There is going to be another kennel along Highway 9 in the near future.
On Oct. 21, council passed a zoning amendment to allow one at 5646 Highway 9. It will be a breeding kennel.
The only correspondence on the matter was from county planner Mark Van Patter. He said the application for a kennel for 25 dogs is on a farm roughly 98 acres. There is a house and shed there.
He said the proposed location of the kennel is 180 metres from the front lot line, 160 metres from the west lot line, and 220 metres from the severed lot at the southeast corner.
In terms of the Wellington County official plan, the property is designated as secondary agriculture. He noted kennels are also permitted on prime agricultural land. A core greenland area runs through the centre of the property near where the kennel is proposed. That area is zoned as natural environment.
Van Patter said the zoning bylaw leaves most of the work to the town’s kennel bylaw.
The zoning bylaw generally prohibits kennels, except where they are approved by council as amendments.
Van Patter said the kennel bylaw was approved by council in 2005 “and has the nitty gritty of setbacks, care of animals, and fees.”
The bylaw requires a setback of 150 metres from any adjacent properties.
In the proposal, Van Patter estimated the closest building to be about 200 metres away.
The kennel bylaw also addresses noise and acoustic barriers that might be necessary. Van Patte added there should be similar consideration given if there is an outdoor dog run. Those are items that would be looked after through the town building department.
He said since the location is close to a natural environment zone, the Saugeen Conservation Authority requests there be a 30 metre setback from that area. The proponent might have to relocate the kennel a small amount to meet that requirement.
He believed the zoning amendment is fairly straightforward. The property would switch designations from agriculture to agriculture exception to permit the kennel, plus an adjustment of the natural environment mapping for the conservation authority.
He said the zoning amendment will still need the operation to meet all the requirements of the kennel bylaw and maintain the 30 metre setback from the natural environment zone.
At the same time, the proposal will need a permit from the conservation authority because of its proximity to the natural environment area.
The zoning part is fairly straightforward, Van Patter said.
The only concern came from Deputy-mayor Judy Dirksen, who asked how many kennels now exist in Minto.
“We are getting a lot of kennels in Minto and I was just wondering … do we have a yearly inspection, or do they just come to us to get a licence.”
She said her question was not directed to this particular operation.
Van Patter said that as the 2005 kennel bylaw was developed, building official Terry Kuipers visited all operations.
“I think he has a good handle on what’s out there.”
Councillor David Turton asked what the actual number of dogs will be on the property.
Van Patter was uncertain if the application was for 25 breeding dogs or 25 total, and suggested that some of that will be clarified within the kennel bylaw.
