For the second time in as many months, Guelph-Eramosa councillors have opposed a land severance on the 4th Line they say does not conform to the township zoning bylaw or the county official plan.
Terry Hewitson and agent Jeff Buisman, of Van Harten Surveying, asked council last week to reconsider its original decision on June 18 to oppose the application to sever 8.3 hectares to allow a new home as well as farm equipment sales and the storage of excavation equipment.
The proposal would leave a 30-hectare retained parcel with an existing house, barn and sheds.
In June township planner Bernie Hermsen, of MHBC Planning, suggested council oppose the severance because:
– it does not conform to the county official plan, which designates the area of the proposed severance as “core greenlands,” where new lots are restricted;
– the township zoning bylaw identifies the land as “hazard,” which prohibits new dwellings; and
– the proposed use is not agricultural and therefore is not permitted in the hazard zone.
Last week Buisman argued “the area is not properly mapped” in terms of the greenlands designation and he asked that the proposal be reconsidered, as Hewitson’s business could be classified as an accessory agricultural use.
Buisman said Hewitson wants to rent gravity bins as part of the business, and currently about 40% of his excavation business is farm related.
Councillor Corey Woods said 40% of a business is “not reasonable” to qualify it as an agricultural-related use.
Mayor Chris White seemed to agree, saying, “You’re stretching to get to agriculture.”
Councillor Doug Breen was a little more blunt. He said although no agricultural land will be lost with the severance, “I don’t think you have a snowball’s chance in hell” of getting approval for a building on the severed piece of land.
Hermsen said the business proposed on the land does not conform to the official plan’s definition of an accessory farm-related use.
“If you ignore the [greenlands] mapping for a minute, you’re assuming you can put a business anywhere in the township – and that’s not necessarily the case,” Hermsen told council.
Breen agreed, calling the proposal “a stand-alone business.”
Council reaffirmed its previous position on the matter and opposed the severance.
However, the township is simply a commenting agency regarding land severance matters. The county’s land division committee is expected to make a decision on the application at its next meeting.
