, township staff and applicable agencies, and posted on site on June 18.
Township staff are satisfied that the proposal is in general conformity with the county’s official plan and support the rezoning request.
County staff also have no concerns about the proposal.
The property is designated prime agricultural, core greenlands and greenland by the County of Wellington.
“The greenland feature represents and enclosed drain that traverses the property,” township planners stated in a report.
The property is zoned agricultural and natural environment by the township, with the natural environment zone “in place to recognize lands that are regulated by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and related to hazardlands, officials continued.
“The zoning bylaw provides flexibility related to the [natural environment] zone boundaries and asserts that at the time of a development application or building permit, the boundaries of the NE zone can be more precisely determined in consultation with the conservation authority.
“The MVCA has reviewed the proposal and have indicated the proposed location of the barn is outside of the mapped regulated area. This has resulted in a suitable building envelope for the proposed barn outside of the hazard area.
“The draft bylaw will amend the [natural environment] zone boundary to reflect the re-interpreted boundary, and the lands will be placed into agricultural zone.”
