The Deputy Mayor Assumed the Chair at 7: 01 p.m.
Mayor Murray did not participate in discussion on this item or participate in the vote.
The purpose of the application is for a site-specific zoning By-law Amendment to rezone a +/- 8-hectare area of the subject lands from the General Agriculture Zone to the Agriculture Commercial Industrial Special zone to add an abattoir as a permitted use.
If approved, the application would facilitate the construction of an abattoir.
The proposed amendment will reflect the updated Hazard mapping that was an outcome of the Floodplain Assessment and Safe Access Study. A holding provision is proposed in unassessed areas of high archaeological potential, and for ministry acceptance of the completed archaeological assessment.
The Planner, Benito Russo explained the report and recommendation.
Presentations from the Applicant
Dana Keiffer, Senior Planner for Cobide Engineering presented on behalf of the applicant.
Keiffer spoke to the intended use and anticipated capacity of the proposed abattoir and highlighted for Council that there is no commercial component intended for the abattoir.
Presentations from the Public
No person or public body had comments on the application.
Questions and Clarifications from Council
Members of Council inquired about the limited area Archaeological Assessment, and questioned the proposed Holding in unassessed areas as it would cover farmland. The County Planner explained that the legislation stipulates that the entire property must be assessed for archaeological potential. The requirement for a holding to be placed on the other area of the property is appropriate to meet ministry standards and requirements for archaeological studies. The holding is placed on the rest of the property so that a smaller area, where development will take place may be studied, rather than the entire property.
Council discussed the proposed culvert and lane, with the Planner noting that a flood study had been done for the specific area which demonstrated safe access for the driveway portion of the site and crossing of the site. Russo explained that unless there is an existing crossing, safe access is a requirement for development where development is to take place. The Planner noted that preferred access would have been from the County of Bruce roadway but this entrance would be impacted by the provincially significant wetlands.
Council questioned whether a transportation study had been done to ensure that the current roadway could support the type of of traffic which might be anticipated with this type of development. Russo noted that during the commenting stage, the County Road Authority did not identify this as a concern, and Township staff commented that this had been discussed when Township comments were submitted on the application, and no concerns were identified at that time. Township staff confirmed that this could be reviewed at the site plan stage of the development.
Council discussed setback requirements. The Planner noted that although the abattoir use is exempt from setback requirements triggered by Minimum Distance Separation and D6 legislation, that the proposed setbacks do accommodate these legislated requirements. Council inquired about impacts to existing farm properties in terms of expansion should the application be approved. Russo confirmed that a proposed specialized farm lot across the road meets the standard, and would not be impacted. The other neighboring properties already have homes and would only permit surplus farm dwellings, which would not be impacted by the setback standards.
Council questioned the use of a 100 year storm as the standard to determine safe access to a property . Keiffer noted that the 100 year model is the new standard used within the industry, and that the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority requires this.