Surplus farm lots on Perth County's agenda

Thursday, July 2, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

Perth County Council will be discussing surplus farmhouse severances later this summer once staff completes a report summarizing comments from a public meeting held in June where the severances were discussed.

The county hasn’t allowed surplus farmhouse severances for almost 20 years. Four years ago, two Perth County municipalities, the Township of Perth South and the Municipality of West Perth, unsuccessfully appealed the ban to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Perth Federation of Agriculture president Joanne Foster says the federation remains opposed to the severances but many members are in favour of allowing them. During a vote held at a recent federation meeting, the number of members opposed compared to those in favour was close.

Perth Warden Bob Wilhelm says county staff at council’s direction went into the recent public meeting with the position that no changes to the severance policy were being anticipated. The June 23 public meeting in Sebringville was held because during a meeting several years ago the council at that time committed to another public meeting on the issue when the county’s Official Plan came up for review. “We were just fulfilling that commitment.”

Allan Rothwell, the county’s planning and development director, says the prohibition of surplus farmhouse severances is part of a section in the Official Plan policies that bans any new non-farm residential lots in agricultural areas, whether it’s a vacant lot or a lot with a surplus farm dwelling on it, he says.

The plan is reviewed every five years and is up again for review.

At last month’s meeting on surplus farmhouse severances, Wilhelm says there were thoughts expressed similar to those at the previous 2013 public meeting. But this time around “there was a larger number speaking in favour of “ the severances. Furthermore, support for the severances came from a much wider group of county residents compared to last time.

“More people spoke in favour (of the severances) this time than last time,” he says, noting about 100 people attended the June meeting. That’s an indication a lot of people were interested in the matter, he adds.

“I thought the meeting went very well and there were a lot of good points raised,” he says. “People stated their points and there was no hissing or booing. Everyone was very cordial and listened to everyone’s opinion.”

Wilhelm says staff will be bringing a summary of what was said at the meeting to council. “I am sure there will be some discussion at that time to talk about whether the county wants to make any changes or not with this, keeping in mind there are some new councilors on county council” this time compared to when council decided to ban the severances. The summary will probably be before council early in August.

Wilhelm says the county prohibits the severances “because there’s a concern about infringing on agriculture.” The severances ban was put in place to “allow farmers to continue farming practices, such as whether they want to build barns or additions to barns etc.”

Rothwell says the planning department has supported the existing policy “because it is very protective of farming. The creation of any new non-farm residential lots does have some impact on agriculture.”

He acknowledges some surrounding municipalities do allow the severances.

If Perth County Council decides to modify the existing policy another public meeting will need to be held to discuss the changes. BF