WELLINGTON NORTH — While they realize it would likely be futile to try and stop it, members of Wellington North council were not happy to approve the conversion of nine acres of farmland into a new works garage and ambulance station.
“I am so not in support of this," said Coun. Lisa Hern said Monday night as council removed a holding provision on the proposal to allow for the new use at 7970 Wellington Rd. 12 in Arthur.
Coun. Steve McCabe was also opposed to the loss of farmland.
“I don’t think anyone will be surprised when I say that I‘m not in favour of this. I have never been and I never will be. The fact that this has gone on this far is not palatable to me," McCabe said.
Although several council members voiced strong opposition to the loss of farmland, the necessary steps to have the holding provision removed had been completed. So council had to vote in favour of lifting the hold and rezoning the property to allow the development.
In May, Wellington County rezoned the property from agricultural to rural industrial. But there was still a holding provision requiring an archaeological assessment to be completed. That assessment was done and found no issues.
Hern spoke out against the loss of farmland but not the lifting of the holding provision, noting her job is to represent the needs of Wellington North.
“But I am in opposition to this happening here. And maybe the horse has left the stable. And I know that my role here is with Wellington North,” Hern said.
“But the problem to me is with this county policy. And I quite frankly don’t want to see that happen in other parts of the county either,” Hern said.
Hern noted the importance of the farmland being lost.
“I find it quite frustrating that nine acres feeds a lot of people both with food and economically. It feeds Wellington North,” Hern said.
Hern argued farmland and farming are critical to life in Wellington North.
“Plus it gives us our identity. Every single one of us here are all based around agriculture in one way, shape or form. That’s what Wellington North is. It supports us,” Hern said.
“So I am just amazed at how the county can bend the rules in my opinion and have less regard for ag land than they promote,” Hern said.
As the requirements for the holding provision had been met, the council had to vote in favour of lifting the holding provision.
“For those reasons I’m not supportive of the project. But I do understand the difference between the holding provision and our hands are probably pretty tied on that,” Hern said.
"And even in Steve Wever’s report he says that other locations were recognised but never really investigated,” McCabe said.
McCabe also noted that fighting this development further would be a waste of money.
"I understand from a taxpayer point of view, that pushing this forward, going to the Ontario Land Tribunal would probably cost the township more money than we need to pay out. So I’m not really in favour of that either," McCabe said.
Coun. Sherry Burke said that this vote goes against her values and the values of this council.
“I don’t necessarily like what is being presented in front of us. And I think it’s important that our residents know that in this council, in most circumstance, (we) protect prime agricultural land," Burke said.
Burke disliked the serious lack of investigation into alternative sites to construct the works garage.
"And I’m disappointed to see that this site is the only site that was necessarily considered and presented," Burke said.
Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
