Variance approved for addition to on-farm business on Yatton Sideroad

MAPLETON – The township’s committee of adjustment approved a minor variance application during its March 11 meeting.  

 The application is to permit a business expansion at 6601 Yatton Sideroad. 

Owners Carl and Sharon Eby are set to build a 40-square-metre office expansion, with a barrier-free washroom, on the side of their existing metal fabrication shop.

The minor variance is needed because the total size of the shop is set to surpass the 560m² maximum by about 90m². 

That 560m² maximum is already a site-specific zoning amendment. Without it, the maximum size would be 232.25m². 

Before the addition, the shop is already 50m² larger than the site-specific zoning, as a 50m² mezzanine space has already been added to the shop.

The metal fabrication business is an approved on-farm diversified use on the 50-hectare (121-acre) property. There  is also a residence and farm operation on the site. 

It’s designated prime agricultural and core greenlands by Wellington County and zoned site specific agricultural and natural  environment by the township. 

On-farm diversified uses encompass those that are secondary to the principal agricultural use of the property and are limited in area, including home occupations and home industry, as well as agri-tourism.  

The metal fabrication business, which makes stairs and railings, moved to the existing shop on the farm in 2025.

Provincial guidelines recommend that on-farm diversified uses occupy less than two per cent of a farm’s area (up to a maximum of one hectare). 

That means the property at 6601 Yatton Sideroad could have an area of operation of up to 0.97 hectares, where as the current operation size is 0.32 hectares. 

Provincial policies would allow a building size of up to 20% of the area of operation. 

Township planning staff have no concerns with the requested relief and opine the variance is minor, would maintain the general intent and purpose of Wellington County’s official plan and Mapleton’s zoning bylaw, and would be desirable and appropriate for the development of the subject property. 

County planning staff also expressed no concerns with the application. 

Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) resource planning technician Andrew Herreman said the GRCA has no objection to the application as the proposed development is outside the areas of the property regulated by the authority. 

Committee of adjustment  member Robert Stanners said, “I have no problem at all when I look at this little addition – it’s pretty minor and ... we’re not cutting into any more workable land.” 

He added, “I think they’ve done a real good job of designing this.”