Wellington North Council approved two, separate zoning amendment applications, one on a farm on Concession 8 and one on a four-acre parcel of land near of the intersection of Highway 6 and Wellington County Road 109 in Arthur following public meetings Monday evening.
Marcus Bauman was seeking a rezoning on a portion of his 100-acre farm to allow for the creation of auto body repair and paint shop, council was told.
The intent is to build on a 30,000 square foot parcel of the existing farmland.
Township planner Linda Redmond said requests for minor severances from larger farm parcels are made to allow landowners to set up a business separate from farm operations “to supplement farm income.”
Usually, according to the planner, the businesses include related businesses such as welding or woodworking shops.
“Auto body repairs is specifically excluded under home uses,” she said.
However, with no farm homes nearby and with strict regulations on how the business is run, including stipulations no outside storage of vehicles will be allowed, “it can meet the home industry intent,” she added.
“It’s our opinion the use meets the intent of the zoning bylaw,” the planner added.
The planner said a similar view is shared on the plan to rezone a four-acre parcel of land on Patrick Street to allow for a trailer sales business. The property is currently zoned industrial exception and the application is for highway commercial zoning.
“The proposal would bring the property into conformity with the Official Plan,” Redmond told council.
The application is being sought by Trevor and Colleen Cox of TC Machine Ltd. in conjunction with the pending sale of the property.
Redmond said development of the property into a trailer sales business would require certain conditions be met, including Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) requirements Wellington North approve a road opening bylaw for Patrick Street, a traffic impact study and water management study.
“The MTO has no record of Patrick Street being an open street,” Wellington North Works Manager Gary Williamson said of the open road requirement.
A neighbor of the property said when the property was first developed by Inter-County Milk a fence between the two properties was torn down. The neighbor wanted to know whether a requirement for a fence or other buffer would be in place should new development occur on the property.
Redmond said new development on the property would require a site plan agreement with the township and could include some type of buffer between the two properties.
“A privacy fence or buffer would be part of the site plan,” she said.
Both amendments received council approval.
