The council chamber was only partly full for a recent public meeting here for a rezoning of some lands in old West Garafraxa for a new church.
Eric Vangrootheest is the owner of a parcel of land at Part of Lot 8, Concesson 1, also known as 6528 First Line, in old West Garafraxa township. The parcel is 55 acres, but Vangrootheest said the church and a manse would take up about nine acres. The church is considering a large berm to surround the church property, to separate it from other uses.
Township planner Brett Salmon said the land is near the Elora to Cataract Trailway, and close to where Dixon Drive could some day be extended, and that will someday allow the township to create more industrial land. He said the land was a farm and was zoned for agriculture. The applicant is seeking an official plan amendment to place the property within a policy area within industrial land.
Salmon said it appears the days of neighbourhood churches are over, and more and more of them are being located in industrial areas and fringe sites. He said declaring the land for the church and manse a policy area would allow those buildings in an industrial area.
Salmon also noted the former farmhouse is now a group home, and he said that will likely eventually be severed.’
Salmon said he received one letter in support of the application, none against it, and the only agency that commented was the Grand River Conservation Authority, which wants assurance nothing will be built within 120 metres of a wetland to the south and west of the property.
Salmon said there are no municipal services in the area yet and it could be some time before they reach there, but the rezoning would require the church and manse be connected when they become available. The church would not include a school or a day care facility. Salmon noted with a church being built before any industry is located on the property, it will put a reverse onus on industrial developers to consider the effects they might have on the churches.
Salmon said that land is “farther away. It’s hard to say. We may require a distance separation and some buffering.”
Councillor Walt Visser said he is pleased the Maranatha community is building in his ward. Vangrootheest said the property is much larger than what the church needs, and he plans to make sure a large berm surrounds the church to keep it separate from the industrial lands.
He said in an interview outside of council the new church will be the Canadian Reformed Church Fergus North. He added that the Maranatha Church already in Fergus has become big enough that it can divide and build a second church.
