Guelph-Eramosa council dealt with a kennel bylaw, a new closed meeting investigator and a public meeting on Jan. 16.
Council has approved the bylaw to allow kennels in Guelph-Eramosa Township. This Ministry of the Attorney General has approved the bylaw as well.
Licensing bylaw highlights include:
– kennels must be set back 150m from all property lines;
– floor plans must be reviewed by the township and Guelph Humane Society;
– site plan agreements are required:
– wood fencing around the kennel perimeter is required;
– enforcement provisions included for nuisance barking;
– standard of care provisions for kenneled animals outlined;
– existing kennels licensed under previous bylaws will be considered compliant with the new bylaw; and
– the existing kennel bylaw will be replaced with the new bylaw.
“Any licensing fees collected from new kennel applications will be added as revenue to the 2017 budget,” the report states.
A kennel in the township is defined as a building, premises or place where more than three dogs or four cats are housed, to a maximum of 50 dogs or cats.
Meeting investigator
Guelph-Eramosa Township has appointed John Maddox of JGM Consulting as its closed meeting investigator.
In 2008 the township chose Amberly Gavel, part of the LAS Closed Meeting Investigator Program, as its closed meeting investigator.
However, Wellington County is now looking to reappoint Maddox for the county and for member municipalities.
The township currently pays a $745 retainer for two years (2016 and 2017) to LAS with an investigation fee (if there’s a complaint) of $1,250 a day.
With Maddox, the county will pay the retainer fee and Guelph-Eramosa will be responsible for the fees for a closed meeting investigation, which is $100 an hour.
“While the township has paid the retainer fee of the LAS Closed Meeting Investigator Program until the end of 2017, moving to the services of John Maddox will not result in an additional retainer fee and could ultimately cost the township considerably less for investigation fees,” acting clerk Amanda Knight said.
Public meeting
Council approved an application to permit a garden suite at 5807 4th Line. The garden suite would be situated within a cluster of existing buildings. The garden suite conforms with the provincial policy statement, the Wellington County Official Plan and the Guelph-Eramosa zoning bylaw.
No one in attendance at the Jan. 16 meeting spoke against or in favour of the garden suite.
