A formal letter with mapping…

A formal letter with mapping will also be mailed.

Whereas the Township of Puslinch recognizes the importance of protecting prime agriculture lands while maintaining a balanced approach to sustainable growth and economic development; and

Whereas the Township currently has limited opportunities for growth and economic development; and

Whereas Highway 401 is a major goods movement corridor and connects the Greater Toronto area, southwestern Ontario and USA, and is a corridor for trade and economic development; and

Whereas the Province has emphasized the importance of residential and employment corridors next to transportation and transit corridors;

Whereas the Township has identified rural employment areas located adjacent to or near Highway 401 and Highway 6; and

Whereas lands currently identified as rural employment areas adjacent to Highway 401 and Highway 6 should continue to be recognized and protected as future rural employment areas; and

Whereas lands currently not identified as rural employment areas adjacent to or near Highway 401 and Highway 6 should be appropriately designated to permit future employment uses over the long-term to optimize and ensure the long-term viability of economic development for the Township of Puslinch, the County of Wellington and the Province of Ontario; and

Whereas the proposed Provincial Growth Plan – Draft Agricultural Land Base jeopardizes long-term economic viability and prosperity of the Highway 401 and Highway 6 corridor; and

Whereas the Township supported a policy change in the County 5-Year Review Official Plan Amendment, approved by the province and subsequently the OMB in 2014, that increased the potential for residential severances on lands designated Secondary Agricultural Area. The extensive redesignation of Secondary Agricultural Areas to Prime Agricultural Areas would largely reverse this policy direction and would therefore be unfair to landowners and would pose a significant constraint to the Township's ability to meet its growth allocation pursuant to Places to Grow and the County Official Plan; and

Whereas lands currently identified as Secondary Agricultural, which contain existing aggregate operations below the water table that cannot be rehabilitated to agricultural, continue to be recognized as secondary agricultural lands; and

Whereas the proposed Agricultural Land Base negates the Township’s ability for strategically planned balanced residential growth and economic development; and

Whereas Council understands that the Prime Agricultural Areas in Erin and Minto shown on the Ministry’s web portal were revised after the staff report was prepared, Council remains concerned about the removal of Secondary Agricultural areas and maintains its position that an extension to the EBR commenting period is necessary to allow staff the opportunity to continue working with the Provincial ministries to address these concerns; and

Whereas Schedule A7 – Puslinch of the County of Wellington Official Plan and draft Growth Plan Agricultural Land Base map is attached as part of this resolution to reference and illustrate the impact;

Now therefore the Council for the Township of Puslinch hereby requests that the Minister extend the EBR commenting period to allow staff the opportunity to continue to work with the Provincial ministry to address concerns prior to approval regarding:

•the removal of Secondary Agricultural areas and impact of the extensive Prime Agricultural Area on residential severances, recreational lands and the Township’s Rural Employment Area designations;

•mapping and coarse scale land classification methodology as it relates to small scale landscape changes in the Township; and

That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the County of Wellington and MPP, Ted Arnott requesting support.

[Original Comment ID: 211097]