Guelph-Eramosa council discussed a severance and lot line adjustment at the June 20 council meeting.
Jones Baseline severance
Council supported a consent application, subject to conditions, to sever a one-acre parcel of land from the southern boundary of 5109 Jones Baseline, which is in the Eramosa hamlet area.
“The retained lot will be 1.5 hectares in size,” said Dan Currie, township planning consultant from MHBC Planning, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture.
“The minimum lot requirement is 0.4 hectare, 1 acre, and the severed lot will meet that minimum lot area.”
The severance meets the township zoning and official plan requirements, however $500 for cash in lieu of parkland is to be given to the township, as is required for every new residential lot.
The County of Wellington will decide on the severance.
Lot line adjustment
Council supported a consent application for a lot line adjustment resulting in 32 hectares being severed from the property at 5516 Wellington Road 29 and added to 5521 Jones Baseline.
“The direction is that the farmable portion of the severed property be maintained as large as possible so the recommendation is that the retained lot be reduced in size to the minimum area to require to retain the existing structures,” Currie said.
However councillor Corey Woods asked that it be noted that special consideration be given in this case.
“I know the county wants to … shrink the residential property down as small as possible and make the agricultural as big as possible, but in this case here to the north you’re bound by the neighbouring property line … to the south their driveway comes right up along that boundary … so the only thing you’re going to say is off the back of your property or the west portion of your property you need to take that closer to the house,” Woods said.
However at the back there’s a ground-mounted solar panel and a combine won’t be able to make the turn to work the additional ground, Woods explained.
Woods said he thinks 3.5 acres sounds reasonable and he would prefer the recommendation not be to reduce to the lot size.
However, Currie explained that the recommendation uses the term “structure” rather than “buildings” so that the solar panel and drive shed will be taken into consideration.
Mayor Chris White suggested the landowner take their case to the land division committee.
“The whole purpose is to stop severing up the farm, not have other homes being built and, if you’re going to remove it from the farm operation, to shrink it,” he said.
In the county there have been cases where accessory buildings have been required to be knocked down, White explained.
Council supported the recommendation and Wellington County will make the final decision.
