Increased farm surplus dwelling severances continue to reshape not only Centre Wellington, but all of Wellington County.
On Sept. 23, four of the five public meetings prior to the regular session of council dealt with zoning amendments for surplus farm dwelling severances.
Affected properties included 8520 Wellington Road 22 in the former Township of Eramosa, 7011 Wellington Road 16 in former West Garafraxa Township, 7038 Wellington Road 16 in former West Garafraxa Township, and 8372 Sideroad 30 in former Eramosa Township.
During the first meeting Centre Wellington managing director of planning and development Brett Salmon commented, “This is another in our long line of rural surplus farm dwelling severances.”
The general trend of the rezoning for these properties is to restrict any livestock units should barns be retained on the residential property and to prevent new homes from being constructed on the farmland being severed from the residence.
Salmon noted that in each case, Wellington County Land Division had already essentially approved the surplus farm dwelling severance – with the rezoning required as a condition of the severance.
One question which did arise during discussions came from councillor Kirk McElwain who asked for some clarification as to how the new lot lines are determined.
Salmon said the intent is to preserve as much of farmland as possible when the residential property is severed.
“To a degree our zoning bylaw regulations are arbitrary in terms of property setbacks.”
However, he added, “the county policy is quite clear that you are to use existing features of the site and make the residential site as small as possible.”
